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A FEW PREFATORY COMMENTS ABOUT
THE ARTICLE ON PAGE FIVE
There is a dear little boy — sad to say — who
is missing from the sixth-grade classroom of what was, until
very recently, his school in Schuylkill County. This child started
off the current school year. No one had any reason to think
he would not be present for the duration of the year. But an
almost unbearable tragedy interrupted the reasonable expectations
of his family and friends.
The boy is dead as a result of asphyxiation, apparently
self-induced — but not with suicidal intent. He was playing
a game.
While we commend his dear soul to God and pray for his
grief-stricken parents, relatives and friends, we need to do
what we can to prevent such a tragedy from falling upon other
children in our county.
When I first heard of the child’s death, I was puzzled,
in addition to being saddened.
I wondered: What in the world prompted a child of such
a tender age to do such a thing?
I spoke with a wise friend of mine who is a high school
counselor in one of the local public school districts. She has
her ear to the ground, so to speak, when it comes to “things
kids do these days”.
She said that some children in her high school have acquainted
her with the term “euphoric asphyxiation”.
“Euphoric” means, of course, something like “pleasurable
feeling” (as in the noun “euphoria”)
And, as we know, “asphyxiation” has to do with “cutting
off the breath” or “suffocation”.
Here is what I learned from my friend, the school counselor:
There are some extremely unwise children who play the “game”
known as “euphoric asphyxiation”. Sometimes this “game”
is played in groups, sometimes alone. The intention is not to
do any serious harm to oneself, but simply (!) to experience
the kind of “high” that comes from temporarily cutting
off one’s supply of air.
(All of this sounds monumentally stupid to any mature
adult, but God only knows what goes on in the minds of children
and immature adults!)
So, I did what people do these days in order to educate
myself about “euphoric asphyxiation”. I googled the
term and readily found information about it.
After reading it, I asked my friend, the counselor, if
she thought I would be “ill-advised” or “well-advised”
to reprint this article in the parish bulletin.
(I hesitated to put it into the bulletin, because the
topic is so unpleasant.)
My friend said that she thought I would be well-advised
to do so.
So, I am doing so.
See page five of this bulletin for that article.
God forbid that any child in Girardville is tempted to
play this “game”!
But, better safe than sorry.
I encourage all who read this bulletin to pass it on to
others — especially to parents of impressionable children,
so that they will be forewarned.
Dear parents: Even if you think that it is astronomically
unlikely that your children would ever play such a “game”,
I suggest that you introduce the topic to them. Don’t hold
back because you fear that you might be “putting bad ideas
into their little heads”. If your child knows that you
know — and it is entirely possible, even if your child is
only ten or eleven or twelve years old that he or she has at
least heard about this “game” — he or she
will be less likely ever to engage in it. The life you
save may be that of your own dear child.
One other thing: Please say a prayer for the little boy
who is no longer with us, and for his parents.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let the perpetual
light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the
faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
And, dear Lord, please console and strengthen his grieving parents.
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Saturday,
19 September
HOW CAN YOU KNOW FOR PRETTY DAMN SURE
THAT YOU BELONG TO THE DEVIL AND ARE ON YOUR WAY TO HELL?