Two of these pictures (above) taken by CUP members during the DRAG QUEEN show were during Carmel City (2023) PRIDE at Sunset. Families came and brought their children. As you can see, little girls are holding dollars to tuck in the men's outfits and everyone is gladly cheering them on including politicians. Other pictures were captured during two years worth of prayer rallies hosted by CUP at public libraries where parents took their children for a "DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR" and visit the SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE. They confuse children as men dress like women and they mock our Catholic faith. Photo credit: CUP Members
As a Catholic parent and faith leader, my heart aches for our children. They are growing up in a world that pushes them away from God’s design—created male and female, as affirmed in Genesis 1:27. The cultural assault promoting LGBTQ identities is not just a challenge to our faith but a threat to our children’s spiritual and emotional well-being. Recent experiences, alarming statistics, legal battles, and Catholic resources like Courage International offer both a wake-up call and hope. As parents, Catholics and faith leaders, we must act to protect children and defend our religious liberty.
This summer, I hosted a prayer rally of reparation after witnessing a drag queen story hour at a public library, part of a pride festival where parents brought their children to events that hypersexualize and confuse young minds with anti-Christian messages. These spectacles, increasingly common at pride festivals nationwide, expose children to displays that undermine the purity and truth of God’s plan. As a parent and grandparent, I worry about the impact on impressionable hearts, drawn to these events under the guise of “inclusivity” but led astray from natural law.
My fears deepened when a young person from our parish community, whom I mentored for years in faith formation, called me after only one year at a public university. This vibrant soul, once solidly rooted in their identity, sounded distressed now sharing they now identify as transgender and no longer go to Church or believe in God. The heartbreak was overwhelming—this young person is desperately lost, and this reflects a broader epidemic where our children are pressured to reject their God-given identity. I’ve also learned of teens with autism or developmental delays being targeted by LGBTQ activists, especially in online chat rooms and high schools. These vulnerable youth, seeking belonging, are coerced into embracing LGBTQ identities, exploiting their challenges and pulling them from the truth of God’s image.
The numbers confirm this crisis. In 2012, Gallup reported that 3.5% of U.S. adults, including youth, identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. By 2023, the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that approximately 26% of high school students identified as LGBTQ—13% bisexual, 3% gay or lesbian, 7% questioning or other, and 2.7% transgender. This rise from 11% in 2015 to about 26% in 2023, fueled by social media and schools, signals an epidemic, particularly among young women, who dominate bisexual identification. As a parent and grandparent, I fear that over one in four of our children may choose a path that leads away from God and natural law, plunging them into spiritual and emotional turmoil.
The consequences are devastating. The 2023 YRBSS shows that 65% of transgender students experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness, and 53% reported suicidal ideation, compared to 38% and 16% of heterosexual students. The Trevor Project’s 2022 survey reports 60% of transgender and nonbinary youth faced major depressive symptoms, and 43% had suicidal thoughts. Tragically, this pain often drives our children away from Christ and the Church when they need God’s love most. The cultural push to affirm these identities isolates them from faith communities, deepening their despair.
Thankfully, Catholic resources like Courage International and EnCourage offer hope. Courage supports Catholics who experience same-sex attractions or gender discordance, helping them live chaste lives through prayer, fellowship, and spiritual guidance, rooted in the Church’s teaching on human sexuality. EnCourage provides pastoral care for parents, offering support to love children while staying faithful to God’s truth. These ministries, endorsed by the USCCB and the Pontifical Council for the Family, remind us that our children are beloved by God and can find holiness in chastity.
Two recent LifeSiteNews reports highlight the stakes. They noted the U.S. Supreme Court will hear cases from West Virginia and Idaho on state bans preventing transgender individuals from competing in female sports. For Catholic parents, this is about protecting our daughters and upholding the truth of biological sex. Forcing our schools to comply risks violating our religious freedom. Similarly, a UN report urged bans on child gender transitions, aligning with Catholic teachings on the body’s sanctity, yet parents and healthcare providers face pressure to conform, threatening our right to live our faith.
The Trump administration has acted to protect our children. On January 28, 2025, an executive order banned federal funding for gender-affirming care for minors under 19, citing harms like sterilization. Another order on January 29, 2025, ensures schools do not promote “gender ideology” or hide social transitions from parents, supporting our authority as Catholic parents. Though challenged by groups like the ACLU, these steps align with our values.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2333) calls us to embrace our sexual identity as God’s gift. Yet, secular mandates demand we affirm fluid identities. We should never affirm what is a lie. We should love those struggling while defending our right to proclaim truth. The USCCB warns that our religious liberty is at risk when Catholic ministries are coerced into compliance.
As parents, what can we do? Pray fervently for our children, especially the vulnerable, that they experience conversion and find Christ’s healing love. Support legal efforts like those before the Supreme Court to protect our rights. Seek out Courage and EnCourage for guidance and community. Teach God’s design in our homes and parishes, offering compassionate outreach to those in crisis. Use resources like LifeSiteNews (lifesitenews.com) and Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace to stand for faith and family. As a parent and Catholic, I beg you: love your children fiercely, shield them from spiritual and emotional harm, and proclaim the Gospel with courage.