"Taste Tells" Johnston's SAUSAGES
and FRANKFURTS
Wholesale apostasy through Mixed Marriages Of Catholics who Quotes Startling figures from Britain and America contract mixed marriages in U.S.A. 65 per cent. leave the Church Giving warning of the dangers resulting from mixed marriages. Vatican Radio said it was recently estimated that in 65 per cent. of such marriages in the United States Catholics left the Church. The case was also quoted ui an English diocese where a census some years ago showed that of 6,629 marriages, 2,000 resulted in the apostasy of the In another instance, Catholic party. out of 19,000 mixed marriages, apostasy had resulted from 11,000 of them. The announcer stated that marriages between baptised and non-baptised persons were on the increase. The Vatican Radio used the occasion of Mission Sunday to call for a "closing of our ranks,' by which was meant strengthening the missions at home. The missions in pagan countries said the announcer) are well supported by the countries of Europe and America, Priests being constantly sent, even though the home countries themWhile this is all selves are short. to the good, there is need to attend to the home lands, where the problem is not only to convert the non-Catholic, but also to hold on to those already in the Church, or, as it is sometimes put, to prevent "leakage." This problem is not confined to the English-speaking world: it is a universal one, and one of the fundamental causes is shown to be the marriage of Catholics with non-Catholics. Non -Catholics, said the announcer, are sometimes scandalised at Catholic strictness in the matter of mixed marBut it must be remembered riages. that there cannot be two true religions, and so Catholics cannot make any concessions in this regard. The most extreme case of mixed marriage is that between a baptised person and a non-baptised one. This situation, which was rare in Christian Europe, is now becoming more freBut the problem itself is not quent. a new one. It is not a modern phe-
In English diocese 11,000
apostasies from 19,000 mixed marriages The problem of leakage is one that naturally, has exercised the minds of the Hierarchies of England, Wales, and Scotland. Among recent pronouncements may be mentioned pastorals by Bishop Mellon, Co-adjutor of Galloway, and Archbishop McGrath, of Cardiff, as well as a pamphlet of Father Gits, S.J., all of whom link mixed marriages with leakage. There is one parish at least in the British Isles where there has not been a single mixed marriage for over four years. Recently I talked to the Parish Priest about this, to me, rare occurrence, and asked him how it was
brought about. "The incidence of mixed marriages in the parish was heavy," he said, "and was causing me great anxiety. Couples felt that the mere fact that they desired to get married was suffi-. cient reason for a dispensation to be granted. "I studied the problem, and came across a series of articles in the 'Homi-
(
nomenon. It existed among the early Christians, and there is documentary evidence of it as far back as the fourth century. Then the penalties for mixed marriages were severe, as they are in the Eastern Church. In the United States of America it is estimated that 65 per cent. of the Catholics who make mixed manages leave the Church. An English diocese made a census some years ago, and found that, of 6,629 mixed marriages, 2,000 resulted in the apostasy of the Catholic party. In another place, 19,000 mixed mar
THE SHOP FOR BETTER SERVICE. Any goods sent to country not satisfactory we pay freight. Our motto is: "We have it we will get it, or it cannot be had."
-
riages were examined, and it was found that in 11,000 cases the Catholic had given up the Faith. It will be seen, then, that mixed marriages must be placed among the chief The problem is causes of leakage. one which could best be seen in its entirety in Rome, and none was better placed to see it than the Pope. Thus far the Vatican Radio, the announcer concluded by saying that only the fringe of the problem had been touched in a short talk. The editor of the London "Catholic
Times" makes the following comment:
letic Review,' which gave me seriously to think. Then I talked to my people, and put the problem to them squarely. I told them that dispensations were not automatic, and that I would not ask for one without good cause. They faced up to the position, and all Catholic marriages have been the rule since." His suggestion was-make the people understand the gravity of the question. Part of the difficulty is the fact that. in Britain, at least. Catholics are in the minority, and therefore the odds are that Catholics will meet non-CathoHere is lics rather than Catholics. an experiment that was tried with success in two neighbouring towns. Two Priests arranged that the Children of Mary of one parish would invite the young men of a neighbouring parish to a dance and supper, the compliment being returned by the (Continued on Back Cover.)