About the "parents help choose a spouse for their daughter" issue --

I agree that too many young people in general toss aside the wisdom of their elders, to their own detriment.

This is so contrary to the way modern families in America work I'm not sure it's so simple to implement.  I have often felt that my parents(though they are not Catholic) still have a great deal of wisdom when it comes to potential mates.  They raised me and they know me very well, they can step back and see if someone is really right for me.  However, they keep their mouths shut because they don't want to cause problems.  But then, when I figure it out for myself they always tell me things like "yea, we really didn't like him, didn't think he was suited for you at all"

I try to encourage them to go ahead and tell me!  Seems it has gotten better and they have been more straight forward with me.  

I only wish they had been straighter with my brother.  He is now going through a divorce, and of course, they always couldn't stand his soon-to-be ex-wife.  We would have all been alot better off if they had voiced their objections in the beginning.  Who knows?  He may have listened.