Thoughts for the Family

Why is the U.S. the most marrying and divorcing nation in Western Christendom? Last week this phenomenon absorbed some 1,000 delegates from six countries at the National Catholic Family Life Convention in Buffalo. The Rev. Lucius F. Cervantes, Jesuit sociologist at Denver's Regis College, blamed the American obsession with romantic love. "The American secular image of marriage and the family is schizoid in its romantic inability to face reality. Prudential consideration in the seeking of one's life partner, such as the desirability of similar backgrounds, interests and ideals, seems to these teenagers a mere censorious haggling of killjoy elders and the unromantic benighted drudges of society. The typical teen-ager's byword today is: 'If I love him, that's all that matters.' "

The result is "idealistically unrealistic" marriages and "hyperemotional eroticism," complained Father Cervantes, and cited a recent poll, conducted among 20-year-old marriageable girls in twelve cities, that disclosed that their choices for an "ideal" husband, in order of popularity, were 1) Perry Como, 2) William Holden, 3) Rock Hudson. Tied for fourth place were President Eisenhower and Tab Hunter; Elvis Presley tied Tony Curtis for fifth. Classed together as good No. 6 husbands: Marlon Brando, Jeff Chandler, James Dean, Senator John F. Kennedy, Jerry Lewis, Vice President Nixon. This sort of "romantic cult" nonsense, concluded Jesuit Cervantes, is the basic cause for the weakening fabric of U.S. family life.

Other conference thoughts:

P: About 30% of marriages involving U.S. Catholics are now mixed, reported Brother Gerald J. Schnepp of St. Mary's University of San Antonio. There is every indication that the percentage will rise. "If we cannot stop the trend, we should at least take steps to decrease the disorganizing effects."

P: "Pseudo scientists" are trying to "frighten" humanity by exaggerating the threat of overpopulation, charged the Most Rev. Joseph A. Burke, Bishop of Buffalo, but Catholic ears should remain deaf to such fears. "If we have faith in God, he will not punish those who follow his command to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth."

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