If the impossible happened

[Abu]

Teelynn #81
I was not aware that NFP was to be used only under GRAVE circumstances. Yes, it has always been understood (or at least I thought it to be understood) that using NFP was to be used in possible financial hardship or for the healthy spacing of children, or of course for health reasons,

The Holy See teaches that “serious motives,” and “proportionately serious reasons,” are needed in order to use NFP to avoid, or to decrease the likelihood of, conception.

Pope Pius XII taught that if there are serious motives to space out births, which are derived from the physical or psychological conditions of husband and wife, or from external conditions, it is then licit to take into account the natural rhythms in the generative functions, for the use of marriage in the infertile periods only, and in this way to regulate birth without offending moral principles. (Pope Pius XII. AAS XLIII, (1951), p. 846).

“With regard to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible parenthood is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have more children, and by those who, for serious reasons and with due respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional children for either a certain or an indefinite period of time.” (Paul VI, 1968).
vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968humanae-vitae_en.html

As Dr Janet Smith points out, in Humanae Vitae 16: “seriis causis” (serious reasons); HV 16 states: “iustae…causae” (just reasons) and “argumenta…honesta et gravia (worthy and weighty justifications), as well as “probabiles rationes” (defensible reasons) and “iustas rationes” (just reasons).

“Trivial reasons will not do, but reasons less than life-threatening conditions will.”
Moral Use of NFP, in Why Humanae Vitae Was Right, p 461].

Natural Family Planning - Serious Motives
Answered by Fr. Richard Hogan, NFP Outreach
‘Serious reasons mean important, or non-trivial, reasons, deriving “from the physical or psychological conditions of husband and wife, or from external conditions” (HV 16). Just reasons are, likewise, reasons which correspond to the truth of marriage and the situation of the couple. It is the nature of justice to correspond to the truth. Both terms, serious and just, presumes there can be selfish, trivial or unjust reasons for using NFP, reasons not in keeping with the nature of marriage as a community of life and love.’
ewtn.com/expert/answers/nfp_serious_motives.htm

The real issue is the reality that contraception is gravely evil and that NBR is a worthy endeavour for serious, just, reasons. The individual couple has to prayerfully and with counseling, if needed, decide what for them constitute just, serious reasons.

 

[Teelynn]

The Holy See teaches that “serious motives,” and “proportionately serious reasons,” are needed in order to use NFP to avoid, or to decrease the likelihood of, conception.

Pope Pius XII taught that if there are serious motives to space out births, which are derived from the physical or psychological conditions of husband and wife, or from external conditions, it is then licit to take into account the natural rhythms in the generative functions, for the use of marriage in the infertile periods only, and in this way to regulate birth without offending moral principles. (Pope Pius XII. AAS XLIII, (1951), p. 846).

“With regard to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible parenthood is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have more children, and by those who, for serious reasons and with due respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional children for either a certain or an indefinite period of time.” (Paul VI, 1968).
vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968humanae-vitae_en.html

As Dr Janet Smith points out, in Humanae Vitae 16: “seriis causis” (serious reasons); HV 16 states: “iustae…causae” (just reasons) and “argumenta…honesta et gravia (worthy and weighty justifications), as well as “probabiles rationes” (defensible reasons) and “iustas rationes” (just reasons).

“Trivial reasons will not do, but reasons less than life-threatening conditions will.”
Moral Use of NFP, in Why Humanae Vitae Was Right, p 461].

Natural Family Planning - Serious Motives
Answered by Fr. Richard Hogan, NFP Outreach
‘Serious reasons mean important, or non-trivial, reasons, deriving “from the physical or psychological conditions of husband and wife, or from external conditions” (HV 16). Just reasons are, likewise, reasons which correspond to the truth of marriage and the situation of the couple. It is the nature of justice to correspond to the truth. Both terms, serious and just, presumes there can be selfish, trivial or unjust reasons for using NFP, reasons not in keeping with the nature of marriage as a community of life and love.’
ewtn.com/expert/answers/nfp_serious_motives.htm

The real issue is the reality that contraception is gravely evil and that NBR is a worthy endeavour for serious, just, reasons. The individual couple has to prayerfully and with counseling, if needed, decide what for them constitute just, serious reasons.

I have watched many specials on EWTN on NFP, and it is strange to me that no one has ever pointed this part out. The only part you hear is that NFP is an acceptable alternative to artificial contraception and Church approved unlike ‘artificial’ contraception. Of course I already knew that you could not engage in NFP unless warranted, but you NEVER hear that in any of the Catholic media productions.

 

[BobCatholic]

Since the advent of widespread cheap birth control we have seen:

A general lowering of moral standards.

A rise in infidelity, and illegitimacy.

The reduction of women to objects used to satisfy men.

Sounds like you’ve been reading Humanae Vitae from 1968