March 13, 2014

The film Kramer vs. Kramer opens with Joanna leaving the house since
she was sick of her husband, Teds behavior and she wants to find herself.
After Joanna abandonment, the father and son had difficulties in adjusting
with each other. Ted was used to work all day with less worries about his
child. Billy was constantly looking for care. After almost a year, they grew
closer to each other; both learned how to adjust. Ted was able to balance his
work and his responsibilities as a father. The conflict in the film is the
mothers demand of Billys custody.
In the end, Joanna was given the custody since traditionally, the
mother can take care best of the child. This decision is obviously unfair. More
importantly, Joannas reasons for departing were unfair since as a parent,
she should not have been individualistic. Her reasons for leaving were selfish
and unjustifiable. Her first justification is she wants to find herself first. Ever
since she started being Teds wife, she lost her sense of self. She also argued
that this was necessary since she would not be a good mother if she
continues being lost. Motherhood is putting your familys needs over your
own. One possibility is Joanna just became bored being a mother and a wife.
She ultimately became sick of being a mother. Unlike Ted, we saw how he
became capable of being a tender and responsible father. In a period of eight
months, Billy became more attached to his father. Their relationship was
closer compared to Joanna.
Second, Joanna reasoned out that Ted was not doing playing his roles
as a father and a husband. She added that Ted became too focused on his
work. He also refuses to listen to Joannas problems and demands. As a wife,
Joanna should be patient with her husband since it is him who feeds the
family. She should have understood what Teds job demands. She should
have been patient with her husbands behavior. Ted may not have been the
best husband but he performed his roles well. He was a provider; he gave all
their needs, and he didnt cheat on her. As mentioned, she should have not

put her personal needs first. In summary, Joannas reasons for leaving are
unreasonable, unjustifiable, and unacceptable because she left for her sake,
not for her familys sake, which is selfish. She didnt fully commit to her
husband and her family.
Paragraph 83 of the Familiaris Consortio recognizes that divorce,
indeed happens due to various reasons such as lack of mutual understanding
and inability to enter in relationships. First, Familiaris Consortio implies that
marriage is a union made by God. Therefore, separation or divorce is not
permissible. Once married, the couple had committed their lives to each
other. Second, divorce is immoral; it destroys the natural order. Even though
the couple had separated, the Church still sees them as married. Familiaris
Consortio says that once an individual after divorce, remarried; his or her
new relationship is permanent adultery. The condition of life of the divorced
contradicts with the union of love that Christ and the Church demonstrates.
In effect, the remarried cannot take part in Eucharistic Communion. Those
divorced should instead contribute to works of charity and to community
efforts that can help develop the Church and Her people.