The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-07-24
THE DIVORCE EVIL.

1t is a truism to say that the
United States has the most pro
life divorce mill of any civilized
country in the world. Statistics
show that every five years there
is an increase Of thirty per cent
in the number of divorces. Last
year 10000 couples went through
the legal formality Of seeking a
divorce, and there is every indi-
cation that the evil is not on the
Wane.
From time to time efforts are
made to curb the evil by men and
women who have at heart the
highest interests of the nation as
a whole and the welfare Of the
race. But their. pleading falls up
on unheeding ears and they re-
ceive little support from those
who ought to second their efforts.
The non-Cathoic churches have
found it impossible to take any
determined stand on the divorce
question. There is such variety
Of interests within their ranks
that a settled and determined pol
icy in this regard is impossible.
Quite recently a number Of promi-
nent Bishops and clergymen of
the Episcopal Church in the East
organized ''Society for the Up
holding Of the Sanctity Of Mar
riage,' one Of whose objects is
to prevail upon ministers not to
officiate at the marriage of persons
who have been divorced. An eff
fort will be made, we are told
to amend the canons of the Epis-
cOpal Church so as to forbid a
minister Of that faith to perform
a marriage ceremony where either
party has been divorced. Many
ministers consider that the effort
to abolish divorce by this means
is altogether too drastic, as if any
measure that would minimize, if
not cure, such an evil, could be
so characterized. Until the non
Catholic churches take such a
stand the divorce evil will flourish
as in the past. The Catholic
Church alone has upheld the sane.
tity Of the marriage bond to the
extent Of making it indissoluble
except by the death Of one of the
parties thereto. She has never
recognized divorce and she has
every reason to be proud Of her
record in this regard-a record
which other religious organiza
tons could initiate with profit tc
themselves and their followers.
1t is not without significance
that at the present time bill for
facilitating divorce is under con.
sideration in the British Parlia
ment. It is known as the Buck.
master bill from the name of its
chief sponsor. Catholics and mer
high in the councils of the English
|Church have protested vehemently
against a clause Of the bill which
would permit a husband to claim
and the court to grant, a divorce
whenever his wife appeals for 6
Judicial separation. The obvious
injustice Of this clause was
pointed out by Earl Gray who
said that it would seriously affect
any Catholic who might apply fon
a separation but whose religion
forbade any application for di
vorce, for in that case the judge
before whom the case is trieC
would have it in his power to or
der a decree of divorce no matter
how wantonly that might outrage
the religious principles Of the APP
Iplicant. The Anglican Arch
bishop Of Canterbury offered al
amendment to the Buckmastel
Divorce Bill which would prevent
any divorced person whose wife
or husband still lives from being
remarked in any state church OF
chapel but this amendment was
defeated in the House of Lords
by single vote.
| If the Buckmaster divorce bill
becomes the law Of England it will
have an effect upon many Amer
leans who like to ape the doings
of Englishmen; and instead Of al
amelioration there will be a deteri
Grafton in the divorce situation
as far as this country is con
cerned.