Is ABC ever permissable

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This is correct. When theologian’s talk about the object of a human act they are not talking about any concrete thing (like a condom or a Pill).
Then I don’t think any Catholic here who supports the Church’s teaching on contraception has ever posited that the act of ingesting a pill or applying a condom is intrinsically evil.

We are proclaiming that the Church’s teaching is that contraception is intrinsically evil. Not that a pill or a latex implement is intrinsically evil.
 
And the object of a contraceptive human act is always evil - but it isn’t merely the external fact of the chosen use of the Pill or a condom. In 99.9% of cases it probably will be, but not all.
On this we are agreed. 👍
 
I think the apparent “contradiction” is easily resolved with this: rape is not a conjugal act.
👍

Every single part of Church teaching that mentions contraception does so in the context of marriage and the conjugal act.
 
👍

Every single part of Church teaching that mentions contraception does so in the context of marriage and the conjugal act.
I’m not disagreeing with you at all here, just want to clear up a possible inconsistency I might have seen.

I have made it a point before, in another thread, that if a couple is having sex outside of marriage, using a non abortifacient contraceptive won’t add to their sin of fornication… because fornication is not the conjugal act and is therefore not called to be unitive and procreative, it is just called to stop taking place altogether. I then pointed out certain quotes from the CCC and from humanae vitae where they always spoke of the morality of contraception in the context of the marital act only.

Anyway, no one else was agreeing with me on that, and perhaps I’m wrong, but I think you might have been one of them… 🤷
 
The “Congo nuns” tale is exactly that-- a tale. It has NO substantive proof that it ever happened. It is a Catholic urban legend of grand proportion supported by NO Vatican document and put forward by a censured Catholic priest and known Humanae Vitae dissenter-- Charles Curran.

So, I reject the big fat Congo nun whopper.

But, even if it were true it remains that it would be in defiance of Church teaching. It does not prove that there are exceptions to Church teaching merely that there are people (even Bishops) willing to transgress it.
 
The “Congo nuns” tale is exactly that-- a tale. It has NO substantive proof that it ever happened. It is a Catholic urban legend of grand proportion supported by NO Vatican document and put forward by a censured Catholic priest and known Humanae Vitae dissenter-- Charles Curran.

So, I reject the big fat Congo nun whopper.

But, even if it were true it remains that it would be in defiance of Church teaching. It does not prove that there are exceptions to Church teaching merely that there are people (even Bishops) willing to transgress it.
Hypothetical scenario… a woman is kidnapped and about to be raped, would it be morally wrong of her to beg her attacker to at least wear a condom if he’s going to rape her?
 
The more I read on the subject, the more I would have to say yes.
So then do you also disagree with the USCCB that it is morally permissible for a rape victim to take the morning after pill so long as she is not ovulating (so long as there is no chance of an accidental abortion taking place)?

If so, then how is the condom scenario different?
 
So then do you also disagree with the USCCB that it is morally permissible for a rape victim to take the morning after pill so long as she is not ovulating (so long as there is no chance of an accidental abortion taking place)?

If so, then how is the condom scenario different?
Yes.
 
The “Congo nuns” tale is exactly that-- a tale. It has NO substantive proof that it ever happened. It is a Catholic urban legend of grand proportion supported by NO Vatican document and put forward by a censured Catholic priest and known Humanae Vitae dissenter-- Charles Curran.

So, I reject the big fat Congo nun whopper.

But, even if it were true it remains that it would be in defiance of Church teaching. It does not prove that there are exceptions to Church teaching merely that there are people (even Bishops) willing to transgress it.
I don’t see Father Curran mentioned here.
" Redemptorist Fr. Brian Johnstone, an expert in moral theology at Rome’s prestigious Alphonsiana Academy, told NCR that in the early 1960s, the Vatican gave permission for religious women in the Belgian Congo to use contraceptives as a defense against rape.

“It was seen as a protection against pregnancy arising from unwanted, unfree sexual intercourse,” Johnstone said.

Referring to Humanae Vitae, the 1968 document of Pope Paul VI that reiterated the church ban on birth control, Johnstone said the document “prohibits the inhibition of procreation in the context of free sexual intercourse.”

“What happens in rape is not free,” Johnstone said, explaining the logic of the 1960s-era Vatican statement. “It can be regarded as an unjust attack, and thus the woman is justified in using chemical means in repelling the effects of the attack.”"
and
" Bishop Juan Antonio Reig Pla of Segorbe-Castellón said in late January that sisters who face a danger of rape, such as missionaries in war zones, may use the pill as “self-defense against an act of aggression,” according to the Madrid-based newspaper El País.

Reig, president of the Family and Life subcommittee of the Spanish bishops’ conference, was speaking at a news conference to promote a Feb. 4 “day in defense of life.”

Reig said use of contraception by religious women as a defense against rape “changes the nature of the moral act,” rendering it no longer an illicit attempt to “go against conception.” "

natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2001a/021601/021601j.htm
 
I don’t see Father Curran mentioned here.
" Redemptorist Fr. Brian Johnstone, an expert in moral theology at Rome’s prestigious Alphonsiana Academy, told NCR that in the early 1960s, the Vatican gave permission for religious women in the Belgian Congo to use contraceptives as a defense against rape.
It first surfaced in Curran’s writings. It has been repeated many times. Again, NO substantiation at all.
 
You are correct, you did put the word “willful” in there… I hadn’t seen that. Either way, I’m sure it didn’t hurt for me to reiterate to the OP exactly what “willful” means by showing examples. 🤷

When we are in a state of emotional distress, or when we are afraid, or when we are addicted, or when we feel a certain sense of obligation to do something,… can all be examples of not having full consent of the will.

Technically, you are correct. But sex can be very important in a marriage, and if one partner knows that there would be huge problems in the marriage if one of them stopped having sex for any reason other than legitimate illness or paralysis, they might feel like it’s something they have to do for the good of the family.

It’s always best not to jump to conclusions.
Well, when referring to other people, it is simply not our place to try figure out culpability… if we tried, there is no way for us to know someone’s heart, but even if we could, it is simply not our place. If a person asks us we can suggest they speak with a spiritual advisor/confessor.
When evaluating our own culpability I think it is important to mention that we cannot assume that we are not committing a mortal sin because one of the examples you gave are true. I cannot assume that the fact that I am under emotional distress, worried about marriage, have a (false) sense of obligation (no one has any obligations that would justify turning one’s back on God) or any other of those examples given etc would make it ok for me to choose to do something that I know is grave matter.
 
Well, when referring to other people, it is simply not our place to try figure out culpability… if we tried, there is no way for us to know someone’s heart, but even if we could, it is simply not our place. If a person asks us we can suggest they speak with a spiritual advisor/confessor.
When evaluating our own culpability I think it is important to mention that we cannot assume that we are not committing a mortal sin because one of the examples you gave are true. I cannot assume that the fact that I am under emotional distress, worried about marriage, have a (false) sense of obligation (no one has any obligations that would justify turning one’s back on God) or any other of those examples given etc would make it ok for me to choose to do something that I know is grave matter.
I’m honestly not sure why you’re nit picking at my posts so much. It’s getting kind of old at this point. I have said nothing against Church teaching, and all the examples I have listed as possible circumstances which would lessen culpability have all been talked about a great deal here on CAF. I never said “if the following are true, you are free to assume you are not in mortal sin and may continue on in grave matter,” I merely listed a few possible examples so the OP would understand.

I’m also not sure why you’re lecturing me on not finding out other people’s culpability, when I was the first one to say “hey, it’s between the couple and God and there’s no way for us to ever know for sure.”
 
👍
Originally Posted by PRmerger
I think the apparent “contradiction” is easily resolved with this: rape is not a conjugal act.
Ah, now I see where PRMerger (and yourself) are coming from.

Gents, I believe you are both mistaken (or better, could be more accurate).
Contraceptive human acts (ie as defined by the Church) are also to be found outside of marriage.

Yes, I agree that Magisterial Church Teaching is assumed to be targeted at married Catholic couples. However the definition/principles of “contraceptive act” can also be applied outside marriage.

Those who fornicate promiscuously usually use ABC for the purpose of avoiding pregnancy. Why would such immoral acts not be both sins of fornication and contraception?

Keep in mind that "conjugal act’ is often simply a euphemism for sexual intercourse (which of course must be conjugal if we assume we have celibate Cardinals talking to good Catholics 😊 hmmmnn). But taking things in context is is relatively clear it is not actually limited to the married.
 
Ah, now I see where PRMerger (and yourself) are coming from.

Gents, I believe you are both mistaken (or better, could be more accurate).
Contraceptive human acts (ie as defined by the Church) are also to be found outside of marriage.

Yes, I agree that Magisterial Church Teaching is assumed to be targeted at married Catholic couples. However the definition/principles of “contraceptive act” can also be applied outside marriage.

Those who fornicate promiscuously usually use ABC for the purpose of avoiding pregnancy. Why would such immoral acts not be both sins of fornication and contraception?

Keep in mind that "conjugal act’ is often simply a euphemism for sexual intercourse (which of course must be conjugal if we assume we have celibate Cardinals talking to good Catholics 😊 hmmmnn). But taking things in context is is relatively clear it is not actually limited to the married.
Yes. I have never proposed that this is limited to the married. Extra-marital sex is merely a feigned conjugal act.

My point is that rape is not a conjugal act. It is not even a feigned conjugal act.
 
The “Congo nuns” tale is exactly that-- a tale. It has NO substantive proof that it ever happened. It is a Catholic urban legend of grand proportion supported by NO Vatican document and put forward by a censured Catholic priest and known Humanae Vitae dissenter-- Charles Curran.

So, I reject the big fat Congo nun whopper.
Interesting. I had no idea that there was no validation of this story.
 
Then I don’t think any Catholic here who supports the Church’s teaching on contraception has ever posited that the act of ingesting a pill or applying a condom is intrinsically evil.

We are proclaiming that the Church’s teaching is that contraception is intrinsically evil. Not that a pill or a latex implement is intrinsically evil.
Thats fine, you are the one who made the statement not me. Here is what you said:** “It appears to me as if you are saying that the Pill, as an object, isn’t intrinsically evil.”**

PRM the problem is that it is by no means clear what you mean by “contraception is intrinsically evil?” You seem to mean “use of ABC is always evil” which is only slightly more meaningful than “the pill is evil.” This isn’t really what the Church teaches.
 
I’m honestly not sure why you’re nit picking at my posts so much. It’s getting kind of old at this point. I have said nothing against Church teaching, and all the examples I have listed as possible circumstances which would lessen culpability have all been talked about a great deal here on CAF. I never said “if the following are true, you are free to assume you are not in mortal sin and may continue on in grave matter,” I merely listed a few possible examples so the OP would understand.

I’m also not sure why you’re lecturing me on not finding out other people’s culpability, when I was the first one to say “hey, it’s between the couple and God and there’s no way for us to ever know for sure.”
I apologize if it seemed like I was lecturing you on trying to figure out other people’s culpability, I agree with what you are saying on that matter, I didn’t realize it sounded as if I was disagreeing, I was simply adding something, a caveat, to what you were saying… that we cannot assume that we are scott- free if we have one of the examples given. I’m sorry you felt I was nitpicking! Basically I was trying to say, it is good to know that there are factors that could affect our culpability, but for practical application, it is not our place to figure out culpability of others on one hand, so knowing they may be more or less culpable may affect our impression of them, but it wasn’t our business to begin with to try to gage their culpability, and on the other hand if we are using that information when deciding whether to willfully take action, we cannot rely on the fact that we are in one of those situations to expect our culpability to be mitigated. I think you agree with that, based on the fact that you mentioned that you would not tell anyone to assume they are not committing a mortal sin just because they find themselves in such a situation.
 
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