Topic: Church tells man-hungry women to lower standards

[LizaSymonenko]

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

[primuspilus]

Fat guys and neck-beards rejoice...there is hope for you yet

PP

[LBK]

Single men and those earning less than $60,000 a year were excluded from the study.

Study? It's a complete crock, if this was the sampling technique. But should we expect any better from an MSN story? 

[Melodist]

They are more than welcome to send their extra women here if it's that big of a problem.

[vamrat]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

[ialmisry]

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

Perhaps adopting realistic expectations would be a better wording.  Especially if the divorce courts are anything like those of the US, marriage is an unappealing proposition for men to begin with.

[Melodist]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Your method may be more effective though.

[Papist]

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

Perhaps adopting realistic expectations would be a better wording.  Especially if the divorce courts are anything like those of the US, marriage is an unappealing proposition for men to begin with.

Agreed. I have read multiple articles over the past few years about how women's standards for men are just unobtainable. It seems that many want to marry:

[HabteSelassie]

Greetings in that Divine and Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

Lets not get caught up in sensationalism.  We are stilling talking about the Catholic Church, which is often mocked as prudish in the 21st century, so I hardly think that when the Church there says "lower their standards" it quite translates to what is commonly laughed at as lowered standards or lowered expectations.  I don't think the Church was implying anything other than that people be more willing to marry people out of their usual comfort zone albeit still within the traditional Catholic prerequisites. For example, I wouldn't assume they were saying marry Pentecostals so much as if Catholic folks only wanted to marry other Catholic blonds with certain incomes perhaps they should readjust that standard and be more flexibly Catholic

"Are women getting too choosy? I'd say yes," Father Tony Kerin from the Archdiocese of Melbourne told the Herald Sun of Australia. "I think many are setting aside their aspirations for later, but by the time they get around to it, they've missed their chance."

from the OP article link

Further it doesn't seem this was some kind of decree or even sermon, rather just the GlobalPost insinuating a lot from a small interview with an individual priest who was speaking on behalf of the Melbourne Diocese for an interview.  I wouldn't call it ecumenical then

stay blessed,
habte selassie

[orthonorm]

Single men and those earning less than $60,000 a year were excluded from the study.

Study? It's a complete crock, if this was the sampling technique. But should we expect any better from an MSN story? 

It's the number one reason over time which women will want to have in a man: economic stability.

Which one of my many liabilities I have to make up with my stupidly generous levels of wit, charm, psychological techniques of abuse, and looks.

Actually, height is more important to women than money, but money while a distant second is light years from whatever any woman says she wants.

[orthonorm]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

[Schultz]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

No worse than listening to someone from the Midwest.

Or worse...southwestern VA. *shudder*

[orthonorm]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

No worse than listening to someone from the Midwest.

Or worse...southwestern VA. *shudder*

I am from the Midwest.

I am routinely told over and over and over and over and over and over and over throughout my life from people of all walks and places what a lovely voice I have.

[Schultz]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

No worse than listening to someone from the Midwest.

Or worse...southwestern VA. *shudder*

I am from the Midwest.

I am routinely told over and over and over and over and over and over and over throughout my life from people of all walks and places what a lovely voice I have.

That's why I said what I did.

I'm sure you have a lovely, bland, characterless Midwest voice.

[ZealousZeal]

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

Perhaps adopting realistic expectations would be a better wording.  Especially if the divorce courts are anything like those of the US, marriage is an unappealing proposition for men to begin with.

Agreed. I have read multiple articles over the past few years about how women's standards for men are just unobtainable. It seems that many want to marry:

Whoa, whoa whoa... No need to drag Chris Evans into this. 

[orthonorm]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

No worse than listening to someone from the Midwest.

Or worse...southwestern VA. *shudder*

I am from the Midwest.

I am routinely told over and over and over and over and over and over and over throughout my life from people of all walks and places what a lovely voice I have.

That's why I said what I did.

I'm sure you have a lovely, bland, characterless Midwest voice.

Green figuratively doesn't look good on you.

If there is one thing I will never be accused of:

Not being a character. That includes my manner of speaking.

People rarely place me correctly geographically.

To the Germans, I am Dutch.

To the Austrians, I am German.

To the Yanks, I am from the South.

To da Sof, I am from the North.

To the West Coast, I am right.

To the East Coast, I am left.

To the Ulster Scots / White Trash, I am educated.

To the Educated, I am white trash.

To the Blacks, I am a cracker.

To the Crackers, I am a wigger.

To the gays, I am straight.

To the homophobe, I am at least bi-curious.

To the, OK I am done.

I am all things people most wish they were and simultaneously were not.

[ialmisry]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

You assume he would listen to her.

[orthonorm]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

You assume he would listen to her.

I do project my nobler qualities onto my fellow men more often than I should.

Thank you for pointing out this rare short-coming of mine.

[Schultz]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

No worse than listening to someone from the Midwest.

Or worse...southwestern VA. *shudder*

I am from the Midwest.

I am routinely told over and over and over and over and over and over and over throughout my life from people of all walks and places what a lovely voice I have.

That's why I said what I did.

I'm sure you have a lovely, bland, characterless Midwest voice.

Green figuratively doesn't look good on you.

If there is one thing I will never be accused of:

Not being a character. That includes my manner of speaking.

People rarely place me correctly geographically.

To the Germans, I am Dutch.

To the Austrians, I am German.

To the Yanks, I am from the South.

To da Sof, I am from the North.

To the West Coast, I am right.

To the East Coast, I am left.

To the Ulster Scots / White Trash, I am educated.

To the Educated, I am white trash.

To the Blacks, I am a cracker.

To the Crackers, I am a wigger.

To the gays, I am straight.

To the homophobe, I am at least bi-curious.

To the, OK I am done.

I am all things people most wish they were and simultaneously were not.

Touche.

[orthonorm]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

No worse than listening to someone from the Midwest.

Or worse...southwestern VA. *shudder*

I am from the Midwest.

I am routinely told over and over and over and over and over and over and over throughout my life from people of all walks and places what a lovely voice I have.

That's why I said what I did.

I'm sure you have a lovely, bland, characterless Midwest voice.

Green figuratively doesn't look good on you.

If there is one thing I will never be accused of:

Not being a character. That includes my manner of speaking.

People rarely place me correctly geographically.

To the Germans, I am Dutch.

To the Austrians, I am German.

To the Yanks, I am from the South.

To da Sof, I am from the North.

To the West Coast, I am right.

To the East Coast, I am left.

To the Ulster Scots / White Trash, I am educated.

To the Educated, I am white trash.

To the Blacks, I am a cracker.

To the Crackers, I am a wigger.

To the gays, I am straight.

To the homophobe, I am at least bi-curious.

To the, OK I am done.

I am all things people most wish they were and simultaneously were not.

Touche.

As a matter of fact I am touchy about the subject! Really, I am a monotonous, nasally droning bore.

[vamrat]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

You assume he would listen to her.

And quite the assumption at that.  Geesh.  Next he's going to want me to help her clean the kitchen or something...

[orthonorm]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

You assume he would listen to her.

And quite the assumption at that.  Geesh.  Next he's going to want me to help her clean the kitchen or something...

I figured you would argue that you do by your gluttonous behavior.

[vamrat]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

You assume he would listen to her.

And quite the assumption at that.  Geesh.  Next he's going to want me to help her clean the kitchen or something...

I figured you would argue that you do by your gluttonous behavior.

Oh, I'll clean my plate, but that's about where it ends.

[akimori makoto]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Australian "women" are barely worthy of that title.

Further words of disdain for PM only.

[akimori makoto]

I have a friend who is on about AU$70,000 a year and who is quite plain-looking.

She wants a good-looking guy who earns more than her (she has also expressed certain preferences in relation to the size of his equipment).

I have tried to explain to her that good-looking dudes with lots of money and giant penises don't want plain girls who aren't heiresses, but it doesn't seem to sink in.

Sadly, I think this friend is representative of the average Australian single woman.

[orthonorm]

I have a friend who is on about AU$70,000 a year and who is quite plain-looking.

She wants a good-looking guy who earns more than her (she has also expressed certain preferences in relation to the size of his equipment).

I have tried to explain to her that good-looking dudes with lots of money and giant penises don't want plain girls who aren't heiresses, but it doesn't seem to sink in.

Sadly, I think this friend is representative of the average Australian single woman.

I am missing only one of those qualifications. And plain looking is OK. I am great at make overs.

Can she learn to speak proper American?

[akimori makoto]

I have a friend who is on about AU$70,000 a year and who is quite plain-looking.

She wants a good-looking guy who earns more than her (she has also expressed certain preferences in relation to the size of his equipment).

I have tried to explain to her that good-looking dudes with lots of money and giant penises don't want plain girls who aren't heiresses, but it doesn't seem to sink in.

Sadly, I think this friend is representative of the average Australian single woman.

I am missing only one of those qualifications. And plain looking is OK. I am great at make overs.

Can she learn to speak proper American?

You can do better, my friend, though she is quite lovely once her sense of entitlement to the most amazing partner ever is excised from her personality.

[orthonorm]

I have a friend who is on about AU$70,000 a year and who is quite plain-looking.

She wants a good-looking guy who earns more than her (she has also expressed certain preferences in relation to the size of his equipment).

I have tried to explain to her that good-looking dudes with lots of money and giant penises don't want plain girls who aren't heiresses, but it doesn't seem to sink in.

Sadly, I think this friend is representative of the average Australian single woman.

I am missing only one of those qualifications. And plain looking is OK. I am great at make overs.

Can she learn to speak proper American?

You can do better, my friend, though she is quite lovely once her sense of entitlement to the most amazing partner ever is excised from her personality.

I hope everyone knows, I jest. I let my desire for a wisecrack get the better of me.

[vamrat]

I have a friend who is on about AUUSD$70,000 a year and who is quite plain-looking.

She wants a good-looking guy who earns more than her (she has also expressed certain preferences in relation to the size of his equipment).

I have tried to explain to her that good-looking dudes with lots of money and giant penises don't want plain girls who aren't heiresses, but it doesn't seem to sink in.

Sadly, I think this friend is representative of the average Australian American single woman.

[Papist]

I have a friend who is on about AUUSD$70,000 a year and who is quite plain-looking.

She wants a good-looking guy who earns more than her (she has also expressed certain preferences in relation to the size of his equipment).

I have tried to explain to her that good-looking dudes with lots of money and giant penises don't want plain girls who aren't heiresses, but it doesn't seem to sink in.

Sadly, I think this friend is representative of the average Australian American single woman.

Yep. Interestingly, I think the Church-going girls are the worst. I often joke that the girls from parish suffer from "princess syndrome", and I'm not even looking for a spouse myself.

[akimori makoto]

Actually, height is more important to women than money, but money while a distant second is light years from whatever any woman says she wants.

Orthonorm gets it.

[Maria]

Greetings in that Divine and Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

Lets not get caught up in sensationalism.  We are stilling talking about the Catholic Church, which is often mocked as prudish in the 21st century, so I hardly think that when the Church there says "lower their standards" it quite translates to what is commonly laughed at as lowered standards or lowered expectations.  I don't think the Church was implying anything other than that people be more willing to marry people out of their usual comfort zone albeit still within the traditional Catholic prerequisites. For example, I wouldn't assume they were saying marry Pentecostals so much as if Catholic folks only wanted to marry other Catholic blonds with certain incomes perhaps they should readjust that standard and be more flexibly Catholic

"Are women getting too choosy? I'd say yes," Father Tony Kerin from the Archdiocese of Melbourne told the Herald Sun of Australia. "I think many are setting aside their aspirations for later, but by the time they get around to it, they've missed their chance."

from the OP article link

Further it doesn't seem this was some kind of decree or even sermon, rather just the GlobalPost insinuating a lot from a small interview with an individual priest who was speaking on behalf of the Melbourne Diocese for an interview.  I wouldn't call it ecumenical then

stay blessed,
habte selassie

When I was attending a Catholic university, the Dominican chaplain told the ladies (it was a co-ed college at that time) that many bachelors were no longer virgins and so women who were hoping to find Prince Charming could not expect nor should they even ask their boyfriends if they were still virgins.

[Papist]

Greetings in that Divine and Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

Lets not get caught up in sensationalism.  We are stilling talking about the Catholic Church, which is often mocked as prudish in the 21st century, so I hardly think that when the Church there says "lower their standards" it quite translates to what is commonly laughed at as lowered standards or lowered expectations.  I don't think the Church was implying anything other than that people be more willing to marry people out of their usual comfort zone albeit still within the traditional Catholic prerequisites. For example, I wouldn't assume they were saying marry Pentecostals so much as if Catholic folks only wanted to marry other Catholic blonds with certain incomes perhaps they should readjust that standard and be more flexibly Catholic

"Are women getting too choosy? I'd say yes," Father Tony Kerin from the Archdiocese of Melbourne told the Herald Sun of Australia. "I think many are setting aside their aspirations for later, but by the time they get around to it, they've missed their chance."

from the OP article link

Further it doesn't seem this was some kind of decree or even sermon, rather just the GlobalPost insinuating a lot from a small interview with an individual priest who was speaking on behalf of the Melbourne Diocese for an interview.  I wouldn't call it ecumenical then

stay blessed,
habte selassie

When I was attending a Catholic university, the Dominican chaplain told the ladies (it was a co-ed college at that time) that many bachelors were no longer virgins and so women who were hoping to find Prince Charming could not expect nor should they even ask their boyfriends if they were still virgins.

I think that the dangers of HPV provide women with a justifiable reason to ask.

[Maria]

I wonder if Akimori would let me crash in his place for a couple weeks.  I'm moving to Australia!

EDIT - Melodist's method might be the cheaper option.  I'll cover the plane tickets!

Have you had to listen to an Australian for longer than 10 minutes?

It would require a rare combination of qualities or a few years of speech therapy to overcome that hurdle.

I have talked with Australians and perfectly understand them, but I do have an M.A. in Linguistics and have taught English as a Second Language courses. Before I began my studies in linguistics, I have always tried to listen to those people who present with an accent. Actually, we all have our own idiolect ... our own accent.

[FormerReformer]

I have a friend who is on about AUUSD$70,000 a year and who is quite plain-looking.

She wants a good-looking guy who earns more than her (she has also expressed certain preferences in relation to the size of his equipment).

I have tried to explain to her that good-looking dudes with lots of money and giant penises don't want plain girls who aren't heiresses, but it doesn't seem to sink in.

Sadly, I think this friend is representative of the average Australian American single woman.

Yep. Interestingly, I think the Church-going girls are the worst. I often joke that the girls from parish suffer from "princess syndrome", and I'm not even looking for a spouse myself.

I run the risk of being labeled a heretical ecumenicist by saying this, but:

Preach it, Brother!

[Maria]

Greetings in that Divine and Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

Lets not get caught up in sensationalism.  We are stilling talking about the Catholic Church, which is often mocked as prudish in the 21st century, so I hardly think that when the Church there says "lower their standards" it quite translates to what is commonly laughed at as lowered standards or lowered expectations.  I don't think the Church was implying anything other than that people be more willing to marry people out of their usual comfort zone albeit still within the traditional Catholic prerequisites. For example, I wouldn't assume they were saying marry Pentecostals so much as if Catholic folks only wanted to marry other Catholic blonds with certain incomes perhaps they should readjust that standard and be more flexibly Catholic

"Are women getting too choosy? I'd say yes," Father Tony Kerin from the Archdiocese of Melbourne told the Herald Sun of Australia. "I think many are setting aside their aspirations for later, but by the time they get around to it, they've missed their chance."

from the OP article link

Further it doesn't seem this was some kind of decree or even sermon, rather just the GlobalPost insinuating a lot from a small interview with an individual priest who was speaking on behalf of the Melbourne Diocese for an interview.  I wouldn't call it ecumenical then

stay blessed,
habte selassie

When I was attending a Catholic university, the Dominican chaplain told the ladies (it was a co-ed college at that time) that many bachelors were no longer virgins and so women who were hoping to find Prince Charming could not expect nor should they even ask their boyfriends if they were still virgins.

I think that the dangers of HPV provide women with a justifiable reason to ask.

Exactly. AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases should also be justifiable concerns of both the future bride and groom.

If a guy or a girl is not a virgin when he/she ties the knot, doesn't this lack of chastity place their marriage at greater risk of an adulterous affair later on?

I knew several co-eds who married men who were quite the playboy before marriage, but these men promised their future brides that they would be faithful. Since these men were truly honest before marriage and repentant, they were able to keep their marriage vows. The holy sacrament of Confession is truly a help that should not be neglected.

[Hiwot]

I have a friend who is on about AUUSD$70,000 a year and who is quite plain-looking.

She wants a good-looking guy who earns more than her (she has also expressed certain preferences in relation to the size of his equipment).

I have tried to explain to her that good-looking dudes with lots of money and giant penises don't want plain girls who aren't heiresses, but it doesn't seem to sink in.

Sadly, I think this friend is representative of the average Australian American single woman.

Yep. Interestingly, I think the Church-going girls are the worst. I often joke that the girls from parish suffer from "princess syndrome", and I'm not even looking for a spouse myself.

I run the risk of being labeled a heretical ecumenicist by saying this, but:

Preach it, Brother!

LOL! ouch!   , some of us are the very definition of a proletariat   and abhor monarchy lol

[Papist]

Greetings in that Divine and Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

Lets not get caught up in sensationalism.  We are stilling talking about the Catholic Church, which is often mocked as prudish in the 21st century, so I hardly think that when the Church there says "lower their standards" it quite translates to what is commonly laughed at as lowered standards or lowered expectations.  I don't think the Church was implying anything other than that people be more willing to marry people out of their usual comfort zone albeit still within the traditional Catholic prerequisites. For example, I wouldn't assume they were saying marry Pentecostals so much as if Catholic folks only wanted to marry other Catholic blonds with certain incomes perhaps they should readjust that standard and be more flexibly Catholic

"Are women getting too choosy? I'd say yes," Father Tony Kerin from the Archdiocese of Melbourne told the Herald Sun of Australia. "I think many are setting aside their aspirations for later, but by the time they get around to it, they've missed their chance."

from the OP article link

Further it doesn't seem this was some kind of decree or even sermon, rather just the GlobalPost insinuating a lot from a small interview with an individual priest who was speaking on behalf of the Melbourne Diocese for an interview.  I wouldn't call it ecumenical then

stay blessed,
habte selassie

When I was attending a Catholic university, the Dominican chaplain told the ladies (it was a co-ed college at that time) that many bachelors were no longer virgins and so women who were hoping to find Prince Charming could not expect nor should they even ask their boyfriends if they were still virgins.

I think that the dangers of HPV provide women with a justifiable reason to ask.

Exactly. AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases should also be justifiable concerns of both the future bride and groom.

If a guy or a girl is not a virgin when he/she ties the knot, doesn't this lack of chastity place their marriage at greater risk of an adulterous affair later on?

Agreed. I specifically bring up HPV, because for men it is often asymptomatic and there is no test to determine if a male is infected. To make matters worse, it can casue uterine cancer in women.

[dzheremi]

Australians are loud, brash bores. So basically I'd be marrying a female version of myself? No thank you, mate.

The general advice isn't bad, though. If everybody out there is looking for the same thing (and I have a hard time believing that they aren't), then obviously most people will continue to be disappointed, as the few prince charmings who do exist probably know that they're great and desirable, and can pick and choose their mates accordingly. The rest of us? Eh...better either luck out or get used to being alone if you're going to insist on having a guy who is a pretty boy, with a body builder's body, also smart and cultured, able to cook, in touch with his feelings or whatever, gets along with all your friends and family, etc.

I'm not married, but I hope if I ever am blessed in that way I will keep in mind Louis CK's sage wisdom on the subject of being content with your spouse: "Some things do get easier as you've married for a while, you start to understand each other better, and you start looking at yourself more. You spend a lot of your marriage looking at the other person and trying to change them or figure them out, then you start realizing what you're bringing to the table, and you blame them less for [stuff]."

I think if more people had this kind of attitude when looking for/at their mate, we'd all be a lot happier. Or everybody's just crazy. I dunno.

[xariskai]

"Single fathers and those earning less than $60,000 a year were excluded from the study."

Maybe the "study" should lower "its" expectations before telling women to.  Do I hear any bids for $55,000?

[LBK]

"Single fathers and those earning less than $60,000 a year were excluded from the study."

Maybe the "study" should lower "its" expectations before telling women to.  Do I hear any bids for $55,000?

The article didn't say "single fathers", but "single men". Quite a difference.

[Hiwot]

Greetings in that Divine and Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

http://now.msn.com/now/0508-australia-man-drought.aspx

Australia is apparently in the grip of a dire man drought, and the Catholic Church in Australia suggests women lower their expectations accordingly if they want to get hitched.




I never thought I would hear a church advise people to lower their standards.  This has got to be a first!
 

Lets not get caught up in sensationalism.  We are stilling talking about the Catholic Church, which is often mocked as prudish in the 21st century, so I hardly think that when the Church there says "lower their standards" it quite translates to what is commonly laughed at as lowered standards or lowered expectations.  I don't think the Church was implying anything other than that people be more willing to marry people out of their usual comfort zone albeit still within the traditional Catholic prerequisites. For example, I wouldn't assume they were saying marry Pentecostals so much as if Catholic folks only wanted to marry other Catholic blonds with certain incomes perhaps they should readjust that standard and be more flexibly Catholic

"Are women getting too choosy? I'd say yes," Father Tony Kerin from the Archdiocese of Melbourne told the Herald Sun of Australia. "I think many are setting aside their aspirations for later, but by the time they get around to it, they've missed their chance."

from the OP article link

Further it doesn't seem this was some kind of decree or even sermon, rather just the GlobalPost insinuating a lot from a small interview with an individual priest who was speaking on behalf of the Melbourne Diocese for an interview.  I wouldn't call it ecumenical then

stay blessed,
habte selassie

When I was attending a Catholic university, the Dominican chaplain told the ladies (it was a co-ed college at that time) that many bachelors were no longer virgins and so women who were hoping to find Prince Charming could not expect nor should they even ask their boyfriends if they were still virgins.

I think that the dangers of HPV provide women with a justifiable reason to ask.

Exactly. AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases should also be justifiable concerns of both the future bride and groom.

If a guy or a girl is not a virgin when he/she ties the knot, doesn't this lack of chastity place their marriage at greater risk of an adulterous affair later on?

Agreed. I specifically bring up HPV, because for men it is often asymptomatic and there is no test to determine if a male is infected. To make matters worse, it can casue uterine cancer in women.

Absolutely!

[xariskai]

"Single fathers and those earning less than $60,000 a year were excluded from the study."

Maybe the "study" should lower "its" expectations before telling women to.  Do I hear any bids for $55,000?

Hahaha,

I just Googled teacher salaries -looks like no single male Australian teacher would qualify as marriage material according to the study unless they get a second job:

New South Wales

Teachers in New South Wales are currently among the best paid in Australia.

    Starting salary 4-year trained (eg BEd) = $41,109
    Starting salary 5-year trained (eg BEd BA, BEd BSc, BA MTeach, BSc MTeach) = $43,225
    Top of teacher salary scale (Step 13) = $58,692

http://www.educationworld.net/salaries_aus.html

[xariskai]

"Single fathers and those earning less than $60,000 a year were excluded from the study."

Maybe the "study" should lower "its" expectations before telling women to.  Do I hear any bids for $55,000?

The article didn't say "single fathers", but "single men". Quite a difference.

Point was about the second clause "those earning less than $60,000 a year were excluded from the study."

[LBK]

"Single fathers and those earning less than $60,000 a year were excluded from the study."

Maybe the "study" should lower "its" expectations before telling women to.  Do I hear any bids for $55,000?

The article didn't say "single fathers", but "single men". Quite a difference.

Point was about the second clause "those earning less than $60,000 a year were excluded from the study."

Fair enough. But excluding "single men" makes this whole "study" a crock.