A hidden gem in the Pope's speech to Congress
By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Sep 24, 2015
Toward the end of his address, Pope Francis summed up the anti-family mentality in two sentences:
At the risk of oversimplifying, we might say that we live in a culture which pressures young people not to start a family, because they lack possibilities for the future. Yet this same culture presents others with so many options that they too are dissuaded from starting a family.
Too many options, and yet not enough options? There’s material there for a modern-day Chesterton: a paradox that exposes the insanity of our society.
It comes down to this: in a secular society, a consumerist society, a throwaway society, the option to settle down and have children—to continue the race, to reach out in love to future generations, to play on the stage of history, to do what God commanded Adam and Eve to do—is the last option to be considered.
Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He has edited several Catholic magazines and written eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and lead analyst at CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
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Posted by: vboast4348 -
Sep. 26, 2015 12:07 AM ET USA
Yes, it is well hidden though. For newly weds to have the openness to conception, and to rely on God's Providence to support them, requires a great deal of change in all our attitudes; to be willing to take time out to lend a hand, to accept the presence of children around us, to be less selfish, more open ... And it would be good to hear from the pulpit outspokenness on the subject of contraception and Catholic teaching
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Posted by: Bernadette -
Sep. 25, 2015 8:09 PM ET USA
I fear there will be many elderly some day who will dearly regret their unwise decision to not marry and/or not to have children. Many lonely, abandoned folk with no one to love or love them and care for them. This has been and is the end result in the formerly and present Communist countries where women have had forced abortions and elected abortions to the tune of 7 or 8. Oh, the weeping and wailing there will be! I am greatly saddened at the thought of this sorrowful future for many.
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Sep. 25, 2015 4:21 PM ET USA
Pope Francis was right on target with this remark.
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Posted by: debi8964 -
Sep. 24, 2015 5:41 PM ET USA
Well said Phil - we are so wrapped up in having nice stuff, we put aside what is really important for our future and our children's future!
