Evening star., 1946-02-05
Catholic Family Life
Conference Greeted
In Truman MESSAGE

measure of a civilization is the
measure of its family life," in a
message read at the opening session
OF the 14th annual convention Of
the National Catholic Conference
on Family Life at Catholic Univer-
sity today.
The four-day convention, ending
Friday afternoon. is sponsored by
the Family Life Bureau of the Ma
tional Catholic Welfare Conference.
Sessions will be held daily at 10
m, and 2 and 8 pm. Mary Gala
han, president Of the National Cath
olic Conference on Family Life, pre-
sided at this mornings meeting.
President Truman's message said:
I have read with keen interest
the sessions on family life to be
held at Catholic University of Amer
lea under joint auspices of the Fam
lily Life Bureau, National Catholic
Welfare Conference and the Ma
tional Catholic Conference on Fam
lily Life.
Calls Program Timely.
The deliberations which your
program calls for are timely. In
deed, it would seem inconceivable
that. as we put our hands and
hearts to the giant task of building
anew at this turning point in his
tory, we should fail to center a
great share of our attention and
effort upon the family unit. The
measure of civilization is the
measure of its family life. It is
normally the soil of the steady and
responsible home that begets that
important driving incentive of a
people that induces them to strive
and work, to move upward and on
ward, to progress.
The conviction has grown on me
consistently that many things in
our civilization are working against
the family. Our housing situation,
Tor instance, the economic insecurity
OF SO many of our people, the in
stability and turmoil that have been
among the unfortunate fruits of the
War-these and similar problems are
hardly less than attacks on the
family. 1t is encouraging to note
that the deliberations of your meet
Ing will extend to so many of them.
Family Bill of Rights.
Perhaps it were well if we in
America, who have in the past
fought so well for a bill of rights
for the individual, would In the
future fight no less valiantly for a
bill OF rights for the family. The
fact that your program is sponsored
by a church group gives assurance
that the strengthening and refining
influence of religion in the family
circle will be given attention.
During 1914 there were 5000 600
children with broken homes, the
Rev. Edgar Schmiedeler, Family
Life Bureau and NCWC director. :.
told the conference today. The
clergyman also pointed out that az
proximately 100000 divorces a year
are occurring and he forecast an in
crease. He cited authorities showing
that half of the families of the
urban salaried and wage-earning
classes have no children" even
though the income of this group is
fully twice that of the family in
the same class that do have chill
dren." ~
Youth Latitude Advised.
Mrs. Francis j. Rooney, professor
of child psychology at Mundelein
College, Chicago, warned parents
to allow children 18 years and over
degree of independence COM
mensurate with their growing ma
turity. She declared the tendency
of some parents to hold on to young
men and women results frequently
in "a spiritual death" for both par
ents and child.
The Rev. James A. Magner
Catholic University procurator,
pointed out that preparation of in
dividuals for community life comes
out of the home and warned against
the two extremes OF tyrannical
parents and overcareful ones. He
also supported the idea of allowing
young people the independence to
which their growing years entitle
them, asserting 'if they have been
provided with sound Christian prin-
ciples of living and given good safe
guards at the danger point" they
will know how to handle their So
cial responsibilities.
The Right Rev. Patrick j. McCor-
mick, rector of Catholic University.
opened the meeting.
Philip Murray, CIO president, and
Brooke Claxton, minister Of National
Health and Welfare, Ottawa, Can
ada, will speak at the evening meet
ing.
Speakers at the afternoon session
will be the Very Rev. Thomas v.
Moore, head of the department of
psychology and psychiatry of Cath
olic University; Sister Rosa M. Nc
Donough, dean Of st. Josephs Col
lege, West Hartford, Conn.,, and the
Rev. Thomas j. Murphy, assistant
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