Understand the contraception issue

Mr. Robert Harrison’s recent letters to the editor purports to provide great detail on a history of Catholic teaching as it pertains to artificial birth control. Upon further examination, his essays contain a number of erroneous statements. Pope Paul VI’s “Humanae Vitae” does not forbid contraceptive practices, but only artificial contraceptive practices as interfering with the natural order as deigned by God. In fact, the pope encouraged married couples to manage their families and the creation of children responsibly so that they could be adequately supported in a loving and stable environment. He fully supported natural family planning as the technique for spacing pregnancies while maintaining a loving and faithful relationship with God.

As for the creation of the soul, St. Thomas Aquinas states that the creation of body and soul for humans reflects that which occurred for Jesus Christ; namely that body and soul are created simultaneously at conception. This teaching forms the basis for Catholic teaching with regard to both contraception and abortion. The details are readily available in the “Catholic Catechism” which is published in many books and available on many websites. Catholic hierarchy has never attempted to provide popular guidance. As shepherds of the faith, they are expected to provide guidance consistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As humans, we are endowed by God with the gift of free will. This allows all of us, scholarly theologians and clergy included, to accept or reject these teachings.

The issue does not need a review. It needs a greater understanding and acceptance in an increasingly hostile and secular society. “Humanae Vitae” is readily available on the Internet and should be read in its entirety by anyone trying to discern their position on the vital human concern of faithful family planning.

Peter Gennuso

Schaumburg