Right attitude Broken vow Sterilization So many do Advice of non-Catholic doctor The Bible says Stand of the Church Attitude of the Church Books favoring contraception Catholic doctor A priest's advice Wife cooperates False conscience Mortal sin? Confession Buying the contraptions RH factor Slums Malthus What They Ask About BIRTH CONTROL By Monsignor J. D. Conway (Author of: What They Ask About Marriage) AVE MARIA PRESS Notre Dame, Indiana AUG O 31384 LI OH. cJâ u Tbi.^ lo Kiju,/yo AÜÜO ö V384 > NIHIL OBSTAT: John L. Reedy, C.S.C. Censor Deputatus IMPRIMATUR: l̂ t Most Rev. Leo A. Pursley, D.D. Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ft. Wayne, Indiana March 28, 1956 This pamphlet is reprinted from WHAT THEY ASK ABOUT MARRIAGE, By Monsignor J. D. Conway. Fides Publishers: Chicago 19, 111. Copyright, 1955. Printed with permission. Cover Photograph: By Harold M. Lambert All rights reserved. This pamphlet may not be reproduced by any means in whole or in part without prior permission. Do@Òfd!ff9(f BIRTH CONTROL Right attitude—Broken vow — Sterilization — So many do — Advice of non-Catho- lic. doctor—The Bible says — Stand of the Church — Attitude of the Church — Books favoring contracep- tion.— Catholic doctor — A priest's advice — Wife co- operates — False con- science—Mortal sin?—Con- fession — Buying the con- traptions — RH factor — —Slums—Malthus Q. Please solve my problem. When I was married, our pastor told me to use my marriage privilege in a natural way. He said that to do otherwise would frustrate God's plan and be a mortal sin. We have been blessed with six lovely children and are very happy, but our financial status prevents us from "keeping up with the Jones'." Lately I have been hearing: "What, another one? You ought to be ashamed. How can you cheat the ones 3 you have by taking from them to give to others?" Am I cheat- ing them, and just what should I do under such circumstances? A. Maybe you should follow that tendency—which you must have had at times—to tell your critics to go to the devil, whose cause they are representing to you. But it is surely more charitable and patient to simply remind them that another new soul which can be happy with God for all eternity seems more important in your eyes than a few additional material benefits for yourselves and your children. Your letter leads me to suspect that your family Is much more happy than those of your critics. Q. Many years ago a mother made a vow to the Blessed Virgin that she would never do anything to prevent the birth of chil- dren. She has a large family, but recently she advised and assisted her daughter to produce an abortion. She is now afraid to go to confession because she has broken her vow. She can not even pray to the Blessed Virgin now, and she always had great devotion to her. Is the breaking of her vow a sacrilege which can not be forgiven? A. This mother has been guilty of many grievous sins, but they can all be forgiven if she is sincerely and honestly sorry, as she apparently is. There are more important things than her vow to worry about In this case. Taking the life of a human being, depriving it of the chance of baptism and heaven, the scandal of leading her own daughter into serious sins, and the excommunication f rom the Church which she has incurred by having part in an abortion. I wonder if it was a real vow which she took. Vows are not made to the Blessed Virgin, but to God alone. Solemn promises might be made to the Blessed Virgin; but these would not have force of law, or bind under pain of sin. Sometimes when a person says she made a vow to the 4 Blessed Virgin she means that she made a vow to God in honor of Mary. But before it can be a real vow the person making it must fully realize that she is binding herself under pain of sin—that she is making a special law for herself. And she must fully intend to accept that obligation and bind her- self under sin. The breaking of a private vow is not called a sacrilege, in the strict sense. But even if it were it would be quickly forgiven if repentance were sincere. It is a sin against reli- gion, and it is serious, but it should not keep a person from confession a single day. Catholics should not make vows without the advice of their confessor. The excommunication may cause more trouble. The priest may have to obtain faculties f rom the bishop to absolve from it. But the seal of confession will be strictly observed. If the mother did not know about this excommunication, she did not incur it, and the priest can absolve her without delay. The Blessed Virgin will not forget a quarter-century of faithfulness to this vow, or promise, because of one violation, serious as it is. Pray to her with confidence and love—and go to confession at once. O. Is it possible for a young couple who have had eight chil- dren and are expecting the ninth, who have tried to use the rhythm system and find it impossible on account of physical disturbance of the young mother, to get permission to have an operation so that there will be no more children? A. It is not possible for anyone in the Church to give you permission to have this operation. The immediate purpose of the operation is sterilization. That is contrary to the law of God. No one can give you permission to break the law of God; no one can give you permission to steal, or lie, or commit adultery. 5 I think everyone sympathizes thoroughly with you in your problem. You write that you are still very young and that you have many complicating difficulties in the family. Ap- parently Our Lord expects you to be heroic. He does demand unusual sacrifices f rom some people, and usually f rom those whom He loves most. Q. Is not the fact that so many good Catholics practice birth control proof that the Church is divided on the matter? A. Good Catholics don't. Even if an equal number of other- wise good Catholics began robbing banks, it would not prove the Church had changed her teaching on the seventh com- mandment. Q. To what extent can a Catholic rely on the advice of her non-Catholic doctor, who tells her she should have no more children? There is no Catholic doctor in her community. A. She might ask him what he would have her do about it. She might explain to him tha t artificial birth control is out of -the question for her, that it is morally wrong, a mortal sin. Does he merely think it inadvisable for her to have another child? Would he advise periodic abstinence—the rhythm? Or does he think it gravely dangerous to her health or life to have another child—so dangerous that he would not trust the rhythm, but would recommend complete abstinence f rom marital relations? If she pins him down this way, she may get some practical advice. It is quite easy for a non-Catholic doctor to simply tell a patient that she should have no more children. To him iit seems the safer procedure. Why take a chance? It might be dangerous. It will be difficult, at least. He intends artificial birth control, of course. He may be inclined to ridi- cule scruples against this practice; but if a Catholic patient is firm and makes it clear to him that she does not solve 6 problems by breaking the moral law, she may make him realize the problem he poses for her. Once he understands his advice should be the same as that which a Catholic doctor would give. I would not be guilty of advising a woman to go contrary to her doctor's warning in a serious medical matter But I do advice her to beware of his encouragement that she com- mit sin. In matters of health and medicine he is presumed competent. In questions of morality he may be immorally wrong. . J Q. What are the words and where do you find it in the Bible that birth control should not be practiced? A Genesis 38:8-10 relates that Onan practiced birth control- And therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detest- able thing." Good thing the Lord doesn't keep up his sudden punish- ment to Onan's successors. Birth control would be not only sinful but an extremely dangerous praotice. And race suicide would be quickly accomplished. Q. Do you think the Catholic Church will ever change its stand on birth control? A. I'm certain she will not. It 's a law of God, not a law of the Church. Q. I am a convert and have five children. A Catholic told me that the Church does not encourage large families but forbids birth control. Is that statement correct? A. Almighty God forbids prevention of conception by artificial means. The Church finds it necessary these days to insist 7 that such action is immoral. The Church has made no law in the matter. God's law is perfectly clear. If nothing sinful is done to prevent conception, the size of the family does not directly concern the Church. God, through his natural laws, will probably take care of that. Catholic writers and teachers constantly point out the ad- vantages of large families over small ones: more immortal souls for eternal happiness and God's glory; more generosity, happier family life, and greater social adaptability; less selfishness, less frustration, and much more genuine love. Of course, practical, hard-headed (and hard-hearted) moderns will argue in favor of the small family, that it is better to have a few and raise them well, etc. For answer, make your own survey: apart f rom certain under-privileged large families—made that way by social injustice, or personal defects-—is it your own observance that the pampered brats of eugenically proper families are 'better raised than the wholesome, hearty brood of holy, happy, healthy homes? Q. I am reading books favoring contraceptives, because I feel I would be dishonest if I did not see both sides of the question. My sister says this ts wrong. "Which of us is right? A. Your sister is a smart girl. Your zeal for honesty is mis- leading you. The label on the bottle says poison, but you feel you would be dishonest if you did not t ry it and see for yourself. It would not be right for you to take the chemist's word that it is poison. If you were a moral theologian I would advise you to read those books. You would be able to pick out their errors. But in your case, your fervent zeal for seeing both sides of the question convinces me you are gullible enough to simply devour those errors. Q. My non-Catholic sister-in-law says that her doctor (a Cath- olic) says that it is all right for her to use a diaphragm to pre- 8 vent her having any more children for a while. She already has four, and the doctor says she should not have another one right away because of her health. I told h er this doctor must not be living up to his religion if he inserts a diaphragm or advises the use of one. My question is this, may a person, under any circumstances, use a diaphragm as a means of birth control? A. The use of a diaphragm to prevent conception is wrong and sinful. I t is contrary to the law of God. There are no exceptions to this law. There are no circumstances which permit the use of any type of instrument, medicine, or other material as a means of birth control. If a Catholic doctor really encouraged your sister-in-law to use a diaphragm, fitted her with one, or directed her else- where to be so fitted, he .did wrong. He is either (1) ignorant of the true meaning of God's law and the Church's teaching regarding it, or (2) he is deliberately breaking this law in a serious way. He might try to argue that your sister-in-law is not obliged to observe this law, because she is not a Catholic. He is wrong. The law comes from God, and all His people are bound by it, whether they be Catholic or heretic, Christian or pagan. He may argue that she does not believe that birth control is wrong, and hence commits no sin by it. So he is not co-operating in sin or encouraging her to commit sin. He is simply leaving her in good faith and giving her some good amoral medical advice or assistance. Again he is wrong. He may not make use of his patient's ignorance to accomplish a purpose contrary to the moral law. It is like putting a gun m 'the hands of a child and telling that child to shoot some- one. The child is not guilty of sin. He may argue: well, if I don't fit that diaphragm, she will simply go to another doctor who will, and I will lose a 9 patient. The answer: and if you do fit it, you will lose a soul, and it will be your own. Q. Can a priest ever advise a woman penitent to have herself fitted with a diaphragm to prevent conception? Sounds in- credible, but a friend of my wife solemnly told her that a mar- ried friend of hers was so advised by a confessor because they "already have five children and any more would be a severe economic burden." I have heard similar allegations made four times in the last four years by four different married women. One of them swore that her confessor told her: "Go ahead and practice (artificial) birth control but be sure to confess it every time." My question: Do YOU think any priests could be guilty of such grave errors? A. I do not—definitely and absolutely. I think there might have been misunderstanding of what the priest did tell them, or a process of rationalization in an effort to find excuse. I think that the stories might have been distorted, too, as they passed through the ears and mouths of three women before they came to you (and I pay my deep respects to your wife). Priests can make big mistakes a t times; but I can't imagine one being that f a r wrong. If a confessor ever did give such advice, in matters of this kind, the law of the Church requires that it be reported to the Bishop—by the party getting the advice. Q. Is it a mortal sin on the part of a wife if her husband in- terrupts intercourse against her wishes, or is it only a mortal sin on his soul? His purpose is birth control. A. The problem you present is a very complicated one, and it is very difficult to give a general answer. Certainly no one 10 is guilty of sin unless they consent to it. A wife is not guilty of sin because of something her husband does against her will. However, in matters of this kind, the co-operation between husband and wife is most intimate. If the wife fully knows that her husband intends to commit sin in the course of the act in which she is co-operating with him, can she give her co-operation? She does not want to commit sin She gives no direct consent to the sin. But she has an immediate part in the act by which sin is committed. The sin would not be possible without her. Questions so complicated should usually be taken up in the confessional, and presented on an individual basis, with all o b s e ^ t e ^ 0 6 5 - W e m a y m a k e t h e s e f o l i o w i n S general 1. Is the wife really desirous of having children? Is she whole-heartedly opposed to birth control herself? Or would she hke to avoid conception and a t the same time avoid s i n ' ft?"? a n X i O U S to a v o i d P h o n a l responsibility and shift the burden to her husband? The wife's attitude in this regard can have a great influence upon the husband's action. If she is entirely honest in her own attitude and intentions xn a great majority of the cases she can probably induce her nusband to agree with her. 2. Presuming that She is honest, has she really and sincerely tried to get her husband to conduct -his relations properly? H l i t u 3 1 1 t h a t s h e c a n t o avoi