Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-21
Catholic Hierarchy
Urges Action 10 Halt
Threat 10 Family Life

The Roman Catholic hierarchy
of the United States today called
on the Nation to overcome the
danger facing family life by re-
storing "the virtues and practices
guaranteeing family stability and
peace"
The statement was issued at the
close of the annual meeting. which
was attended by four cardinals
and $50 archbishops and bishops
at Catholic University.
Declaring that family life faces
"a present danger more fearsome
than the atom bomb" the hier-
archy asserted "a society paying
|lip-service to family life is NOV
| ing steadily to, disrupt 1t and to
destroy the home"
Divorces Assailed.
'It approves and facilitates
divorce as a cure for domestic Ills,
It accepts multiple marriages
which usually means a hopeless
ENHANCEMENT Of the infelicities OF
| a plurality Of broken homes. It
sponsors planned parenthood by
use of unnatural and morally de-
grading means, thus infusing
poison into the heart OF family
life by destroying in husband and
wife the. self-respect and mutual
reverence on which alone are
built enduring love and patient
fidelity"
The statement also charged the
world with being "unconcerned.
for the most part, about its
manifest duty of removing the
great difficulties that lie IN the
way of those who wish to marry
and establish homes. It's social
LEGISLATION in point Of suitable
housing, decent material facllltles,
security in income and prospects.
is slow. fumbling and Inadequate.
An unbelieving world processing
recognition of the essential value
of family life, actually discounts
that value and moves to destroy
what it claims to cherish"
Calling the family the backbone
of society and asserting mo IA
ton can be greater than its fam
lies" the declaration said the
state must respect the rights OF
the family. It must not. there
fore, fail to provide opportunities
for the adequate housing OF fam
lilies, for the requisite schooling OF
children, for the use Of common
benefits supplied through the tax
ing OF citizens"
Must Have "Permanence."
It also asserted that family life
must have "permanence" to exist
in full effectiveness. This per-
manence depends chiefly upon the
permanence of marriage. Strictly
requisite is marriage that Is
homogeneous and indissoluble; the
marriage of one man with one
woman In divorceless union that
is broken only by the death OF
one of the spouses.
Although the message did not
mention Federal aid to education,
q hotly controversial issue before
Congress, it said the State cannot
make discrimination among fam
lilies, distributing common benefits
to some and Withholding them
from others" This appears to
bear, out the, Catholic position that
Federal aid should not be limited
to public schools.
Warning the State against 'in-
yading the home and legislating
upon matters which are Of strictly
domestic concern, the declaration
pointed out that education OF chill
dren was a responsibility Of the
parents. ION this score, the part
Of the State is to furnish oppor-
tunity for schooling and to see
that parents are not recreant In
making use Of the opportunity on
behalf of their children. The
State cannot force a child to at
tend this school or that: it cannot
prescribe courses OF study that
may involve intellectual or moral
dangers for pupils"
The message summarized the
requisites OF a full family life as
being prominent in its estab-
lishment and prospects; Git must
bel free from unwarranted inter-
ventions: Git must have) have
economic security; lit must be-
religious"
The statement was signed on