DE LA SALLE-COLLEGE OF ST.

BENILDE ANTIPOLO

Comparative Analysis of Different Perspective on Marriage and Family

In Partial Fulfillment of the Course

Marriage and Family Life

Submitted to:
Rommel Z. Cruz, MA

Submitted by:
Deryl Q. Galve

April 15, 2021

0
Contents

I. From A Parent’s Perspective

“Marriage is not just a joke, marriage is where the responsibility is especially when you have a family”. . . . Page 2

II. CBCP Stand

A. Marriage

“Marriage is a union of God where” . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4

B. Family

“From the interviewee’s answer about its concept of life, the morality he believes in is about Christian

belief.”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4

C. Divorce

“The union being able to witness with the Lord, a ‘Family’ is formed to grant their promises with each

other”. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5

D. Homosexual Union

“The body, which through its own masculinity or femininity…” . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6

III. Personal Stand

A. Divorce

“In my opinion, I am also not in favor of legalizing divorce in the Philippines…” . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7

B. Homosexual Union

“the homosexual Union cannot fill it with the love that a family can give.”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7

C. Reflection

“I saw that it is not really a joke to enter married life”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8

1
 I. From A Parent’s Perspective

To open the topic of Comparative Analysis of Different perspective on Marriage and Family, the

researcher interviewed a parent of Five kids and been married for 26 years and a parent of two

millennial sons and been married for 28 years. According to the parent, ‘Marriage is not just a

joke, marriage is where the responsibility is especially when you have a family, you already have

a child, that's it. You are no longer have to think only of yourself, you are no longer single, you

have to focus on your family and especially that you have a child, you will take good care of it,

and you will think about the future of your future children. Of course, there are trials in life, you

have to weigh [balance] the ... [problems] even if there are trials, even if you and your spouse

have an argument, you have to be calm because that is the only thing that can strengthen your

marriage.’ And according to a parent with 2 millennial sons, ‘A person who is married and has a

child and who is married or has a heart for God is the characteristic of a true family. [A family is

true because] there’s a true service to God and to its neighbor because family is also a holy

vocation. It is also a vocation but It's Just a call for couple. That's why there is a Sagrada Pamilia

[who is composed with a] Father, son and a mother who have respect and love. A mother is the

light of the home that gives love and sacrifices for Children from pregnancy until their children

grown up, and she is the real key to have a good husband and children ... Mothers are like Mama

Mary [who is] watching [who bears with] over children in their pain and success. The light Of the

Family is the mother. [About the issue of Divorce] I can say that I don't agree with divorce, it just

you are being afraid or not having patience with your commitment and promise to each other.

Divorce is an encouragement for couples who can't afford to sacrifice for the family, especially

for their children. They can't stand their vow under with God’s grace at the sacrament of

matrimony. [About the issue of same sex marriage] I can only say no, because it is not the one

2
created by God to be called Family, they are only called ‘partner’ and not supported by God’s

grace. I have respect as human beings but we still can't call them family. Yes, they are happy with

each other and feel loved, but it still lacks [the characteristic of a family]. They can’t be called

family but rather a ‘partner’ just in a relationship but can never change it role as parents or

‘family’. It should have a Father, child and mother [Biologically] like the Holy family… that's

all’

To the parents who shared their insights about marriage and family, for them, marriage is

simply the gate to the road of family life that contains responsibility, commitment, promises and

dreams. It is not just to fill out our human neediness for living but it is powered with unconditional

love and patience as marriage is also guided with trials and problems to ensure the security of their

children. As the person being married, it is not about to fulfill your existence as human, it is not to

live yourself in a fairytale with your future spouse, but it is the world of reality and commitment

that alters the romantic fantasies of love. It is more on sacrifices and selflessness to achieve the

families’ happiness. With this paper, we will be able to get deeper through the concept of Marriage

and Family life and how the world changes it’s perspective by beliefs and tradition.

3
 II. CBCP Stand

A. Marriage

The ‘Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ use to define marriage as a public

institution and cannot be created by the laws of society or the government itself. Marriage is a

union of God where the union between the couple is being witness by the church or God.

Marriage is a partnership with marital love and parenthood, it is a great sacrament to a couple

who has the complete trust to our Lord, 1who is whole heartly dedicate its life to their growing

family and who is devoted to his/her promise with each other in happiness, sickness and down

moments. The Philippines as a Christian country patterns it’s way of life in accordance of the

Church’s will to the catholic believers. We, as the county that circles its life with the union and

life of a Christian believer, we are oblige to see the sacredness of marriage to the eyes of our

society. In marriage you are not just being united with your spouse but with God and accepting

God in your forming family as you also witness how God loves us all with the promise you are

able to commit, with the love you are able to selflessly give to your family and with your

relationship to our Lord.

B. Family

The union being able to witness with the Lord, a ‘Family’ is formed to grant their promises

with each other. The love of one another bears a new journey of life with God to witness the

love provided with grace and blessing. As marriage and family life joins together with one

objective, it must be also planned accordingly since entering a family life is un ending contract

to your growing family. According to the catechism of the Catholic church, ‘human sexuality

1https://cbcponline.net/moral-guidelines-on-the-use-of-the-standard-days-method-as-natural-family-
planning/

4
 is ordered to the conjugal love of man and woman (§2360). The union of the spouses in the

conjugal act achieves the twofold ends of marriage which are the good of the spouses

themselves and the begetting of children (§2363). 2 We are not just witnessing the love of God

of the married couple but also to the growing family they are creating. The CBCP promotes

family planning to empower the wise decision of pro-creating just for the stability of family life

and the capacity of a couple to take responsibility of their decisions.

C. Divorce

‘Where the dignity of Christian marriage has been violated, people have substituted legal

concubinage for the legitimate union, married couples have neglected their mutual duties of

fidelity; children have not observed the respect and obedience due to their parents, the ties of

domestic affection have been relaxed, and – as a most detestable example and gravest

prejudice to public morals – pernicious and regrettable separations have h succeeded an

insensate love (Leo XIII, 1878, Inscrutabili; SW 1, 10).’ As a relationship lasts, it really comes

to the point that you are missing or questioning the love you feel as a husband. Love is close

to the danger that is sometimes forgotten because of a problem that breaks the promise cursed

before God. In Divorce shows a family, not only in removing the sanctity of ‘marriage’ but

also the family formed in the midst of trial.

D. Homosexual Union

“The body, which through its own masculinity or femininity right from the beginning helps

both (man and woman) to find themselves in communion of persons, becomes, in a

2https://cbcponline.net/moral-guidelines-on-the-use-of-the-standard-days-method-as-natural-family-
planning/

5
 particular way, the constituent element of their union, when they become husband and

wife.”3 From the book of Genesis, it is said that man is created with God’s image and

likeness so that how woman was also created. With the appearance and body given by

God, we are being union with him as his children. Thinking that God created us with his

goodness, the love he possessed with us became the birth of woman and it has been with

the words of God that man and woman manifest’s its union through marriage. And it is

only possible with the opposite gender. Also, according to CBCP, ‘Homosexual acts or

practices that may arise from such attraction, although they may proceed from and be

motivated by genuine affection between two persons of the same sex, are similarly not

ordered to the union of the two persons and to the procreation of children.’ It is within the

human nature specially to the married couple to pro-create with God’s grace and blessing.

With the same sex union, you are neglecting God’s way of living to the human nature and

the grace he has given before with Adam and Eve. It contradicts the natural living of

human that is loving to its opposite gender and proclaiming the essence of marriage given

by God.

3 https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/the-dignity-and-vocation-of-homosexual-persons/

6
III. Personal Stand

A. Divorce

In my opinion, I am also not in favor of legalizing divorce in the Philippines.

Because first of all, the family being created and in the process of creating will be affected

and it will affect the life of their offspring. Divorce is not the answer to end the vow, the

problem of a couple. From what I learned in this course, family is our first step in growth

and development. If my parents were to separate, we would not know why we would have

broken and orphaned love from our parents who was not addressed and upheld. It is clearly

stated from one I interviewed that, when you enter into the world of marriage, you are

accompanied with selfless love and commitment to your creating family.

B. Homosexual Union

In my opinion, the homosexual Union cannot fill it with the love that a family can give.

Yes, you do love each other but the essence of marriage cannot fulfill the sanctity and the

previous purpose of marriage. Marriage is also for pro-creation. Adoption cannot be netted

just to have a family. You consider each other a family, but it is not made from the flesh of

love between husband and wife, the presence of God is not within the family and there is no

grace and fulfillment of Christian mission in the eyes of God.

C. Reflection

From what I learned in this course and what I also learned from the experience of those I

interviewed and the experience of my parents, I saw that it is not really a joke to enter married

life. It's not like fairytale books that when you fall in love, the happy ending of your marriage

7
and that's it, no other stories just romantic love. And I realized that that is not the true concept

of marriage. Your love for each other does not end with marriage and it is not just pure

excitement and affection when you get married. It is a commitment and a curse that nothing

else can break but death. It is not a responsibility that is easy to run. Also, from what I learned

in this paper, in every vocation we pursue, God's love is still there and he is also ready to give

the love that you will give to your future wife. Thus, we should respect the sanctity of marriage

that is blessed by God and not to our human masters. As what also I have learned from my

brothers inside the parish, ‘As different families encounter different issues and problems, each

are called to live a life of holiness. We must be guided by God’s Spirit that we may discern

what he wants us to do.’ We are called to be holy which also one of the fundamentals of our

faith as Christians. Divorce and same sex marriage will never be a solution to a problem, these

are also problems. The family life is a blessing from God, it must be nurtured with a healthy

environment where love overflows. Children are blessing of God, they are the fruit of the love

of a married couple, divorce will not help their child but it may destroy life and on the other

hand, same sex union will not be able to transmit life in natural way. That is why we must be

guided properly, let us mold our hearts and minds and live a holy life.