Catholics in the modern world are faced with a double standard: the teaching of their faith on what is right or wrong and the standards of relative morality and general permissiveness that characterize secular society. In the minds of many Catholics this produces a tension that can cause unhappiness and even loss of faith. This is nowhere more evident than in the sphere of sexual morality. Cardinal Suenens writes here a powerful plea for clear thinking on the part of every Catholic confronted with this problem. After examining the climate of world opinion as it is reflected in current attitudes to marriage, contraception and sexual morals among young
people, he analyses the true meaning of love-a word which has been degraded in modern society-and gives a clear explanation of what the Catholic Church teaches about marriage, sexuality, regulation of births, periodic continence and chastity and why it refuses to modify its views, concluding with a clear and reasoned statement of the only Christian solution: a greater development by all men towards self-mastery. In the second part Cardinal Suenens asks "What is to be done?" Without shirking any of the difficult and seemingly insuperable problems raised, he outlines the practical steps that can and must be taken by all who are concerned with the overall education of children and adolescents: parents, clergy, doctors, social workers and teachers.