Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-12-11
Cardinal on Divorce.

STAFF correspondent Of the New York
Globe quotes Cardinal Gibbons IS saying on
the divorce question:
Shocking appalling" and "striking at
the very roots Of our social system" were
the forceful terms applied by Cardinal Glib
oons, the most eminent member of the Cath
olic Church in America, in discussing the
divorce facts as set forth in the remarkable
figures that have Just been given out BY the
Census Bureau. These figures show start.
ling growth in the divorce evil in the United
States, disclosing that one marriage 10 twelve
ends in divorce, and that divorces are two
and one-half times as common as 40 years
ago.
ACardinal Gibbons, who is supremely in
terested in the divorce evil, and who has for
years preached and written against il, has
studied the statistics the Government has just
given out and is deeply impressed by them.
He believes the divorce evil eau be checked
only by deeper regard for the church, and
that society should shun those who are di-
vorced, instead of receiving the divorced wo-
man or man, as it now does, as II nothing
had happened,
1.-THE statistics given out by the Census
Bureau" said Cardinal Gibbons, fare SIM
ply shocking. The revelations are nothing
less than appalling. The extent Of the d.
vorce evil Is so great as TO strike at the very
roots of our social system. myself am
writing and speaking constantly on this sub
ject, and am in sympathy with any effort
to check the growth OF divorce in this coun-
try.
"The Government figures show that d.
vorces are multiplying about three times as
fast as the population. They disclose that one
marriage In twelve ends in divorce. The fig
ures are the more striking when considered
by the side Of the figures Of Canada, for in
stance, where the number Of divorces is re-
latively small.
"Divorce is becoming so prevalent that
marriage 10 getting to be little better than
system Of free love.
People are too much bent on pleasure.
Men aud women enter the marriage state
without regard to the sacred nature Of the
bond they are undertaking. They look too
much upon life with regard only to what
pleasure they can get out OF it and with TOO
little regard for that solemn word duty
"Where does the fault LIEF Is II in our sys-
tenn Of education2"
"No. II is the result OF false, loose inter-
probation Of the gospel. Every one Of the
gospels are opposed to divorce. II divorce is
TO be checked there must be stricter reg ard
for the truths of the Christian religion as
they are taught by the Catholic Church. II
we profess to be Christians, let US be Chris
tians
"Another reason why divorce is on the
increase is found in the attitude Of society
toward persons who are divorced. In former
times q woman who was divorced was shun-
ned. She was not received or recognized In
good society, and was frowned upon. Now
this is not the case. II divorce Is TO be check
ed. let the divorced person be stunned"
''To what extent Is the law responsible 2"
"0f course, the laws on the subject Of d.
vorce are responsible to some extent. They
should be made more severe. As is well
known, they differ in different States, and
are In many cases lax. In South Dakota, for
instance, divorce can be obtained after
brief residence. A man forms an attachment
for woman or woman for q man, and, re-
CARELESS Of any existing marriage bonds, they
determine to marry. Under the lax laws
they find this easily possible"
Cardinal Gibbons attention was called to
the fact that the Government statistics show
ed that the marriage rate increased in good
times and lowered in bad times. He was
asked whether the industrial conditions Of
the country, the high cost Of living, and the
like, had not o direct relation to the preva-
lence Of divorce.
"Thst, ",replied the Cardinal, "is too big
q subject TO be discussed in q brief time
With out going into the question Of the rela.
ton of economic conditions to divorce,
hope we are on the verge Of greater prosper
ity and better times
Cardinal Gibbons emphasized the grave
danger to this country's civilization II the
evil is to go unchecked and the rate of in
crease that is shown to have taken place the
last 40 years Is permitted to continue. He is
fully convinced that no subject can better &C.
cupy the attention Of the thinking minds Of
the nation.