Galway Advertiser 1986/1986_05_22/GA_22051986_E1_010.pdf 

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T H E R E

IS N O

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L E T T E R

B

O

X

Why Another Option is Wrong
Dear Sir, The only point at issue in the Divorce Debate is the proposed right to remarry. I think most people agree broadly on the other m e a s u r e s w h i c h the Government has brought forward in a sincere effort to help troubled and desperate marriages. I would like to make it clear that the Anti-Divorce Group which I represent does not see the Government as a sinister or evil bunch of atheists bent on destroying our traditional Christian values. We do recognse a sincere and genuine effort on their part to deal with the awful problem of marriage breakdown. Nonetheless we ask the voter to carefully consider the arguments for and against remarriage and to the media we ask for fair representation in the debate. We believe that the introduction by the State of remarriage will help those people who do not beleve in the permanence of sacra mental marriage, it will help those to whom Church or State nullity does not apply and for w h o m l e g a l separation is not satisfying enough. We believe this is a small group but that does not absolve us from giving them our compassion and support. However we also believe that divorce and remarriage will surely hurt a much greater number of people. And on this balance of possible good for the few versus certain bad for the many we call on people to decide. It is fair to look at the effects of divorce in other countries. H e r e both experience and common sense show us that no child wants a 'new' mummy or daddy so long as the real one is alive. Separation is bad enough; divorce and setting up a new marriage is dreadful for the child. These are the mute victims of a divorce society. Women sufer too. Divorce legalizes the husband who walks off and sets up a new 'relationship'. Go and ask deserted wives whether they want another man in their lives. It's the last thing that they want. Such women want financial and legal protection and support. Anything but remarriage. And of course when the State recognises the errant partners new liaison as another marriage then the 'first' wife gives up all her rights to the second or third as the case may be. The financial and legal implications of divorce are staggering and once again go and look at the position in the U.K. or America to verify this. It is said that divorce does not damage marriage, that it merely recognises broken ones. Yet how many of us who are now cnni^ntrrflv

married would have opted for divorce at some time should divorce have been available? If we are much the same as the rest of the world the answer is that about half of Irish marriages would have gone this way. The fact is that when something is available such as divorce then its usage is increased. Divorce auto matically lessens the effort to keep marriages together, automatically presents people with another option when the going gets rough. People suggest that while we may not want divorce for ourselves yet we should allow others who think differently to have this option. On this reasoning we should allow polygamy for those who believe polygamy is, right. So somehow some where we must make rules for the general good of all. In a Christian country it might be argued that Protestants have a right to divorce since their religious leaders have reluctantly said that divorce is a necessary evil. But surely if divorce is wrong for Catholics it is also wrong for Protestants? Or put the other way if divorce is right for Protestants it is also right for Catholics? Are we not both followers of the same Christ? We ask people to please consider well before they vote so that they can truly feel that they have done what is right not just for now but for future generations. Dr. Dom Colbert, Galway Anti-Divorce Group, 'Eleta', Lr. Taylor's Hill, Galway.

O T H E R L A W Dear Editor, Today is Pentecost Sun day and as I am sitting here I have on my one side the Missalette of the day and on my other I have The Sunday Independent. In the reading of one, the theme is The Holy Spirit in dramatic fashion. Noises which filled the entire house where they were sitting, tongues of fire, diverse tongues and in the dospel another Advocate. In the reading of the other the theme and headlines are Divorce and the Deputies, Frankenstein won't stay in the tomb, Turkey-hen-gobble-gobble voting, and diverse statements, Paisley's Ulster, Charlie's Ireland, two, three or maybe four families with one parent. Strange noises and language indeed emitting from that house wherein those sit who purport to be our ad vocates, considering the fact that the same Pentecostal Spirit is men tioned in the preamble of the constitution of that house. Our local papers too are issuing unprecedented headlines and sounds. 'Sex probe on Social workers, improper conduct with children and rantings from streetcorber religionists". One wonders if the defini tion of the Matrimonial Sacrament has not been taken from some stud-farm journal. I am writing this in an ticipation that on next Sun day Hierarchy hand out their written definitions of the subject matter involved, we will know -- in accor dance with the Ciospel -- which the left eye or the right eye, the left arm or the right arm to cut off and cast aside. In the meantime we must abide by the Doctrine we learned long ago and that is that in the solmnising of marriage there is ex clusively the union of two people -- one man and one woman -- absolutely no other component part, no hidden motive, no escape from a hidden situation, no group, no family other than providential of that union.

--GALWAY

DIVORCE
DEBATE
V O T E Y E S Dear Editor, Are we the separated and deserted persons to suffer more at the hands and moral attitudes of the Catholic Church and the anti-divorce electorate. Having spent three years of " A " marriage in an ex treme and painful situation, followed by four years of mental and physical exhaus tion, of trying to put ones life back together again and find a perspective on a future for a young family and myself. Having suffered within a marriage the brutality of a violent husband and during interludes in his outrages, we both did all we could to find a solution to this pro blem. Nothing worked. I had no choice but to leave. My physical being was under threat along with my children. Tears of sadness of a once loving relationship cannot be understood by those who have not ex perienced such pain. Its not wonderful or fan tastic to be rearing a family one one's own -- earning a living, mothering, nurtur ing, etc., etc. The peace, and living without pain of physical.infliction is great. II in this so-called Christian community, I am destined and sentenced to a life on my own, never the hope of re-marriage should the situation present itself -- the Jury who is sentencing me is not Christian. The non-Catholic population also suffer at the hands of this particular jury. Are my children never to experience a father figure? They are not suffering at the loss of their own father, they have security and love with one parent, yet they and I should not be sentenc ed to a limboland. To 'you the more compassionate electorate vote " Y e s " to this Animcndment and give hope 10 others. A t . A L W A Y MOTHER (name and address with Editor)

AhySucV Wmpoftent will constitute a third party. hence a clandestine mar riage which is null and void. This is where the intricacy of the present controversial situation emerges. And this is the important point of issue where Church and State cannot isolate each other. They are both under serious obligation to come together and formulate legislation that the children of a marriage declared void or dissolved are not il legitimate and are heirs and beneficiaries to their natural parents' properly. If the wording of the mar riage ceremony, as well as the wording of the Con stitution needs changing to meet the requirements to make this solemn probate, it should be so done. Mr. Editor, our Irish society has reached a crisis stage, although it is very true that, thankfully, there are such a great number of Irish marriages and families that are so happily and pro gressively united that they can be taken as models of decorum and family life in any part of the world. Hut that does not mean that they should isolate themselves from the ques tion of other families less fortunate or treat it with an air of indifference. On the contrary they are under a moral obligation like the legislators to use their fran chise to see that right be done to others. The many causes for marriage breakdown are left in the dark, or dealt with behind the closed doors of a Cinderella Court. Very many of the Medical Authorities are aware of this and when they make a suggestion they are abused. Like the Master of the Rotunda who within the realms of his responsibilty to the public in trying to contain the spread of a hor rifying disease. But what if that plague goes out of hand like the criminal up surge and demands be made on the unfortunate Minister for Health to isolate the Hospitals or close them down and establish crematoriums. Will that be against Catholic ethics? There is an urgent need for legislation with the combin ed effort of Church, State and Medical profession to combat the deterioration of our society. Children have no choice o f natural parents. They must be pro tected by all possible means from uncaring adults. Pro vision tor their safety and support must be made ab solute. In the Ten Com mandments in the Constitu tion of any Christian State in the world Mr. Editor, there is no other law. T H O M A S COMER, Woodside, Lr. Salthill, (ialway. l8/5/'86.

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E Y R E S Q U A R E Dear Editor, I recently walked around Eyre Square and inquired from all local auctioneers about the availability of a suitable ground-floor space for a commercial office. I came across a particular tall b u i l d i n g , being sumptuously renovated, and inquired within, to be told "Sorry, but this is for the Board of Works" ! W h i l e it has been tastefully renovated and occupied by the Board of HOTELWorks, I question the lavish expense on this renovation to TWIGGS a premises on the bottom of 25th M a y , 2 p . m . the commercial centre of WHEEL OF FORTUNE. Galway, for a government BONNIE BABY CONTEST. department which should not TEA AND COFFEE. require a high-profile in aid of commercially expensive presence in Eyre Square. COLAISTE lOGNAID ROWING CLUB Yours sincerely,

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