Most Catholic women use birth control banned by church

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TMC said:
I think it is more likely that many Catholics understand what the Church teaches and simply disagree. Not all disobedience is from obstinence or ignorance or weakness - sometime it is a good faith disagreement.
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Very good point.
 
TMC said:
I think it is more likely that many Catholics understand what the Church teaches and simply disagree. Not all disobedience is from obstinence or ignorance or weakness - sometime it is a good faith disagreement.
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:ehh:
You can’t knowingly disagree with Church teaching on faith and morals “in good faith”, by definition it would be an act of bad faith.
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
it could also mean they are reverts…
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I can’t really think of any reason why reverts would be more likely to choose sterilization. But maybe you’re right.

To me it shows the importance of pacing yourself and always leaving enough for the end of the race. The time that RC women choose sterilization is the time (35 -menopause) when most couples are done having a family and also the time when NFP gets more difficult to practice. There is also more fear of health risks in a pregnancy and the added stress from older children. In any case using NFP for family planning is something that requires more dedication and strength than most couples seem to have.
 
Sooo, what does this tell us?

My wife and I have practiced NFP for decades. The odds are that most people in pews around us contracept, or used to contracept before menopause.

So, given that information, what does that mean to me? Should I do something?

Of course, I do have one snarky comment - given the results of this poll, why is the line for Holy Communion so long?
 
1holycatholic said:
:ehh:
You can’t knowingly disagree with Church teaching on faith and morals “in good faith”, by definition it would be an act of bad faith.
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All Catholics are obliged to give assent to the teaching of the Church, but many Catholics throughout history have struggled to do so in good faith. If you understand the Church’s teachings and you have thought and prayed on the Church’s teaching and still believe that the Church’s teaching is wrong, that is a good faith disagreement. As opposed to simply deciding not to follow the teaching because you don’t want to follow it. Some Catholics that use birth control are doing the latter - simply disobeying. But many have a good faith disagreement with the Church’s teaching in this area.
 
whm said:
I don’t believe either of these numbers. This can’t possibly be of all women(or all catholic women). :confused:
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Perhaps this is the answer from the article

“She said most sexually active women who do not want to become pregnant practice contraception, and most use highly effective methods like sterilization, the pill, or the intrauterine device (IUD).”

This would exclude couples who follow church teaching and are open to children, very many of which can responsibly support additional children and have no moral need to avoid pregnancy. This significantly skews the statistics in the article.
 
Serap said:
I see a lot of judging in this thread. That’s what I meant. I dislike this about the Catholic community. So much judging and it pushes many people away.
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Thank you for that.

Unfortunately, I think you see a lot of judging on these forums, and very little help. The general response in these types of threads is simply, “this is what the Church teaches, and your not Catholic if you don’t follow it”. It’s quite depressing actually, and I wonder at times why I keep coming back for more.
 
TMC said:
I think it is more likely that many Catholics understand what the Church teaches and simply disagree. Not all disobedience is from obstinence or ignorance or weakness - sometime it is a good faith disagreement.
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This would be me, and my wife, particularly on this subject. There, I said it. 🙂 But with that said, it is NOT said lightly, but rather, after literally years of prayer and heavy discernment on the subject
 
KostyaJMJ said:
I can’t really think of any reason why reverts would be more likely to choose sterilization. But maybe you’re right.

To me it shows the importance of pacing yourself and always leaving enough for the end of the race. The time that RC women choose sterilization is the time (35 -menopause) when most couples are done having a family and also the time when NFP gets more difficult to practice. There is also more fear of health risks in a pregnancy and the added stress from older children. In any case using NFP for family planning is something that requires more dedication and strength than most couples seem to have.
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I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. Perhaps they chose sterilization prior to reverting…and repented. They would still be sterile, though.
 
TMC said:
All Catholics are obliged to give assent to the teaching of the Church, but many Catholics throughout history have struggled to do so in good faith. If you understand the Church’s teachings and you have thought and prayed on the Church’s teaching and still believe that the Church’s teaching is wrong, that is a good faith disagreement.
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No, it’s heresy.
TMC said:
As opposed to simply deciding not to follow the teaching because you don’t want to follow it. Some Catholics that use birth control are doing the latter - simply disobeying. But many have a good faith disagreement with the Church’s teaching in this area.
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A Catholic who willingly embraces what they know to be contrary to revealed truth is a formal heretic. There is no such thing as a good faith disagreement. Heresy incurs automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication.
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
I for one did not participate in a poll.🙂

Also, there are a number of NFP only doctors. They must have patients.
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NFP doctors aren’t welcome at Planned Parenthood. Physicians at Planned Parenthood prescribe medications that sicken or kill their patients, NFP physicians don’t.
 
1holycatholic said:
No, it’s heresy.

A Catholic who willingly embraces what they know to be contrary to revealed truth is a formal heretic. There is no such thing as a good faith disagreement. Heresy incurs automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication.
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So, if you use artificial birth control your automatically excommunicated?

I am NOT trying to argue-just to clarify. I’m a bachelor, so I don’t have a dog in the fight.
 
1holycatholic said:
vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.htmlThe seven spiritual works of mercy:
  1. Counsel the doubtful.
  2. Instruct the ignorant.
  3. Admonish sinners.
  4. Comfort the afflicted.
  5. Forgive offenses.
  6. Bear wrongs patiently.
  7. Pray for the living and the dead.
    That gets you a wagging finger of judgment.
But that’s what the Church actually teaches, and it makes some people uncomfortable. You need to use this list to avoid the wagging finger of judgment: The seven spiritual works of mercy:
  1. Counsel the doubtful.
    -]2. Instruct the ignorant.
  2. Admonish sinners./-]
  3. Comfort the afflicted.
  4. Forgive offenses.
  5. Bear wrongs patiently.
  6. Pray for the living and the dead.
    :coffeeread:
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:D:thumbsup:
I for one did not participate in a poll
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Nope. I didn’t either!!
 
1holycatholic said:
No, it’s heresy.

A Catholic who willingly embraces what they know to be contrary to revealed truth is a formal heretic. There is no such thing as a good faith disagreement. Heresy incurs automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication.
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I agree. I would say it’s a faith disagreement and not a good faith disagreement. If we start saying we made a good faith disagreement then we start saying it’s okay to sin because my good faith disagreement conscience told me it’s good for me.
 
Rascalking said:
So, if you use artificial birth control your automatically excommunicated?

I am NOT trying to argue-just to clarify. I’m a bachelor, so I don’t have a dog in the fight.
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Not necessarily. In the case of formal heresy, yes. In the case of material heresy, no.
 
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