between older friends and unsecured liquor cabinets, teens and tweens can get their hands on liquor easier than ever before. why not let them drink at home? will it keep them safe or send the wrong message. they accuse the catholic church of raising a black wall of silence around the sexual abuse scandal. this morning we meet the priest who wrote it. we'll tell you about the local man who inspired the hit song "see you again". good morning, i'm jacqueline london for "nbc10 @issue". is it safe or okay to let

underage kids drink at home? if you answer yes and you live in pennsylvania, you're breaking the law. now a local editorial writer wants to change that, but not everyone agrees. with me are john, an opinion editor. he wrote an editorial saying it might be a good idea to let kids drink at home under supervision. also joining us is dr. frank farley, a local psychologist, to put perspective. thank you both for being here. you say this should be according to parents' discretion. you have to be careful how this is implemented. explain that to me. >> we're coming into a season of parties. there's a real temptation for kids to drink, a lot of pressure on them. what we talk about in the context of the editorial that ran in the newspaper last sunday was making it legal in sunday, as is the case in 30 other states. for parents to make a decision

in their private residence as to whether or not they to want give their kids a hit of beer with dad or a sip of wine on sunday afternoon during sunday dinner. it's legal in delaware and new jersey. so, put us in the company of a great many states. we can get into the vagaries and subtleties of the mortality and legalities of this, but we're talking about private behavior in the private home. those very small instances, giving parents the leeway to make the call. >> how can you ensure if this law is put on the books that parents allow their children to drink under their supervision on private property, how can you ensure that discretion is used, that they don't allow their kids to binge drink, they don't have keg parties for their kids and allow them to drink uncontrollably and it is contained to just a glass of wine at thanksgiving or a beer

after cutting the lawn? >> i don't think any parent with a graven sense is going to allow their kids to binge drink or get wasted. is there a minority risk of that happening? perhaps. but, again, i don't think any parent who cares about their child or loves their child is going to throw a keg party for their kid or let them get wasted watching the ball game. we're talking about a very controlled instance and allowing parents a little leeway to make their own calls. >> maybe if the parents know their kids are going to college and they're going to be exposed to keg parties, the parents are saying, it's out there in the culture, in college, at least i want to be there when they're exposed to it as opposed to when they're so detached from me. >> the article we ran on pennlive was just that. before kids go off to the next stage of their life, the dangs

of alcohol, to demystify it. we make it such taboo a great many kids, when they're not exposed, you probably remember from my undergrad days, i remember, you go bananas when you have that freedom and leeway. it's giving kids the education and tools to make good decisions when they go off to college. >> dr. farley, you say you don't completely disagree but you have some concerns. >> one primary concern for me is the drinking age of 21 is ridiculous. look, mozart was writing great similar phones symphoneys at 14. >> what age? >> 18 to bring in-t in into alignment with the voting age, the age you can go into the military without consent of

anyone, sign contracts, get married, et cetera. that's age 18. job one is to get conformity here because it's -- kids can't understand this. they can't drink until 21 but they can do these other things at age 18. let's look initially at that problem. when it comes to parental -- allowing kids to drink, that becomes more complicated because it depends a lot on the parents. there's a type of parenting. we call it authoritative parenting. authoritative parenting is where the parents know a lot, they can reason with kids and that's how they deal with their children, through reasoning and through, you know, logic, et cetera. then authoritarian parents, they tell kids -- they lay down the

law or those where anything goes. authoritative parents can work with kids where alcohol consumption is concerned below the legal age under supervised conditions, et cetera, effectively. but these other pipes of parenting typically don't work. >> because if you treat it as a forbidden fruit to these children, then the minute they get to college, they're exposed to it in a different setting, they have the likelihood to rebel. >> yes, indeed. by the way, kids don't have, on average, on average, don't have this big sense of immortality and they often understand the risks involved here but the benefits outweigh the risks. the fun, the pleasure of drinking, sex, drugs, all that. they emphasize the benefits and downplay the risks.

that's important for parents to understand. >> this is legal in 30 states. what have we learned from those states that allow it? >> the research, and dr. farley is correct about this, the research is split. there's some on the fence who say, if you give kids alcohol access under 18 is portends alcohol drinking down the line. the more they're exposed to alcohol, the more they drink later in life. other studies say if you demystify it and educate your kids about alcohol and responsible education about it, they're less likely to get into trouble. dr. farley is light about the risk/benefit analysis. when i was 18, my newurons didnt always fire in the right way. but if you talk to your kids in the right way, try to educate them, you can make responsible decisions and have your kids make responsible decisions in turn. >> is it enough to just talk with your children as opposed to exposing them to it at an early

age? maybe you're saying, i know you're going to a party, there's going to be excessive drinking, this is how i want you to behave. how are you going to handle that situation? >> if you're well bonded with your children, anything can work. that's the problem. often parents don't get on that well with their kids. as we know, when you get into the teen years, the peer group begins to outweigh and influence the parents. and so you better work on having your kids with a good peer group and know something about the peer groups' parents as well. >> that's right. >> so it really places a lot of weight on the parents if they're going to get involved in any of this, quote/unquote, underage drinking. it still is illegal in this state. >> some statistics, brain scan shows 20 drinks or more a month in adolescence can change frontal cortex when you expose

them to alcohol this early. we know a lot more research has to be done. we'll see what happens in pennsylvania. thank you, dr. farley and john, we appreciate your time. next on "nbc10 @issue" we talk about a new book about a gay priest. you might be surprised what else the author does when he's not writing books.

the black wall of silence is how one philadelphia priest describes the perception of the catholic church and the response to the clergy sex abuse scandal. it's the title of a new novel by father paul morrissey. rosemary connors interviewed father morrissey about the books. she joans us from the nbc10 digital operation center. >> father morrissey may be very well the least likely person to

speak out on the sex abuse scandal in the church. his book describes the struggle between honesty and loyalty. he tells me he doesn't want to open old wounds. he wants to heal them. for 50 years, father paul morrissey has been preaching the message of the catholic church. his parish is st. augusta in old city philadelphia where the faithful listen closely to his words of wisdom. now he hopes to reach more people with the novel he's written called "the black wall of silence." >> the cover shows a priest with his collar muffling him because we're caught -- if we want to raise questions, you're looked upon as disloyal. >> the fixesal book portrays a bishop who covered up sex abuse. father paul tells me he drew upon his personal experiences as a chaplain in the prison system. he has counselled prisoners who

were once priests. it's dead indicatesed in part to pope francis. >> do you think this is what the pope wants? >> i do. he's asked us to discuss these things, speak honestly, don't adjust to say what you think the pope wants to hear. speak from your heart and speak humbly. >> the church can't protect itself at the expense of other people, and i think this book does a good job getting that out. >> breaking the silence and a culture of scandal and secrecy is father paul's mission and he hopes it will bring people back to the church. >> any way we can help you heal, i'd like to be part of that. we need you. i need you. especially any young people who left the church over this. please come and talk to us about it. >> this is not father morrissey's first published book but it is his first novel. he tells me his supervisors in the archdiocese are aware of this book and the publication. he's even had book signings at his parish.

>> joining me is father morrissey. the cover does get your attention with the roman collar covering the mouth. did you have to seek some type of approval before getting this book on the shelves and writing it? and did you fear anything by publishing it? >> i have some fears out there even when writing it. where is this going to take me. what would i be asked? what would people think i'm trying to do in the church? am i trying to hurt it? i had to run it past provincial so they're aware of it. that's where i'm at with it. i'm hoping the pope reads it, too. he wants this kind of a discussion, he tells us. i want people to speak their heart and i think that's how we'll heal if people speak honestly.

we're really in a way, we've been kept with that black wall of silence around us. not just priests but all of us. i think when people get able to start speaking about it, we can get some healing happen because you'll get your feelings out. i'm a therapist. i know that. >> father paul morrissey, thank you for your time. >> thank you so much. the name is "the black wall of silence" available through amazon.com. next on "nbc10 @issue" the heartbreaking connection between a local man and the number one pop song in the country. >> the first time i heard it, i was absolutely floored. here in vineland, home of progresso, we figured out how to get rich ingredients like bacon into 22 light soups, so if you want 100 calories or less per serving without giving up rich flavor do what we do...make it progresso.

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the hit song titled "when i see you again" honors actor paul walker's legacy. walker was killed in a car crash about a year and a half ago. but songwriter charlie says the sentimental song is a tribute to a local man as well. now we're finally learning his name. ♪ it's been a long day without you my friend ♪ >> this is the song popular for its haunting words and melody, but for chester county's bill cerullo, the words it's been a long time because the song is personal as well. it's about his son veil. >> emotionally draining and elation. >> he and charlie became close friends when they were students at berkeley school of music. veil, 20 years old, was killed in a motorcycle accident. during the funeral service at

veil's alma mater, he made a promise to his friend's dad. >> he said, one day, i'm going to write a song for veil. >> he was hired to write the theme song for the movie "fast & furious." he savers the text sent. >> he's the reason why this is happening. >> but it's that second verse of the song cerullo calls closest to his heart. >> he talks about that all memories will lead him home. >> the song "home" by michael buble was veil's favorite. he sang it at his funeral. >> no doubt, charlie told me, him putting the word "home" in that song is about that. >> joining me now is bill. a beautiful song. thank you so much for joining us. >> you're welcome. >> let me begin by offering my

condolences to you and your family. three years since your son veai died in that motorcycle accident. >> three years. >> how difficult is it for to you hear that song? it's number one on the charts. it's beautiful. four it has such a personal meaning. how difficult is it for you to hear it over and over again? >> there's no escaping it. it's all over the radio. the first time i heard it, i was absolutely floored. charlie is a remarkable young man, phenomenal. very sensitive, very talented. and to know the story behind the story when i heard that song was a remarkable moment. >> we've heard charlie talking about this song. he just performed it at the billboard awards. his voice cracked. visibly he was moved. we've never heard him directly talk about vail. why is that? >> his dad and i have become

very good friends. his dad called me and said, you know, he asked charlie why he didn't mention vail's name. charlie didn't want to put any unwanted pressure or notoriety to this and we agreed it kept it very personal. recently, i thought it was time that maybe vail was taken out of the closet, so to speak, and let his identity be known that it was charlie and his relationship that created the song. >> you said vail predicted long before puth ever became famous that he would have a number one record. and the story to that is really remarkable. explain what happened. >> they were walking on a bridge, going toward cambridge in boston together. it's three months prior to my son's accident. at the exact spot where that accident was going to happen three months later, vail turned to charlie and said, you're

going to write a number one hit. charlie, of course, that's every student's dream at berkeley college of music, where they were students. that prophecy came to pass and that filled charlie's heart to write this song. >> your connection to vail's friends have given you some comfort. what would you recommend to other parents who have lost their children? >> believe that it all happens for a purpose. i'm truly convinced by this nothing happens by accident. vail and charlie had a remarkable relationship and this has come out of it. and i think if you just understand that a lot of things are outside of your control, let it happen, remember them, listen to this song for the next 100 years, because it -- you know, i think it touches everybody's heart. not just ours personally, because it's a beautiful, beautiful melody and great words

and comes straight from the heart from charlie. >> what do you think vail is thinking? >> i told you so. he'd be very proud of charlie. his dad asks me the same thing, what do you think vail's thinking. and i just told him, he'd be thrilled. they were roommates -- not roommates. they lived in the same apartment building in boston together. charlie was a very shy kid, and vail put his arms around him and said, you know, you're great. you're going to be big. and charlie -- charlie believed it and it all happened. there will be many more hits from charlie. he's got a tour with meghan trainor that starts this summer and he'll be in philadelphia, i think, august 5th at penn's landing. everybody should listen to charlie puth. >> it gives you comfort instead of sorrow. >> strem comfort. it's not easy to listen to but it brings a lot of comfort.

>> so sorry again for your loss. thank you for sharing your story and vail's story. >> it's my pleasure. thank you for having me. ♪ it's been a long day without you my friend ♪

a safety warning. the federal aviation administration wants passengers to keep spare lithium batteries at home. the concern is the batteries, which power things like cell phones and laptops, can ignite and start fires in baggage areas. the agency is strongly urging airlines to tell passengers to make sure the batteries are not in checked bags. it's not even halloween but

according to a new survey, one in four people have already started their christmas shopping. and more than half plan to start before black friday on november 27th. that's good news for retailers who hope to increase sales by 4% this year. >> this is a statistic you won't like. philly international ranks in the top ten for the worst on-time arrivals during the summer months. according to milecards.com, the airport ranks seventh on the list. researchers analyzed travel data from the past ten summers and found chronically bad arrival times in philadelphia. also among the worst, new york's laguardia and jfk airports. honolulu international airport ranked number one for on-time summer arrivals as well as salt lake city. that's it for this edition of "nbc10 @issue." enjoy your sunday.

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