I know a guy that had a vasectomy after his third child was born because he said they were poor and couldn’t afford three children let alone four or five. He has since become Catholic and is now convicted of the decision and we were discussing ramifications in regards to his decision. I’m not too informed in this arena to help him out but was curious about something I didn’t bring up to him. Every time he and his wife have sex, the procreative aspect has been permanently removed and the unitive aspect is the only one there. What are the moral ramifications, if any, that are present here. I think I’m wording this correctly and would just like to know so I can correctly offer words of encouragement while at the same time be direct and pastoral.
The Catholic Church believes that God allows natural forms of birth control.
In his Angelus address on July 17, 1994, Pope John Paul II restated the Church’s position:
"Unfortunately, Catholic thought is often misunderstood … as if the Church supported an ideology of fertility at all costs, urging married couples to procreate indiscriminately and without thought for the future. But one need only study the pronouncements of the Magisterium to know that this is not so.
Truly, in begetting life the spouses fulfill one of the highest dimensions of their calling: they are God’s co-workers. Precisely for this reason they must have an extremely responsible attitude. In deciding whether or not to have a child, they must not be motivated by selfishness or carelessness, but by a prudent, conscious generosity that weighs the possibilities and circumstances, and especially gives priority to the welfare of the unborn child.
Therefore, when there is a reason not to procreate, this choice is permissible and may even be necessary. However, there remains the duty of carrying it out with criteria and methods that respect the total truth of the marital act in its unitive and procreative dimension, as wisely regulated by nature itself in its biological rhythms. One can comply with them and use them to advantage, but they cannot be “violated” by artificial interference."
Judeo-Christian tradition has taught for thousands of years:
- Single people should be celibate.
- Married people should be faithful to each other (adultery is wrong).
- Married couples should welcome God’s gift of children and, therefore, artificial birth control is against the will of God.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, in paragraph no. 2399, that while regulation of births is an aspect of responsible parenthood, “Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means (for example, direct sterilization or contraception).”
Can you think of any other bodily function that can be suggested to be blocked or cut off? For doctors to suggest we could plug our tear ducts, or obstruct our digestive system, without serious repercussions would be ludicrous. And there are serious repercussions which have surfaced with vasectomies; i.e., chronic pain may result, chronic immune and inflammatory responses to vasectomy that are the basis of disease models for cancer, heart and neurodegenerative disease, there may also be the beginnings of dementia because of auto-immune insufficiency due to vasectomies.
As the years goes on, more research is done. It’s not a good thing, in the final analysis.
