When an oxygen tank exploded on Apollo 13, three astronauts’ lives hung by a thread. Their calm words—“Houston, we’ve had a problem”—sparked a desperate, brilliant rescue. In this 8-minute read, Steve Wood asks: What happens when the Catholic Church faces its own life-threatening crisis? The answer may surprise you—and it may also equip you.
From the Desk of Steve Wood at the Family Life Center (September 2025)
Houston, We’ve Had a Problem
I was present for the first two moon shots: Apollo 11 and 12. They were unforgettable. For Apollo 11, I stood waist-deep in the Indian River at Titusville, binoculars in hand, watching the American flag painted on the side of the massive Saturn V rocket. At liftoff, the earth shook as if a bomb had gone off.
But as thrilling as those launches were, I believe NASA’s finest hour came during Apollo 13. On April 13, 1970, more than 200,000 miles from Earth, an oxygen tank exploded on board, threatening the astronauts’ survival. Their calm report still echoes today:
“Houston, we’ve had a problem.”
In the four days that followed, engineers and astronauts worked tirelessly, improvising solutions that brought Apollo 13 safely home. That was NASA’s greatest achievement: solving a seemingly impossible problem.
Catholics, We Have a Problem
Like Apollo 13, the Church is facing a life-threatening crisis. But unlike that famous mission, too few are speaking up or offering affordable solutions to scale.
The problem? The toxic spread of internet pornography.
- 30 million Catholic men live in the U.S.
- Barna Research shows 64% of Christian men (including Catholics) view pornography monthly—that’s 19 million Catholic men.
- Among Christian men under 30, usage rises to 65–79%.
- Even priests are not exempt—Barna estimates 50% of Christian pastors view pornography monthly.
- Research shows pornography doubles the divorce rate for men and triples it for women.
Fr. Gary Thomas, a well-known exorcist, warns: “Pornography is a doorway to harassment by evil spirits.”
If you think orthodox Catholic colleges and universities are safe from the porn plague, think again. As the next two stories will show you, porn addiction is a big problem even at the best ones.
One of the most solid Catholic schools of higher learning in America discovered that so many young men were viewing internet porn that the computer room had to be closed at midnight. Even so, one student’s addiction was so strong that he actually broke into a faculty office after midnight to feed his addiction!
A chaplain at one of the very best orthodox Catholic colleges in America said that the college had three major spiritual problems: first, pornography; second, pornography; and third, pornography.
Both of these institutions receive a top ranking in the Newman Guide.
Even homeschoolers aren’t exempt from the porn plague. Some horrible things homeschoolers learned from internet porn led to behaviors that are so awful that I really don’t want to mention them.
An Apocalyptic Problem
The modern porn problem is an apocalyptic plague. Note the prophetic warning given in the book of Revelation.
“Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of her impure passion (Gk.porneia).” Revelation 14:8
“… Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who is seated upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and with the wine of whose fornication (Gk. porneia) the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” Revelation 17:1–2
The two uses above of the New Testament Greek word, porneia, refer to any and all forms of sexual immorality – exactly what the porn pushers send in full color at 5-G.
This is not a side issue—it is the greatest moral and spiritual crisis in our Church.
Our Apollo 13 Solution
At Family Life Center, we’ve developed a practical, pastoral tool: two short booklets called Breaking Free (for married men) and Young Men Breaking Free (for single men). These booklets outline 12 steps to help Catholics break free from pornography.
- 150,000 copies distributed so far—many through priests in Confession.
- Countless testimonies from men and families who have found hope and freedom. Here is a small sampling of the feedback we’ve received.
Gary (not his real name) told me, “I struggled with porn addiction for years and could never find a way out. A priest in Confession gave me a copy of your booklet Breaking Free. Once I understood that this is spiritual warfare and I put into practice the many suggestions the booklet offered to counter Satan’s darkness, I was home free. That was nine years ago!”
Joe (not his real name) said, “Satan used this sin to cripple me. Your 12-Step plan is bulletproof. Thank you a million times.”
A father of three told me, “Thanks to you and God’s grace, I stopped viewing porn on the internet and in magazines. Praise God!! Thank you!”
Fred (not his real name) told me, “I’ve been addicted to porn for decades, and it nearly destroyed my family. Thanks for throwing me the lifeline to save my marriage.”
A priest from Washington D.C. wrote, “We hear confessions six days a week here at our parish, and believe me, internet pornography is an epidemic. Your booklets Breaking Free and Young Men Breaking Free are the best help we can give these men.”
But here’s the challenge: 150,000 is less than 1% of the millions of Catholic men who need help.
That’s why we’re now offering free digital downloads worldwide—instant, private, and accessible to anyone, anywhere.
We’ve also created business cards and bulletin inserts with QR codes that link directly to the free downloads.
How You Can Help
We don’t have an advertising budget. But you have something better: personal influence.
That’s why I’m asking you—not for money—but for your help in spreading the word.
Here’s how you:
- Give sample cards to your parish priest. Encourage him to download a copy and read it for his approval.
- Request a starter kit with more cards: Email Jamie@BibleforCatholics.com
Yours in His Majesty’s Service,
Steve Wood
P.S. We are experiencing difficulty in getting Catholic youth leaders to use Young Men Breaking Free. We even did an expensive mailing to a national list of Catholic youth leaders and had a pitiful response. We’ll be glad to send you extra cards to share with youth leaders in your community. Young men’s need for this info is critical.
P.P.S. If you’re able to send a little support financially, it would mean a great deal. And know this: we pray for our donors by name—but above all, please join us in sharing this resource.
P.P.P.S. Already, following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, there seems to be a worldwide awakening of youth desiring to return to God. Your assistance in helping overcome the porn plague will greatly assist in making their pilgrimage successful.
Take the Next Step—Resources to Help You & Others Break Free
Click here to access free downloads, video, and parish tools within our Breaking Free Resource hub.
Watch: Screwtape’s Strategies for Entrapping Young Men—a powerful foreword to Breaking Free.
Announce: Download our ready-to-use bulletin insert to help spread hope and healing.
Share: Request or print sample cards. Share them with a friend, or request more for your parish or ministry.
“Your eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is sound, your whole body is full of light; but when it is not sound, your body is full of darkness.” – Jesus – Luke 11:34