As we approach next month the 50th anniversary of Humanae Vitae do you have any thoughts to share?

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You’re also never going to get reliable data on how many American Catholics have committed specific private sins and how often. I’m sure not going to be sharing details of all the bad stuff I ever did outside of the confessional.
 
AlNg said:
If this is so widespread, shouldn’t there be a whole lot more sermons on why ABC is gravely sinful?
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The sermon at Mass, at least in USA, generally focuses on the readings or the Gospel for that day, not on the priest lecturing people about their personal morals.

Also, Catholics in USA are aware that the church frowns upon artificial birth control just like they know the church objects to sex outside marriage and a whole host of other things. People who do these things generally make a personal decision to go forward with their sin, rationalizing it in some way, and a priest making more speeches from the pulpit would not change their mind. I realize there are some countries where people are more concerned with following what the priest says, but USA has not been like that for decades.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
Also, Catholics in USA are aware that the church frowns upon artificial birth control just like they know the church objects to sex outside marriage and a whole host of other things. People who do these things generally make a personal decision to go forward with their sin, rationalizing it in some way, and a priest making more speeches from the pulpit would not change their mind. I realize there are some countries where people are more concerned with following what the priest says, but USA has not been like that for decades.
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And in fact if a priest were to speak to this issue, it might drive people away from the church. It’s also why homilies are generally free from moralizing about homosexual marriage/sex, abortion, and other hot-button topics. That and the federal law prohibiting speeches that support a specific candidate, because sometimes speeches about topics can slide down that slippery slope of supporting a specific candidate and someone could cry foul.
 
Actually, most Catholics under 65 have no idea why all of Christianity, historically, universally regarded birth control as immoral. They think it’s a Catholic Church rule, like eating meat on Friday.

If people are denied, in religious education or preaching, an explanation for ANY Church teaching, or the Natural Law, of course many will ignore it. This proves nothing about the validity of the teaching.
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
People who do these things generally make a personal decision to go forward with their sin, rationalizing it in some way, and a priest making more speeches from the pulpit would not change their mind. I realize there are some countries where people are more concerned with following what the priest says, but USA has not been like that for decades.
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So the solution is just to keep quiet. How’s that working out for the Church and the world regarding ABC. In the history or the world, keeping silent in the face of evil has never turned out well … never! What’s the old expression? All it takes for evil to grow is for the good to do nothing. There is another expression I use. If the moral do not forcefully exert their influence on the culture, then the amoral culture will force its amorality upon the moral.
 
That’s just it, though. This needs to be covered in religious education classes, not during the 5 minute homily on Sunday mornings.
 
Quote from our diocesan website - - - - - - - “Couples seeking to enter into marriage in the Catholic Church must take part in a process of marriage preparation.”

Surely an opportunity for explaining Catholic teaching on birth control .
 
stephenSTOSS1 said:
All it takes for evil to grow is for the good to do nothing.
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One could argue that the priest is actually “doing something” by skipping the judgmental preaching and advising people in a more compassionate manner in the confessional or wherever he meets them.

If you don’t agree, then why wait for the priest? Hop on your soapbox on Speakers’ Corner, or put a video up on Youtube, and holler about sin all you like. Be sure to mention how in your opinion the Church isn’t discussing it enough.
 
One former pastor we had required the engaged couple take the full course on NFP.

No possibility of them not knowing the Church’s teaching after that.
 
fredystairs said:
No possibility of them not knowing the Church’s teaching after that.
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I don’t think the issue is whether people know what the Church teaches. I think most people do. The issue is whether they care. When I hear this topic discussed, the general attitude is “oh well, the Church is out of touch so just ignore it.”
 
I did a quick survey of my 4 Catholic friends here in the USA. Non-supported this ban on contraceptives.

Overall, 80% of USA Catholic believe in 99% of mortal sins, except conservatives.
 
Why is the Holy Spirit not convicting us of sin if we’re using contraceptives.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
If you don’t agree, then why wait for the priest? Hop on your soapbox on Speakers’ Corner, or put a video up on Youtube, and holler about sin all you like. Be sure to mention how in your opinion the Church isn’t discussing it enough.
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I am a writer. So that is the soapbox I use, and I’m not shy about speaking the truth. Was Jesus lacking in compassion when he told the people don’t do as the Pharisees do because they are full of dead men’s bones and they will not see heaven because of their pride. Jesus didn’t take them aside privately and try to cajole them into a change of heart. The Truth IS compassion. The emotional compassion you are thinking of is for those who are ignorant of the wrong that they do, but are willing to change once presented with the truth. Those of the 80%+ Catholics who know what the Church teaches, but think they know better than does the institution who was promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it … and what it binds on earth will be bound in Heaven, are not going to repent no matter how much compassion you employ. It is not ignorance that is the stumbling block for a great many of them … it’s pride. Scripture tells us if we do not correct our neighbors who sin, then the sinner will go to hell, but the person who fails to correct him will be held to account by God for their lack of action.

Incidentally, if a contraceptive couple doesn’t believe that they are wrong, they won’t even be bringing it up to the priest in confession … if they even go to confession. By the way, you are right. I vehemently believe that the Church has greatly let the flock down in this matter. That is because so many of the clergy have failed to teach about Humani Vitae because of the misguided compassion that you seem to be fond of.

See, I’m not waiting for the priest to openly speak the truth.
 
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JanetF said:
And in fact if a priest were to speak to this issue, it might drive people away from the church. It’s also why homilies are generally free from moralizing about homosexual marriage/sex, abortion, and other hot-button topics.
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Huh??? Hold back on the hard teachings, for fear of driving some away? Did you ever read John Chapter 6, The Bread of Life Discourse? I don’t recall Jesus pulling any punches explaining this teaching to his disciples. In fact, He was so literal about this, that further on we read; Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard, and who can hear it? After this many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him.

And Jesus simply just lets them go. He doesn’t chase after them to call them back. He doesn’t try to soften it. He doesn’t try to explain or clarify His teaching. Nope. He is perfectly willing to lose some of His disciples over the correct understanding of His teaching.

And that’s one of the problems I see with the Church today. Way, way too many priests and bishops that don’t have the backbone or the guts to teach or speak about the hard teachings. They’re far to mired in this “I don’t want to offend” syndrome. And sadly because of this, many souls are put at risk of losing their salvation.
 
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I didn’t say I agreed with the attitude, just that the attitude exists. Personally, I think there are moments when a homily explaining what the church teaches on some topics would be appropriate.
 
fredystairs said:
One former pastor we had required the engaged couple take the full course on NFP.

No possibility of them not knowing the Church’s teaching after that.
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…which is, in my eyes, honestly a bit over the top. Not that I wouldn´t have been thankful for a (free?) nfp course in my area, but at least I don´t have to use nfp or know anything about my cycle for my soul´s sake.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
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fredystairs:
No possibility of them not knowing the Church’s teaching after that.
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I don’t think the issue is whether people know what the Church teaches. I think most people do. The issue is whether they care. When I hear this topic discussed, the general attitude is “oh well, the Church is out of touch so just ignore it.”
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No, most people in 2018 do not really know. Before 1930, Christians (and most Jews, and Muslims, and others) were fully aware of the Natural Law. After 1930, Anglicans very, very cautiously began admitting rare exceptions for birth control, while still acknowledging the Natural Law. Most Protestants were appalled by this. Over the next few decades, Protestants began deemphasizing the Natural Law. They said, well, maybe we can accept birth control, but of course, abortion and homosexuality still violate the Natural Law.

After WWII, the Allies wanted to punish the Nazi leaders. But those men had not violated the laws of Nazi Germany. So they were tried for “Crimes against Humanity”, which really means, crimes against the Natural Law, which was fading in 1946, but still had sufficient credibility for Nuremburg.
Once, the Natural Law was woven into Catholic education. It was implied into religious ed, philosophy courses, and sermons.

But the great majority of Catholics today have never had the background in Natural Law, that the great majority of Americans had a century ago. So if an instructor in a marriage prep class brings up contraception, they lack the context for this knowledge. They also lack the context for understanding euthanasia, gay marriage, and other things that may come down the pike, if pushed by the media. The media has given them 100 times as much marriage prep as their diocese.

This lack of understanding does not prove contraception, or gay marriage are harmless. If people are told nothing about the hazards of smoking, and surrounded by cigarette advertising, that influences their practices. But it does not render smoking harmless.
 
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