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GOVT. FIGURES
FAMILY CLINIC
By JOHN J. KANE, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology
University of Notre Dame
I am keeping steady com
pany with a nice young man
and we sometimes engage in
petting. I have talked my pro
blem over with a priest and
he said this type of “passion”
was only for married people
and may not be exercised by
anybody else. I feel that slight
petting does not arouse the
passions so much that you
can’t control them. What
do you think?
I think you are quite wrong.
The priest is quite right. But
suppose we allow a third par
ty to speak, a girl of about
your age.
She writes, “Please,please
help me right away if you can
answer my problem in your
column. I want to know how
to regain my self respect
I was taught my body is a
temple of the Holy Ghost but
it seems not anymore. I go
with two boys regularly and
have got to the point of letting
them get “quite familiar” with
me. I’m afraid I’ll give way
entirely, although so far I
have not. But I can’t seem to
resist. I don’t know what’s
wrong with me. I resolve never
to do it again but I always
do”.
So you see, Sue, that a little
“petting” is or can be a
dangerous thing. The problem
with your letter is that I cannot
know just what you mean by
“slight petting”. Perhaps
everyone has his or her own
definition. Let me try to spell
it out a bit.
Different generations have
different terms for what a-
mounts to almost the same
thing. Years ago it was call
ed “spooning”, later “neck
ing” and “petting”. “Neck
ing” was considered re
latively proper. It was limited
to' a good night kiss or an
embrace. At any rate it was
not supposed to involve real
intimacy , although no doubt
at times it did.
You see we look for inno
cuous words to describe be
havior. When a person drinks
he may get a “littletight”,“a
little high” or “stoned”, or
“crocked” or “bombed”.
None of these is really an
accurate description of the
individual’s state. What one
calls a “little tight”, others
may term “bombed”, i. e.
really drunk.
The same is true of petting,
necking or whatever you want
to call it. We look for a mild
term to describe our behavior
when perhaps a quite stronger
term is more accurate.
The sex drive is a strong
one exceeded only by hunger
and thirst. God gave it to us
for obvious reasons, the pro
creation of the human race in
marriage and the development
of mutual love and affection
between spouses. Morally, it
may be expressed only in
marriage.
No doubt you intend to pet
only slightly, but even slight
petting can arouse our
passions, and when they
are aroused it is quite diffi
cult to control them. This is
true of both boys and girls,
but some absurd convention
in our society places the mat
ter of control more in the
girl’s hands than the boys.
You should know that physio
logically and psychologically,
most men are aroused
sexually more easily than
most women. There, of
course, are exceptions.
When you permit a boy to
become familiar, you provoke
the arousal of a strong drive
in him. It may also happen to
you. Just how do you turn this
drive off? It isn’t like a water
faucet which can be stopped
by turning the spigot.
Eventually, I predict, if you
continue to permit “slight
petting” it will become
serious petting, and ultimately
end in sex relations. And this
may happen even if you pro
test. Some men when aroused
become strictly ruthless and
do not hesitate to use vio
lence. And, incidentally, this
can happen even in the case of
your “nice young man”. *
But even if this does not oc
cur, what about your reputa
tion? Some men kiss and tell,
and sometimes what they tell
may be a gross exageration.
Some like to boast of their
sexual prowess and conquests
and your “nice young man”
may not prove to be the excep
tion that you apparently be
lieve he is.
But far more important,
this is a matter of morality.
I think you better have a long
and frank talk with your con
fessor. Spell out for him, so
far as he thinks it neces
sary, what you mean by 44 slight
petting”. Perhaps you have
already done so but you reject
his answer. His prudent words
of warning are falling on deaf
ears.
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Come fly with the “Wild Geese” to
IRELAND
Special 14-21 day excursion flight for
1916 Golden Jubilee Celebrations
Those of Irish descent (and those that wish
they were) are now gathering to fly home to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s
fight for freedom. Home to Ireland in the
Springtime when the grass is never greener.
Come fly with us via Irish International Air
lines and enjoy:
IRISH COFFEE ON DEPARTURE,
KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1966
SPECIAL MEETING ON ARRIVAL,
FRIDAY, APRIL 8th.
INTRODUCTION TO FAMOUS IRISH DIG
NITARIES; VISIT DUBLIN’S SCENIC AND
HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
VIEW PARADES AND FESTIVITIES
After that you can make your own plans to
visit friends, relatives or make new acquain
tances. Or take off for London, Paris, Rome
or wherever your heart desires until April 28th.
TOTAL ROUND TRIP FARE
$263.90 . .. New York — Shannon
$277.00 . .. New York — Dublin
Make reservations, Now ! !
Write Brian Cronin,
2124 Allaire Lane NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30329
Send for 50th Anniversary brochures
The Southern Cross, February 24, 1966—PAGE 5
Births Down,
Weddings Up
WASHINGTON (NC)~
Births in the United States
last year totaled 3,767,000,
the smallest number since
19 5L
Marriages, however, num
bered 1,789,000, the largest
total since 1948.
These are provisional esti
mates released (Feb. 21) by
the U. S. Public Health Ser
vice. Final figures will be
available by the middle of the
year.
The Public Health Service
offered several explanations
for the lower birth rates of
recent years. These are:
—A drop in the proportion
of women in the childbearing
ages.
—A decline in “unusually
high” birth rates among older
women during the 1950s.
—Wider spacing of births
and a drop in the number of
children desired by younger
couples.
Births in 1965 were about
250,000 below the 1964 total,
and about 500,000 below the
record total for 1957. The
birth rate was 19.4 births per
1,000 population in 1965. This
is close to the rate of 19.2
recorded in 1938, the PHS
said.
Although the birth rate is
now close to the levels of
the 1930s, the fertility rate
(births per 1,000 women 15 to
44 years old) is well above
the levels observed at that
time. In 1965, there were 96.7
births per 1,000 women 15 to
44 years of age, compared
with rates of 76 to 79 in the
period 1933-1939.
At present, women 15 to 44
years old constitute only 20%
of the population, but in the
1930s they were 24% of the
total. As a result of the de
cline in this proportion over
the past 25 years, “the sub
stantially higher fertility rate
of today’s women is only large
enough to maintain the birth
rate of the total population at
the level close to that ob
served in the 1930s,” the PHS
said.
Another factor in the cur
rent decline in the birth rate,
the service added, is a drop
from the “unusually high”
rates in the older childbear
ing ages (30 years of age and
over) during the 1950s.
These high rates, it ex
plained, were due to the
4 ‘making up” of births post
poned by couples who were in
the early childbearing ages
during the late 1930s and the
early 1940s.
Most of these couples are
no longer having children, the
PHS noted, and the couples
who have foHowed them are
now having lower birth rates
at the older childbearing ages
because “they tended to marry
earlier and have their children
sooner after marriage.”
Another part of the current
decline is a drop in birth
rates among younger couples,
the PHS said. This trend is
thought to be caused “partly
by a tendency toward wider
spacing of birth and partly
by a decline in the number of
children wanted by younger
couples. However, the causes
of the decline have not yet
been established with cer
tainty,” it added.
Parish Scenes
St. Francis P.C.C.W.
On Wednesday evening, February 16th the monthly meeting
of Parish Council of Women of St. Francis Xavier (Brunswick)
was held in school library. Fr. Paul Burkort, S.M. Pastor gave
a brief talk in which he encouraged reading and understanding
of the Bible. Mite boxes for Feed-A-Family Plan were handed
in. A Rummage Sale was planned for March.
Lain Elected President
“A PROMISE IN ACTION” — Junior Girl Scouts from Sacred Heart School
in Warner Robins present gifts they have made to a local day care center.
Early in the year they signed a promissory note to the center and here make
payment in full. (1. to r.) Veronica Jackson, Ann Banks, James Edward
Stephenson, Tracy Fogg and Mrs. Ada Lee, director of the Day Care Center.
Members of the troop are (1. to r.) Annette Evans, Frances Helm, Marcia
Morris, Lila Pace, Melanie Morris and Mary Kay McKinley.
(Olson Studio Photo)
A.I.D. RAPPED
Congressman Questions
Birth Control Program
WASHINGTON (NC)— A high
ranking member of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee
has challenged the authority
of the Agency for International
Development to provide “di
rect assistance” to foreign
countries for birth control.
A spokesman for Rep. Cle
ment J. Zablocki of Wisconsin
said the congressman holds
that AID is “going beyond
its legislative authority in
providing or contemplating di
rect material assistance for
birth control.”
The spokesman told N.C.
W.C. News Service that za
blocki had made known his
views in an exchange of let
ters with AID administrator
David E. Bell. Zablocki is
ranking member—number two
Democrat—on the Foreign Af
fairs Committee.
The Agency for Interna
tional Development has stated
its willingness to provide
assistance to other countries
for population control pro
grams through funds, ser
vices and equipment.
The dispute between Za r
blocki and AID centers on the
interpretation of several sec
tions of the Foreign Assist
ance Act, as well as legis
lative history.
AID, the congressman’s
spokesman said, maintains
that it has authority for di
rect assistance to birth con
trol programs under Section
211 of the act, authorizing
development grants and tech
nical cooperation for “the de
velopment of human re
sources.”
Zablocki denies that this au
thorizes direct assistance for
birth control programs, the
spokesman said. He said the
congressman holds that the
section provides for “de
velopment of human resources
not prevention of human
beings.” He accused AID of
-taking the position that the
section gives it a “blank
check” for activity in this
field.
A
365-DAY
LENT?
THE HOLY FATHER’S MISSION AID TO THE ORIENTAL CHURCH
Yes, there are people who keep voluntarily the
WHERE old Lenten laws 365 days a year. They are
LENT priests, Sisters, lay missioners by the hundreds
LASTS who give away their own food overseas so their
ALL YEAR hungry neighbors can stay alive. Share what
you have this Lent?
William B. Lain, Asst. Principal of Jenkins High School,
was elected president of the Notre Dame Book Shop Associa
tion at its annual meeting. Robert A. Cronin was elected
vice-president; Miss Janet Spillane, secretary and Mrs. Eliza
beth Winders, treasurer. Julian C. Halligan, the retiring
president, was presented a gift by the Board of Directors
in appreciation of his services to the Shop. A committee
was appointed to make a study of the By-laws and Constitu
tion of the Assn, with Mr. Cronin to serve as chairman.
It was reported recently
that the agency had tentatively
approved the first request for
funds under this policy—$3.5
million in loans and grants
to Pakistan over the next five
years for its birth control
program.
Sacred Heart P.C.C.W.
The monthly meeting of the Sacred Heart parent Teacher Or
ganization, Augusta, was held in the school cafetorium, Mrs.
Mertins, President presided. She announced, a dance will
be held in March, sponsored by the PTO, for the parents and
their friends. Father Felix Donnelly introduced the guest
speaker, Father John Cuddy, Superintendent of Schools,
Diocese of Savannah.
The AID money is to be
used for vehicles, educational
equipment, medical supplies,
U. S. advisers, and the train
ing of Pakistani medical and
administrative personnel, it
was reported. Other requests
for such assistance are said
to have come from Turkey,
Honduras and Jamaica.
Albany P.T. A.
The February meeting of St. Teresa’s School P.T.A. was
held on Thursday evening Feb. 10th. with the president, Mr.
Ed Haggerty, presiding. A report on the recent Liturgical
Congress was given by two of the parish’s delegates, Mrs.
Dot Davis and Mrs. Lorette West. Mr. Vernon Wilson from
Turner A. F.B. presented an illustrated talk on a new safety
program. Sister Benedict, the school principal, and Father
LeFrois the pastor, both made a few remarks,
Zablocki contends that the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
limits AID’S role to population
research, the spokesman said.
He added that Zablocki feels
it is “totally inappropriate”
for the foreign aid agency to
engage in direct assistance to
birth control programs with
out specific congressional ap
proval.
ST. BENEDICT’S CONFIRMATION — Bishop Thomas J. McDonough is pic
tured with adults who were confirmed at St. Benedict’s, Savannah, last Sun
day morning. (Staff Photo by Bob Ward)
‘ADOPT’
A
DEAF-MUTE
BOY
DOCTOR
FOR
THE DESERT
TRAINED
IN BOSTON,
FATHER JOHN
NEEDS
HELP
IN GREECE
□ Father Ronald Roberts (from England) must
get help to feed his ‘family’ of 47 deaf-mute
Arab boys in Harissa, Lebanon. Boys nobody
wanted, they are becoming self-supporting
typists, watch-makers, beauticians, thanks to
him. To feed the ‘family’ for one day costs only
$15.51 (141 meals at 110 each). Or you can
‘adopt’ a deaf-mute boy (pay all his expenses)
for as little as $10 a month. We’ll send you the
boy’s photo, ask him to write to you.
□ Doctor Fanny Tornago (from Italy) and six
European volunteers are providing free-of-
charge the only medical care available to 25,-
000 Moslem and Christian Arabs in the Hauran
desert in Syria. “Doctor Fanny’’ needs desper
ately a second-hand car (cost: $1,275) to drive
patients to the hospital in Damascus 54 miles
away. Your gifts will help buy the car, food and
medicines.
□ Father John Roussos, who studied at St.
John’s Seminary (Boston, Mass.), reports from
his parish in Galissa, Greece, that the Sunday
collection averages $1.50. To teach his penni
less parishioners (427 right now) religion, hy
giene, crop-improvement, etc., Father John
must build a parish hall ($3,650). It will be used
also for Sunday Mass. . . . Name it for your fa
vorite saint, in your loved ones’ memory, if you
build it all by yourself. Send as much as you
can at least. Father John and his people will
pray for you at every Mass.
HELP
THEM,
HELP
YOURSELF
Masses this month for your loved ones, espe
cially your deceased? The Masses will be offered
right away if you send your intentions to us
today. ... In addition, why not enroll your
family and friends in this Association? (Family
membership: $100 for life, $10 for a year. One
person’s membership: $25 for life, $2 a year.)
The persons you enroll share in the Masses,
prayers, and hardships of all our missionaries.
Your offering helps the poor.
Dear enclosed please find $
Monsignor Ryan:
FOR
Please name
return coupon
with your street
offering
CITY STATE ZIP CODE
THE CATHOLIC NEAR EAST WELFARE ASSOCIATION
NEAR EAST
MISSIONS
FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN, President
MSGR. JOSEPH T. RYAN, National Secretary
Write: Catholic Near East Welfare Assoc.
330 Madison Avenue*New York, N.Y. 10017
Telephone: 212/YUkon 6-5840