Reproduction stance paradox?

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My co-worker was asking me about the formal stance of Catholics in regards to birth control and reproduction. I must admit I do not know much about this issue. I only know that abstinence is an acceptable method of contraception. As for other methods, I suspect that they are frowned upon.

My impression is that the Catholic church is encouraging human fecundity. Perhaps in compliance with certain biblical verses. However, my co worker pointed out that if this were the case, then why are priests and nuns mandated to be celibate?

My confusion lies on two points. What are the accepted methods of contraception recognized by the Vatican? And is the church being paradoxial in encouraging human fecundity while mandating its clergy and nuns to be celibate?

Thank you for any answers that might clear my confusion.
 
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Rustysickle:
My co-worker was asking me about the formal stance of Catholics in regards to birth control and reproduction. I must admit I do not know much about this issue. I only know that abstinence is an acceptable method of contraception. As for other methods, I suspect that they are frowned upon.

My impression is that the Catholic church is encouraging human fecundity. Perhaps in compliance with certain biblical verses. However, my co worker pointed out that if this were the case, then why are priests and nuns mandated to be celibate?

My confusion lies on two points. What are the accepted methods of contraception recognized by the Vatican? And is the church being paradoxial in encouraging human fecundity while mandating its clergy and nuns to be celibate?

Thank you for any answers that might clear my confusion.
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non-fertilize-period method is also allowed. (maybe by “abstinence” you mean this, then there’s no other method allowed)
Church encouraging married couples be fruitful while singles need to abstain. if there’s pregnancy because of fornication or adultery, Church teaches there must also be no abortion, and the baby must be born.
celibacy isn’t moral corruption.
 
Please consider the following from the 19th chapter of Matthew. It is part of a larger discussion of divorce.

"Jesus’s disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”
11 He answered, “Not all can accept [this] word, but only those to whom that is granted. 12 Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage 9 for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.” Jesus seems to be indicating that the life of a person devoted to God’s kingdom, free from the close attachment to another person that is part of marriage, is an ideal way to go. At the same time he is indicating that not everyone is capable of such a life.

Part of the paradox you see is simply that people are different. The right way for some people is not necessarily the right way for all.

Regarding birth control within marriage (something I have never found a direct statement about in the Gospels) the general idea behing the church’s teaching is that the act of intercourse should not be seperated from the possibility of procreation. Any act of intercourse should be at least open to the possibility that life may be created. THerefore abstinence, either periodic or permanent, is the ideal action for someone who does not feel themselves open to the possibility of a new life.

Hope that helps some.

peace

-Jim
 
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Rustysickle:
My co-worker was asking me about the formal stance of Catholics in regards to birth control and reproduction. I must admit I do not know much about this issue. I only know that abstinence is an acceptable method of contraception. As for other methods, I suspect that they are frowned upon.

My impression is that the Catholic church is encouraging human fecundity. Perhaps in compliance with certain biblical verses. However, my co worker pointed out that if this were the case, then why are priests and nuns mandated to be celibate?

My confusion lies on two points. What are the accepted methods of contraception recognized by the Vatican? And is the church being paradoxial in encouraging human fecundity while mandating its clergy and nuns to be celibate?

Thank you for any answers that might clear my confusion.
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There is not paradox. The Church’s mission isn’t “fecundity”. The spirit-guided teaching of the Church is simply this - if one is married, no sexual act must be sterilized or artificially protected against the life-giving nature of God. Is one is celibate, it is sinful to engage in sexual acts. It is about keeping the sexual act, when it exists, holy, not about producing as many children as possible, which is what your co-workers suggest.
 
First of all, contraception wasn’t invented to prevent pregnancy, it was invented to allow folks to have sex whenever they want. The consequences of that have been catastrophic to our culture. The freedom that we thought we would gain has turned into a form of slavery. I encourage you to go to omsoul.com/item531.html and order this CD for free. Share it with your coworkers.

I would also encourage you to pick up a copy of Theology of the Body by Pope John Paul II. After a few chapters of that, you’ll probably want to pick up Understanding Theology of the Body by Christopher West, as JP II is not always an easy read. IMHO, JPII has explained from a theological point of view, what it really means to be a human being.
 
You’re wrong on both counts. Birth control was invented to control the population.
 
tiny'(name removed by moderator)my:
You’re wrong on both counts. Birth control was invented to control the population.
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The funding for the research of hormonal birth control was provided by an outspoken advocate of “open marriages”. True, she was also a proponent of negative population growth, but the motivation for the development of the BCP was her desire to separate sexual availability from thepossibility of procreation.

Looking to older technology, condoms were also originally focused on use in situations outside of a marriage relationship rather than spacing children within a marraige. Through the centuries, birth control methods have always been more about sexual availaiblity, only recently have they been adopted effectively to reduce average family sizes.
 
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