SINCE THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE IS UNDER ATTACK, EVEN IN THE INAUGURAL SPEECH BY OUR PRESIDENT, LETS LOOK AT WHAT THE POPES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MARRIAGE

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE , by , POPE PIUS XI , December 31, 1930 . . .
alas, not secretly nor under cover, but openly, with all sense of shame put
aside, now by word again by writings, by theatrical productions of every
kind, by romantic fiction, by amorous and frivolous novels, by cinematographs
portraying in vivid scene, in addresses broadcast by radio telephony, in
short by all the inventions of modern science, the Sanctity of Marriage is
trampled upon and derided; divorce, adultery, all the basest vices either are
extolled or at least are depicted in such colors as to appear to be free
of all reproach and infamy. Books are not lacking which dare to pronounce
themselves as scientific but which in truth are merely coated with a veneer
of science in order that they may the more easily insinuate their ideas.
The doctrines defended in these are offered for sale as the productions of
modern genius, of that genius namely, which, anxious only for truth, is
considered to have emancipated itself from all those old-fashioned and immature
opinions of the ancients; and to the number of these antiquated opinions
they regulate the Traditional Doctrine of Christian Marriage.

(B)

Leo XIII, since the destruction of family life "and the loss of national
wealth is brought about more by the corruption of morals than by anything
else, it is easily seen that divorce, which is born of the perverted morals of
a people, and leads, as experiment shows, to vicious habits in public and
private life, is particularly opposed to the well-being of the family and
of the State. The serious nature of these evils will be the more clearly
recognized, when we remember that, once divorce has been allowed, there will
be no sufficient means of keeping it in check within any definite bounds.
Great is the force of example, greater still that of lust; and with such
incitements it cannot but happen that divorce and its consequent setting
loose of the passions should spread daily and attack the souls of many like a
contagious disease or a river bursting its banks and flooding the land."
(Encycl. Arcanun, 10 Febr. 1880.)

(C)

Leo XIII, attacked the doctrine of the naturalists in these words: "It
is a Divinely appointed Law that whatsoever things are constituted by God,
the Author of nature, these we find the more useful and salutary, the more
they remain in their natural state, unimpaired and unchanged; inasmuch as
God, the Creator of all things, intimately knows what is suited to the
constitution and the preservation of each, and by His Will and Mind has so
ordained all things that each may duly achieve its purpose. But if the boldness
and wickedness of men change and disturb this order of things, so
providentially disposed, then, indeed, things so wonderfully ordained, will begin to
be injurious, or will cease to be beneficial, either because, in the
change, they have lost their power to benefit, or because God Himself is thus
pleased to draw down chstisement on the pride and presumption of men.
(Encycl. Arcanum divinae sapientiae, 10 Febr. 1880.)
In order, therefore, to restore due order in this matter of Marriage, it
is necessary that all should bear in mind what is the Divine Plan and
strive to conform to it.

(D)

POPE PIUS XI, December 31, 1930 . . . Our Predecessor Leo XIII,
of happy memory, has already insisted upon, (Encycl. Rerum novarum, 15 May
1891.) namely, that in the State such economic and social methods should
be adopted as will enable every head of a family to earn as much as,
according to his station in life, is necessary for himself, his wife, and for the
rearing of his children, for "the laborer is worthy of his hire." (Luke
10, 7.) To deny this, or to make light of what is equitable, is a grave
injustice and is placed among the greatest sins by Holy Writ, (Deut. 24, 14,
15.) nor is it lawful to fix such a scanty wage as will be insufficient for
the upkeep of the family in the circumstances in which it is placed.
Care, however, must be taken that the parties themselves, for a
considerable time before entering upon Married life, should strive to dispose of, or
at least to diminish, the maternal(material) obstacles in their way. The
manner in which this may be done effectively and honestly must be pointed
out by those who are experienced. Provision must be made also, in the case
of those who are not self-supporting, for joint aid by private or public
guilds. (Leo XIII, Encycl. Rermu novarum, 15 May 1891.)