Comments for Marry at Leisure, Repent in Haste? at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 10 out of 10 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Sun, 19 May 2013 16:13:05 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-3017 Who can get married when they're young? According to marriage prep classes given in Catholic churches, only those with good paying jobs are properly prepared for marriage. That's the problem with church advisors so in tune with the culture that money and position means as much to us as it does to the secular society. There are some well off young professionals, etc. But there are many more who work for low wages, and told they aren't good enough for marriage - by society and by church advisors - Ken G Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:54:51 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-3011 It seems that almost anyone willing to sit through pre-Cana (normally while co-habiting up to their wedding day) can have a "traditional" Church wedding, while Catholics who respect and honor Church teachings on marriage and family face almost insuperable odds. Many cradle Catholics must choose between marrying outside the church, not marrying ever, or correctly refusing to "settle" on a non-Catholic even if that means waiting until child-bearing days are over. No more cradle Catholics soon. - JP Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:44:19 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-3008 Debby: I know a couple. He is 55, she is 33. Two kids, very happy family. I cautiously asked her why she married E. (my friend of over 30 yrs). Not missing a beat she said "I was tired of the 30-something teenagers. I wanted my children to have a man for a father and not some 'older brother.'" I think that is why we see so many couples like that lately. Better to have a good man for 20 yrs than to be changing some guy's diapers until he has a crisis and flies off with a young bimbo. - Chuck Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:03:38 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-3007 I hold firmly to the notion that the next great bubble to burst is the cost of college. (Consider the news link the other day about the woman who needed to pay off $94k to be able to join a convent.) We're looking now at a 4-yr professional grad school for my daughter; we'll help with the $200k cost but she will have loans that will have to be paid when she's done (the avg is $120K). That makes stopping (dropping out) to have children a very difficult choice until say 30-something. - Tom in NC Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:59:12 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-3006 What about single men who do want to get married? The Catholic Church is a disaster zone. Nothing works! You can't get dates. You can't meet anyone. Faithful single Catholic men can't get married either. I am a Catholic man in my 40s and I too have to deal with the prospect of no children ever. No wife. No family. It is surely much worse for women but is a problem for men too. Not every man will chase 22-year-olds. Please pray for single people! - john Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:58:22 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-3005 Thank you for this article! My husband and I were 25 and 22, respectively, when we married. Every one of our friends, even the staunchest Catholics, told us we were too young, but we knew it was the right thing to do. It saddens me that even those who are sure that they have a vocation to marry and that they have found the right person sometimes decide to wait because of the pressure from their families and friends. - Lisa Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:56:56 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-3003 This should be taught to all pastors and religious educators. Our parents should be helping children prepare for their discernment of marriage early in life. I heard that last one of Catholic radio, I don't remember who said it, but he basically said that fathers should encourage their son's to think of their future as how best to provide for a wife and kids, if they feel marriage might be their vocation in life. And mothers should be preparing their daughters as well. - susy Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:02:54 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-3002 The "I'm waiting to marry" pop culture adage is inherently un-Christian, based on self-satisfaction, for both sexes. College fuels prolonged adolescence, & then graduates 'commence' their 'careers' at the expense of pursuing their vocation (for most: marriage & children) ably reinforced by the consumer culture. We "shop" for a mate & "count the cost" of children. To imitate Jesus in marriage, forsaking all others, even our selves, we would fall to the ground & die & be fruitful (not satisfied). - Chris in Maryland Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:02:25 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-3000 i submit to you, paragraph #6 is KEY to the holy-Catholic-beautiful-mature-smart young woman's pain! once a marriage vocation has in fact been discerned, while remaining open to God possibly calling one to the single life, the lack of mature young men who want to live manhood as God designed is worse than disheartening. it can cause serious cynicism. As Brad Miner has noted, he has been maligned on Catholic campuses while offering his advice on what it means to be a man. Where are real MEN? - debby Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:01:18 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/marry-at-leisure-repent-in-haste.html#comment-2998 Interesting! On the other hand I wonder why so many are not getting married, but just cohabitating and propagating. No doubt there are some pragmatic and economic reasons for this as well. It is also interesting that such appellations as "bastard" and "unwed mother" are just not politically correct, but border on being hate speech. We must be sure we say "single mother" as if some form of extra adulation is in order. Oh! Well! Commitment and fidelity are too much for our era of relativism. - Willie Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:50:29 +0100