Background
As per a decade old report on a conference about the lifelong, exclusive bond between one man and one woman:
the focus of the gathering centered on the sanctity and beauty of matrimony. Six professionally made films on the theme were shown to the participants, each highlighting the contribution of traditional marriage to society….
Several speakers called on all people of goodwill to courageously defend marriage in the face of efforts by a vocal minority to redefine it….
Cardinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, marveled at how representatives of 14 world religions could come together to give witness to basic convictions about matrimony, and he underlined the urgency of doing so….
The strength of the witness given at the colloquium did not go unnoticed: The Humanum website was hacked into, and the event provoked a firestorm of abuse from anti-family protesters on Twitter (Edward Pentin, 11/20/14)
Age old and simple wisdom that was becoming elusive.
Catholic Practice Since 2013
Since 2013, I have heard little about the aforementioned Humanum conference. We have also seen dramatic changes in that short time.
We have seen shrinking numbers of Catholic parishes and congregants. Father James Martin has received accolades for his focus on pairs of people unaccepting of genuine marriage. The Supreme Court Obergfell decision was treated to mean that marriage could not be limited to opposite sex couples. The Vatican has tried to facilitate declarations of marital nullity! People feel confused by some messages from the Vatican, including Fiducia Supplicans. We have more Catholics but a dramatic drop in Catholic marriages:
Pope Francis was elected to the papacy…on March 13, 2013….
The total number of Catholics worldwide grew from 1.253 billion in 2013 to 1.378 billion in 2021….
Despite this increase, the Church performed 2 million fewer baptisms in 2020 than in 2013. The number of marriages declined by 702,246, or nearly a third. Confirmations and first Communions also dropped by 12% and 13%, respectively….
the number of diocesan priests in the U.S. dropped 8% from 2013 to 2021. There are 27% fewer sisters, 19% fewer brothers, and 15% fewer religious priests compared with a decade ago….
according to the General Social Survey, weekly Mass attendance among Catholics in the U.S. declined from 25% in 2012 to 17% in 2020-2021
In the United States, Mass attendance was still at 17% in 2022 (CARA, 1/29/23).
The “Six Professionally Made Films”
I am experiencing the aforementioned “Six professionally made films” as rediscovered treasure – part of a kick start to reawaken us to the grandeur of God’s plan for marriage and family:
The Destiny of Humanity: On the Meaning of Marriage
The complementarity of man and woman is absolutely basic; it is written into us – the very basis of society. It has been said that man and woman together is the image of God!
The Cradle of Life and Love: A Mother & Father for the World’s Children
A mother and father provide the irreplaceable soil for the growth of every child. It us grievously wrong to deliberately deny a child the love of either his father or mother. Having both is the absolute right of a child.
The complementarity of man and woman is absolutely basic. Failure to appreciate this is our great loss!
A Hidden Sweetness: The Power of Marriage Amid Hardship
Society continues to ignore that so much childhood suffering comes from the lack of children being raised by their moms and dads. Authentic marriage strengthens us in the midst of suffering and transforms us.
Challenge and Hope for a New Generation
Young people need the hope offered by lifelong, exclusive, open to life commitments of one man and one woman! Society needs the nuclear family.
Marriage, Culture, & Civil Society
Society must rediscover and acknowledge the absolute value of each human being and the nuclear family. It is irreplaceable.
Conclusion
Though the National Organization for Marriage had national Marches for Marriage in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, the U.S. Bishops showed less enthusiasm after the Supreme Court Obergfell decision. It felt as though they threw in the towel. As a representative of Archbishop Chaput wrote to me before the June 2017 march:
Give it a break Joe. I don’t normally respond to you but get real. The bishops just ended their June assembly. June is also ordination month. Bishops who have them still must honor their fathers – did you forget this is Father’s Day weekend? Do you honestly think that they or any of us could reschedule previously scheduled important events in six weeks notice and thus causing disruption in the plans of those who are expecting us to be with them? Get real Joe, and put your energy into prodding NOM to schedule this event at a better time and giving us all more time to plan.
For the souls of our children, grandchildren, and all whom we love, we must not tire from proclaiming Truth! We need to recapture the culture!
7 thoughts on “Rediscovering the Treasures of a Traditional Marriage”
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Capt C,
I am unclear as to what point you are trying to make. Is it the old “Only St Paul [supposedly] said anything about marriage/family/sexuality”? Are you trying to suggest that the 4th, 6th, & 9th commandments are no longer applicable?
Sorry Capt, what you seem to be trying to sell is not hopeful, helpful, or accurate.
Joe
I am accurately quoting Jesus in response to a comment about how difficult it is to follow Christ’s teaching on the family. In fact he made no teaching on it, and was if anything anti-family. Again, I am accurately quoting him.
Counter point. Christians do not need to recapture the worldly culture. We are instead commanded by Christ to be salt and light in the world. To follow Christ in the world but not be part of it. No commandment to recapture or exert political power over others. No commandment to compel, only to witness and be prepared to answer IF asked for the source of our peace.
Thank you for the food for thought/reflection.
I wish that Christ’s teaching on marriage/family was better lived/proclaimed. Of course, that starts with me.
I don’t think Jesus did any teaching at all about marriage and family.
He did say that marriages don’t survive death (Matt 22:30).
I can’t be the first to notice that at no point does Jesus show any fidelity or respect to his own family, at least not his earthly one. He disrespects them (John 2:4), mocks them (John 19:26), and even disowns them (Mark 3:33 – 34). He is certainly not>/i> a model of a good son or someone who respects his parents.
Sorry for the formatting mistake!