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'Church's .At'lit·ude Towarrd Me.xed· Marr~~g~ By
Father John L.
Th~mas, S. J.
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Asst. Sociology prof.-St., Louis 1lJniversit
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I'm 20 and for the past six months I've been going with a fine Non-Catholic boy of 24. My parent~ are crazy about him. When I had dated him about two months, r told my mother I wasn't going to date him an1 more be0 pen t 0 '" I dy . cause .he wasn't Catholic. . Jlrafe She saId not to do that, he A great many invalid marhad too many good qualities riages result from t\his type of to hold that against him. be.havior.· The . Cat~olic .p~rty
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"Believe me my mother would falls to ascertam the relIgIOUS be the last in 'the world to want convictions of the Non-Catholic any t h i n g partner until the cbuPle have to happen to me fallen in. love or beqome otheror my religion. wise involved; then. they decide He isn't interto marry, and if the \Non-,Cath. ested in the olic refuses to marry in the faith though he Church, an invalid m'arriage reiake~ me to nosuIts. .. \ ... vena services,so By contmumg to da1te thIs boy, he's pretty you are definitely lea!ving yourgood guy. Please self open to this spit1itual traganswer me, is it edy. Of course you ~ay argue so wrong?" that you would neve~ do thatYou l' 1 a s t what makes you se·1 sure that question puzzles your faith is so much. stronger me a little, 'Laura. It is not clear than thousands of othets? from your letter whether you're I feel sure that most Catholics asking about entering a mixed pr:sently .involved. \ in. such marriage or whether it is wrong umo~s ~ontmued dah9g WIth the to continue datig a person who convlcho.n th~t they WrUld never. is nJt interested in the faith or . make thIs mIstake. . who has indicated that he will lEndanger Faith not consent to marry you in' the Let us assume, hoWever, that Church. . he will marry you in the Church I Although you apparently have if you continue to dat~ him and discussed religion with him, I eventually reach the decision to rather gather from your remarks /marry. Why should t~e Church that he is not enthusiastic about - be opposed to your marriage? it. Hence in order. to get the state Well, -Laura, the anSwer you of the question clear, let us aslearned in school was ~\ hat suc.h sume that you have discussed marriages endangered the faith religion with him but the ques- of the Catholic partner and of tion of marriage has not come the children. Experienbe shows up, and you are wondering this to be. true, and it 'also tells whethe~ YOIi may contiI;ue to ~s . a good deal concer1'ing why date hIm under' the ClrcumIt IS so. . . . '. . stances. . In Christian marriage, the . Mother's Opinion spouses. vow to work for their What con~iderations sh(>tild' ~utual~appin~ss?nd s4n~tifica':' enter into your decision? In the hon whIle ~edlcahng th~mselves first place,' the ,fact that he is a to th\serVlce of .ne~. lIfe.. How, fine young man is not decisive, can t ey do thIS sucpes~~u!lY for we should take .. this 'for ~hen one of t~e.pa~tnerl~ IS mgranted in 'any serious decision dIfferent to relIgIOn. ., ' ", to marry. Nor can we give 'much Practical Implications weiuht to your mother's opinion Even when there is nbt direct in this matter. opposition to the practide of reLike' a good many other ligion, th'e Catholic part~er must 'mothers she apparently .has two "go it alone." As a w~fe and basic fe~rs where her daughters mother you. will .have fu go to are concerned: first that they Mass alone, to other Charch afmay not marry' and ~econd that . fairs alone, teach your 9hildren they may not' make a "good" about God and religi09 alone, malTiage that· is one that is pray alone, and talk to yourself judged s~cially su~cessful. . if you wish to discuss any of the Of course no good mother religious aspe~t~ of life: 'wishes anything to happen to Further, relIgIOUS behefs have .her daughters or their religion, ~ractical !mplicati~ns iII. ~ailY yet some otherwise pious mothers hfe. PartIcularly m m~rrIage, seem to regard the religious the Catholic .belief s,Ystem! differs factor rather lightly if they have . on many VItal pomts' such as a good "catch" in view. birth control, sterilizationJ, abor. tion, and divorce. Love ~oesn't .Starting Point solve such differences, add tr.eY l I think the consideration that can assume brutal propr rtions prompted your question is that later in marriage. you were taught in school that Religious differences' 'al 0 crethe Church does not favor mixed ate· divided loyalties, \strain marriages and that the way to among in-laws, and so on. If you .avoid such unions is to avoid continue to date this young man, dating Non-Catholics. you are definitely makingi a bid This is valid and should serve for such a future. Now do you as the starting point for your deknow why the Church is oQPosed cision. However, if I understand to your continuing this affair? . your case correctly, ·there is \ another' consideration that you Cal!'holic l? o ll'llulalt\ool1'il' must keep in mind. Il" Briefly, it is clear from your Trebles DI1'!l Decade letter that you think very highly CHARLESTON (NC) _ k..rchof this young man~in fact, you bishop-designate Pa'ul J. Halliappear very close to being deepnan of Atlanta, Ga., said here the ly involved emotionally; that is, establishment of the new ecclein love. siastical Province of Atlanta "is 'On the other hand, you are not recognition by the Holy Sbe of entirely clear concerning his ' views of your religion. If you the new vitality of the Ca~holic should decide to marry, will he Church in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida," where the Chthoagree to sign the'required promlic population more than tr~bled is'es . and marry you -in the in the last decade.' \ church? , The Archbishop-designate who has been Bishop of Charleston Attend 'cUJlll'smos' since 1958 said that in the \four states the Church -in the last ChristiCllI1'ilDll'y decade "has increased inspirittial CINCINNATI (NC)-One of vigor, numbers and prestige." the first "cursillos," little courses "Our lay people who.rium-, in Christianity, conducted in the beied only 200,000 ten yearsl ago English language was attended now comprise a Catholic populaby 31 men at St. Anthony's tion of 63!J,000," said the pr~late Friary in nearby Mount Airy. who will head the new provilnce. The cursillo, conducted pri"They have worked closely With marily by laymen for laymen, our priests and Sisters, as \ the lasts three days and three nights Kingdom of Christ has exte1ded and encourages the men particiits boundaries into towns ~nd pati"~ to..live a militant Chris- . counties where. the Church was . unkown before." . "ti~nity.
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PAT RIO T: Archbishop Felix Scalais, C.LC.M., of Leopoldville, the Congo, has spoke' out against the evils of "narrow nationalism" and regionalism which divides a nation. He called for development ;>f a true patriotism and,genuine concern for the nation. NC Photo.
FaU 'River Nun Continued from Page One sive courses of graduate caliber conducted by regular and visiting members of a university faculty; and to provide a workshop for testing the theory and practice that is now: being developed by the College Board Commission on English for strengthening the English curriculum and' that will eventually be made explicit in the final' publications of the Commission." - Graduate StUdy at Oxford Sister Mary Hortense received her A.B. degree from Catholic University' and her M.A.T. in English .from Boston College. Sister also holds a Certificate 'from the Summer International Institute at Oxford University. ,Sister has been on the English faculty at the Academy since 1949 and on the faculty of the College of the Sacred Hearts since 1961. At the Spring Meeting of the New England Regional Unit, National Catholic Educational Association, Secondary School Department, to be held at East Catholic High in Manchester, Conn., on March 31, Sjster Mary Hortense will speak on the topic "Programmed Instruction and the English Teacher."
Irish Aid Continued from Page One States and relief supplies sent to the starving nation, where tens of thousands were dying. To its great\c~edit, the United States governmerit provided two of its warships to transport the aid supplied by benevolent persons and organizations in America: On its errand of mercy, the U.S.S. Jamestown, (Capt. Forbes) sailed from Boston, March 28, 1847, with some $35,868 worth of provisions donated as "the bread .of life for an unfortunate and famishing people carrying with her the best wishes of millions .. ."
ContiilUed from Page One these drivers are' the very ones who proceed with such reckleSs abandon ~long the highway that even St. Christopher, cine feels,. takes departure of the vehicle. "Again, we take a dim view of a sacramental's efficacy as employed by some of our TV gladiators. Some of these pugilists, I suspect, would be in utterly strange surroundings if they suddenly found themselves ·in a church. Yet they are often the ones who cross themselves most piously and frequently during a boxing match." Accessories of Religion ·It is "sad to say," remarked Father Holden, ·that there are "those who appear to esteem 'the sacramentals over the sacraments, those whose religious in_ clinations are directed to the accessories of religion rather than to that which is of its substance." He stated that ·"in the same category are those who gravitate toward what one leading ecclesiastic has called 'pious rubbish a l1 d r.eligious junk'-such as that, grotesque type of picture or statue, the eyes of which seem to move and follow one about." "Not, far removed from this sort of thing," he added, "are 'praying dolls' and related ung
SCHOOL Maintenance Supplies SWEEPERS -
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~~<OJ1J'jJ Newll'l1ll~1l'll Center ~1J'jJ IFo!1'll'l1llel1' CkMl1'~lJl PULLMAN (NC) - The Spokane diocese has purchased the 60-year-old Greystone Presbyterian church here and intends to develop it into a $50,000 Newman center for Catholics attending Washington State University. Chancery officials said that in addition to the church the property purchased includes a parish house and garage. They said the property was purchased w.ith money donated to last year's diocesan developmenJt fund. Father Anton Flour, chaplain of the Newman. Club at Washington State University, said that there are about 750 Catholics enrolled at the university, about 10 per cent of the studenJt body.
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INDIA:· MEET' FATHER KATTOOR
FATHER JACOB KATTOOR IS OUR PARISH PRIEST IN KALLAR, INDIA. A. WEAKER MAN WOULD BE DISSt /h COURAGED .•• Last April, when he ~1>. ~IJ~. arrived In KALLAR, FATHER JA.c.. <1'", CO~ found a "parish" 100 square ttl, ~. miles in area, with no rectory and no aJ· 0 church. He found 250 Catholic fami~ lies, scattered thinly in villages in the t hills. He found poverty, ignorance, squalor, disease •.• Parents and children eat and sleep together in oneroom huts with dirt floors, thatched roofs, bamboo walls. When the father iht Holy Patm's Mission Aid can, find employinent he earns 17c a day. Only one person In ten can read lor tht Orienta! Churrh or write ••. Does FATHER JACOB show discouragement? His tired eyes brighten when' he talks about his "people". "My people are poor,' and they always will be," he says. '~In this country, who can raise himself by his bootstraps?-Because they're poor, ought we not try harder than ever to help these people? ,After all, Our Lord said He came to preach t!te Gospel to the poor." ... FATHER JACOB takes Our Lord's words literally. Day In 'day out he' goes from village to village instructing converts, teaching catechism, forgiving sins,- baptizing' infants, anointing people in danger of death. As a native priest, he speaks the native language, understands his Hindu neighbors ••• What he could do for Christ, if only he had. the "tools"! ••• The "tools" he needs immediately are In American money, not so expensive as you might think. He ne~ds . three chapels-a chapel In each of the principal villages in the "parish". These chapels-in the villages of MUNDIYERUMA, CUMBUMMETTU, and BALAGRAM-will be centers of Catholicism in pagan INDIA. They'll shelter the Blessed Sacrament, be a place for Mass on Sunday and (when possible) during the week. Children will be taught the catechism there; they'll even learn, perhaps, how to read and write .•• The chapels, as planned, will be simple, functional, of permanent construction. For the time being, at least,' FATHER JACOB will sleep In the sacristy ••. The cost? The chapels wi"l cost $3,500 each ••• To raise this amount in INDIA, when the workman earns 17c a day, Is obviously out of the qUestion. How will FATHER JACOB build . these chapels If we don't help? •.• Perhaps you'd like to give one of th~se chapels all by yourself-in memory of your parents, your famdy, or someone you 10ve.·1f so, please write to us •.• But, chances are, these chapels will be built' with small giftsLenten sacrifices of $1,$5, $10, $20, $50. FATHER JACOB needs desperately whatever help you can give him-even the coins in your pocket ••• Please send something, as much as YOU can afford. Please send it now. You'll be helping FATHER JACOB to preach the GosPel to the poor.
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FOR INDIA, PRIESTS FATHER JACOB KATTOOR is a priest today in INDIA· because of people like you who, in years past, read this column. In INDIA boys who want to become priests usually can't pay for their seminary education. We ask our readers to help, because native priests are so important! ... Would you like to sponsor a young man f6r the priesthood? It costs only $100 a year ($8.50 a monthl-or $600 altogether for the entire six-year course. At ST. JOSEPH'S SEMINARY in ALWAYE, INDIA, these two young men-MATTHEW ATHICKAL and HILARIUS ARANJINIYUL-need financial help.-Please write to us.
Infant of Prague Infant of Prague Guild of St. !Yla.y's Home, New Bedford, will hold a card party Wedne41day, April 25, ·at the home. Mrs. William Chapman heads the arrangements committee.
holy terrors. Real religion does not n~d such- humbuggery for devotion. "Abuses of this type belittle religion arid open the door for ridicule,:'· he stated. "I repeat, we are led to God by the use of a sacramental in the measure that it arouses contrition for sin, inspires pious thoughts and increases. devotion."
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FOR $10 A MONTH YOU CAN FEED A FAMILY OF PALESTINE REFUGEES. Vletims of the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, these REFUGEES (some of them Catholics) are living in camps In JORDAN, SYRIA, LEBANON and GAZA. As our "thank you" for FEEDING A FAMILY FOR A' MONTH ($10), we'll send you ·an Olive Wood Rosary from the Holy Land.-Write to us. o FOR $2 YOU CAN GIVE A BLANKET TO A BEDOUIN. Tent-dwellers In sour JORDAN, thousands of BEDOUINS nearly froze to death last winter. Will you help us keep them warm?
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'l:RANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN, Pt'esldent Magr. Jouop~ T. aVila, 'Mat'. Selic! ClII C061lillllllC:C1~lolll to:
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, . CATHOIl.'C. NIEAR .EAS'ii' wlUfAIUl ASSOCIATION . 480 Il.Gxin91~onAve.at 469h S~. New York 17i'N. Y. ..... _....----------~ ,..".""..-