Wanted by the Fertility Police

Crisis Magazine ^ | Mary Walsh

[Brian Kopp DPM]

pro-life, pro-family, Humanae Vitae ping

[patent]

Great article. I think it was posted a while back, but it would be in the archives by now and you can't get to them. Either that or I read it over at Crisis. Can't recall for sure. We only have three and get that reaction already. My family is so certain that we are insane that they don't even dare say anything anymore.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

I searched before posting it but didn't find it. Great article, IMHO. Friends here are expecting their 12th. But in rural red neck south central mountains of PA, you don't make snide remarks to a family that size.

"The children of one's youth are like arrows in a quiver, blessed is the man whose quiver is full."

[joathome]

"Being open to new life and not cooperating with the contraceptive mentality of today's culture makes a Catholic parent a walking sign of contradiction."

I find this an odd statement, considering how very, very few Catholics actually have large families anymore. As a matter of fact, most of the large families I know are protestant homeschooling families. (And I know of some large Catholic homeschooling families, as well.)

[patent]

You would have had to search the archives too, and they aren't available at the moment. At least I can't get to them, which I guess isn't the same thing.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

We have met a wonderful family in our neighborhood - they have 6 children plus a mother in law living in their home..... I wonder every day how they manage to do it, but they are one of the nicest families I have ever met....

[patent]

I find this an odd statement, considering how very, very few Catholics actually have large families anymore. As a matter of fact, most of the large families I know are protestant homeschooling families. (And I know of some large Catholic homeschooling families, as well.)

Depends on what the meaning of is is, I mean Catholic is.

patent  +AMDG

[MasonGal]

A friend of mine, age 48, is expecting her 10th - her children range in ages of 23 - 6 - currently.

I'm 44 and I would love to have another!! We have 3 sons - ages 18, 14, and 10.

[MasonGal]

..meant to add that the friend of mine who is expecting her 10th - as been Catholic homeschooling for over 13 years now.

[Fred Mertz]

A friend of mine has eleven. When he worked for me a few years ago his handle was "kids9@____.com" I don't think he changed it.

[Sabertooth]

Nice

[Alabama_Wild_Man]

If every 'family' waited 'til they could "Afford" a child.......this old world would be a barren planet, in no time.

...which is just what all the 'watermelons' really want -Because they are Commie Red on the inside and Enviro-Green on the outside...)

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Three home schooled children, desperately hoping for more! They are now 9, 7, 5. Always thought we'd have two more before our "baby" would be 5, but all in God's providence.

[nepdap]

Ping from a non-Catholic mom of six, who wouldn't mind more. . .

[Brian Kopp DPM]

As a matter of fact, most of the large families I know are protestant homeschooling families

I see you haven't met our Catholic home schoolers group yet...

We belong to both the general Christian home school group as well as the Catholic home school group. Likewise we've attended state meeting for both. I gotta admit that at least here the Catholic homeschoolers are out procreating their protestant counterparts ;-)

[edayna]

It's a wonderful article. Now, as for me - as a Catholic, I'm having a hard time with the BC stuff. I have two kids, at 33, and people with large families have a lot more courage than I do. I figure I've been blessed with 2 perfect beauties, I don't want to push my luck. Believe it or not, I got assaulted by the fertility police when I was expecting my 2nd! So I use BC, but it's very important to me that it's ethical BC.

[Terriergal]

I admire people who can handle having more than a few kids. I'm all for it, as long as they are doing it like this lady- some people *do* just not think about it - have crappy marriages and just keep adding kids because they don't know what else to do.

Anyway, I have three and that's enough for me. I want to do one on one stuff with them, it's already very challenging to find the time. I'm happy with three, and so is my achin' back, to hear that we won't be having any more. Sometimes I feel that longing, but it goes away quickly. :-)

[William Terrell]

I can see how, once you get to three, the temptation to go on to four is intense. With three the geometry of equitable shares is too complicated.

Like the carpender said to me, "You want it a third of an inch? Awright, show me a third of an inch on this here rule."

[gas_dr]

there are some wonderful pro-life doctors

While we actually do exist, I continually lament how many are not. I currently am serving as an obstetrical anesthesiologist, and refuse to do elective terminations -- the flack I take from my colleagues is huge. I just wish physicians would remember the original oath of hippocrates "I will not procure abortion..."