Does anyone doubt that, in the last fifty years, we have seen a profound attenuation of marital fidelity? Could anyone possibly contest that the last half century has witnessed a significant breakdown of the institution of marriage?
Pope Paul VI at an audience in October 1977. (Ambrosius007/Wikipedia)
This coming July, we will mark the 50th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s deeply controversial encyclical letter Humanae vitae. I won’t bore you with the details of the innumerable battles, disagreements, and ecclesial crises that followed upon this text. Suffice it to say that this short, pithily argued letter became a watershed in the post-conciliar Catholic Church and one of the most significant points of contention between liberals and conservatives. Its fundamental contention is that the moral integrity of the sexual act is a function of the coming together of its “procreative and unitive” dimensions. That is to say, sexual intercourse is ethically upright only in the measure that it is expressive of love between married partners and remains open to the conception of a child. When, through a conscious choice, the partners introduce an artificial block to procreation—when, in a word, they separate the unitive and procreative finalities of the sexual act—they do something which is contrary to God’s will.
Again, within the context of this brief article I won’t detail the arguments for and against this position. But I would like to draw particular attention to a remarkable passage in Humanae vitae, namely section 17, in which Paul VI plays the prophet and lays out, clearly and succinctly, what he foresees as consequences of turning away from the Church’s classic teaching on sex. Though he is convinced that artificial contraception is morally bad in itself, he’s also persuaded that it would, in the long run, adversely affect general societal attitudes regarding sex. Here is a first observation:
Let them consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards. Not much experience is needed to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand that human beings—and especially the young, who are so exposed to temptation—need incentives to keep the moral law, and it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that law.
Does anyone doubt that, in the last fifty years, we have seen a profound attenuation of marital fidelity? Could anyone possibly contest that the last half century has witnessed a significant breakdown of the institution of marriage? Is anyone so blind as not to see that during the last five decades “a lowering of moral standards” has taken place? To be sure, there are multiple causes of these declines, and certainly not all the blame can be ascribed to artificial contraception. However, Paul VI was intuiting something of great moment, namely, that once we commenced to redefine the nature of the sexual act, we placed ourselves on a very steep and slippery slope toward a complete voluntarism, whereby we utterly determine the meaning of sexuality, of marriage, and even of gender. And the rapid rise in pornography use, the sexual exploitation of children, and human trafficking are functions of this same arbitrariness. What was only vaguely envisioned and feared fifty years ago is now accepted more or less as a matter of course.
In that same section, Paul VI continues to prophesy:
Another effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.
In the post-Weinstein era, we hear practically every day of another celebrity who has treated women with disrespect, turning them indeed into objects for his own use and manipulation. The entire society is rightly outraged at this behavior, but precious few cultural commentators have noted the link between this kind of objectification and the conscious disassociation of the twin ends of the sexual act. When we are permitted casually to separate love from procreation—or as one analyst had it, to sever the link between sex and diapers—we place ourselves on a short road to reducing sexual intercourse to a form of self-indulgent recreation.
Section 17 of Humanae vitae concludes with a startling act of prescience regarding the political implications of countenancing artificial contraception:
Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone.
What might have seemed exaggerated, perhaps even slightly paranoid, in 1968 is now a commonplace. The HHS Mandate, which would require even Catholic institutions to provide insurance coverage for contraception and abortifacients, has been so aggressively pursued that even the Little Sisters of the Poor found themselves battling for their rights in court. Pope Francis, an ardent admirer of Paul VI, has picked up on this theme, bemoaning the “ideological colonization” that takes place when the Western powers attempt, through threat of economic sanctions, to impose their sexual program on the underdeveloped world.
This coming 50th anniversary year would be a good time to take another look at Humanae vitae. I might suggest we commence with section 17.
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Bishop Robert Barron has been the bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota since 2022. He is the founder of www.WordonFire.org, a nonprofit global media apostolate that seeks to draw people into—or back to—the Catholic faith.
Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Oct. 5, 2016. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA
CNA Staff, Mar 13, 2024 / 12:00 pm (CNA).
March 13 marks the anniversary of the election of Pope Francis as the 266th successor of St. Peter. Here is a timeline of key events during his papacy:
2013
March 13 — About two weeks after Pope Benedict XVI steps down from the papacy, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio is elected pope. He takes the papal name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi and proclaims from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Let us begin this journey, the bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome, which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another.”
March 14 — The day after he begins his pontificate, Pope Francis returns to his hotel to personally pay his hotel bill and collect his luggage.
July 8 — Pope Francis visits Italy’s island of Lampedusa and meets with a group of 50 migrants, most of whom are young men from Somalia and Eritrea. The island, which is about 200 miles off the coast of Tunisia, is a common entry point for migrants who flee parts of Africa and the Middle East to enter Europe. This is the pope’s first pastoral visit outside of Rome and sets the stage for making reaching out to the peripheries a significant focus.
Pope Francis gives the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 2, 2013. Elise Harris/CNA.
July 23-28 — Pope Francis visits Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in World Youth Day 2013. More than 3 million people from around the world attend the event.
July 29 — On the return flight from Brazil, Pope Francis gives his first papal news conference and sparks controversy by saying “if a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?” The phrase is prompted by a reporter asking the pope a question about priests who have homosexual attraction.
Nov. 24 — Pope Francis publishes his first apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). The document illustrates the pope’s vision for how to approach evangelization in the modern world.
2014
Feb. 22 — Pope Francis holds his first papal consistory to appoint 19 new cardinals, including ones from countries in the developing world that have never previously been represented in the College of Cardinals, such as Haiti.
March 22 — Pope Francis creates the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The commission works to protect the dignity of minors and vulnerable adults, such as the victims of sexual abuse.
Pope Francis greets pilgrims during his general audience on Nov. 29, 2014. Bohumil Petrik/CNA.
Oct. 5 — The Synod on the Family begins. The bishops discuss a variety of concerns, including single-parent homes, cohabitation, homosexual adoption of children, and interreligious marriages.
Dec. 6 — After facing some pushback for his efforts to reform the Roman Curia, Pope Francis discusses his opinion in an interview with La Nacion, an Argentine news outlet: “Resistance is now evident. And that is a good sign for me, getting the resistance out into the open, no stealthy mumbling when there is disagreement. It’s healthy to get things out into the open, it’s very healthy.”
2015
Jan. 18 — To conclude a trip to Asia, Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Manila, Philippines. Approximately 6 million to 7 million people attend the record-setting Mass, despite heavy rain.
March 23 — Pope Francis visits Naples, Italy, to show the Church’s commitment to helping the fight against corruption and organized crime in the city.
May 24 — To emphasize the Church’s mission to combat global warming and care for the environment, Pope Francis publishes the encyclical Laudato Si’, which urges people to take care of the environment and encourages political action to address climate problems.
Pope Francis at a Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square on June 17, 2015. Bohumil Petrik.
Sept. 19-22 — Pope Francis visits Cuba and meets with Fidel Castro in the first papal visit to the country since Pope John Paul II in 1998. During his homily, Francis discusses the dignity of the human person: “Being a Christian entails promoting the dignity of our brothers and sisters, fighting for it, living for it.”
Sept. 22-27 — After departing from Cuba, Pope Francis makes his first papal visit to the United States. In Washington, D.C., he speaks to a joint session of Congress, in which he urges lawmakers to work toward promoting the common good, and canonizes the Franciscan missionary St. Junípero Serra. He also attends the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, which focuses on celebrating the gift of the family.
Pope Francis speaks to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 24, 2015. . L’Osservatore Romano.
Oct. 4 — Pope Francis begins the second Synod on the Family to address issues within the modern family, such as single-parent homes, cohabitation, poverty, and abuse.
Oct. 18 — The pope canonizes St. Louis Martin and St. Marie-Azélie “Zelie” Guérin. The married couple were parents to five nuns, including St. Therese of Lisieux. They are the first married couple to be canonized together.
Dec. 8 — Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy begins. The year focuses on God’s mercy and forgiveness and people’s redemption from sin. The pope delegates certain priests in each diocese to be Missionaries of Mercy who have the authority to forgive sins that are usually reserved for the Holy See.
2016
March 19 — Pope Francis publishes the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which discusses a wide variety of issues facing the modern family based on discussions from the two synods on the family. The pope garners significant controversy from within the Church for comments he makes in Chapter 8 about Communion for the divorced and remarried.
April 16 — After visiting refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos, Pope Francis allows three Muslim refugee families to join him on his flight back to Rome. He says the move was not a political statement.
Pope Francis at the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Feb. 24, 2016. Daniel Ibanez/CNA.
July 26-31 — Pope Francis visits Krakow, Poland, as part of the World Youth Day festivities. About 3 million young Catholic pilgrims from around the world attend.
Sept. 4 — The pope canonizes St. Teresa of Calcutta, who is also known as Mother Teresa. The saint, a nun from Albania, dedicated her life to missionary and charity work, primarily in India.
Sept. 30-Oct. 2 — Pope Francis visits Georgia and Azerbaijan on his 16th trip outside of Rome since the start of his papacy. His trip focuses on Catholic relations with Orthodox Christians and Muslims.
Oct. 4 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to Amatrice, Italy, to pray for the victims of an earthquake in central Italy that killed nearly 300 people.
2017
May 12-13 — In another papal trip, Francis travels to Fatima, Portugal, to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. May 13 marks the 100th anniversary of the first Marian apparition to three children in the city.
July 11 — Pope Francis adds another category of Christian life suitable for the consideration of sainthood: “offering of life.” The category is distinct from martyrdom, which only applies to someone who is killed for his or her faith. The new category applies to those who died prematurely through an offering of their life to God and neighbor.
Pope Francis greets a participant in the World Day of the Poor in Rome, Nov. 16, 2017. L’Osservatore Romano.
Nov. 19 — On the first-ever World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis eats lunch with 4,000 poor and people in need in Rome.
Nov. 27-Dec. 2 — In another trip to Asia, Pope Francis travels to Myanmar and Bangladesh. He visits landmarks and meets with government officials, Catholic clergy, and Buddhist monks. He also preaches the Gospel and promotes peace in the region.
2018
Jan. 15-21 — The pope takes another trip to Latin America, this time visiting Chile and Peru. The pontiff meets with government officials and members of the clergy while urging the faithful to remain close to the clergy and reject secularism. The Chilean visit leads to controversy over Chilean clergy sex abuse scandals.
Aug. 2 — The Vatican formally revises No. 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which concerns the death penalty. The previous text suggested the death penalty could be permissible in certain circumstances, but the revision states that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”
Aug. 25 — Archbishop Carlo Viganò, former papal nuncio to the United States, publishes an 11-page letter calling for the resignation of Pope Francis and accusing him and other Vatican officials of covering up sexual abuse including allegations against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The pope initially does not directly respond to the letter, but nine months after its publication he denies having prior knowledge about McCarrick’s conduct.
Aug. 25-26 — Pope Francis visits Dublin, Ireland, to attend the World Meeting of Families. The theme is “the Gospel of family, joy for the world.”
Pope Francis at the 2018 World Meeting of Families in Ireland. Daniel Ibanez/CNA.
Oct. 3-28 — The Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment takes place. The synod focuses on best practices to teach the faith to young people and to help them discern God’s will.
2019
Jan. 22-27 — The third World Youth Day during Pope Francis’ pontificate takes place during these six days in Panama City, Panama. Young Catholics from around the world gather for the event, with approximately 3 million people in attendance.
Feb. 4 — Pope Francis signs a joint document in with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, titled the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” The document focuses on people of different faiths uniting together to live peacefully and advance a culture of mutual respect.
Pope Francis and Ahmed el-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar, signed a joint declaration on human fraternity during an interreligious meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Feb. 4, 2019. Vatican Media.
Feb. 21-24 — The Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church, which is labeled the Vatican Sexual Abuse Summit, takes place. The meeting focuses on sexual abuse scandals in the Church and emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and transparency.
Oct. 6-27 — The Church holds the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region, which is also known as the Amazon Synod. The synod is meant to present ways in which the Church can better evangelize the Amazon region but leads to controversy when carved images of a pregnant Amazonian woman, referred to by the pope as Pachamama, are used in several events and displayed in a basilica near the Vatican.
Oct. 13 — St. John Henry Newman, an Anglican convert to Catholicism and a cardinal, is canonized by Pope Francis. Newman’s writings inspired Catholic student associations at nonreligious colleges and universities in the United States and other countries.
2020
March 15 — Pope Francis takes a walking pilgrimage in Rome to the chapel of the crucifix and prays for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crucifix was carried through Rome during the plague of 1522.
March 27 — Pope Francis gives an extraordinary “urbi et orbi” blessing in an empty and rain-covered St. Peter’s Square, praying for the world during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pope Francis venerates the miraculous crucifix of San Marcello al Corso in St. Peter’s Square during his Urbi et Orbi blessing, March 27, 2020. Vatican Media.
2021
March 5-8 — In his first papal trip since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis becomes the first pope to visit Iraq. On his trip, he signs a joint statement with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemning extremism and promoting peace.
July 3 — Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis, is indicted in a Vatican court for embezzlement, money laundering, and other crimes. The pope gives approval for the indictment.
July 4 — Pope Francis undergoes colon surgery for diverticulitis, a common condition in older people. The Vatican releases a statement that assures the pope “reacted well” to the surgery. Francis is released from the hospital after 10 days.
July 16 — Pope Francis issues a motu proprio titled Traditionis Custodes. The document imposes heavy restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.
Dec. 2-6 — The pope travels to Cyprus and Greece. The trip includes another visit to the Greek island of Lesbos to meet with migrants.
Pope Francis greets His Beatitude Ieronymos II in Athens, Greece on Dec. 5, 2021. Vatican Media
2022
Jan. 11 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to a record store in Rome called StereoSound. The pope, who has an affinity for classical music, blesses the newly renovated store.
March 19 — The pope promulgates Praedicate Evangelium, which reforms the Roman Curia. The reforms emphasize evangelization and establish more opportunities for the laity to be in leadership positions.
May 5 — Pope Francis is seen in a wheelchair for the first time in public and begins to use one more frequently. The pope has been suffering from knee problems for months.
Pope Francis greeted the crowd in a wheelchair at the end of his general audience on Aug. 3, 2022. Daniel Ibanez/CNA
July 24-30 — In his first papal visit to Canada, Pope Francis apologizes for the harsh treatment of the indigenous Canadians, saying many Christians and members of the Catholic Church were complicit.
2023
Jan. 31-Feb. 5 — Pope Francis travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. During his visit, the pope condemns political violence in the countries and promotes peace. He also participates in an ecumenical prayer service with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the Church of Scotland Iain Greenshields.
Pope Francis greets a young boy a Mass in Juba, South Sudan on Feb. 5, 2023. Vatican Media
March 29-April 1 — Pope Francis is hospitalized for a respiratory infection. During his stay at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, he visits the pediatric cancer ward and baptizes a newborn baby.
April 5 — The pope appears in the Disney documentary “The Pope: Answers,” which is in Spanish, answering six “hot-button” issues from members of Gen Z from various backgrounds. The group discusses immigration, depression, abortion, clergy sexual and psychological abuse, transgenderism, pornography, and loss of faith.
April 28-30 — Pope Francis visits Hungary to meet with government officials, civil society members, bishops, priests, seminarians, Jesuits, consecrated men and women, and pastoral workers. He celebrates Mass on the final day of the trip in Kossuth Lajos Square.
Pope Francis stands on an altar erected outside the Parliament Building in Budapest’s Kossuth Lajos’ Square during a public outdoor Mass on April 30, 2023. Vatican Media
June 7 — The Vatican announces that Pope Francis will undergo abdominal surgery that afternoon under general anesthesia due to a hernia that is causing painful, recurring, and worsening symptoms. In his general audience that morning before the surgery, Francis says he intends to publish an apostolic letter on St. Thérèse of Lisieux, “patroness of the missions,” to mark the 150th anniversary of her birth.
June 15 — After successful surgery and a week of recovery, Pope Francis is released from Gemelli Hospital.
Aug. 2-6 — Pope Francis travels to Lisbon, Portugal, for World Youth Day 2023, taking place from Aug. 1-6. He meets with Church and civil leaders ahead of presiding at the welcoming Mass and Stations of the Cross. He also hears the confessions of several pilgrims. On Aug. 5, he visits the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, where he prays the rosary with young people with disabilities. That evening he presides over the vigil and on Sunday, Aug. 6, he celebrates the closing Mass, where he urges the 1.5 million young people present to “be not afraid,” echoing the words of the founder of World Youth Days, St. John Paul II.
Pope Francis waves at the crowd of 1.5 million people who attended the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal on Aug. 6, 2023. Vatican Media.
Aug. 31-Sept. 4 — Pope Francis travels to Mongolia, the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign country. The trip makes Francis the first pope to visit the Asian country that shares a 2,880-mile border with China, its most significant economic partner. Mongolia has a population of about 1,300 Catholics in a country of more than 3 million people.
Pope Francis meets with local priests and religious of Mongolia, which includes only 25 priests (19 religious and six diocesan), 33 women religious, and one bishop — Cardinal Giorgio Marengo — in Ulaanbaatar’s Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul on Sept. 2, 2023. Credit: Vatican Media
Sept. 22-23 — On a two-day trip to Marseille, France, Pope Francis meets with local civil and religious leaders and participates in the Mediterranean Encounter, a gathering of some 120 young people of various creeds with bishops from 30 countries.
Pope Francis asks for a moment of silence at a memorial dedicated to sailors and migrants lost at sea on the first of a two-day visit to Marseille, France, Sept. 22, 2023. A Camargue cross, which comes from the Camargue area of France, represents the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. The three tridents represent faith, the anchor represents hope, and the heart represents charity. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Oct. 4-29 — The Vatican hosts the first of two monthlong global assemblies of the Synod on Synodality, initiated by Pope Francis in 2021 to enhance the communion, participation, and mission of the Church. Pope Francis celebrates the closing Mass of the synod at St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 29. The second and final global assembly will take place at the Vatican in October 2024.
Pope Francis at the Synod on Synodality’s closing Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 29, 2023. Vatican Media
Nov. 25 — Pope Francis visits the hospital briefly for precautionary testing after coming down with the flu earlier in the day. Although he still participates in scheduled activities, other officials read his prepared remarks. The Vatican on Nov. 28 cancels the pope’s planned Dec. 1–3 trip to Dubai for the COP28 climate conference, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech, due to his illness.
Dec. 18 — The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issues the declaration Fiducia Supplicans, which authorizes nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples and couples in “irregular situations.” Various bishops from around the world voice both support for and criticism of the document.
2024
Jan. 4 — Amid widespread backlash to Fiducia Supplicans, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, publishes a five-page press release that refers to Fiducia Supplicans as “perennial doctrine” and underlines that pastoral blessings of couples in irregular situations should not be “an endorsement of the life led by those who request them.”
Jan. 14 — Pope Francis for the first time responds publicly to questions about Fiducia Supplicans in an interview on an Italian television show. The pope underlines that “the Lord blesses everyone” and that a blessing is an invitation to enter into a conversation “to see what the road is that the Lord proposes to them.”
Feb. 11 — In a ceremony attended by Argentine president Javier Milei, Pope Francis canonizes María Antonia of St. Joseph — known affectionately in the pope’s home country as “Mama Antula” — in a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The president and the former archbishop of Buenos Aires embrace after the ceremony. Pope Francis, who has not returned to his homeland since becoming pope in 2013, has said he wants to visit Argentina in the second half of this year.
Pope Francis meets with Argentina President Javier Milei in a private audience on Feb. 12, 2024, at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican Media
Feb. 28 — After canceling audiences the previous Saturday and having an aide read his prepared remarks at his Wednesday audience due to a “mild flu,” Pope Francis visits the hospital for diagnostic tests but returns to the Vatican afterward.
March 2 — Despite having an aide read his speech “because of bronchitis,” the pope presides over the inauguration of the 95th Judicial Year of the Vatican City State and maintains a full schedule.
March 13 — Pope Francis celebrates 11 years as Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.
Pope Francis greets Catholic bishops on a pilgrimage from Slovakia to Rome on April 30, 2022 / Vatican Media
Vatican City, Apr 30, 2022 / 07:40 am (CNA).
Pope Francis said on Saturday that he continues to have problems with his leg, for which h… […]
19 Comments
“This coming 50th anniversary year would be a good time to take another look at Humanae vitae. ” – I’m affraid that might be just what the pope is thinking, but not in a good way.
Wow, does anyone else notice Bishop Barron’s watered down language? No mention of “intrinsically evil” or “gravely disordered” – indeed, Bishop Barron is attempting to “seize the narrative” of Humanae Vitae, much like the current evil persons in the Vatican, and he is taking the gravely evil approach of watering down the language. (“ethically upright”, “contrary to God’s will” replace “gravely disordered” and “intrinsically evil.”)
Sorry, folks, within the USCCB there are many Canis Iunis-es in Ovis aries’ clothing. The above article is eye-opening in its subtle-but-evil change of language, all while appearing to be propagating Church teaching. Bad fruit, bad tree.
Yes, I notice that regularly from this pastor. I think he wants to be loved, more than love. Terrible thing to say, but extremely worse if in fact true.
So, Paul VI is a prophet for pointing out the obvious natural destruction that would result from sexual misdeeds. Meanwhile, no one cares about the theological destruction of marriage, which has suffered ambiguity, excessive personalism, and absent teleological themes since the glories of the 60s reforms. Interesting that all the theological newspeak on marriage doesn’t help the situation either, huh?
“Though he is convinced that artificial contraception is morally bad in itself…”
No Contraception is bad in itself. The word literally means to act against the beginning in order to then have sex without children who are then considered to be disease. It’s an act against God and nature, and act against marriage, against creation.
The words natural and artificial are meaningless defining what contraception actually is. A couple knowing that they are fertile an abstaining is not an act of contraception. The church teaches that contraception is immoral, not because it’s artificial but because it’s contraception.
David, that’s actually not true. The Catholic Church does permit contraception in certain cases, and thus it is not intrinsically evil. For example, if a young woman is raped, undergoes testing, and is there is reasonable certainty that she is not yet pregnant, but possibly will be (since sperm can live for up to 5 days in the female reproductive tract), she may be given contraceptive treatment that will prevent the sperm from fertilizing her egg.
This is not immoral since the contraceptive is not meant to sever a consensual sexual act, but is used to prevent further attack (via the sperm) of an unjust aggressor.
This is one example that shows contraception is not bad in all cases, or in formal language, “intrinsically immoral.”
Brandon Vogt, does the Church teach contraception or is it just a group of Bishops who does so.
The USCCB teaching on this is contrary to Church teaching which teaches that contraception is an intrinsic evil.
If the woman is certainly not yet pregnant, to give this woman contraception is to basically say that the life that would have been formed had they not given the contraception is NOT WORTH IT. So the church is saying that the child conceived in rape should not be allowed to live.
This is the problem with the Church now, where her teaching on sexual morality is in schism with itself.
If a child conceived in rape must be contracepted, why should they not be aborted?
The Catholic church NEVER condones “contraception” in any form. It does say that couples are to act responsibly, and they may space their children or even in serious situations decide not to have more children. But it NEVER condones the use of contraception. NEVER
“… it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that [moral] law.”
Does that phrase apply/pertain to the controversy in Ch 8 of Amoris Laetitia?
“Pope Francis, an ardent admirer of Paul VI, has picked up on this theme, bemoaning the “ideological colonization” that takes place when the Western powers attempt, through threat of economic sanctions, to impose their sexual program on the underdeveloped world.”
Pope Francis, in fact, has given those who desire to impose their sexual program on the underdeveloped world a platform at the Vatican:
Bishop Barron has been vilified by many on Catholic websites for opinions predilections [I too wish there were no eternal punishment though like Barron believe it’s doctrine]. Who will question his orthodoxy now? How many prelates have openly and clearly defended Humanae Vitae and delineated the moral debacle that ensued when the vast majority of Laity and Clergy repudiated Pope Paul VI on contraception [he requested then Cardinal Wojtyla to insert a theology of human love]? Paul VI is also impugned by some over the liturgy during a time when the Church especially in Am was careening out of control. He did his best to keep it intact. I can’t say the same today.
I applaud your effort. However, I cringed when I read, “…one of the most significant points of contention between liberals and conservatives.” This is not a political battle. This is between faithful Catholics and not-so faithful Catholics. And the vast majority of priests stand on the side-line and remain in their guilty silence (ref Casti Connubii, Para 56 & 57). Come Holy Spirit. Pierce the hearts of Your priests with Your Light of Truth. Instill in them the strength and courage, the wisdom and fortitude to always preach the Fullness of Your Truth. Amen.
Its also worth noting that contraception has contributed to the deChristianization of the West through lowering birth rates and thus uncontrolled immigration from nonChristian countries to make up the apparent gap.
God gave humanity one order, ‘be fruitful and multiply…” He is certainly punishing us for disobeying this law.
Bishop Baron is always great food for thought. I add by suggesting a link between family wealth and promiscuity. The poorer 90% have just 14.4% of family wealth in the U.S. The poorer 50% have just 0.5% of family wealth – a small slice of the pie that was three times larger in 1989. As family wealth declined so did the rate of marriage. Today only 26% of the poor marry but 20 million STDs are added. Obviously sex continues outside of marriage and people wrongly think that the free Obamacare birth control will prevent venereal disease. We need tax reform that restores family wealth to prevent further destruction to family values.
“This coming 50th anniversary year would be a good time to take another look at Humanae vitae. ” – I’m affraid that might be just what the pope is thinking, but not in a good way.
Wow, does anyone else notice Bishop Barron’s watered down language? No mention of “intrinsically evil” or “gravely disordered” – indeed, Bishop Barron is attempting to “seize the narrative” of Humanae Vitae, much like the current evil persons in the Vatican, and he is taking the gravely evil approach of watering down the language. (“ethically upright”, “contrary to God’s will” replace “gravely disordered” and “intrinsically evil.”)
Sorry, folks, within the USCCB there are many Canis Iunis-es in Ovis aries’ clothing. The above article is eye-opening in its subtle-but-evil change of language, all while appearing to be propagating Church teaching. Bad fruit, bad tree.
Yes, I notice that regularly from this pastor. I think he wants to be loved, more than love. Terrible thing to say, but extremely worse if in fact true.
So, Paul VI is a prophet for pointing out the obvious natural destruction that would result from sexual misdeeds. Meanwhile, no one cares about the theological destruction of marriage, which has suffered ambiguity, excessive personalism, and absent teleological themes since the glories of the 60s reforms. Interesting that all the theological newspeak on marriage doesn’t help the situation either, huh?
….theological destruction of marriage.”
Are you referring to within the Catholic Church?
If so, please specify.
“Though he is convinced that artificial contraception is morally bad in itself…”
No Contraception is bad in itself. The word literally means to act against the beginning in order to then have sex without children who are then considered to be disease. It’s an act against God and nature, and act against marriage, against creation.
The words natural and artificial are meaningless defining what contraception actually is. A couple knowing that they are fertile an abstaining is not an act of contraception. The church teaches that contraception is immoral, not because it’s artificial but because it’s contraception.
David, that’s actually not true. The Catholic Church does permit contraception in certain cases, and thus it is not intrinsically evil. For example, if a young woman is raped, undergoes testing, and is there is reasonable certainty that she is not yet pregnant, but possibly will be (since sperm can live for up to 5 days in the female reproductive tract), she may be given contraceptive treatment that will prevent the sperm from fertilizing her egg.
This is not immoral since the contraceptive is not meant to sever a consensual sexual act, but is used to prevent further attack (via the sperm) of an unjust aggressor.
This is one example that shows contraception is not bad in all cases, or in formal language, “intrinsically immoral.”
Brandon Vogt, does the Church teach contraception or is it just a group of Bishops who does so.
The USCCB teaching on this is contrary to Church teaching which teaches that contraception is an intrinsic evil.
If the woman is certainly not yet pregnant, to give this woman contraception is to basically say that the life that would have been formed had they not given the contraception is NOT WORTH IT. So the church is saying that the child conceived in rape should not be allowed to live.
This is the problem with the Church now, where her teaching on sexual morality is in schism with itself.
If a child conceived in rape must be contracepted, why should they not be aborted?
There is no child at all empirically or in reality prior to the rapist semen reaching the victim’s egg. Keep that difference foremost.
The Catholic church NEVER condones “contraception” in any form. It does say that couples are to act responsibly, and they may space their children or even in serious situations decide not to have more children. But it NEVER condones the use of contraception. NEVER
I have never had had a reason to distrust Dr. Mirus. The Church does not speak (Humanae Vitae) of “couples” and contraception except in the context of marriage–
https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/articles.cfm?id=226
And Fr. Saunders is linked to Christendom College, perhaps the highest ranked authentically Catholic college in America, according to The Newman Society …
https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/ethical-treatment-after-rape.html
I would need to see documented statements from the Church disputing their position before rejecting it.
“… it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that [moral] law.”
Does that phrase apply/pertain to the controversy in Ch 8 of Amoris Laetitia?
“Pope Francis, an ardent admirer of Paul VI, has picked up on this theme, bemoaning the “ideological colonization” that takes place when the Western powers attempt, through threat of economic sanctions, to impose their sexual program on the underdeveloped world.”
Pope Francis, in fact, has given those who desire to impose their sexual program on the underdeveloped world a platform at the Vatican:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/speaker-tells-vatican-conference-reducing-population-is-best-solution-to-cl
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/vatican-welcomes-contraception-pushing-population-council-to-biological-ext
Bishop Barron has been vilified by many on Catholic websites for opinions predilections [I too wish there were no eternal punishment though like Barron believe it’s doctrine]. Who will question his orthodoxy now? How many prelates have openly and clearly defended Humanae Vitae and delineated the moral debacle that ensued when the vast majority of Laity and Clergy repudiated Pope Paul VI on contraception [he requested then Cardinal Wojtyla to insert a theology of human love]? Paul VI is also impugned by some over the liturgy during a time when the Church especially in Am was careening out of control. He did his best to keep it intact. I can’t say the same today.
I applaud your effort. However, I cringed when I read, “…one of the most significant points of contention between liberals and conservatives.” This is not a political battle. This is between faithful Catholics and not-so faithful Catholics. And the vast majority of priests stand on the side-line and remain in their guilty silence (ref Casti Connubii, Para 56 & 57). Come Holy Spirit. Pierce the hearts of Your priests with Your Light of Truth. Instill in them the strength and courage, the wisdom and fortitude to always preach the Fullness of Your Truth. Amen.
Its also worth noting that contraception has contributed to the deChristianization of the West through lowering birth rates and thus uncontrolled immigration from nonChristian countries to make up the apparent gap.
God gave humanity one order, ‘be fruitful and multiply…” He is certainly punishing us for disobeying this law.
Bishop Baron is always great food for thought. I add by suggesting a link between family wealth and promiscuity. The poorer 90% have just 14.4% of family wealth in the U.S. The poorer 50% have just 0.5% of family wealth – a small slice of the pie that was three times larger in 1989. As family wealth declined so did the rate of marriage. Today only 26% of the poor marry but 20 million STDs are added. Obviously sex continues outside of marriage and people wrongly think that the free Obamacare birth control will prevent venereal disease. We need tax reform that restores family wealth to prevent further destruction to family values.
Morality is never solved by wealth.
In fact, it is the other way around. The wealthier the nation, the more morally corrupt are its citizens because material success becomes God.
I agree.