Point 130. The family restored

1. French family law was formerly none other than ecclesiastical law, making marriage a stable and civilised institution, founded on a sacrament and an irrevocable commitment, defining the family as a natural and sacred hierarchy, a reciprocity of services, a balance of duties and rights. It assured a thousand years of family vitality and consequently the nation’s fecundity and vigour. The Revolution, in accordance with its very principles, was bound to destroy this solid edifice. It took it two centuries to do so. Family law was not able to resist the declaration and the insistence on the rights of man, the sum of the anarchic and egoistic demands of the individual, “ born a foundling and dying celibate ” (Renan). Moreover, democratic principles have corrupted morals, and governments declared themselves constrained to adapt legislation to morals! Such indeed is the profile of all decadence.

The indissoluble family has given way to the free encounter of two individuals who may soon be separated by a divorce of mutual consent. The husband’s authority, which maintained the natural authority of the head of the family, no longer exists. The spouses are independent and set one against the other by law. Paternal and parental authority has been dissolved by law, and has practically disappeared following the emancipation of the children and the frenzied collectivisation of their whole existence. The legitimate family has been demolished by concubinage and homosexual unions being put on the same civil level as marriage, no distinction being made any longer between legitimate children and children born out of wedlock or from adulterous unions. The judge, the only authority to survive amidst this wreckage, is constantly called on to settle every legal dispute. He makes and unmakes families, as passions and family conflicts dictate. Juridically, economically and socially, free union, favoured by all sorts of statutes, has become a recognised status, preferable to the state of marriage. Having children had already become, thanks to the regulations of the civil code, a considerable inconvenience, but now it has become a matter for shame, an affront to the rights of those who are presently enjoying life. The masonic Republic organises propaganda in favour of contraception, paid for out of State money. It methodically delivers the youth of the schools to depravity and, in collusion with financial trusts who exploit this industry and commerce, brings to perfection an immense labour for the general corruption of society. Homosexuality is legitimated and protected. Furthermore freedom of abortion undermines the very foundations of civilisation. So much is this so that today the traditional conception of the family is alien to the experience of a great part of the youth in our societies.

2. The Church alone can undertake this necessary and urgent rectification of morals, which, however, remains the deepest wish of the peoples, corrupted by democratic propaganda and institutions. The civil law must aid in this rectification by the restoration, at least optional and gradual, of the former French Law, natural and Christian. Its principal agenda will be indissoluble monogamous marriage, paternal and parental authority in the legitimate family community, and the absolute banning of abortion.

Given our pluralist society, and taking into account the decadence of morals, other kinds of family law will be recognised, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish, etc. with the exception of individualist anarchy that claims to know nothing of any mutual commitment, any natural law or morality. The State will oblige everyone to be loyal to his commitments in accordance with his particular law. Thus Catholics will be judged according to ecclesiastical law and the recognised obligations of sacramental marriage freely contracted by them. Of their own accord, families will commit themselves to the path of the desired restoration.