The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-02-19
Planned ParenthOOd

tnaI the columbus IndmDeT 0l commerce is TeJOlc~
ing that the population of the city IS growing rap
idly, some lew OF its members arc complaining
that the number OF births in Columbus last year
exceeded the number of deaths BY 5000 AT the
same time that most business firms advertis-
Ing for additional customers, there are those who
are worrying because large numbers of potential
customers arc being born.
While doctors are working hard to discover ways
of helping people TO live longer, Of their
colleagues are bothered because many people
are living. While advocating better children, some
few irregious humanltarians wishing for fewer
children While trying TO eliminate moral delin-
quens and mental cases and chronic illness" (sic)
some proponents are urging the smaller families
which so often produce these very conditions.
At time when people clamorng 10 adopt
babies that do not exist, there others who would
deny life to other little ones Indeed it is crazy,
mlXed-up world.
Seornins Psrenthood
When Almighty God created Adam and Eve, he
gave them the commandment increase and mul-
tiply and fill the earth Genesis l. 81 Through
out the centuries the greatest JOY Of husbands and
wives has been the children whom they can call
their own. Governments relolced in the joyful
citizens growing up in the families OF the nation.
Families without children were recognized being
incomplete. Childess couples were the objects Of
sympathy. This has been the traditional outlook
Of civilized peoples. It has been left TO people Of
our day 10 look down parenthood, TO sympathlze
Indeed II Is crazy, mHed-up world.
n the tremendous power Of procreation, God
has given TO men and women, gift that he with
held even from the angels To fathers and mothers
alone did God give share IN His creative power.
They alone of all Gods creatures, can give life TO
intelligent beings and provide citizens tor earth
and heaven. God Himself created the angels all
Of them God created the first and woman but
after that He made Himself dependent on human
beings for the children whom He wishes to give
Him praise earth and glory In heaven. Today
there are some who think less Of the wonderful
gift that God has gwen 10 mankind than OF the
inconvenience which it may cause individual men
and women Indeed IL is a crazy, miXedup world.
Afraid Of Facts
Some years ago men we're not afraid TO call
spade a spade Birth control vas called Just that
People we're honest enough 10 admit that what they
wanted was 10 limit the number Of births. To-day
we are less honest We afraid TO iace the facts
Those Who wish 10 avoid inconvenience seek
selfish pleasure alone talk OF PLANNED Parent
hood" What they really is that plans should
be made so that there will not be any parenhood
Economic security is more important than chill
dren. Ease and comfort more sought after than
the JOYS of seeing their little ones grow and
wax strong and develop into upright and
women The rich plan how the poor shall limit The
size of their families, The powerful want 10 tell
their less influential neighbors how many children
they shall have.
The danger grows and grows that greater and
greater control shall be concentrated In fever and
fewer hands over the lives Of more and more peo-
pie. Frequently, the people who speak out publicly
for personal rights and individual initiative are The
same people who want 10 tell other people how 10
run their personal lives and how and when TO
exercise the most sacred Of their individual rights
Indeed, IT is crazy, mi&edup world.
Unbiased Medically
Medical today have thrown overheard
most OF the advanced by their col
leagues of former years who sought to spread plan
ned parenthood. The discoveries of modern medi-
cine have greatly reduced the hazards OF child
bearing Maternal deaths are very few today. Meth
ods have been found of correcting conditions
which formerly were grave hardship TO mothers.
OF course not all the danger has been removed.
Not all the inconvenience of carrying lid Civ
ine him birth and Of caring for him afterwards.
have been eliminated. But modern medicine has
given wonderful assistance to mothers Of families.
And yet there are still some physicians who urge
birth control n spite Of the emotional upheavals
and the physical scknesses and the family prob
lens that frequently affect those who practice
birth control indeed II IS a crazy -mlXed-up world
Modern studies have shown that mental retarda-
tion and moral delinquency not necessarily more
prevalent m The families OF the poor There are
just As many mental detectives In the homes Of
the rich in proportion 10 their number In the pop
ulation As there are in the homes Of the poor De
hnquency is found proportonately iust as ire
quently in the more respectable sections OF city
as Ii is elsewhere The welto.do can cover up
juvenile delinquency by paving for the damage
They send their children 10 private schools
In the slums a great many families may be crowded
into small area.
Sweeping Statements
Proportlonatey. II would be extremely difficult
to prove that more delinquentS came from poor
families than from the rich Likewise. delinquency
and feeble mndcdne>s are more prevalent in
large families than they where there is only
child small family As a matter Of fact FIRE.
auentiy II Is the only child who IS over protected
By d0tng mother and IGNORED hv a careless father
who comes 70 the attention Of the juvenile courts
Broad sweeping statements made BY those who pro
mote sinful contraception by crying out against
the so-called evil of large families prove nothing
Indeed IT Is crazy, mi2ed-up world
The economic and social and medical reasons
against artificial birth control all have their place.
but the most important Of all the is that
birth control Is contrary to Gods Law II Is against
the natural law Of God II is against His positive
Law revealed IN the Sacred Scriptures II is NOR
liz err