Eastern Catholic Ping List
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
Posted on 08/03/2006 9:15:42 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
The Catholic Church in Kerala, concerned about the declining population of the community, will now ask the believers to embrace the Christian concept of sexuality that blends love and procreation. In other words, to have more children.
During the Mass next Sunday, a pastoral letter will be read out in all 26 dioceses in the state.
In the letter, Syro-Malabar Archbishop Cardinal Mar Varkey Vithayathil will remind the faithful of the need to lead a life rooted in Christian values and beliefs.
Also, to consider sex not only as an "instrument of pleasure" but also as "a tool to procreate".
Father Paul Thelekkat, spokesman of the Syro-Malabar Church, told the Hindustan Times: "There is a drastic fall in Christian population. The recently concluded synod of bishops had expressed serious concerns over the drastic fall in Christian population. So there will be some serious efforts to address this."
The letter says, "There has been a growing feeling that children are a nuisance to pleasurable life. Even those who have the resources do not beget for selfish reasons."
Blaming modern lifestyle for small families, the letter tells the congregation that if the situation continues, half the population will be grey by 2050.
The census figures and the falling attendance on Sundays have forced men of God to press the panic button. According to the 2001 census, the Christian growth rate came down to 19 per cent from 22 per cent.
Congrats on number 7. We have number 6 in the chute. :-)
Another reply you can use when people ask the always inappropriate question "Are you done?" is: "Why do you ask?" Of course you do this with a smile, and I would only use this if the person was being obnoxious about it. Thankfully neither my wife nor I have had to use it. Most of the time when people ask this question they are being friendly and not really aware of how out of line this question is. I often just shrug my shoulders and say "Who knows" while smiling. I then usually go on to make some joke about having a basketball team or now with 6 that I don't have to play goalie anymore. Usually this causes a smile and the whole uncomfortable moment passes.
So true.
Besides, India doesn't need any more children, as the children there don't have enough....of everything.
I think this call for "more Catholics" is off the mark and not in the spirit of Christ. The call should be to be better Christians and help their fellow Indians with the children in need.
Eastern Catholic Ping List
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
I always think of the original Cheaper By the Dozen movie - there is a GREAT scene when the planned barrenhood lady is directed to their house by their good friend (as a joke) because the mom is a college-educated professional (in addition to being a mom, she worked at home assisting her husband in his consulting business). The mom answers the door and no kids are around. The lady then tries to recruit her to lead up the local birth control committee - and wants to use the family's house as the meeting place. She b labbers away about how people have too many kids. Then the mom calls out the children. And the barrenhood lady is mortified. Its a hoot in the book and on screen.
That was in the original? Wow!
Very true.
Japan is facing extinction, because they have very few young kids and no immigration. Here in the US, we are in slightly better shape, but not much.
I quite agree with Starfish. Asking for "more children" is clumsy at best. What's wrong with helping the ones already there? Can't Christians, Catholics, be made by conversion as well. Mother Theresa had the right idea, go out and tend the sheep first.
As far as "overpopulation" goes, yes, the earth could hold more people and do so very well. But why would we want to? Call me a tree hugger, but what's the good of having so many people when other good things, such as the Amazon, or the Arctic ice, or the like, have to be lost? Don't animals and men already scramble for land and resources already? Yes, big familiess are wonderful, I don't deny that they can be a great source of love/resourcefulness. All I'm saying is not everyone is up to this.
God bless you and your family.
I am the oldest of seven -- so not the "Middle Child." Great line, however!
** asking people to have MORE childern strikes me as misguided. **
Sorry, but the cafeteria is closed!
One attitude is "Must stop these nasty coloured people from breeding." Elsewhere I read: "Japan is facing extinction, because they have very few young kids and no immigration."
So where are the babies being born?
Especially when we think of what Christ did for us!!
1. He gave himself freely. (We can put to rest all of the notions that the Jews killed Jesus, He gave himself freely.)
2. He gave himself totally. Even unto death. Also proclaiming a life of service to others! (Should be in the marriage vows -- till death do us part.)
3. He gave himself faithfully. "Father, not my will, but your will be done." "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." etc.
4. He gave himself fruitfully. Christ died on the Cross to give us life everlasting and to redeem the first sin of the first couple, Adam and Eve. Also to triumph over the devil.
So a couple who practices these four things -- should take heart! They are following in Christ's footsteps!
To hear these reflections (and more) of Pope John Paul II through the explanation of Christopher West -- take a Theology of the Body class. They are wonderful!!!!!
Mainly in islamic areas. Poland and parts of the Ukraine are increasing also. That is why churches are being turned into mosques in Europe. Not enough Christians are reproducing.
"So where are the babies being born?"
In some parts of Africa, central and near Asia, and some small parts of eastern Europe.
In western Europe and most industrialized countries, the birthrate is dropping. In countries like Italy, and Spain, the birthrate has dropped dramatically and is significantly below replacement levels.
In the U.S. we're at about replacement birthrate levels, but the trend over time has been the birthrates heading downward. The reason our population is increasing is due to immigration.
I've read that the Japanese population may have actually declined last year. Not just their birth rate, their population itself is actually starting to drop.
Thank you Aquinas. I also wonder if the world is doomed Malthus groupies ever consider the racism behind the push to control the populations of the third world.
The ecopsycos ( big supporters of population control) turned a blind eye to the great numbers of African and Asians who died of malaria because of the ban on DDT. Do you think the same would have been tolerated if the dead were from Santa Barbara or Palm Beach?
Thank you Aquinas. I also wonder if the world is doomed Malthus groupies ever consider the racism behind the push to control the populations of the third world.
The ecopsycos ( big supporters of population control) turned a blind eye to the great numbers of African and Asians who died of malaria because of the ban on DDT. Do you think the same would have been tolerated if the dead were from Santa Barbara or Palm Beach?
"So where are the babies being born?"
Close to their mothers?
Pro-family bumpus ad summum
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.