Contraceptives ok'd for nuns by Church?

[yinekka]

This was posted on a ‘Catholic’ discussion board in Australia:

The church says little about this but that’s why it okayed the use of contraceptives by nuns in World War two where they faced the risk of rape…In more recent times there were also examples of this approval in the Congo and also in the horror of the Bosnia outrages.

I Googled and came up with the allegation many many times but no hard proof. Is this true? Please, in your replies, don’t direct me to sites which just contain the allegation but no proof.

 

[Seatuck]

Not true. There were some isolated cases where permission was given “it seems” by a couple of Bishop’s but no the Church has not ok’d contraception for Nuns.

 

[Atreyu]

I don’t have any evidence one way or another, but it seems to me that contraception would be completely morally licit in the case of rape. Obviously you are trying to frustrate the act, and that is a licit goal! Maybe others will disagree with me, but that is how I see it. So long as the contraception is not abortifacient of course.

 

[porthos11]

I don’t have any evidence one way or another, but it seems to me that contraception would be completely morally licit in the case of rape. Obviously you are trying to frustrate the act, and that is a licit goal! Maybe others will disagree with me, but that is how I see it. So long as the contraception is not abortifacient of course.

Actually, you are correct. Rape is an assault on a person, and in case of rape, non-abortifacient emergency contraception is licit and permissible. If there were the risk of rape during war, I see no reason nuns (or any woman for that matter) wouldn’t pre-emptively defend herself with contraceptives while on the run.

 

[yinekka]

Rape is an assault on a person, and in case of rape, non-abortifacient emergency contraception is licit and permissible/U

Porthos, is this your personal opinion or is it Church teaching? If the latter could you please provide a source. The only emergency contraception after rape that is permitted by the Church is up to 24 hours after the rape, before implantation occurs. I don’t see how that would relate to my original question.

 

[DeFide]

This was posted on a ‘Catholic’ discussion board in Australia:

The church says little about this but that’s why it okayed the use of contraceptives by nuns in World War two where they faced the risk of rape…In more recent times there were also examples of this approval in the Congo and also in the horror of the Bosnia outrages.

I Googled and came up with the allegation many many times but no hard proof. Is this true? Please, in your replies, don’t direct me to sites which just contain the allegation but no proof.

Jimmy Akin discussed this issue a while back on his blog:

jimmyakin.org/2006/05/contraception_e.html

 

[porthos11]

The only emergency contraception after rape that is permitted by the Church is up to 24 hours after the rape, before implantation occurs. I don’t see how that would relate to my original question.

That’s basically what I’m saying. I don’t see how taking contraceptives in advance could be sinful if it is in anticipation of an assault. If the assault does not happen, then there is no contraceptive sex, and therefore no sin and the contraceptives just wear off.

Just thoughts though. The AAA forum may give you a more authoritative answer.

 

[Seatuck]

Rape is an assault on a person, and in case of rape, non-abortifacient emergency contraception is licit and permissible

This isn’t entirely correct. In case of rape a catholic woman is allowed to take steps to agressively avoid pregnancy in cases of sexual assault. There is a procedure to follow to check to see if ovulation or actual conception has occurred. If ovulation has occured then there is limitation as to what can be done. She may do things that inhibit sperm, kill sperm . She may not do anything that prevents implantation since we believe life begins at conception not implantation. If she has not ovulated she may take medications that prevent ovulation and do the other things as well to be safe. Hope that clears up the misconception .

Compassionate and understanding care should be given to a person who is the victim of sexual assault. Health care providers should cooperate with law enforcement officials and offer the person psychological and spiritual support as well as accurate medical information. A female who has been raped should be able to defend herself against a potential conception from the sexual assault. If, after appropriate testing, there is no evidence that conception has occurred already, she may be treated with medications that would prevent ovulation, sperm capacitation, or fertilization. It is not permissible, however, to initiate or to recommend treatments that have as their purpose or direct effect the removal, destruction, or interference with the implantation of a fertilized ovum.19

 

[puzzleannie]

I know several nuns who have been missionaries in areas where assault and rape was an imminent possibility and where other women had been so attacked, including those of their own order. None of them was given any form of contraception “before the fact” or ever heard of such a thing (we had this discussion a few years ago in response to similar statements as OP). They did have anecdotal, but not personal, knowledge of two sisters who had been so attacked but were given emergency treatment immediately including contraceptive drugs.

I am trying to see where routine use of contraceptives is going to prevent a rape.

 

[fix]

This was posted on a ‘Catholic’ discussion board in Australia:

The church says little about this but that’s why it okayed the use of contraceptives by nuns in World War two where they faced the risk of rape…In more recent times there were also examples of this approval in the Congo and also in the horror of the Bosnia outrages.

I Googled and came up with the allegation many many times but no hard proof. Is this true? Please, in your replies, don’t direct me to sites which just contain the allegation but no proof.

The sin of contraception is an action, not any particular device or drug. For one to be culpable one would have to give consent during the act of intercourse. That consent, to frustrate the act, would be a sin.

There is no consent with rape. Medications to repel an unjust aggressor would not be the sin of contraception. As long as there is no attempt to abort any fertilized eggs I cannot see how precautions to repel an unjust aggressor would be theologically seen as the sin of contraception?

 

[wcknight]

I find this discussion/topic to be extremely offensive and it appears to be an attempt to smear the integrity of nuns or Church authority. This thread should be removed stat.

 

[Corki]

That’s basically what I’m saying. I don’t see how taking contraceptives in advance could be sinful if it is in anticipation of an assault. If the assault does not happen, then there is no contraceptive sex, and therefore no sin and the contraceptives just wear off.

Just thoughts though. The AAA forum may give you a more authoritative answer.

The story always seems to be that in a few isolated cases a bishop or bishops (or maybe the nuns’ own superior) gave “permission”. This is not the teaching of the Church.

The problem with taking contraceptives “in advance” to thwart the assault of rape, is that the only contraceptives that can be taken that way are the abortifacient ones (the pill, Norplant, etc.)

 

[Celeste88]

The story always seems to be that in a few isolated cases a bishop or bishops (or maybe the nuns’ own superior) gave “permission”. This is not the teaching of the Church.

The problem with taking contraceptives “in advance” to thwart the assault of rape, is that the only contraceptives that can be taken that way are the abortifacient ones (the pill, Norplant, etc.)

Maybe not necessarily so…wouldn’t it be possible for the woman who in the midst of getting assaulted or just before getting raped pleaded to the rapist, please if you’re going to rape me use a condom…I have one with me. This could potentially prevent not only pregnancy but also a deadly sexually transmitted disease. On the other hand, she could lie and say, “ok, rape me if you must but I have HIV” to twart the assault. I’m not sure lying would be a sin under those circumstances …but that’s another thread.

 

[Transformer]

I find this discussion/topic to be extremely offensive and it appears to be an attempt to smear the integrity of nuns or Church authority. This thread should be removed stat.

I didn’t find that to be the intention of anyone on the thread at all . It seems like the OP was just asking if anyone had an evidence about whether or not the magisterium or perhaps an isolated bishop or priest did Ok such a thing (or perhaps, try to against the will of Christ’s Church). Several people assured him that the magisterium has not and will not do such a thing, but no one has had a specific source about an individual bishop or priest. I don’t think anyone yet has attacked Church authority or smeared the integrity of nuns.

God bless.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Actually, since God is the Creator of life, what gives anyone the right to abort just because of rape? They have no right. God can work good out of evil. Again, they have no right.

One cannot use birth control as it is “evil” but one can have an abortion because of being raped.

 

[Corki]

Maybe not necessarily so…wouldn’t it be possible for the woman who in the midst of getting assaulted or just before getting raped pleaded to the rapist, please if you’re going to rape me use a condom…I have one with me. This could potentially prevent not only pregnancy but also a deadly sexually transmitted disease. .

I am just saying that the “stories” that circulate usually involve the claim that some (unnamed) Bishop approved the use of the Pill for some group of missionary nuns. I, personally, think it is the Catholic equivalent of an urban myth.

 

[Grace_Angel]

This was posted on a ‘Catholic’ discussion board in Australia:

The church says little about this but that’s why it okayed the use of contraceptives by nuns in World War two where they faced the risk of rape…In more recent times there were also examples of this approval in the Congo and also in the horror of the Bosnia outrages.

I Googled and came up with the allegation many many times but no hard proof. Is this true? Please, in your replies, don’t direct me to sites which just contain the allegation but no proof.

Hello Yinekka,
It was a hot day on the discussion board in Australia wasnt it.
I have never seen anything like it.
Grace Angel:angel1:

 

[fix]

The question of a woman who is in danger of being raped properly protecting herself from a possible subsequent pregnancy by wearing a contraceptive diaphragm was widely discussed in the 1960s when the question was quite practical in relation to nuns in some regions of Africa. While the Church has not specifically addressed this matter, it has been the consensus of a number of competent moral theologians that a nun or indeed any woman in such circumstances could so protect herself from pregnancy by previously positioning a contraceptive diaphragm.

The moral reasoning why this would not be considered contrary to the Church’s teaching on contraception is the simple fact that rape cannot properly be called intercourse. If it is truly rape, it is an act of aggression of the rapist alone, with no cooperation or consent on the part of the victim and therefore outside the context of the Catholic teaching on contraception. …

ewtn.com/vexperts/showmessage.asp?Pgnu=1&Pg=Forum5&recnu=7&number=472695

 

[estesbob]

While the Church has not specifically addressed this matter, it has been the consensus of a number of competent moral theologians that a nun or indeed any woman in such circumstances could so protect herself from pregnancy by previously positioning a contraceptive diaphragm.

Since the Church did not give permission to do this the statement that the Church has not adressed this is false. They have unequivcably said ABC is wrong in all circumstances You can not assume that “silence means consent”

 

[Leeta]

There are also health problems with long-term use of a diaphragm, like toxic shock sydrome which can be fatal.

Also, I think a big, strong guard would be the best protection against rape, not doing something to prevent pregnancy.