BLOG POST | Hey Deacon! | PART TWO

Why does the Church still prohibit artificial birth control?

Continuing last week’s conversation…

By the 19th century, the science regarding the human reproductive system had advanced and contraceptive technologies improved. New discussions were needed.  Despite a culture looking for fresh perspectives, Christian moral teaching against using contraceptives did not change. In fact, the 1886 penitential manual instructed priests to ask parishioners explicitly whether they practiced contraception and to refuse absolution for sins unless they stopped. However, most clergy ignored this directive.

Because of the increased availability and use of contraceptives, society experienced a dramatic decline in family size. The papacy decided to take a more visible stance on the subject and in 1930 Pope Pius XI declared that contraception was inherently evil.  He stated that any spouse practicing any act of contraception “violates the law of God and nature” and was “stained by a great and mortal flaw.” The only permissible way to prevent conception was abstinence.

In 1951 the Church modified its stance again. Pope Pius XI’s successor, Pope Pius XII, approved what is now referred to today as NFP (Natural Family Planning) for couples who have a “morally valid reason for avoiding procreation.”  Shortly thereafter, the Church was faced with another societal issue with the increased usage of the “pill”. Many Catholics wanted explicit permission to use it.  Church leaders expressed a variety of viewpoints, including the belief that the Church does not know God’s will on this issue and should stop pretending that it did. The flaw in this argument assumes we, as individuals, believe we know better than God.  We supplant God’s will with ours. We know what is best for our family.

In 1963, Pope St. Paul VI formed a commission to take another look at the birth control issue. Many Catholics had hoped that the Church would change its position, as it has on other topics over the years.   However, that would not be the case. In July 1968, Pope Paul VI issued his encyclical l “Humanae Vitae,” addressing many issues regarding human life, but it did not reverse the Church’s position prohibiting all forms of artificial birth control.  Many Catholics argued that this decision was not about contraception but the preservation of church authority. The Church says its decision was not one on based tradition, but rather on the concept of natural law, that all conjugal acts should be open to the transmission of life.

Contemporary culture tells us that artificial birth control is good for society. Statistical studies show otherwise.  Explaining to others that bad moral behavior, the destruction of families, high divorce rates, and that the pill actually changes a women’s body chemistry, can be correlated to contraception, tends to fall on deaf ears. Explaining why Church teaching is correct, is the harder task. 

When my wife and I were first married, we practiced artificial birth control. We knew the Church teaching but did it anyway.  Early in our married life we desired to have children and did away with birth control. I like to think we had a conversion of heart, and maybe we did.  Once we had our first child, we wanted many children.  God blessed us with only three children, and we are grateful to Him. 

Allowing God to be in control is always the better choice.





Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn