Reasons for Catholics to have big families

  • Thread starter Thread starter Suz21
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I think food, water and a bed are the least a parent should provide. If they have kids, yet cannot provide those three basics, then they should not be trying to have more children…imo.
 
Tom317 said:
think food, water and a bed are the least a parent should provide. If they have kids, yet cannot provide those three basics, then they should not be trying to have more children…imo.
Click to expand...
Financially, yes. And…

I think also, a family must be able to provide faith and character formation. So, if the parents are working extremely long hours so that they can’t attend to their children’s formation, then they should consider very carefully making changes before they have children.
 
leonie said:
Financially, yes. And…

I think also, a family must be able to provide faith and character formation. So, if the parents are working extremely long hours so that they can’t attend to their children’s formation, then they should consider very carefully making changes before they have children.
Click to expand...
I agree, parents MUST raise the kids in the faith.
 
I’ve got so much to say I’m not sure where to start. I’m 45, I am the youngest of 11, 6 boys, and 5 girls. All the girls are14-18 years older than me. The one thing that keeps going through my mind as I read these posts is this…Does anyone trust in the Lord. It is a promise from Him. You doubt the Lord, you got bigger problems than whether or not you can put an Ipod under the christmas tree for each child. BIG PROBLEMS, that’s also a promise.Three bedrooms in mom and dads house, one bathroom, one small kitchen, and one HUGE living room, big yard(remember those? it’s where we went to play everyday. outside, not in the house with hundreds of toys, 4 televisions, three playstations, hundreds of videos) I don’t recall being unhappy about not having things. Like I said all the girls were way older than me (I’m sure they’d appreciate me saying that) I had hand me downs from the boys, that includes clothing. Mom did not work outside of the house, and when my dad had a heart attack when I was in second grade and could not work for six weeks, then lost his job because he couldn’t go back to work yet, we were blessed by having an even larger “catholic church” family. We never went hungry, we never went without love in our lives. To this day people tell me stories about how when my mother was sick with breast cancer when she was pregnant with me, everyone in our community helped take care of us. When there was a wedding reception at the local knights of Columbus, the left overs always were brought to our house. When the church had a pot luck, yup, you guessed it we got the left overs. We were blessed by the Grace of God, we may not have been wearing the nicest clothing, but our butts were in the pew every Sunday, I’m sure my mothers and fathers prayers directed at thanks to their Lord and Savior in whom “they trusted”. We went to catholic school, another sacrifice my parents made, but it was so much more important for them to have us in Catholic school than to drive a nice car, have a nice dinner out on saturdays nights, or any of that unimportant stuff!! Say what you will, but my mother knows what a blessing it is to have so many children, it is a gift from God, She had me when she was 44, she had a stroke this summer and I have taken care of her so that she does not have to go to a nursing home, a sacrifice yes, and yet my “catholic community” has helped. Not only through material things but through prayer and guidance. She would bend on knee in Adoration, for she knows it was He who blessed her this way. Overpopulation, phhh.
 
Tom317 said:
I am no materialistic prude. Yet, a bed and food to eat is the minimum requirements. Those poor people in the world who do not have those basics are a very sad story, which is why the world needs to do everything it can to help thos truly less fortunate. Being able to eat and sleep comfortably seems to be the very least we should provide.

I do NOT think it is an American expectation that ours kids at least have a bed!
Click to expand...
Actually, it really is. Many modern societies do not use beds like we do, they sleep on what amounts to a pallet on the floor very comfortably. Most americans also throw away more food at one meal than other modern families eat for an entire day.
Tom317 said:
I feel confused as to why you refer to “protestantize” in the conext of this discussion. How many Protestants have six kids and would be open to accept more?
Click to expand...
I don’t know. But when I meet a large family - they are almost always protestant.
Tom317 said:
I think food, water and a bed are the least a parent should provide. If they have kids, yet cannot provide those three basics, then they should not be trying to have more children…imo.
Click to expand...
There is a difference between not avoiding and trying to get pregnant.
 
Teakafrog said:
True. But it is also to be done unselfishly, in the spirit of giving, both to the children and to God. That is why ABC is a sin, it is saying, “I refuse to serve”, just like lucifer said to God. Choosing to postpone pregnancy for a legitimate, serious reason is not sin. But without *serious *reason, such as medical problems, why err on the side of selfishness? So the kids have to share a room, or wear hand-me-downs. Nothing wrong with that, except it may hurt the parents’ pride. Again, the giving of self, to the betterment of the world. That one child you ‘decide’ to not have, may be a saint that helps thousands. You never know. That’s why the Church teaches us to be open to life. That is what is wrong with society at large today, they are all self-centered. Thus, the moral decay that is rampant. When people put their own needs above the good of others, and most importantly above God’s will, nothing good can come of it. Responsibility is doing what is right, not what is convenient.
Click to expand...
👍
 
Rob_s_Wife said:
Actually, it really is. Many modern societies do not use beds like we do, they sleep on what amounts to a pallet on the floor very comfortably. Most americans also throw away more food at one meal than other modern families eat for an entire day.

No, to want to give your child a bed, food and water is absolutely NOT materialistic and no-one will ever convince me it is and I think Catholics become scrupulous about their faith when they start to think such things are materialistic.

I don’t know. But when I meet a large family - they are almost always protestant.
Funny, I have literally never met a large Protestant family…never, and I am 49.

There is a difference between not avoiding and trying to get pregnant.
Click to expand...
Yes, and as I said many times, we would remain open to life, yet our question is should we be seeking to add kids to such a tight situation and at these later years. God does, imo, want us to deal with realities of life.
 
maryj said:
I’ve got so much to say I’m not sure where to start. I’m 45, I am the youngest of 11, 6 boys, and 5 girls. All the girls are14-18 years older than me. The one thing that keeps going through my mind as I read these posts is this…Does anyone trust in the Lord. It is a promise from Him. You doubt the Lord, you got bigger problems than whether or not you can put an Ipod under the christmas tree for each child. BIG PROBLEMS, that’s also a promise.Three bedrooms in mom and dads house, one bathroom, one small kitchen, and one HUGE living room, big yard(remember those? it’s where we went to play everyday. outside, not in the house with hundreds of toys, 4 televisions, three playstations, hundreds of videos) I don’t recall being unhappy about not having things. Like I said all the girls were way older than me (I’m sure they’d appreciate me saying that) I had hand me downs from the boys, that includes clothing. Mom did not work outside of the house, and when my dad had a heart attack when I was in second grade and could not work for six weeks, then lost his job because he couldn’t go back to work yet, we were blessed by having an even larger “catholic church” family. We never went hungry, we never went without love in our lives. To this day people tell me stories about how when my mother was sick with breast cancer when she was pregnant with me, everyone in our community helped take care of us. When there was a wedding reception at the local knights of Columbus, the left overs always were brought to our house. When the church had a pot luck, yup, you guessed it we got the left overs. We were blessed by the Grace of God, we may not have been wearing the nicest clothing, but our butts were in the pew every Sunday, I’m sure my mothers and fathers prayers directed at thanks to their Lord and Savior in whom “they trusted”. We went to catholic school, another sacrifice my parents made, but it was so much more important for them to have us in Catholic school than to drive a nice car, have a nice dinner out on saturdays nights, or any of that unimportant stuff!! Say what you will, but my mother knows what a blessing it is to have so many children, it is a gift from God, She had me when she was 44, she had a stroke this summer and I have taken care of her so that she does not have to go to a nursing home, a sacrifice yes, and yet my “catholic community” has helped. Not only through material things but through prayer and guidance. She would bend on knee in Adoration, for she knows it was He who blessed her this way. Overpopulation, phhh.
Click to expand...
Sounds like your parents are great people!
 
Tom317 said:
But the topic at hand is not discussing self-centered people. We are talking about Catholics who already have fairly large families.
Click to expand...
It is?!?!?! :confused:
I don’t recall reading that anywhere in the original post on this thread…
Maybe you should go back and read post #1…

OH! You thought this was all about YOU…now I get it!
 
Suz21 said:
Hi everyone,
A group of Catholic youth who attended a big Catholic youth convention with me have been arguing about whether we as responsible Catholics should have big families or not. The issue here is that we’re Indians, and a lot of our problems are supposed to be because of overpopulation.
So, I’d really appreciate it if you’ll could give me any good reasons (from Scripture, or Church teachings) why or why not the Lord might want us to have many children.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Tom317 said:
But the topic at hand is not discussing self-centered people. We are talking about Catholics who already have fairly large families.
Click to expand...
The OP mentioned a group of Catholic youth contemplating whether or not Responsible Catholics should have large families and I was giving a 👍 to what Teakafrog seemed to presenting as her views that were related to the subject 🙂 I read it and I thought it was good
 
Here is a quote from the Catechism that seems relevant to this discussion:

2371 “Let all be convinced that human life and the duty of transmitting it are not limited by the horizons of this life only: their true evaluation and full significance can be understood only in reference to man’s eternal destiny.” 161
 
Tom317 said:
Yes, and as I said many times, we would remain open to life, yet our question is should we be seeking to add kids to such a tight situation and at these later years. God does, imo, want us to deal with realities of life.
Click to expand...
:ehh: ** I haven’t questioned whether you are willing to be open to life. There is no requirement from the church to use NFP. If you feel you must use it, then you are certainly given that option. No one can make it for you.**
Tom317 said:
But the topic at hand is not discussing self-centered people. We are talking about Catholics who already have fairly large families.
Click to expand...
Teakafrog said:
It is?!?!?! :confused:
I don’t recall reading that anywhere in the original post on this thread…
Maybe you should go back and read post #1…

OH! You thought this was all about YOU…now I get it!
Click to expand...
yep. bit off track there…
and being self-centered has nothing to do with how many kids a person does or does not have.
 
Teakafrog said:
It is?!?!?! :confused:
I don’t recall reading that anywhere in the original post on this thread…
Maybe you should go back and read post #1…

OH! You thought this was all about YOU…now I get it!
Click to expand...
Nice and completely unfair slam, thank you for that. 🙂

I do not think it is about me, nor am I blind to the OP. Yet the last number of posts contained much talk about my questions regarding size of family. Lest you forget, you have responded to my questions, so yes the my most recent conversation has centered on the topics I raised.
 
lifeisbeautiful said:
The OP mentioned a group of Catholic youth contemplating whether or not Responsible Catholics should have large families and I was giving a 👍 to what Teakafrog seemed to presenting as her views that were related to the subject 🙂 I read it and I thought it was good
Click to expand...
Thank you for explaining. I suppose it seems to me that “we” Catholics tend to attack or own way too much…imo.
 
Rob_s_Wife said:
:ehh: ** I haven’t questioned whether you are willing to be open to life. There is no requirement from the church to use NFP. If you feel you must use it, then you are certainly given that option. No one can make it for you.**

Of course I realize that. Yet, if you read your previous posts, you seem to think having a desire to provide a bed should not be something Catholics should concern themselves with. To me that is just plain wrong. Yet, I suppose we can disagree agreeably 🙂

yep. bit off track there…
and being self-centered has nothing to do with how many kids a person does or does not have.
Click to expand...
But some people here have stated it does have something to with it.
 
Tom317 said:
think foot, water and a bed are the least a parent should provide. If they have kids, yet cannot provide those three basics, then they should not be trying to have more children…imo.
Click to expand...
I would add shelter.

Beware the slippery slope.
 
buffalo said:
I would add shelter.

Beware the slippery slope.
Click to expand...
By “slippery slope” are you saying that providing basics can lead to a slippery slope?

I have to be honest and say it is blowing my mind that so many Catholics will not concede that a bed, food and water are basics of life.
 
Tom317 said:
By “slippery slope” are you saying that providing basics can lead to a slippery slope?

I have to be honest and say it is blowing my mind that so many Catholics will not concede that a bed, food and water are basics of life.
Click to expand...
The mindset of not trusting in God turns us to only trusting in ourselves. This slippery slope leads in many small steps to 2.1 kids and a pet living in a 4,000 sq ft house with a maid, the best college, the best of everything for our kids mentality, etc…

We need to be careful.

Parents should work to provide their children with the basic necessities. This is a parents duty. We are preparing them for eternal life, not just a wordly life.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top