Humanae Vitae and sterilization

  • Thread starter Thread starter dado
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

dado

Guest
I understand that the Church does not require couples who are sterilized to seek to reversal of the sterilization, nor does it require them to forego marital relations. Are there any Church documents that back up this opinion? Perhaps from the C.C.D.? Humane Vitae seems to refute this.

in urging men to the observance of the precepts of the natural law, which it interprets by its constant doctrine, teaches that each and every marital act must of necessity retain its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life." (Humanae Vitae, 11)
Thanks
 
According to natural law, the ends of sexual intercourse are procreation, unity, and pleasure, among others. The sterile couple has done nothing to place an impediment on procreation. Nevertheless, the couple may engage in intercourse to achieve the other natural ends.

By hanging your hat on the one sentence from Humanae Vitae, you could argue that a pregnant couple could also not engage in intercourse. You wouldn’t argue that this is the teaching of the Church, would you?
 
It would seem that each act of intercourse by voluntarily sterilized couples would violate the following from the Catechism:

CCC 2366 …So the Church, which is "on the side of life,"151 teaches that "it is necessary that each and every marriage act remain ordered per se to the procreation of human life."152

It would appear that each act is an act of contraception which is sinful. Your comments on the natural law are interesting, can you show where they are quoted by competent authority with respect to voluntarily sterilized intercourse?

Thanks for your interest.
 
The arguments I gave were for those who did not voluntarily become sterilized.
 
Well, think on it practically. While someone can repent of a sin, confess and receive absolution, it doesn’t necessarily follow that they can *undo *the original sinful act.

A sterilized couple who is not repentant and has not confessed their sin does commit a sinful act each time they engage in intercourse. A sterilized couple who is repentant and has confessed their sin does not.
 
I just put it this way: Spaying and neutering (sterilization) is for cats and dogs–not for men and women!
 
So in effect the sins confessed, in kind and number, are sterilization (mutilation) against the 5th commandment and contraception against the 6th and 9th. The sterilization is forgiven, it is a one time act, but how is the contraceptive act, which was sinful before confession, not remain sinful after confession as the act is the same and “it is necessary that each and every marriage act remain ordered per se to the procreation of human life.”

Thanks again.
 
40.png
stopthependulum:
I just put it this way: Spaying and neutering (sterilization) is for cats and dogs–not for men and women!
Click to expand...
I just put it this way: Judgement is left up to Our Father In Heaven–not people on earth or (Catholic answers forums) 👍
 
Thanks for the link diarmait, that was helpful. From that article it seems there is no official teaching, just opinions of Theologians. The article assumes that both in the relationship are contrite. What if only one of the couple is convicted that it is sinful then what?
I read somewhere it was permissible to have contraceptive marital relations while prayerfully trying to convince the other partner of the sinfulness of the contraceptive act. Does this have any backing in teaching?

And stopthependulum: Mat 7:1-5
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top