The Catholic View on Marriage and Family
As one of the oldest and most widespread religions on earth, the Catholic faith has often come under fire for the doctrines it relentlessly upholds. At the center of its social teachings, the Church shields the human dignity that is commonly thrown aside, reminding the world of where true human value lies. Along with it, Catholic doctrine puts forth her teachings on marriage and family, and all their implications, which serve as the fundamental building blocks of a fruitful society. In today’s world, individuals have not only grown ignorant of the importance of marriage and family, they have also disregarded the body’s theological significance. Regardless of religion, the Catholic view invites all
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The family, which builds upon the community life seen in marriage and incorporates human dignity in an essential way, serves as the basis of society and is the foundation on which new generations are built. In essence, the family relies heavily on the stability of a healthy marriage, a marriage rooted in the traditional values of faith and selfless love. Indeed, it is from the virtues bestowed upon man and woman in matrimony that they are able to fulfill their conjugal and family obligation, having been endowed with the spirit of Christ which allows them to effectively rear their children towards discipline, maturity, and holiness (Paul VI). Having been called to a indissoluble union of love towards each other and God, spouses are also called to share in the joy of bringing forth new life through a love that mirrors their own Creator’s. In this way, the family is meant to also serve as witness to the gift of life and to root itself in an understanding of human dignity. In his encyclical, Pope John Paul II reminds his readers of God’s words to man and woman, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it” (Evangelium). Although God’s words to man and woman may be interpreted in various ways, it is clear he means for them to procreate and to have dominion over the earth. Yet, these words also call to mind that with the dominion given to man, there must also be a sense of protection and care for the life he must oversee. Family life consists of a communion reflective of Christ’s own love for His Church. As the “domestic church,” father and mother should serve as a primary example for their children of the Christian faith (Catechism). Through the graces received in partaking in family life, children are able to be educated and to understand the importance of many principles (like work,
The topic of homosexuality has stirred up an abundant amount of social controversy throughout history. Within the Catholic Church, it is hard to say how this issue should be dealt with. Many believe that reforms within the Church will become necessary, however the current pope, Pope Francis, does not believe this to be so. This has stirred up a debate among members of the Church. Traditionally, homosexuality in itself is viewed within the Catholic Church as morally evil and it has never been accepted. Pastoral counseling has been offered to allow members of the Church who identify themselves as homosexual to assist them to remain good members of the Church. A reflection on the Church’s history and influences in terms of the development of prejudices against homosexuality may be necessary in order to determine the real root of the issue. Some individuals believe that a change in doctrine is necessary in order to fix the problems regarding homosexuality within the Church, while others stand by Pope Francis and believe that progress can be made without having to undergo such a drastic change. As gay rights continue to become a more apparent issue in today’s global society, the Catholic Church does not need to consider a change in doctrine, however the members if the Church do need to consider following the suggestions of Pope Francis by becoming more open to and tolerant of the idea of homosexuals within the Catholic community.
766). Identifying the work of Paul Quay as the foundation of his argument, Koterski stipulates that the human reproductive cycle is symbolic (pp. 769). Since sexual intercourse is a means through which humans communicate their love for one another, Koterski argues that abstinence from sexual intimacy can be an alternative manner by which two persons communicate their love for each other (pp. 776). Koterski states that the importance given to bioethical issues such as contraception and IVF in today’s societal agenda is originates from the modern belief that the human reproductive system can be manipulated. (pp.774) He emphasizes that children are conceived by God’s will, not man’s own, and concludes by theorizing that although abstinence is not wrong per se, it is the reasons for it that determines whether or not NFP, as a means of contraception, is morally acceptable (pp. 777). Koterski’s essay clarifies the Church’s teaching on sexuality. By intertwining scientific and theological points of view he provides guidance on the moral acceptability of abstinence within the context of a marital relationship. The sacredness of sexual intercourse in marriage should motivate priests to master a clear understanding on the concept of abstinence as an acceptable form of love. Doing so would empower a priest assisting a couple in preparation for marriage to communicate the importance of developing a deeper appreciation of each other’s needs outside the context of sex. Koterski’s definition of intentionality is consistent with Schillebeeckx’s, who states that conscious acceptance of the reception of a sacrament is a necessary prerequisite for the manifestation of God’s saving grace (Schillebeeckx,
The Church must take its rightful role in the community and in society. It is sad to see how the church also has left their role as a model for society, because it has been more interested in other things such as the construction of multimillion-dollar buildings, the implementation of programs that have absolutely nothing to do with the help that they can give to those families who need help and support. The fire of spiritual concern about the condition of the family it needs to be rekindled, knowing the priorities that it should be attended, because if this is not done, once again it will fall into the situation of doing the same thing over and over; and never do something innovative that without doubt it can be the answer to the problems existing in many families today.
Family hierarchy is a system where every member of the family unit understands and respect an order of relative authority? This sense of family order has been infused by flawed or misconceived understanding that takes a total exception to God’s purpose. The Divine Will of God recognises that the parents should be the leadership bloc of the family unit. Even within this bloc the man has an authority to love and care for his wife the same manner Christ
Gold’s (1999) spiritual ideology of family that, “includes a man and a woman committed to one another through the covenant of marriage, raising the children they sire or adopt, hon...
Even up until now, the controversial issue of homosexuality is still apparent and widely discussed in many countries all over the world. Although many people are becoming more open minded and less skeptical about homosexuality, many more are still reluctant to accept the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) communities as equals. Whilst many may argue that their religion absolutely forbids same sex marriages, thus, rejecting the idea of homosexual relationship, many of them feels it is their right to make the gays and lesbians straight again. For instance, in South Africa, many males practice corrective rape. It is a form of hate crime towards lesbians in order to ‘cure’ them of their homosexuality in order to change them into heterosexuals (Strudwick, 2014). This proves how sick and twisted the minds of homophobes are. As a Catholic myself, even though I was taught that same sex relationship is wrong and not natural, I do not condemn homosexuals or look down on them. In fact, I even have friends that are gay or bisexual. It is good that more countries have now implemented new laws to protect the LGBT community. This ensures the lower crime rate and discrimination of the LGBTs. Despite the fact that a few European countries and several others have legalized same sex marriages, there are still rejection and objection from some parties particularly from the Roman Catholic Church (Bingham, 2005). Why does the Church have such strong objections? Through my research, I will discuss on the views and teachings of the Catholic Church on homosexuality and same sex marriage.
Hogan, Richard M. "An Introduction to John Paul II's Theology of the Body."Natural Family Planning Outreach. N.p., 25 Feb. 2003. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
The Catholic Church loves LGBT people with a profound love, just like it loves all of its other children. Various organizations within the church have as their main purpose the delivery of the Gospel to LGBT's. All of us are sacred creations of God, and therefore deserve respect on the basis of our human nature. This essay treats an outreach effort of the church in this area.
take care of her and try to provide for her as much as he could and
A contradictory essay titled “Societal Suicide” by the authors Anne Morse and Charles Colson conveying that marriage ought to be realized as an old – fashioned and traditional way were people come together in holy matrimony when they said “traditional building block of human society.” Their essay continues to explicate the weary and unfair assumptions of marriage by concluding that there should only be the existence of man and woman relationships. The authors, due to gay couples overloaded with longing to marry one another, have also questioned marriage extinction. A question often asked is “How is it the end of marriage if same-sex couples marry?” Allowing gays to get married indorses marriage as well as supports the rights to care for every person. An...
to do and a guarantee to each partner. If we ask an engaged couple why
In Catholic social teaching, human life is considered to be sacred from the exact moment of conception to the occurrence of natural death. It is not dependent upon tangible means but instead originates from the God who created us. In other words, as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church – the fifth commandment (n.d.), “human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being." Thus, the life and dignity granted to every person by our Creator must be valued and protected throughout every stage of life. In essence, it is a person’s dignity that is seen as the very foundation of a moral image within our society. The primary and greatest basic principle of human rights is the right to live, leading those following the Catholic tradition to keenly work toward respect and justice in regards to humans
“In His wisdom God decreed that the family should be the greatest of all educational agencies. It is the home that the education of the child is to begin.”
According to Genesis 1:26, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.” In essence, this book is more focused on how God expects us, as individuals to follow in is foot step and adapt his attributes. The book ‘Principles and values for a successful family” written by Ellen G. White, it highlights certain principles, morals and values that aids in upholding a stable marriage and family. It is use as a means of helping individuals prevent marital and family conflicts throughout their life in case they arise. It portrays certain variables that each family member of a sub-system within a family should understand and respect aspects of an individual and understand that each individual is unique, they serves a purpose and their wishes should be respected. In different aspects of the book it highlights what it takes in being a successful family and how it can impact them. It demonstrates the foundation of progress, the leader influence the family and the family on a whole influence the society. So what we do and partake in as a family that will be the outcome of society whether it be negative
Throughout the years, societies view on marriage and cohabitation has been changing, especially from the 1950s up until now. Marriage and cohabitation are in relation to social location, education, immigration and social class. In addition, these changes are influenced through socialization and their surrounding environments as people’s beliefs and expectations vary from what a defined family really is. Same-sex couples are now getting married and the divorce rate is on the rise, including non-married couples raising children. Most importantly, each individual determines who they marry or whom they share their love with through conditioning or in the course of shared similarities. People have dissimilar values, beliefs and attitudes and throughout the life course may change again, including the future generations. This paper reviews why marriage is on the decline and cohabitation is now the accepted social norm, including other aspects such as specific rights that couples have over others in the past. Religion is a powerful tool that alters minds of those who are affiliated with it. As a result, their beliefs are conditioned and marriage is valued differently than those who are not married. All in all this paper will further explain the change, continuity and