I have never heard a Catholic refer to NFP as birth control. And I have never considered it birth control either because I understood to it be an alternative to birth control. Again, I would argue that this furthers my point that their is a lack of educating and teaching in our Catholic community.
Perhaps part of the problem is that not enough Catholics read the Catechism. There seems to be a lack of Catechist teaching…how can we encourage people to get further catechized? More teaching from the pulpit? Free online short courses? Send out information (especially to high risk young adult, singles and those with teens)? Provide information about alternatives to abortion at Catholic schools and colleges? What about information tables with volunteer opportunities related to pro-life and family? Guest speakers? Prayer vigil? I wonder if prayer vigils were called prayer marathons if more people would participate?
Objectively, NFP is a form of birth control, just one that does not break the “wholeness” of the marital act. Having said that, I would expect the majority of Catholics to interpret “birth control” as a reference to the pill and such measures, ie. to contraception.
Ok recently visiting Houston I have heard of a couple of examples of priest or deacon speaking against abortion in their homily. Once at Prince of Peach Catholic Church when the reading was the 10 commandments and here is a homily stjoseph6thward.org/uploads/3rd_Sunday_in_Ordinary_Time_for_St_Theresa.pdf
From 2013 Quinnipac University Poll;
53 % who attend Mass weekly support same sex marriage…Appalling!
Only 61% of Catholics who attend Mass on a weekly basis oppose abortion? Again…appalling!
Yes it is appalling. All Catholics should oppose the redefinition of marriage and all Catholics should oppose abortion. PERIOD!
If someone asks a practicing Catholic; Would you support or oppose a law allowing same-sex couples to get married? Their answer should be an unequivocal and resounding…Oppose!. And if anywhere near 53 % of Catholics who attend Mass regularly support same sex marriage, and anywhere near 39 % of Catholics who attend Mass regularly support abortion; then I’ll repeat what I said before…that’s appalling! There are other polls that I’ve read that showed similar results. Are these polls perfect? No. But what they do reveal to me is, is that far too many of our brothers and sisters who are sitting there in the pews with us on Sundays are supporting things that our Church considers Intrinsically evil. I’ve heard sermons from both Fr. Wade Menezes and Father Bill Casey of the Fathers of Mercy speaking to this issue. I too would like to think that these poll numbers are inaccurate, but I’m beginning to wonder.Yes it is appalling. All Catholics should oppose the redefinition of marriage and all Catholics should oppose abortion. PERIOD!
But the Quinnipac poll did not ask Catholics if they opposed same sex marriage. It asked: “Would you support or oppose a law allowing same-sex couples to get married”
In my estimation, many liberal Catholics are sympathetic towards homosexual couples who want their relationship recognized as a marriage. They see no harm. OF COURSE they would not be opposed to a civil law allowing such a thing.
My point is that Quinnipac and the news media IMPLIED that “53 % who attend Mass weekly support same sex marriage”. But that was not the question.
I have not found the actual question Quinnipac asked about abortion but I bet it was just as misleading or ambiguous.
I, for one, reject the implications of this poll based on the question asked.
I have heard it called “Catholic birth control” “the rhythm method” and “Vatican roulette” .
I should have been “more pastoral”. Well Duh! I do not disagree with you.
Well, dammit Zoltan, don’t stop there! What did you say to the priest? Did you sort him out?Later I was called to a meeting with our pastor and the DRE. I was told that I had “greatly disturbed” several women, who had abortions, including some returning Catholics .
This could be fodder for another thread…
Rau is less polite. But I do appreciate the perspective that says to so directly confront such a personally difficult matter in a group setting may be inappropriate.This could be fodder for another thread…
It was a big class, 45 or so Candidates and catechumens with a parish sponsor for each. So about 90 people.
One does not “sort out” a Dominican pastor. Zoltan bit his tongue.
My only reply was…“Well, if we don’t teach what we are supposed to teach…what do we teach?” Both pastor and DRE agreed that a “softer” approach should have been used. (Wow…OK so skip the excommunication part and emphasize “scope of mercy” part… )
I can see it now…“Don’t worry Tiffani, have your abortion and all will be forgiven.”
I really enjoyed working with the RCIA process so I capitulated.
Geeeezz…all I did was read from the Catechism. I didn’t go off on a rant. I did get a lot of positive feedback from the group. The DRE was not happy with the number of parish sponsors who said they were shocked to learn how serious the Church treated abortion. This was in contrast to the majority of potential converts who simply accepted it as Church teaching. Seemed like the parish, rather than RCIA class needed a reading from the Catechism.
The Church DOES recognize civil marriages.
I am also concerned about evangelizing the LGBT community but I think that legitimizing a homosexual relationship as a marriage is simply promoting unnatural sexual behavior.
Where the civil union carries no implication of being a sexual relationship and is available widely, to facilitate shared assets, financial arrangements, mutual care and the like, I agree.
Do you mean if abortion occurs while in communion with the church…then they will be excommunicated? Because one cannot be in communion and believe it is ok to abort a baby. However, if someone was not in communion, had an abortion and then had a conversion of heart to become a Christian in communion, then could they?Several years ago…in an effort to impress our RCIA class about the seriousness of abortion I read from the Catechism…:
"2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,"77 "by the very commission of the offense,“78 and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.79 The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.”
Later I was called to a meeting with our pastor and the DRE. I was told that I had “greatly disturbed” several women, who had abortions, including some returning Catholics .
Until the situation presents, it is likely the Catholic has not thought deeply about abortion or alternatively holds to the Church teaching. When the person decides irrevocably to proceed to abortion, they cut themselves off. Of course, it is within their power to commence the journey to return.
The Catechism is translated and promulgated by our bishops. They would be the ones to provide an interpretation…although I find it pretty clear.