Childless By Compassion

[Newtous]

Me and my wife have been married for 4 years and are just beginning our journey into the Catholic Church. I was raised southern Baptist and my wife as an atheist. Our only confusion is the issue of contraception. We have decided not to have a biological child due to extreme medical and mental health issues on both sides of our families which almost certainly would be passed along to a child. We don’t want to bring a child into a life of suffering and pain. We need some guidance on this issue and have considered adoption in lieu of having our own child. Help?

 

[1ke]

Our only confusion is the issue of contraception. We have decided not to have a biological child due to extreme medical and mental health issues on both sides of our families which almost certainly would be passed along to a child.

Some thoughts: Discuss your medical/mental health issues with a medical doctor and counselor in the field of genetics. This should give you more data on predisposition for hereditary problems.

Spend time with families who have children with disabilities-- spend time with PEOPLE who have disabilities. Their lives are not all pain and suffering. You are focused on that, but are missing aspects of family life than include joy and happiness, too.

It’s a continual discernment process, not a one time decision. If you and your spouse discern that you are not able to bring a child into the family at a particular time, even if this goes on indefinitely, there are moral and immoral ways of doing this. Natural family planning is a moral means of spacing children. Contraception is not.

 

[Irishmom2]

Also, make an appointment with a priest and run your thoughts past him to see what he has to say. God bless you in your faith journey.

 

[TheLittleLady]

As a person with a profound genetic disability, it makes me very sad to read this sort of post. We imperfect people, even with all of the pain, all of the cruelty heaped on us, life is beautiful.