Paul KeenanDear Editor, "The Church’s teaching on marriage and family is tough…….the message being transmitted by our culture today often damages the chance of a happy marriage" (Breda O'Brien, IC 27/3/2014).
I would like to ask where does a chaste man/woman nowadays meet a like-minded person to date especially if they are living in a community were chastity before and fidelity within marriage is not taught and caught by clergy, the family and school system?
There are many chaste single people in society now who desire marriage and a family, but are alone. It is so evident the negative impact of liberal values on marriage and the family which is directly and indirectly supported by many governments such as deliberate small families (e.g. the pill and surgical abortion), sexually transmitted diseases, infertility, family division, the erosion of the extended family, less priests and religious vocations, consumerism etc. The solution is restoration of the family. Jesus thought so well of family life that he used it to come amongst us, hence the Church has divine authority to teach on the Ten Commandments and on the family. Finally, single people can embrace their celibate vocation (which is challenging), like Jesus and can also be fruitful in doing God's work in life giving care for others etc.
Ann Campbell,
Scotstown,
Co. Monaghan.