ARTICLE II: On the Duties of Parents Toward Children

Preliminary note. Just as children are held to honor their parents, so likewise parents are bound to this, that they bear diligent care for children. For the right of procreating and governing offspring was granted to them for this reason, that they may bring the offspring received to its end.

The following things also have force in relation to illegitimate offspring. For although their progenitors do not possess paternal power, nevertheless both are obliged, from natural right, to have care for those to whom they gave life. Many civil laws order the matter otherwise, so that the obligation of feeding the offspring regards the mother alone (cf. French Law, 340); but one cannot stand by this ordinance, not even after the sentence of a judge. See below n. 958. Better is the German Code, § 1705-1718.

In all these things there lies hidden a question of the greatest moment: Whether children possess rights against parents?

Resp. with St. Thomas: Insofar as each is a man, there is justice in some way toward them; but insofar as each belongs to the other, according to this the perfect notion of justice or right is lacking (2.2, q. 57, a. 2, ad 2). - Thus therefore children, as they are men, have a strict right to life, integrity of members, reputation, and honor. This assertion is confirmed by civil law. But children, as they are children, that is, something of the father, have a right to education and food, but of themselves only from charity, for they are destitute of help. But if parents are lacking, relatives or the community are held to supply. See what was said n. 398.

699. Principles. I. Parents, from a special precept, are held to love their children with internal and external love, and this rightly ordered. Nature itself promulgates this obligation, as is established from brute animals themselves, which love and nourish their offspring.

Hence, parents sin not only against charity, but specially against PIETY, more or less according to the gravity of the matter, who have hatred toward their own children, who utter evil prayers against them, who treat them too harshly, who do not succor them when constituted in necessity, who from defect of ordered love indulge them too much, etc., etc.

700. II. Parents are held to procure corporal education for children. He who gives being must also give the things consequent upon being; namely to have care of life, sustenance, and status (Inst. cat., P. I, c. 4, n. 12).

1. In relation to care of LIFE, parents are held, from the very conception of the offspring up to the time when the offspring is truly able to suffice for itself, to confer diligent care toward its preservation, and according to their powers to avert all things which could harm it.

Hence, of themselves they sin gravely: a) Women who bring the existence of the fetus into risk, for example by carrying burdens that are too heavy, sustaining labors that are too toilsome, indulging too much in anger, sadness, lust, and other passions. Cf. Capellmann, Med. past. b) Husbands who treat pregnant wives inhumanely, gravely strike them, exhaust them with excessive labors. c) Spouses who keep little infants with them in the same small bed, with danger of suffocation (cf. Rit. Rom., de Bapt. parv., 32); as also those who use no precautions lest some evil befall their little children through water, fire, animals, iron instruments, etc.

2. In relation to care of SUSTENANCE, parents are held to supply to children whatever things, according to their condition, are necessary for food, clothing, and habitation. They are obliged even if the children have dissipated their part; and therefore parents are held to pay debts which the children contracted for sustenance, but not for other things (H. Ap., VII, 4). See German Code, 1705; Spanish, 155.

Hence: a) The mother is held, under venial obligation, to nourish the infant with her own milk, unless perhaps she has a just excuse, for example that she is weak, noble, or very rich; but then she is held, under grave obligation, to provide for herself a faithful nurse, that is, one healthy and well-mannered.¹ b) Parents sin mortally by exposing offspring in a hospital or public places without just cause, such as can be very great want, or illegitimacy of offspring from a hidden crime;² likewise by casting children out of the house, or not furnishing necessary things, until they can suffice for themselves by their own industry.

3. In relation to care of STATUS, parents are held to procure for children such a condition of life that afterward they can live in a manner which befits their birth; for children ought not to store up treasure for parents, but parents for children (2 Cor., 12, 14). See St. Alph., III, n. 336; H. Ap., tr. VII.

Hence they sin: a) If they do not use at least moderate diligence to acquire goods by which children may be fed and may obtain an inheritance according to their status. b) If by squandering goods they render themselves unable to educate and endow them honorably according to their condition. c) If they do not take care that they go to school, provided the required cautions are present, that they learn an art, or embrace some genus of life by which they may be honorably sustained.³ d) If they unjustly disinherit them, or harm them in the legitimate portion; if they refuse to establish a patrimony for a son wishing to be promoted to sacred Orders; if they deny dowry or the legitimate part of inheritance to a daughter who, after the years of majority, celebrated marriage against their will. Nevertheless to this daughter, if before the years of majority she married an unworthy man, dowry is not owed, according to the more probable opinion; but food is owed to one in need. In a similar way, if a son, against the father's will, took a wife, the father is held to feed him in need and his wife. e) Finally parents sin gravely if they drive unwilling children to embrace a state, whether conjugal, religious, or especially priestly, or earnestly turn them away from such a state. They can be excused, at least for a brief time, by reason of ignorance or inadvertence, which can easily be admitted because of their excessive love (IV, n. 77).

701. III. Parents are held to procure spiritual education for children. Man, created to the image and likeness of God, has been elevated to a supernatural end. Therefore he must be directed to this end by parents. Whence St. Charles Borromeo (Hom. 31, to the people of Canobbio, 1583): "To educate," he says, "is to lead children to Christ."

But spiritual education requires four things for itself, namely instruction, vigilance, correction, and good example (Inst. cat., P. I, c. 4, n. 15-20).

1. It requires INSTRUCTION, according to that admonition of Scripture (Eccli., 7, 25): Hast thou children? instruct them ... from their childhood.

By force of this precept parents must take care: a) that either through themselves or through others fit for it, they instruct children in faith, in good morals, in the observance of the commandments of God and of the Church, and in all things necessary for salvation (cf. n. 718);⁴ - b) that they instill into them the highest esteem and love of holy prayer, and render this very familiar to them; - c) that they imbue them with an affection of true devotion toward the Virgin Mother of God; for, as St. Alphonsus testifies, devotion toward the divine Mother is morally necessary for salvation.

2. It requires VIGILANCE. For more precious things are entrusted to parents than to a depositary with whom an earthly thing has been deposited.

Hence, parents sin gravely if they do not remove children from the dangerous amusements of the world, depraved companions, games, conversations, readings, etc.; if, for the sake of learning an art or serving, they place them far from themselves in such families where their faith or modesty is endangered; if they do not keep them away from conversations with persons of the different sex; if they permit boys and girls to sleep in the same small bed, etc.

3. It requires CORRECTION; and indeed serious correction, for Scripture says: He who spares the rod hates his son (Prov., 13, 24); discreet correction, for Scripture adds (Coloss., 3, 21): Fathers, do not provoke your children to indignation, lest they become of little spirit. Therefore first let them admonish, afterward threaten, finally chastise, without imprecation and harmful words.

4. It requires EXAMPLE. For words move, examples draw, especially children.

Therefore let parents conduct themselves cautiously in all things, and, especially in those things which pertain to the worship of God, furnish themselves as an example of good works. Parents sin most gravely when in the presence of children they blaspheme, mock religion, utter or do shameful things, detract from neighbor, or drive them to sin in any way whatsoever (H. Ap., VII, 5).

702. On the obligations of blood relatives and guardians.

1. Blood relatives are held, from piety, to mutual love, assistance, and reverence; more, however, or less, according as they approach parents more or less (cf. n. 484). - Whence he who affects a grandfather, great-grandfather, paternal uncle, paternal aunt, brother, sister, and probably collaterals in the second degree, with hatred or injury, or does not assist them in necessity, must, if otherwise the fault is grave, declare the circumstance of kinship in confession. Otherwise, if the degree is more remote (III, 340).⁵ Cf. what we said n. 687, I.

2. Guardians are held, by force of quasi-contract: a) to bear care of the ward, protect his person, correct him, and educate him in a Christian manner; - b) duly to administer the same person's temporal goods: and this according to the prescriptions of law, so that, the guardianship having ended, an account of all acts may be rendered before the family council, or the guardianship council for illegitimates, according to the rules of justice (see the treatise on Justice, n. 1039 seqq.).

Note. Piety alone can oblige to the same things, namely if someone is a proximate blood relative of the ward, and no other fit guardian or assistant guardian is found. Yet advert that it is not a light thing for Catholics to undertake the guardianship of non-Catholic wards, lest namely they seem to favor heresy by educating them in it; or, by not educating them, to violate the faith furnished to the testator and the court (III, 918; Kon., n. 434).