The Changing Face of Marriage

My parents were definitely the first people to teach me about God, but I did not have the typical Catholic experience. My mom was a Lutheran until I entered the first grade, so going to Church every Sunday was a special routine for me and my Dad. While my Dad was the one who took me to Church, my mother was the main influence of the other aspects of domestic church, simply because she was home with me all of the time. She (and my dad) taught me about the importance of respect, love and compassion, by showing exemplifying these qualities in their interactions with me. Besides making sure that I said my nightly prayer (I always started out with “Dear God, please take care of me, Mommy, Daddy, Ben (I guess), Mom-mom, Pop-pop, and Peanut…”), my parents taught me to love and respect others, as well as myself.

        

 I think the main con to the changing structure and composition of marriage and family is the instability for children. This is most obvious in Crosby’s family. While I was happy for his reunion with Jabar’s mother, I could not help but worry that the shifting between homes and his parents’ relationship would have a negative impact on Jabar and his future relationships (I know it’s just a TV show, but this stuff happens in real life too). A pro for the changing structure of marriage and family is acceptance, and freedom to some extent. I think more people today feel comfortable leaving dangerous or failed relationships, something that was definitely hidden in the past for fear of the stigma of divorce.

I find the news from the Pew Trust to be reassuring for my future, but worry about the many other people who are not attending college. For me, this just reaffirms the fact that I will not be rash or hasty in my decision to marry, and the age at which I get married is definitely not something that worries me, like it does for so many of my friends. I think that the domestic church is something that I would want to establish because of the positive qualities of love, respect, and compassion that it emphasizes, as well as the development of a personal relationship with God.