Alice von Hildebrand on Fleeting Fads and Eternal Truth

  • Thread starter Thread starter edwest2
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
By the witness of her life, she makes the best case for the reality of objective truth. Hope I am still able to contribute something so significant if I reach the age of 91.

I especially loved her clarity about the lie that modern women have been sold…

*You’ve written and spoken of the privilege of being a woman. Do you think a renewed respect for authentic femininity has grown a little bit in recent years? *

My philosophical archenemy, Simone de Beauvoir, who demeaned motherhood, has gained far more ground than I have. She has convinced thousands of women that their purpose in life is to be found competing against men. This is a grave error — one that completely misses the centrality of motherhood, not only for women, but for the entire human race.

Why did the serpent go to Eve instead of Adam? Some have said it was because Eve was weaker and therefore an easier target, but I think the answer goes much deeper: Eve was the mother of the living, which drew the attention of the “murderer from the beginning.” Because he hated human life, the devil went after Eve.
 
By the witness of her life, she makes the best case for the reality of objective truth. Hope I am still able to contribute something so significant if I reach the age of 91.

I especially loved her clarity about the lie that modern women have been sold…

*You’ve written and spoken of the privilege of being a woman. Do you think a renewed respect for authentic femininity has grown a little bit in recent years? *

My philosophical archenemy, Simone de Beauvoir, who demeaned motherhood, has gained far more ground than I have. She has convinced thousands of women that their purpose in life is to be found competing against men. This is a grave error — one that completely misses the centrality of motherhood, not only for women, but for the entire human race.

Why did the serpent go to Eve instead of Adam? Some have said it was because Eve was weaker and therefore an easier target, but I think the answer goes much deeper: Eve was the mother of the living, which drew the attention of the “murderer from the beginning.” Because he hated human life, the devil went after Eve.
And the devil knew Eve had a strong influence on Adam and she could convince him for good or ill and we all know what happened then. We need strong, faithful men willing to lead their families to God. In the early 60’s when I was in my 6th month , we lost our baby boy. I was devastated. My Dr. wanted me to take the Birth Control Pill for a year. He wrote out the prescription and handed it to me. I told him I couldn’t and he said call your priest and ask him. So the next day, I did, and he said it was OK to take it for a year. (at that time priests were handing out permission like candy.) My husband came home from work, asked what Father had said, and I handed him the prescription and said , “I can take it for a year.” and my husband looked at the prescription and then looked at me and said, “Honey, if Birth Control is a sin, how can a priest give you permission to sin?” and I said, “I don’t know,” and I didn’t know!!!. My husband tore up the prescription and said, “We don’t need this!!” And we didn’t. That’s as close as I ever came to taking the BC pill. I thank God for his leadership!! God Bless, Memaw
 
What a beautiful article. I devour her words - they are so truthful, but many Catholics today will not find her message so endearing. For instance - these eternal truths:
Rather, subduing the flesh is meant for everyone in the Church militant.
[She spoke of} the “severe moral crisis” of today and the centuries-old solution of repentance, prayer and penance.
Unattractive ideas to those immersed in the secular culture.
[/quote]
 
ncregister.com/daily-news/alice-von-hildebrand-on-fleeting-fads-and-eternal-truth/

What an article. I’m bookmarking it. Each paragraph that is a quotation of Alice’s rings like some ancient truth perfectly fitted for our time.

Dietrich and Alice von Hildebrand haven’t been together since his death long ago. Still they might be one the the most memorable Catholic married couples in history. Top ten for sure … maybe top five (and I count Mary and Joseph … 😃 even if Joseph didn’t live long enough to see the Church’s formal debut).

It’s tough even to figure out which is her best quote. But I should feature ONE at least. I’ll go with:
The great tragedy of today is that truth has been replaced by preferences, goodness by whim and beauty by “fun.” In my 37 years of teaching, the overwhelming majority of students I encountered were of the belief that truth, goodness and beauty were relative: They were whatever you wanted to make of them. My conception of them may differ from yours, and this was to be celebrated, not lamented.
The reality is far different. We are in a severe moral crisis in which the eternal truths have been exchanged for temporary fads. We have been blinded into valuing quick fixes more than a permanent transformation.
If only we would open ourselves up to God through prayer and penance, we would be given the grace to see things as they truly are and the power to love as God wants us to. On our own, we are pitiably weak creatures, but with sanctifying grace, we can live the very life of God. This is extraordinarily beautiful.
– Alice von Hildebrand
 
I had the pleasure of hearing her speak over 10 years ago in Rockford. She can certainly hold her audience’s attention. A very great person indeed.
 
I thank God for his leadership!! God Bless, Memaw
I feel very sympathetic towards young men today. They are discouraged from taking such leadership stances as being misogynistic. Alice von Hildebrand is a courageous speaker for women but I hope that after her death, the example of her life and marriage will speak for themselves as the model of true womanhood.
 
I feel very sympathetic towards young men today. They are discouraged from taking such leadership stances as being misogynistic. Alice von Hildebrand is a courageous speaker for women but I hope that after her death, the example of her life and marriage will speak for themselves as the model of true womanhood.
I lived through the Women’s Liberation Movement of the 1970s. The overthrow of the patriarchy, including the Church, was job one. Being a mother was bad - get a career. Men are bad. They were called “male chauvenist pigs” who treated women as sex objects. At the time, young Catholic men and young Catholic women were on the same page regarding relationships, which included respect, friendship and trust. That had to go. Feminist icon, Gloria Steinem, co-founder of Ms. magazine (yes, that’s where that divisive word comes from), said, “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.” And Betty Friedan compared the family to “a comfortable concentration camp.”

Every young person swept up in this, male or female, began to feel out of step. Thanks to people like the feminists I mentioned and those who referred to themselves as Hippies and anarchists, life as we knew it had to change due to their constant preaching. Their “truth” would “free” us. Didn’t happen. Marriage turned into nothing, just shack up. Smoke dope. Enjoy pornography. None of that was tolerated by a good number of people. Mothers and fathers tried to convince their wayward sons and daughters but the constant preaching - which continues to this day - drew in a few, then a few more and a few more. Then the media we trusted in the 1950s and 1960s began to gradually turn into what these people were preaching. Then places of higher education.

Let us follow those eternal truths.

God bless,
Ed
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top