question about contraception

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Monica4316

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Hello,

I always thought that the Church teaching is that if a (married) couple can’t have children for whatever reasons (finances, health, etc) they should practice NFP or abstain from relations.

I recently read a document written by Canadian Bishops saying that they completely agree with Humanae Vitae and the Holy Father, and believe our conscience should be informed by Catholic teaching, - but they added that if two married people know the Church teaching and have tried their best to follow it, but are still unsuccessful, then the priest should tell them to follow their own conscience. (and use contraception, if I’ve understood correctly).

This seems to me to go against what i’ve read in other Church documents… ? (admittedly I haven’t read very much)

my understanding was that if a person has an informed conscience, they should follow it (ie: the Church teaching), and if they do not, it is a mortal sin.

Does anyone here know the answer? Have I misunderstood the document? I was under the impression that it’s always wrong to use contraception - and that if a couple absolutely can’t risk having children, then perhaps abstinence is the answer, but not contraception.

:confused:
 
Just to be clear, should:
Monica4316 said:
I always thought that the Church teaching is that if a (married) couple can’t have children for whatever reasons (finances, health, etc) they should practice NFP or abstain from relations.
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read:
I always thought that the Church teaching is that if a (married) couple doesn’t want children for whatever reasons (finances, health, etc) they should practice NFP or abstain from relations.
I recently read a document written by Canadian Bishops saying that they completely agree with Humanae Vitae and the Holy Father, and believe our conscience should be informed by Catholic teaching, - but they added that if two married people know the Church teaching and have tried their best to follow it, but are still unsuccessful, then the priest should tell them to follow their own conscience. (and use contraception, if I’ve understood correctly).
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Do you mean that the couple is unsuccessful at not having children?
Does anyone here know the answer? Have I misunderstood the document?
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Got a link?
I was under the impression that it’s always wrong to use contraception - and that if a couple absolutely can’t risk having children, then perhaps abstinence is the answer, but not contraception.
Click to expand...
That sounds about right to me. It never hurts to double check the CCC when reading any document from any Conference of Catholic Bishops.
 
Monica4316 said:
Hello,

I always thought that the Church teaching is that if a (married) couple can’t have children for whatever reasons (finances, health, etc) they should practice NFP or abstain from relations.

I recently read a document written by Canadian Bishops saying that they completely agree with Humanae Vitae and the Holy Father, and believe our conscience should be informed by Catholic teaching, - but they added that if two married people know the Church teaching and have tried their best to follow it, but are still unsuccessful, then the priest should tell them to follow their own conscience. (and use contraception, if I’ve understood correctly).

This seems to me to go against what i’ve read in other Church documents… ? (admittedly I haven’t read very much)

my understanding was that if a person has an informed conscience, they should follow it (ie: the Church teaching), and if they do not, it is a mortal sin.

Does anyone here know the answer? Have I misunderstood the document? I was under the impression that it’s always wrong to use contraception - and that if a couple absolutely can’t risk having children, then perhaps abstinence is the answer, but not contraception.

:confused:
Click to expand...
There seems to be a bit of confusion here. In the 60s the Winnipeg Statement was made wherein the Canadian Bishops rejected Humane Vitae and asked the people to follow their conscience. In 2008, a statement that conforms with Humane Vitae was made by the Bishops, so this shouldn’t be an issue anymore.
 
Monica4316 said:
my understanding was that if a person has an informed conscience, they should follow it (ie: the Church teaching), and if they do not, it is a mortal sin.
Click to expand...
While I think the above posters have cleared up the Canadian Bishops’ position, there is one point to make here.

We are to follow our properly formed (not informed) conscience, that is true. But to do so does not necessarily mean that we are excused from pain of sin. It is quite possible to follow your conscience and commit a mortal sin if the three conditions are met.
 
Monica4316 said:
Hello,

I always thought that the Church teaching is that if a (married) couple can’t have children for whatever reasons (finances, health, etc) they should practice NFP or abstain from relations.

I recently read a document written by Canadian Bishops saying that they completely agree with Humanae Vitae and the Holy Father, and believe our conscience should be informed by Catholic teaching, - but they added that if two married people know the Church teaching and have tried their best to follow it, but are still unsuccessful, then the priest should tell them to follow their own conscience. (and use contraception, if I’ve understood correctly).

This seems to me to go against what i’ve read in other Church documents… ? (admittedly I haven’t read very much)

my understanding was that if a person has an informed conscience, they should follow it (ie: the Church teaching), and if they do not, it is a mortal sin.
============ Science - medical studies are now showing that lots of destruction is resulting from use of contraceptives. The old TV ad for margarine used say “It is not right to fool Mother Nature” and it is very true. Divorce and abortions and a lot of the horrific rise of STDs are around today- all predicted by Paul VI - on Human Life - which had ONE LINE ONLY on birth control, 'each act…must be open to the transmission of human life." There are highly developed scientific approaches to Natural Family Planning today which are so much more effective than are villified by those who think it is “Rhythm” - very old version. Seek out the groups in your diocese or ask your pastoral team about this alternative. Peace

Does anyone here know the answer? Have I misunderstood the document? I was under the impression that it’s always wrong to use contraception - and that if a couple absolutely can’t risk having children, then perhaps abstinence is the answer, but not contraception.

:confused:
Click to expand...
 
A properly formed conscience is one formed in accordance with Church teachings.

A Catholic cannot get away with saying, for example, my conscience says the Church is wrong in its teaching on contraception, or abortion or whatever. To do so is to commit a sin of grave matter.
 
thanks for the replies 🙂 that is what I thought too…

I’m’ not sure what year the document was from, I read it quickly and it was a paper copy (so I don’t know where to find it online) - but it said that it supports Humanae Vitae and the Holy Father, so I’m guessing it’s the one from 2008. There’s the one statement though, and I’m not sure what it means. I wish I could find the article.
 
I found the quote! 🙂 however the website where i got it is an article on the Winnipeg Statement… so I guess it is from the old one? does anyone know? or does anyone know where to find the new corrected version?
“Counsellors may meet others who, accepting the teaching of the Holy Father, find that because of particular circumstances they are involved in what seems to them a clear conflict of duties, e.g., the reconciling of conjugal love and responsible parenthood with the education of children already born or with the health of the mother. In accord with the accepted principles of moral theology, if these persons have tried sincerely but without success to pursue a line of conduct in keeping with the given directives,** they may be safely assured that, whoever honestly chooses that course which seems right to him does so in good conscience**.”
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the last part just doesn’t seem to fit with what I’ve been taught is the Vatican teaching…
 
Just looking at the Winnepeg statement, it looks like an exercise in moral confusion and wishy-washiness to me. I would look to the teachings of the Pope, and Catholic sources that give confident guidance.

The practice of contraception is close to universal among Catholics, though I hope that is starting to change. We need our bishops to speak with clarity and strength so that we can be confident in following God’s will. The approaches of the recent past did not help sufficient numbers of people to do the right thing in this respect.

Also, it is naive to speak about this issue as if individuals made the choice. The choice to contracept is made by couples. That’s especially true in the case of a marriage. So the faithful spouse needs support from all Catholic authorities without any exception or qualification. Approaches that seem to soothe the “conscience” of one spouse may put the other into a more difficult spot. Also, this approach may give a false confidence to older Catholics to promote contraceptives to the young, which is sinful itself.

Just my thoughts.

God Bless,
Joan
 
And we must remember that everything Jesus teaches through the Church is for our own good and happiness.

That is why studies, such as the one conducted by Family of the Americas, show that those Catholics who don’t use contraception, but use natural family planning only have a 4% divorce rate.
The initial study has less than 1%, but the sociologist had to adjust it, thus the final study’s result was 4%.

Why would anyone want to use contraception which results in a divorce rate of 30 to 50% ?
 
Thank you for the replies. Am I right in understanding that this article says that contraception is never an option? ewtn.com/library/marriage/cclbc.txt that is what I have always thought… I get confused by what people are telling me. I believe that the Church teaching is that contraception is never to be allowed.
 
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