The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1961-09-15

Russia, he confeSses in front
of the class. Russians make
their children study hard
and they're Puritanical in
terms of SEX" he said.
The priest pointed out that
the Catholic family has a far
different problem in confront
ing the rest of society today
than has been the case in
other generations and in other
countries.
THE CATHOLIC FAMILY
is clearly defined from the
point of view of norms - its
philosophy and theology" he
said. "How can these things
be preserved in a pluralistic
society a society where
such things as pre-marital
dating, for example, are not
geared to the Catholics life?
This is a case where a
minority is trying to preserve
its values when the rest of
the society is not. And it is
a new problem, because Amer
lean Catholic families are
moving away from the cities
and into the suburbs where
they are in non-Catholic en-
yironments, often for the first
time. Since World War Ii
there has been a tremendous
change in the pattern OF So
ciety."
In the suburbs, Father
Thomas says, the Catholic
family finds its way of life in
sharp conflict with what is
considered normal by other
Americans.
THE LIFE SUGGESTED by
religion follows a pattern of
deferred qualification" he
said. at postpones immediate
satisfaction in this life for
long range goals in the next.
Our American culture is
different. 1t says, enjoy
now Installment buying is
an example - a young couple
must have at the start of
marriage things adults of an
other generation didn't have
after 20 years of marriage
Because American Catholic
families are being confronted
with so many new problems,
they need to know how
Church doctrine applies to
the situations they run into,
Father Thomas said.
1F THEY DON'T GET
clear answers to their prob
lens from their leaders-and
they're not-they tend to be
confused" he said. They're
not getting the answers, and
religion consequently is not
as m|eaningful in American
life as il should be"
This problem OF applying
doctrine to contemporary
problems faces men OF all
religions in a pluralistlc so
ciety such as the United
States has, he said.
THE BIG PROBLEMS fac
ing Catholics in a plurallstic
society - particularly that of
teenage dating ~ did not be-
gin until after World War IL,
Father Thomas said. He trac-
ed their origins to the IN
crease in wealth among most
families. with the result that
nearly every family today be-
longs TO the middle class.
Consequently, the motlvations
that influenced an earlier,
poorer generation have little
effect today, he said.
What is needed is, first OF
all. a recognition of what IS
going on, and, secondly, the
application of some common
sense to the problem, We've
got to prepare our youngsters
for their role in life. Mothers
have got to get over TINS Dusl-
ness Of bringing young peo-
pie into social life at the
seventh and eighth grade.
The sociologist said enough
statistics were available now
TO predict accurately what
will happen to a youngster
who starts to date in the
seventh or eighth grade.
FIRST, HE'S NOT going
to college" the priest said.
And secondly, he'll be dam
aged emotionally. Any time a
culture lengthens the gap
between puberty and marriage
this happens, In past histories,
children who started dating
at puberty got married at Is.
We want them to wait until
they're %. and still throw
them together al puberty as
though they were going TO
get married a year later"