The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has designated this week as “Natural Family Planning Awareness Week.” I think the key word here is “awareness.” Many people know that the Catholic Church teaches that contraception is a serious wrong. Very few, however, realize the depth of the Church’s teaching or the beauty of living love in the way that God created us to share it. Even some of the theologians who oppose our teaching did not have a full understanding. One of my seminary professors was asked to join a group of theologians who opposed Blessed Pope Paul’s 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, even before the encyclical was published. He told them he wanted to read the document before he commented on it, but they wanted their statement to come out at the same time as the Pope’s. My professor waited to read the document and then realized how beautiful Blessed Paul’s teaching was.
Rather than go into a theological explanation of the Church’s teaching, which would take more than the space I have here, I would like to focus on that “awareness.” Some years ago I had the opportunity to work with a group of couples from across the diocese who were supporting the Church’s teaching, and I got to hear their stories. Many of them spoke of how Natural Family Planning had helped their marriage. One couple said that they used contraception in early years of their marriage. One day they were talking to their priest, and the wife argued that her husband had a very strong sex drive and that she didn’t feel like she could ask him to abstain. The husband heard her say that, and he realized that she just claimed he was no better than an animal who could not control his desires. He told her that he loved her and that their marriage was worth making a sacrifice. Since then, they found that they each had to be more aware of and open to the other’s needs. They had to communicate more about their relationship, and they had to find other ways of showing love to each other.
This Monday is the anniversary of the publication of Humanae Vitae. Blessed Pope Paul expressed a number of concerns of what would happen if contraception would become widespread. He said that it would lead to a rise in infidelity and divorce and that irresponsibility would be “rewarded.” He also stated that men would give into the ever-present temptation and come to regard women as “a mere instrument for selfish enjoyment and no longer as his respected and beloved companion.” We have seen how Blessed Pope Paul’s warnings have all come true. On the other hand, I have seen couples who have lived the Church’s teaching and have come to realize how beautiful it is. And to all married couples, please know that I am praying that God may strengthen your love for one another and for your families, to know His presence in your homes as you live the gift of marriage day by day.
On a different matter, please note that I will be away from the parish on my vacation starting this Tuesday evening through August 12.
Father H
