The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1953-07-31
The Plight of a Princess

Is the present furore about the good Princess
Margaret In England reaction following the beau
tful religious ceremonies of the coronation OF
Queen Elizabeth There are those in England who
believe that the 'anti-C Christian" forces are behind
the storm and gossip about the Princess. The Ca
tholic universe of London put IT conciSely with
the statement. What is quite unreaStic Is 10
imagine that throne and altar can be maintained
simply as material for color films
It does rather incongruous for the head
OF the Church of England TO enter into agreement
with the seemingly popular sentiment that the Prln-
cess be given permission TO marry divorced man.
If il is the teaching of the Church Of England that
marriage is indssolube, and therefore divorce is
not possible then it is foolish TO expect the Queen
10 change that teaching. Unless, OF course, II Is
within the power Of the Queen to determine what
are the doctrines members OF her tslcD Church are
IN believe There will be precedent for it, despite
what the present stand of the Church OF England
may be. For was il not the founder OF that same
Church of England who took unto himself nice
string of wives? True, Henry VIII went TO the
trouble of ending the lives Of some before remarry-
ing others not SO He could apparently take of
put away wives as he chose There should be no
difficulty with the present head OF that Church
doing what its founder did.
God made the law governing the indiSsoluby
of marriage. He knew what He was dong, and why
"What God hath Joined together. let no man put
asunder' is His command to After ALL il is this
VOWS pronounced by bride and groom something
holy and sacred. When they take each other for
better or worse, for richer poorer, IN sickness
and i'm health until death do us part" they are
pronouncng made beautiful by unselilsh ana
generous love How sordid the spectacle would he
II il were understood that these VOWS meant that
the groom for instance, was taking the bride for
As long things went all right Just as long as things
suited him. That would be selfish love, indeed
And that is Just exactly what must be in the hearts
Of those who rush into marriage hastily, not con
cerned TOO much because they have In the back OF
their minds that il il doesn't turn out all right the
divorce court can be sought out There is everything
inspiring and beautiful about the love which
prompts vows TO be made for lie, matter how
great the trials and sacrifices the future may bring
All this aside from the fact that the stability Of
marriage Is the foundation OF stable society. The
long trail OF broken homes, dlstraught children,
juvenile delinquency unWanied and unloVed ehl
dren is having am effect upon modern society
the final resu Of which is not yet Every school
teacher can give testimony about the difficulty of
handling children whose fathers and mothers are
separated boys and girls neglected by one or the
other or both parents. These young people are AT
an unfair advantage in trying TO make good, re-
sponsble citizens OF themselves.
II is silly to talk of an innocent part in a divorce
II their VOWS were pronounced for life, they should
have entered upon the agreement with adequate
preparation and serious meditation They should
have pronounced their VOWS of lasting love In all
honesty and sincerity. once made they were bound
to love each other more than any other person. If
they came To the parting of the ways somewhere
along the route they failed to love each other;
failed to let that love be seen; failed TO check any
sin against il; failed to pray hard and earnestly
for one the other that iaered in H.
Divorce like sin, is contrary to the law Of God.
Just because most everyone falls into sin sometime
or other, docs not make SIN acceptable right.