Father knows best - except in matters of the heart

They say father knows best - at least that's what Glamour magazine is saying in its exclusive interview with Father Pat Connor. Father Connor reckons that he's doled out enough couples counselling advice to be able to compile a list of men who women just shouldn't marry.

It's a fairly obvious list - with the usual cast of characters when it comes to bad news boys - mummy's boys are a no-no as are men who are rude to waiters. Really at the end of the day, even celibate priests can spot a doomed relationship from miles away.

The thing is this is always easier said than done - cause your priest only ever has to worry about love for one guy - the Big Guy.

My cousin is a good example. She's 33 and on the husband hunt. She's been seeing a guy for over a year now but they live in different towns and have different days off so don't really see each other as often as they would like.

And he's a mama's boy. For her birthday, he gave my cousin a pearl necklace, that his mother had picked out. And he's hesitant to commit and comes with baggage - at 22 his wife left him in the night.

But despite all this, my cousin loves him.

Look, no matter what Father, me or anybody says, he's not the worse guy in the world. He has a steady job and he cares about my cousin and they love each other, so isn't that enough? Do his bad points really spell doom in the end?

What do you think? Are there really some guys you should write off at the start? What happens if you fall in love before you realise these faults?

Father Pat Connor's list
WHOM NOT TO MARRY

Mummy's boys

Men who are bad with money

Men with no friends

Men who put you down in public

Men who are rude to waitering staff

Men unable to laugh at themselves

Men unwilling to share authority

Men who never make demands countering yours