WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2015 /
Christian Newswire/ -- The Lepanto Institute produced two reports indicating that the Salesian Missions, an organization operated by the order of priests known as the Salesians of Don Bosco, implemented a contraception promoting program in South Africa. The first report analyzes documentation from the Salesian Life Choices program, showing that it promotes all forms of contraception, including abortifacients. The second report reveals that in 2008, Salesian Life Choices distributed over 114,000 condoms to teens between the ages of 15 and 19.
Following the issue of the first report, the Salesian Missions denied any wrongdoing in an October 29 statement, claiming to be "the target of false claims."
"This information came directly from government documents and the Salesian Life Choices website itself, so the denials are completely baseless," said Michael Hichborn, president of the Lepanto Institute. "Pewsitting Catholics have witnessed this song and dance from organizations like Catholic Relief Services or the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, but no one expects it from the Salesians."
The first report by the Lepanto Institute shows screen shots from the Salesian Missions website where it boasts of having implemented the Life Choices program with money from government agencies PEPFAR and USAID. The report also provides images and text from manuals of the Life Choices program obtained from the Salesian Life Choices website. These manuals contain multiple promotions of abortifacient contraception and condom use.
"Even the youth newsletter, written by kids who have gone through the program, promote contraception and condoms," said Hichborn. "What the kids wrote in the newsletter echoes almost word for word what the manuals say about contraception and condoms. This isn't a coincidence."
In the second report, the Lepanto Institute presented a government document that obtained documentation from the Salesian Life Choices program in 2008, indicating that the program was responsible for the distribution of over 114,000 condoms to kids. This fact is reinforced by a 2006 video produced by Salesian Life Choices that warns against having "sex without a condom."
The Lepanto Institute is calling on Catholics to contact the Salesian Order, asking them to take direct action to resolve the situation.
The Lepanto Institute is a research and education organization dedicated to the defense of the Catholic Church.
