“Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”

Pornography is damaging countless lives, especially marriages and families. And yet, despite these sobering realities, there is always reason for hope. As St. Paul reminds us in Letter to the Romans: “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (5:20). God’s grace awaits us in the confessional, in the Holy Eucharist, in the guidance of a trained counselor, and in humble prayer on our knees.

A 2024 Barna study, Beyond the Porn Phenomenon, produced in partnership with Pure Desire Ministries, revealed alarming statistics. Three in five U.S. adults (61%) report viewing pornography, and half of those users say that “no one” knows. Only 10% of U.S. Christians and churched adults say their church offers programs to help those struggling with pornography—yet 58% say it is important to them that their church address pornography and compulsive sexual behavior.

While many churches lack formal programs, 75% of U.S. pastors report personally ministering to those struggling with pornography. Of those who seek help, 51% are married men. Since 2015, porn use among women has increased from 39% to 44%. One in five Millennials (21%) believes pornography has at least some positive impact on society, making them the generation most inclined to view it favorably. Surprisingly, many U.S. adults also believe that regular pornography use does not negatively affect personal sexual health, even while acknowledging broader societal harm.

As Pope St. John Paul II proclaimed at World Youth Day in Toronto: “We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son.” Yes, we are sinners, but we are loved sinners. The Father awaits our return with arms of mercy.