Mothers? Day
+ Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney
9 May 2004
It was probably unnecessary to carry on too much about the role of mothers when I was growing up. The baby boom, unexpected by the experts, was under way. Motherhood did not need buttressing. It was universally appreciated at least publicly, even by those who felt short changed by their mothers. A “motherhood statement” was felt to be superfluous.
Public opinion is different today. The pill, falling birth rates, careers, the acceptance of abortion, impossibly high house prices, especially in cities like Sydney, have conspired to keep motherhood on the back foot.
Some years ago I spoke at a Catholic girls secondary school to students and parents about the collapsing birth rate, the damage and dangers to a society without enough mothers, children and enough young workers to generate income for the elderly. (This is one reason why we have a GST).
Obviously the secondary school years are a time before these are pressing issues for most girls and therefore they are easier to discuss. The girls listened politely, without any sign of mutiny and at least some seemed quite interested.
Months later I met one of the mothers at a social gathering and she asked why on earth I spoke to these beautiful girls about having babies.
If I had merely urged the girls to become astronauts, lawyers or orchestral conductors (and these are worthy ambitions), I doubt whether I would have received such a query.
The reason for my speech was that too few people today are speaking about our obligations to the future. Motherhood deserves discussion, among the boys too, the next generation of fathers, because the future belongs to those nations, races and families who produce children.
Often Catholic teenagers are shocked when told that a complete refusal by a husband or wife to have children is sufficient reason for the Church to withdraw recognition of that marriage i.e. to give an annulment. Christians acknowledge their obligations to the future.
If motherhood becomes like politics and religion are alleged to be, not fit topics for polite conversation, then our Australian community will pay a dear price in the future.
Not all mums have a son or daughter, but all sons and daughters have a mum. We want the situation to continue where it is easy to take good mothers for granted because there are so many good ones around us. If good mothers become so rare that everyone is forced to sing their praises, we will have suffered a big loss.
Good mothers usually take their strengths for granted, although some like to remind their children of the sacrifices they make for them. But those of us blessed with good mothers have an advantage throughout life that can never be taken from us in any circumstance.
We must always be grateful and say thanks while we can.
