Whatever happened to headship in the family? Has it been abandoned in Catholic teaching since it was not mentioned in the Catechism?

-- Karl (Parkerkajwen@hotmail.com), September 17, 2003

Answers

I hope, sir that you are not asking this because you used to get a perverse thrill out of dominating your wife? (Such was never part of Catholic teaching on "headship in the family.)

For the teaching on the headship of the parents in the family, see #2214-2218 of the Catechism.

For the role of mutual love, subordination, and self-sacrifice of the spouses, refer to #23-25 of "Mulieris dignitatem" ("The Dignity of Woman") the pope's Apostolic Letter of 1988.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), September 17, 2003.

Another couple of important documents--kind of the meat and potatoes of the matter, though they should never be separated from the context of the rest of the Church's teaching (or vice-versa) are these:

ARCANUM ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE

CASTI CONNUBII ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XI ON CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE

Leo XIII makes reference to past documents on the same subject which are not available on Vatican.net; the value of his doing so is that we know how ancient and apostolic the Catholic Church's teaching really is, and that the demand for respect and dignity of women is by no means an innovation of the 20th century.

As Leo aptly writes, "Lastly, with such foresight of legislation has the Church guarded its divine institution that no one who thinks rightfully of these matters can fail to see how, with regard to marriage, she is the best guardian and defender of the human race; and how, withal, her wisdom has come forth victorious from the lapse of years, from the assaults of men, and from the countless changes of public events."

-- Skoobouy (skoobouy@hotmail.com), September 18, 2003.

I'm the head of the family, but my wife is "boss". ;-)

-- Joe (joestong@yahoo.com), September 19, 2003.

Maybe so, Joe, but I think it more likely that you are the "head," while she is the "heart." (Hearts sometimes persuade heads.)
JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), September 21, 2003.