Marriage

Saint Valentine's Day will be celebrated this Tuesday. Many greeting cards, boxes of candy and flowers will be given to loved ones. This tradition started with the Romans who observed that this was the time of year that birds started pairing off with each other. It became an annual tradition when young men would seek young ladies to be their partners. The Church used this to teach the truth about human sexuality and marriage. God instituted marriage at the beginning of the creation with Adam and Eve. Man and woman He made them, and He said "Be fruitful and multiply..." From that time on men and women have been entering this vocation out of love and to have children. 

You will not find a time or place in history when same-sex marriage was sanctioned. Spin a globe and pick virtually any place on earth at any previous time in human history; you will find that they do marriage one way: between men and a women. There may be other differences, but marriage has always required a husband and a wife. Why? Marriage teaches that men and women need each other and that children need mothers and fathers. A loving and compassionate society comes to the aid of motherless and fatherless children, but no compassionate society intentionally deprives children of their own mom and dad. But this is what every same-sex home does -- and for no other reason but to satisfy adult desire.

Because marriage between a man and a woman is God's plan, it is understandable why the following facts are true in the majority.

Marriage reduces the risk of poverty for children and communities.

Fatherless households increase crime.

Marriage protects children's physical and mental health.

Both men and women who marry live longer, healthier and happier lives.

Children whose parents cohabit are at increased risk for domestic violence and child abuse and neglect.

Children whose parents divorced or never get married have lower grade point averages.

When marriages fail, ties between parents and children typically weaken

I know that marriages often have difficulties -- some serious. The reason is that we are human beings and are not perfect. Each person brings his and her weaknesses and shortcomings into the marriage. But, the special love of marriage truly does conquer adversity. Marriage works by fostering commitment, trust, fidelity and cooperation between a man and a woman.

God already blesses marriage. May each of us pray for and be of help to husbands and wives in their marriages.

Father Stanley