Evening star., 1950-11-19
Catholic. Bishops
Hit Parents Who.
Abdicate Duties.
Call for Examination
Of Spiritual Direction
Being Given Children

Modern American parents were
taken to task last night by the
Catholic bishops of the United
States for abdicating their duties
to the school, the State and pop
ular entertainment.
AS a result, the bishops said,
many of our children today be-
tray confusion and insecurity
because their moral and religious
needs have not been met with
solicitude and understanding.
The 180 members of the Cath
olic hierarchy expressed their
views in a statement released at
the close of their annual meeting
at Catholic University.
Spiritual Direction Needed.
1T is of primary Importance" ~
the statement said. "for our peo-
pie to realize that human free
dom derives from the spiritual
nature of man and can flourish
only when the things of the spirit
are held in reverence. Small
comfort to be successful today If
tomorrow the world finds us un-
worthy of the trust reposed in us.
We need. therefore, to examine
carefully what spiritual direction
we are giving our children to pre-
pare them to fulfill their future
moral responsibilities to God and
to their fellow man"
The bishops statement pro-
tested Gin the strongest possible
terms against the introduction of
sex instruction into the schools.
Sex is more than a biological
function and can be fully and
properly appreciated only within
a religious and moral context, the
bishops said. IF treated other
wise" they added, "the child will
see it apart from the controlling
purpose of his life, which is serv-
ice to God"
Parental Duty Cited.
Fathers and mothers have a
natural competence to instruct
their children with regard to
SEX" the statement continued.
False modesty should not deter
them from doing their duty in
this regard.
Sex is one Of Gods endnw-
ments. It should not be ignored
or treated as something bad. If
sex instruction is properly car
ried on in the home. a deep rev.
erence will be developed In the
child and he will be spared the
shameful inferences which he
often makes when he is left to
himself to find out about SEX"
The Bishops also spoke out
against the father who shirks
parental responsibilities and puts
the entire burden Of child rear
Ing upon MS WlIe.
Fathers Advised.
ut is not enough for him (the
father to provide the material
means to support his family" the
Bishops said. HE also has the
obligation to identify himself
with the interests and activities
of his child. If the full benefits
of parental direction are to be
reaped by the child. such direc-
ton should include that steadying
and stabilizing influence which 1t
is the fathers duty to exert"
Acknowledging that it is proper
for Government authorities to en-
force legitimate minimum stand
ards for care of the dependent
child, the Bishops insisted that the
Government should not take full
responsibility for the care of Or
phans and foster children.
There is a definite place in
America for the voluntary agen-
cies of mercy-particularly those
operating under religious auspices.
which are equipped to safeguard
and develop the religious life of
the dependent child" the Bis
hops stressed.
Education-Rights.
The Bishops said it is parents
and not the state who have "the
primary right to educate" and
they held that this right has
ever been recognized in our Amer
lean traditions"
The Bishops rejected the theory
that children should be treated as
adults who are capable of choos-
ing their own hours and COM
pany. The child. they said. needs
to be warned. even forbidden GER
tain associations. Particularly
during adolescence. this is ex-
tremely important. A vigilant
watch should be kept over the
type of entertainment in which
he INDUCES, the motion pictures
he attends, the books he reads.
the radio and television programs
to which he is exposed in the
home"
The Bishops emphasized that
the child must be seen as a citi-
zen of two worlds"
"He belongs to this world
surely" they said, ''but his first
and highest allegiance is to God"
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