THE POPE'S TEACHING

Marriage Problems
StI,-I have been shocked aod even surprised by some of the Catholic reactions which I have witnessed to the Holy Father's latest statement on Catholic marriage teaching and what it involves. Some Catholics seem to be almost as scandalised as others. I am also surprised by the fact that the " story " which the daily press saw in the Pope's words has not been commented on in many pulpits, according to inquiries which I have made. This cannot be explained by saying that the Catholic press did not make the full text available. The subject is of supreme, personal and intimate and practical application to thousands and thousands of Catholics. Wives have been discussing it at shopping, husbands over glasses of beer. Rarely can the people have looked more eagerly for Catholic help in understanding and interpreting the Catholic teaching which the Pope restated, hut which is obviously to be found in any Catholic moral textbook. One could wish too that the Catholic papers had shown the way last week by comment and with Rome help over the differing texts which the public has read in the Indignant national press.
Joseph.
TiErs CATHOLIC HERALD was unable to obtatn the authentic text of the Popei speech in time for publication tost week. Readers should remember mat whereas they often read their Catholic papers on Sundays. these in fact go to press from Wednesday to Thursday morning. Our readers this reek will not doubt that we have ne everything possible to make the whole position clear.-Eorrott C.H.
Any Questions" Sia,-The recent Papal pronouncement on the unmorality of sacrificing the life of unborn children to save that of the mother, the question was raised in "Any Questions" last Friday on the Light Programme. All four speakers were agreed in opposing the Catholic contention and even if one of them had desired to defend it, the time available in such a proFramme would have been quite insufficient.
I have written to the B.B.C. requesting a full debate under an independent chairman to deal with this vital question fairly and adequately, and I would urgently ask your readers to do the same. Father Martindale and Mr. Christopher Hollis are possible Catholic protagonists.
w. j. W. Culff.
Hillbury Crest, Hillbury Road, Warlingham, Surrey,
Personal experience
SIR,-Your edition this week-end is disappointing in its failure to give fuller details of the Holy Father's Esddress on marriage relations. You headline the problem of " mother or child " where there is a danger of death in pregnancy. This tragic situation arises comparatively rarely. On the subject which intimately and continually affects the present practice of tens of thousands of Catholic married couples-the use of the safe period as a legitimate means of family planning-you report little. The Manchester Guardian gave us a fuller extract from and Vatican comment on this part of the address.
One can only speak from one's own experience-professional and social-but as a lawyer whose family and Catholic friends include numbers of doctors, social workers and persons engaged in kindred professions, many active in Catholic life, one would say that the majority of Catholic lay people today regard some degree of family planning as an economic and personal necessity. At the same time the happiness of the marriage and the stability of the home and consequently the welfare
of the children require, for most couplet, that there be normal and
mutually satisfying relations between husband and wife.
The solution to this problem has been the use of the safe periodfrequently recommended by confessors-suggested by SIMS as the knowledge now vouchsafed by Providence to meet the difficulties of the present times in a manner in accordance with Divine Law.
P. P. McCarthy.
60 Castle Street, Liverpool 2.