Maureen Dowd

Maureen Dowd’s  May 23, 2012, New York Times column was headlined “Father Doesn’t Know Best.”  

“Your parents spill a few secrets as they get older.

 “One night at dinner with my mom, I ventured that the rhythm method had worked well for her, given that there were six years between my sister Peggy and my brother Kevin, and six more between Kevin and me.  She arched an eyebrow.  ‘Well, sometimes your father used something,’ she said.

“My parents were the most devout Catholics I’ve ever known.  But my dad came from a family of 16 in County Clare in Ireland, and my mom’s mother came from a family of 13 in County Mayo.  So they balanced their faith with a dose of practicality.

“After their first three kids, they sagely decided family planning was not soul-staining.”