OCR Text |
Show IS MARRIAGE A FAILURE? Still the question bobs up in certain quarters. Well, the solution depends entirely upon the viewpoint view-point and the definition of m;rriage. It seem a mere waste of words and of labor for a Catholic paper to give the answer. For two thousand years the Catholic Church has been advising and solemnizing marriages. For two thousand years the Catholic marriage has been a success. It is a success today. It is not difficult to ascertain the why and wherefore. The Church teaches and her children believe that marriage is a sacrament instituted by God, and that, it is indissoluble. At the same time it reminds the contracting parties that they arc, at best, imperfect human beings; that their joint journey jour-ney through life will not be always full of sunshine, sun-shine, and of unalloyed joy. She warns them that they will meet with" reverses, displeasures and dis-I dis-I appointments; that each will discover in the other faults and imperfections. But at the same time she enjoins upon them in the name of God the obligation obli-gation of meeting these tribulations with true Christian fortitude, of bearing with their shortcomings short-comings the one with the other; of each helping the other to correct his defects, and to lead a better and a more Christian life. These duties are explained ex-plained to them as matters of conscience, and when tiiey are properly understood and faithfully discharged, dis-charged, marriage becomes a success. But there is another concept of marriage, that of a state which offers a greater opportunity for the enjoyment of leisure, pleasure and of every wish without incurring any additional responsibility. These people look upon marriage merely as an arrangement ar-rangement of personal convenience. When they discover their incompatibilities of temper-or find a curtailment of anticipated enjoyment, when they meet the problems of real life which they are unable un-able or unwilling to work out, then they cry out that marriage is a failure. Marriage is not to blame. The failure is in the individuals. What is the cause of this marvelous difference between the marriage of the Christian and of the worldly? Lack of moral education of the latter. |