My brethren, if any one among you wanders from the truth and some one brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20

And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12:3

Second, this is where the heat of the battle is for men's souls, fatherhood, and family life. The porn fight is frontline spiritual warfare. In every generation there are always men who rise to defend the Faith at critical points where it is being attacked. This email is a trumpet call to men with a strong faith and an active prayer life.

Third, while it is true that most men without a pornography addiction don't want to be directly associated with men having this problem, it is not true of Jesus Christ.

Jesus was openly criticized for associating with harlots and tax collectors. He even did the unthinkable when he touched lepers. Some think they will find closeness with Jesus on some mountaintop, or at some seminar. They might, but there is a better chance to find intimacy with Christ in the trenches battling pornography.

It's best that a Freedom Group leader should never have had any type of sexual addiction. His name will be used in the parish bulletin as a contact person with his cell phone number and/or email address so that interested men can anonymously get in touch with him. (Members of Freedom Groups who are now wrestling with a pornography problem, or have in the past, should be able to remain anonymous.)

Is God calling you to step forward and provide leadership for a Freedom Group?

P.S. To those seeking a leader, remember that we cannot provide a leader of a Freedom Group for you. You have to pray and seek one, in consultation with your local priest.

Clarification of Leadership Qualifications

I’ve received a few emails asking why I recommended that the visible parish leaders of Freedom Groups should be men who have never had a pornography problem. There are at least four reasons:

First, we tried this for weeks and not a single man with a significant problem came forward. I did have some men (with a pornography addiction) contact me explaining that shame would keep 99% of men like themselves from coming forward to take a position of visible leadership.

Second, it is prudent that men with children still in the home not take a public position where everyone in the parish knows about an addiction. Even men who long ago overcame an addiction should use caution in making a public issue out of their past, if younger children are still in the home. God intends childhood to be years of innocence. It is not a time for being overloaded with knowledge about problems that they lack the maturity to deal with.

Third, even though the public leader/contact person for the Freedom Group is a man without a past addiction for the reasons above, it certainly doesn’t preclude other men who have had sexual addictions taking active leadership responsibilities within the group.

Fourth, some men with a sinful past have a faulty standard thinking that only those with a past equally steeped in sin can help them. This isn’t true. For example, a holy priest can offer priceless advice to sinners, just as a celibate priest can offer helpful advice to married couples. Certainly, men who have “been there” and overcome their past can offer tremendous assistance, but virtuous men, who have never plunged into a life of sin, can as well.