A Sound of Sheer Silence

I really do like Melinda Selmys's writing.  I think she probably the most thoughtful and the most honest advocate from the traditional Catholic position on sexuality, even when I vehemently disagree with her conclusions .  Her stuff on LGBT issues does a good job of calling out the truly destructive elements of the Catholic Right , including folks like Austin Ruse.  She is an interesting and important voice in a space that is often bereft of original and nuanced thinking. Her recent piece similarly thought-provoking, though perhaps not in the way she intended.  The middle of the piece, arguing that the CDC's recent guidance that women of fertile age that are not on birth control should abstain completely from alcohol is overly cautious to the point of absurdity, seems completely correct (FWIW, my doctor sister echoed many of the same points in a Facebook post).  So, I think we can agree that telling women to avoid alcohol completely if they may become pregnan...

I am the oldest of four.  Four kids is an interesting number in many respects.  In a "modern" sense, it is a large family--it is a full two children above the Total Fertility Rate for the United States, and even significantly above the average for US Catholics.  My own sense is that four is considered by many to be a quantum jump in size over three; two is "normal," three is "kinda big," while four is "definitely big." On the other hand, in comparison to families of the past, especially Catholic families of the past, it is a modest number.  Indeed, both of my parents come from larger families--six kids for Dad, ten kids for Mom.  People are amazed when I say it, but it is true--I have 22 first cousins on Mom's side alone.  So, even though I am sure others would view my family as very large, my parents, and by extension, us, don't really perceive it that way--"medium" is probably closer to the mark. I say all of this to sugge...