Fr. Charles Hugo Doyle. Sins of Parents. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2022. Paperback $18.95. 240 pages. Available from the publisher.
“Marital love is the most prized cargo on the ship of life. Everything must be done to save it.” -Fr. Charles Hugo Doyle
Fr. Doyle’s insights have made the difference between happy, fruitful families and broken, debilitated families for more than seventy years.
In his spiritual classic Sins of Parents, finally back in print after over half a century, Fr. Doyle provides wisdom on marriage and parenthood with real-world examples to strengthen families. This book is valuable not only for those who are parents but also for youth who are discerning the vocation of marriage. In the words of a reviewer: “If you love truth for its own sake, and if you are a man or woman wishing to better him or herself for the instruction and education of your children and your grandchildren; then this book is for you.”
First, Fr. Doyle explains mistakes parents make in raising their children and offers advice on then how to avoid them, drawing from Scriptural, traditional, statistical, scientific, and historical examples.
“Never in the history of this world has there been such a need for a return to sanity regarding the sanctity and permanency of marriage and for a wise and noble relationship between parents and their children,” writes Fr. Doyle. “Today the number of broken homes, maladjusted children, and juvenile delinquents is staggering. The appalling divorce rate, our crowded juvenile courts, and the millions of legal half-orphans, evoke unqualified condemnation of matrimonial and parental misfits.”
Sound hopeless? When damage has already occurred, Fr. Doyle also relates solutions on how to lessen the impact. Readers will discover light amid the darkness in these pages, as Fr. Doyle discusses:
- The “imperative needs” of every child
- Specific “rights and privileges” of children
- 31 “don’ts” of child-rearing
- 21 character traits of good parents
- One rule you must never break in disciplining your child
- The “havoc” wrought on children by divorce, separation, and loveless marriages
As one reviewer enthused: “Charles Hugo Doyle has made a wonderful book, explaining the past history, the faults and failings of negligent people throughout the past torrent of crimes and faults compiling one upon another over history. But he does not focus on its history: instead, he focuses on how it directly affects us today, what words of wisdom to remember, to cherish, and to pass on to those who continue after us; and finally, how to redeem ourselves and protect our loved ones, and our future generations, to redirect our steps towards a road which will surely bring us to a happier and blessed marriage than we, in our limited reasoning, could have imagined possible.”
Members of the media may send an email to Sophia Institute Press’ Director of Publicity, Sarah Lemieux at slemieux@SophiaInstitute.com to receive a physical or digital copy of Sins of Parents, and/or to schedule an interview.
