-255x255.jpg "George Mason University")
WASHINGTON — During an election year dominated by a partisan drumbeat heralding a “war on women," Helen Alvaré will provide a welcome reprieve: She is the editor and co-author of a new book of essays — stories by Catholic women that challenge the assertion that unrestricted access to contraception is essential to women’s happiness and well-being.
Currently a professor at George Mason Law School, Alvaré has dedicated her life’s work to the defense of the unborn and making a public case for traditional marriage. Her involvement in pro-life and pro-family causes has been a tour de force — beginning with work at the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (which would later become the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops), then eventually in academia and, now, as a leading voice challenging the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate requiring Catholic institutions to provide insurance for contraception and abortifacients.
Richard Doerflinger, the bishops’ conference’s chief lobbyist on life issues, describes Alvaré as “one of the most knowledgeable and effective advocates for life and marriage I have ever known, an ideal combination of style and substance. … She is a leading spokeswoman for Catholic pro-life feminism and a model for many young women emerging as leaders in the Church today.”
Now, Alvaré is gearing up for the release of her new book, Breaking Through: Catholic Women Speak for Themselves, a book-length compilation of stories from Catholic women of all backgrounds, which will be released on Sept. 20. She edited the stories and also provided essays for the book..
The emerging religious-liberty battle, fueled by the federal contraception mandate, has offered her a fresh opportunity to tackle the arguments presented by the mandate’s supporters. Just maybe the book’s readers will find their own worldview shaken up — and they will see that the Catholic Church isn’t waging a war against their true freedom, but is offering a path toward relationships that, in the words of Pope Benedict, “give them the look of love which they crave.”
For Alvaré, this journey begins with an honest reassessment of the sexual revolution and its efforts to “divorce sex from babies.” Breaking Through encourages women to find and live out their own vocations in harmony and union with the Church, even when its teachings on fidelity, chastity and obedience demand real sacrifices. The outcome, she promises her readers, is an abundance of grace and love that manifests itself in our own lives and the lives of those around us.
Making the Church’s case for true human fulfillment is no easy feat in a culture increasingly shaped by individualistic and secular forces.
But Alvaré has spent her career doing just that, and she is unlikely to be deterred by temporary setbacks. Indeed, she predicts victory for the pro-life movement and, in her words, “a continuing consolidation of the realization that abortion destroys what we all know — from common sense and, increasingly, from scientific advances — is a unique, human life, with his or her own personal dignity, origins and destiny.”
While many Catholics look to Alvaré as one of the Church’s most articulate and reasoned voices in the public square today, her critics have reviled her as a “mouthpiece for a male hierarchy” and, as the title of a June 2012 profile on Salon.com put it, “birth control’s worst enemy.”
Despite such partisan attacks, Alvaré wouldn’t change a thing. She’s far more interested in the struggle to live a life of faith with integrity in family life, as a professor engaging students and as a prominent scholar on family-law issues.
And as she continues that pilgrim’s journey, she attempts to provide answers to the hard questions and challenges that women face in modern life.
New Feminism in Action
Alvaré was born in 1960, the daughter of a Cuban immigrant father and mother from Philadelphia. She describes her parents as “very knowledgeable Catholic parents — and both devoted to the Church on a personal, spiritual and an intellectual level.” Growing up, she was the youngest of five children, one of whom was disabled.
After completing her undergraduate work at Villanova University, she attended law school at Cornell.
The decision to earn a law degree gained traction as she witnessed her disabled sister’s vulnerability in society and solidified over a summer during college when she worked with the poor in West Virginia.
“These experiences,” she remembered, “led me to want to have a skill set that would allow me to be an advocate. I kept experiencing the desire to ‘do something’ useful and helpful when I encountered people on the losing side of powerful forces. In the United States, the people often doing something like this were lawyers.”
After finishing law school, she went to work for a private law firm in Philadelphia that had a long Catholic history. During that time, she became intrigued by the memos on social issues produced by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB).
“They were taking up the coolest questions at the intersection of law and morality,” she recalled. When Alvaré received a scholarship to study graduate theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, she jumped at the opportunity and left her work in private practice. Providentially, a lifelong friend of her mother’s also worked for the NCCB, and that contact helped her secure a part-time position at the conference.
Soon after, while serving at the NCCB, she was asked to do a last-minute “emergency” appearance on NBC’s Today Show with Bryant Gumbel to talk about the bishop’s newly launched public-relations campaign on pro-life issues. The interview was a success and soon led to appearances on other major network shows.
Before long, the bishops’ conference asked her to become the public face of the Catholic pro-life movement.
Alvaré was initially resistant to the idea. Then, one Sunday, as she was leaving Mass at St. Stephen Martyr Church in Washington, she experienced a powerful urge to drop to her knees and pray about the position. She recalls a moment after time in prayer where she felt she was being told by the Holy Spirit that “I would be accepting the position, and that, yes, it’s scary, but it’s also going to happen — and that it will all be all right.”
The next day she visited the historic New York residence of Cardinal John O’Connor, then chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Pro-Life Committee, and agreed to work for the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities.
During her tenure at the NCCB, Alvaré traveled the world to speak out against emerging threats to the right to life, testified before Congress on numerous occasions, advised the bishops on matters of pro-life policy and appeared on almost every major news show in the country.
At age 39, after 10 years of service, she decided to shift focus to research, writing and teaching.
This led her first to The Catholic University of America and, now, George Mason Law School, where she spends her time focusing on the demand side of abortion: “Between the amount of time I spent in the company of post-abortive women, trying to find out what they had gone through before and after the abortion, and the amount of time I had spent analyzing the other side’s arguments, it had become clear to me that I needed to think and to write more about the stuff underlying abortion — the ideas about sex, marriage, family, parenting, the roles of men and women, etc. — that lay behind and beneath a woman’s final decision to have an abortion.”
“I felt that until we could get behind the ‘demand side’ [of abortion (i.e., what drives the demand)] we would never ultimately reduce its incidence dramatically,” she said.
“So I asked to teach family law and have continued to teach in that area and write scholarship precisely on those subjects.”
Speaking for Herself
During the 20th century, figures like St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) and Blessed John Paul II developed a philosophy of a “new feminism,” emphasizing both the complementary natures of men and women, but also the distinct differences between them. In particular, John Paul II used the phrase “feminine genius” to describe the very special contribution of women, who make the nurturing of human life and dignity their primary vocation, in the home and in the workplace.
As Doerflinger and many others have noted, Alvaré and her work epitomize the feminine genius.
She describes daily life as a “drop-and-give-me-50 lifestyle.” Along with her full-time work at the law school, Alvaré also serves on the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the Witherspoon Institute’s Task Force for Conscience Protection and various other boards.
All of this, however, is of secondary importance to her role as wife and mother to three children, ages 13, 16 and 18, and her daily routine reflects her priorities.
“When a moment arises when I can do work that should be done, I just drop everything else and start the work,” she described, and “plunge in.”
“When my youngest son goes over to a friend’s house, leaving my house quiet, I start writing a column or a paper that’s due,” she explained.
“Waiting an hour in the car at a soccer practice — I read a colleague’s paper coming up for commentary the next day.”
But despite the intense demands on her time, she keeps an eye on the larger cultural debates that help to shape the personal and moral choices of American women.
In February 2012, in response to the HHS mandate, Alvaré decided that she couldn’t simply sit back and listen to “the ridiculous assertions by opponents of the free exercise of religion — that all women are on their side when it comes to forcing religious institutions to provide health insurance covering contraception.”
One evening, while in the kitchen preparing her family’s dinner, she decided to draft an open letter to the president and the administration, making two primary points: “First, women value religious freedom. Second, we are not stupid enough to believe the claim that ‘free contraception’ is the sum and substance of women’s freedom and equality.”
“In fact, the empirical evidence indicates that it has created a ‘marketplace’ for sex and marriage very much to women’s disadvantage,” she explained.
The letter was co-authored by Alvaré’s friend and neighbor Kim Daniels, a religious-liberty lawyer who also serves as the coordinator of Catholic Voices USA and is the mother of six children. Daniels was more than happy to partner with Alvaré in this initiative, as the two families have shared in each other’s lives for many years, including carpooling every day for the past three years.
According to Daniels, “Anyone who’s worked with Helen will tell you: She puts tremendous energy and passion into issues she cares about, and her enthusiasm is infectious.”
And apparently so — to date, the letter has now been signed by more than 33,000 women and counting.
Register correspondent Christopher White writes from New York.
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If this is the “worst enemy,” we have nothing to worry about.
Thank you, Helen… I saw you awhile back on Raymond Arroyo’s show The World Over and am very appreciative of your work, thank you! Thanks for all of your great work!—Chris
Helen Alvare is most impressive. Her perspective is a breath of fresh air compared to the dreary and shortsighted views of those claiming that there is a war on woman and that free contraception is the solution to all ills.
Thank you Helen. God bless you and your family.—Mica
‘Sexpectations’ - that’s a good, and very apt, term for what women (and men) encounter today in the ‘dating’ world. Thanks for your bravery, Helen! I also saw you on ‘The World Over’ - one of my favorite shows!
Christina,
I disagree, as the birth control pill, which fostered the sexual revolution, plays a huge roll in today’s culture of death. The culture of death involves divorce, abortion, sterilization, materialism, and artificial contraception. None of these things lead to life, but to a slavery of self directed at protecting sexual license.
This IS the enemy. It’s not even the economy so much as it is the moral decay of our country.
Helen, I too saw you on Raimundo’s show, and thought you were great. I’ve seen you before, and I detect a new seriousness and gravity to you and your message, and rightly so.
Please, please help get this word out. And thanks for the book!
JPII generation light the way!
I will take Helen seriously when she exposes the dreadful pornographic materials placed before unsuspecting eyes of our innocent youth in parochial schools. Beginning in kindergarten youth are led towards the practice of vices. See motherswatch.net part 1 and 2 on the series, “Growing In Love” - approved by the U S Bishops. The agenda is to destroy principles and concepts of Catholicism. Does anyone have a better explanation?
She is an inspiration. Marriage and kids are the ultimate happiness.
The idea that sex and its performance without worry of pregnancy as the ultimate expression of female happiness is laughable and bankrupt.
“Birth control’s worst enemy?” Sounds like a badge of honor to me. As far as I know, God has never revoked his commandment to “go forth and multiply.”
Thank-you, Helen. I was so glad to discover you on E-mail. You are a “stand-out” and life-line for me and no doubt, many other women, who are pushed and pulled like taffy by this secular culture until they are wrenched from their moral moorings.
Thank you, Helen for you do for religious freedom and life.
Helen, I also saw you on The World Over,and I was most inspired by your performance and your dedication as well. We desperately need more apostles with your determination and zeal. I salute you, and may the Hearts of Jesus and Mary richly bless you and your work.
My, my, how wonderful that your position and income protect you from the real issues of life, so that you can be the mouthpiece for bishops like Finn of Kansas City.
My mother delivered nine live babies, and had at least two miscarriges. She lived with my father, a man who had more than 30 priests and 70 religious at his funeral, with the diocese archbishop assisting one of my brothers in the service. The archbishop and priests and religious did not come because one of his sons was a priest, he was known for many years as a bulwark of our diocese, despite the fact that he had only eight grades of education and was a simple farrmer.
My mother was considered a great Catholic spouse, but when my father addressed his support of right to life and against contreception, my mother would tell him that he was part of the great multitude of men making laws for women.
I admired my father, but I believe that my mother had it right, especially since I grew up in the 1940’s, with Irish clergy and bishops that only considered women as breeding factories in order to sustain and grow the population supporting the church.
It is interesting that a church founded by a preacher who gathered around him followers who were the first married priesthood, and granted Mary the Magdalene a prominent role in his friendship and priesthood, is now run by men wearing robes of silk adorned with silver and gold, who will not allow its sisterhood to have conferences without a male representative of the Vatican overseeing and “guiding” them.
I totally agree with all you have written. I pray for you and our cause. Thank you for your contribution of time and effort to enlighten the masses.
Surely, we all are aware that the vast majority of Catholic women use birth control and do so with clear moral conscience.
Mary Blair, for your own good and that of “the vast majority” you cite, I hope it is at best merely an uninformed conscience that you would claim. It is certainly neither clear nor moral. To have a clear and moral conscience means that you are fully informed of the facts and the implication to your eternal life, and can make a decision in light of that truth. It is impossible to do that and to choose contraception.
Mary Blair—If a woman is using birth control and calling herself Catholic, she’s clearly not acting with a clear moral conscience. Moreover, she’s acting in violation of her own dignity, that of her spouse (assuming she has one) and God’s will for her feminine sexuality. It’s better not to call yourself Catholic if you don’t square with this Truth than spread lies and misinformation about whether or not using contraceptives as a Catholic is simply up for personal interpretation.
I got to hear her speak at the Catholic Info. Center in downtown DC earlier this summer. It was great!
Dear Helen,
I am so grateful to you for leading the voice of women who stand strong against the culture of death. You are my heroine for speaking clearly and courageously against the lies that have destroyed the dignity of women in our society. Glory and Praise to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for your sacrificial service!!!!!!Our Blessed Mother Mary keep your mantle of protection over Helen and her family. Please pray for all of us to build a civilization of true love.
Posted by Mary Blair on Wednesday, Sep 12, 2012 1:59 PM (EST):Surely, we all are aware that the vast majority of Catholic women use birth control and do so with clear moral conscience. “
**********
I’d rather state it as a misinformed,uninformed, or clouded moral conscience.
Louis, as usual, a liberally-mined man (the great purveyors of contraception and abortion as an aid to avoiding sexual responsibility) and likely a non-practicing Catholic troll that attacks the courageous women willing to wage this battle you challenge the background and credibility of Alvare’. You make assumptions related to “her position and income” like the true class-warfare advocate that you surely are. Who are you to presume that she has not faced the “real issues” of life? Your embittered attack on the faith (as imperfect as many of her followers have been over the ages)is obvious and sad. I grew up with traditional clergy too (I wish we had more in the present day)and NEVER heard women vilified or referred to as breeding factories. Finally, our church was not founded by a preacher, he was God incarnate and he trusted his church through apostolic and Petrine succession to the coming ages. Maybe, you would feel a little more comfortable with the Unitarians.
Surely, we all are aware that the vast majority of Catholic women use birth control and do so with clear moral conscience.
One of the most misunderstood concepts (sometimes ignorantly, sometimes deliberately) is the Church’s teachings on conscience. It does not mean, and has never meant, moral subjectivism and relativism. You can see this in the selective quotes from Aquinas where they leave out the quotes that demonstrate that the conscience can be objectively in error. To wit: To say that abortion and contraception are morally acceptable because my conscience says they are is like sitting in a living room engulfed in flames and saying there’s no fire because the smoke alarm isn’t beeping.
I notice that there is no challenge to my statement that the vast majority of Catholic women use birth control.
Then does this mean they should all head for the exit & leave the Catholic Church to men & the clergy?? Seems
a bit absurd, doesn’t it?
There is no surprise that there is confusion within and without the conciliar church when the hierarchy of the conciliarist church has designed a foundation based upon the ‘non-negotiables’ and not Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church.
Posted by Mary Blair on Thursday, Sep 13, 2012 9:35 PM (EST):I notice that there is no challenge to my statement that the vast majority of Catholic women use birth control.
Then does this mean they should all head for the exit & leave the Catholic Church to men & the clergy?? Seems
a bit absurd, doesn’t it?”
***************
Do you really think that women are acting solely on their own in this matter with no input from or influence by men? Or that they’re acting with fully informed consciences?
If you and Scott W. are right Mary Blair,I guess Blessed.Anna Marie Taighi’s prediction that those who would be condemned would be as numerous as the snowflakes in a blizzard may have even more validity.
I notice that there is no challenge to my statement that the vast majority of Catholic women use birth control.
One of course is too many. Several things. 1.) This is attributable to bad catechesis. 2. When you factor in woman who actually practice the faith: regular confession, attending mass every Sunday, observing days of fast and abstinence, it is easy to conjecture that number is much less. 3). The Church condemned chattel slavery at the height of its power, yet Spanish and portuguese citizens largely ignored it. Does it follow that slavery is acceptable from that?
Yes, it is true that the vast majority of Catholic women use contraception. Not only is this against Church teaching, but aside from condoms and the diaphragm, IUD’s and the pill work primarily as abortion drugs. It’s not simply Catholic theology, but biology, that proves that a new human being comes into existence at fertilization. Even Planned Parenthood, in their 1963 pamphlet, “Plan Your Children for Health and Happiness.” stated that “an abortion kills the life of a baby after it has begun.” Certainly, there have been great leaps in science since then, but biology hasn’t changed. After all, each one of us was once an embryo. I happen to be a gay Catholic, and haven’t always been chaste. I have several gay friends, and we treat each other with respect. However, I have been chaste for most of my 50 years. It’s a tremendous struggle to remain so. But I have found healing and comfort from the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Church has had some bad leaders, especially regarding the priest sex abuse scandal. Such priests should be prosecuted, and their victims should receive counseling and financial compensation from the Church. However, consider this 2002 study by Penn State Prof. Phillip Jenkins, an an ex-Catholic, now Episcopalioan. His research found that over a 20 year period, married Christian clergy and NON-CLERGY (my emphasis added) were just as likely to be molesters of kids as celibate priests. A study by the American Association of University Women about 10 years ago found that about 38% of public high school students were sexually harassed or molested by school employees. Other studies and recent new reports have found that such abuse frequently goes unreported to the police. In my view, both men and women should have the responsibility for rearing children. Natural family planning methods are highly effectivewhen used properly. Unlike contraception, they have no harmful side effects. To those who’ve posted supporting women as priests, I would respectfuly point out that women in the Church have many opportunities for participation, as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, Directors of Religious Education, lectors, and school principals. Jesus did do many acts counter to Jewish law, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he chose only males as his Apostles. The Leadership Council of Women Religious does good social justice work, but I don’t feel that’s the primary role of sisters or priests. A Dominican sister at their conference several years ago gave a speech in which she said that religious should “move beyond the Church, even Jesus.” What is the point of being a Catholic if you want to move “beyond Jesus?” I come from a family with members of many faiths. My late Grandmother was a Presbyterian, as is my sister-in-law and one of my nieces. Her boyfriend’s father is Jewish. My late aunt was a Mormom. While I obviously disagree with the tenets of that faith, she was a loving woman, and not subserveient to my late uncle. Jesus did say to Peter, the first Pope, “you are Peter, and upon this rock I ill build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail agiansy it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. whatever you bindon earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16: 13-19). As has been pointed out, there are thousands of Protestant denominations. Just as I respect my family members who aren’t Catholic, I think it would be wise for people who disagree with Church teaching to join another faith. Not to be disrespectful, but it’s the mainline liberal Protestant Churches (United Methodist, United Presbyterian, and Episcopalian Churches) that have been losing the most members over the last 20 years. Incidentially, while I’m an orthodox (though imperfect!) Catholic, I’m a political moderate. I commend Ms. Alvare for being not only a wonderful pro-life woman, but a wife, mother, and fine lawyer. Respectfully, Tim Donovan
Contraception is practiced because it is taught to be acceptable if it is not taught to be sinful. A back up of failed contraception and it does fail, is what keeps abortion legal. The U S Bishops could shut down the abortion industry if they had the will. These men in black are modernists perfecting a destruction of anything attached to Traditional Catholicism. Ruining the minds of youth in their claimed Catholic Schools is accomplishing their mission and abortion remains legalized.
Posted by Kathleen on Friday, Sep 14, 2012 10:25 AM (EST):Posted by Mary Blair on Thursday, Sep 13, 2012 9:35 PM (EST):I notice that there is no challenge to my statement that the vast majority of Catholic women use birth control.
Then does this mean they should all head for the exit & leave the Catholic Church to men & the clergy?? Seems
a bit absurd, doesn’t it?”
***************
Do you really think that women are acting solely on their own in this matter with no input from or influence by men? Or that they’re acting with fully informed consciences?
———————————————————-
IT ALL BEGAN IN THE CLASSROOMS BEGINNING IN KINDERGARTEN. Not only do the teachers not believe in what the Catholic Church teaches in regards to birth controlling, the clergy appear to be oblivious that they carry the sins of their flock all the way to their fateful day of judgment.
To Ms Mary Blair: whether or not any or all Catholic women use contraception is irrelevant. The fact that all humans sin is not an excuse to sin. Likewise, the questionable “fact” that most Catholic women use contraception is no evidence of its morality.
“Tumultuous Times” reports that only 10% of the teachers in the parochial Catholic schools follow the teachings of Holy Mother the Church in regards to birth controlling, abortion and remarriages. How else do they influence the students? It is VERY relevant that women are not being properly led to be obedient to the teachings of the Catholic Church. What’s more they are sacrificing the graces needed for this journey with their immorality of thwarting a possible new life. There are many physical and psychological consequences to the uses of birth controlling. More marriages break up when the artificial means are used than not. Some of the consequences of birth controlling are cancer! Another is increasing the chances of spontaneously aborting a baby that was conceived but could not survive the chemicals of the mother’s womb. I beg you, Elizabeth Thompson, to rethink your position on what harms not only women but families and that is the practice of birth controlling.
“Then does this mean they should all head for the exit & leave the Catholic Church to men & the clergy?? Seems a bit absurd, doesn’t it?””
If husbands and wives are not being taught properly on birth controlling, then they are not in the Catholic Church.
Tim Donovan, The Sacrament of Matrimony IS for the procreation and education of children. God designed the Sacrament to regenerate and to educate. You cannot be gay and Catholic. It’s an oxymoron. God does not create what He abhors. You’ve been mesmerized by wrong teachings. Please, seek out the guidance of a true priest or bishop.
Helen, God bless you for your work. You and I were on the same flight to Madrid last May (I did not realize it was you until towards the end of the flight) and i thought you made very good use of your time on the plane reading papers.
Tim Donovan, thank you for your good witness.
A question, out of curiosity, and without malice, addressed to anyone here: what would you advise a middle-aged woman who has already had 10 children, for instance, who cannot support yet another child for one reason or another (maybe exhausted), who has an uncooperative husband, and is now pregnant with an 11th? This is not to stir up debate or anything - only to ask your opinions on what advice you would give her.
I might add that sterilzation is the method of choice for many older Catholic men & women, too.
If heaven is reserved exclusively for all the “true"l Catholics who have never used “birth control” for any reason, and have set themselves up as judges as to what constitutes “conscience”, then I’d rather be in hell—or maybe I already am. No wonder atheism is on the rise.
Annette, If a married couple cannot handle more children God provides the suitable grace for what they need to do. Whenever humanity contradicts what God says, there are serious consequences. There are physical and psychological consequences in the uses of birth controlling. You make it appear as if God does not know how to direct his creatures towards happiness in this like time and a good Final End, and that humanity knows better.
Annette ,
Who ever said that??
Dear Cheryl Abon-Jones. I greatly appreciate your kindness- I try to be a good witness, though we all have our failings. To Minty, I’m a bit hurt and mystified by your comments. As I’ve noted, I haven’t always been chaste, but have been for most of my life, and have sought the advice of a good priest and found healing through the Sacrament of Reconciliaition. I do agree that marriage is for both the procreation of children and the loving embrace of one man and one woman. However, the church while rightfully (in my opinion) approves of only natural family family, it doesn’t demand thar married couples have as many children as possible. Further, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, while stating the the homosexual inclination is morally disordered, does say that gay people like myself who remani celibate deserve respect and should be free from any unjust discrimination. With respect to “anon”, who questions whether a woman should overburdened by toomany children when the husband is uncooperative, it is a tragedy that so many men are pig-headed. Personally, I feel that perhaps the couple should separate for awhile unti the husband can be made more responsible in terms of sharing his responsibility for the care of the children and household duties. Catholic charities can and do also provide assistance to single mothers with children. With respect to all, Tim Donovan
@ Minty: In referring to Tim Donovan, of course he can be Catholic and a chaste, gay man as he said he was.
@ Anon: If your provocative senario about an exhausted woman being pregnant with her 11th child is to point out that there are some situations where abortion would be justified, you are wrong. The 11th baby has the same right to life as any other child. This is where the parish comes in. Parish families should, and do, step in to support the family in crisis. Parish schools help with tuition etc.
@ Minty: Of course Tim Donovan can be Catholic and a chaste, gay man.
@ Anon: I think that your question about the exhausted woman who is pregnant with her 11th child is meant to be an example of why some people would justify abortion. Baby number 11 has the same right to life as any other child. This is a perfect example where the Catholic parish should, and does, help families in crisis. Food, clothes, baby sitting, free tuition at the parish school etc. are concrete examples of pro life activism.
Thanks Minty, and msw, for affirming that I can be a decent catholic, as a celibate gay man. A struggle, to be sure, but as my Dad used to say, we all have our crosses to bear! Take care. Tim
What we need is not artificial birth control; what we need is genuine self-control. Self-control comes from the will; it is a decision to love the other. Its exercise reflects the sublime reality of the unitive act, which combines creation with love in imitation of God’s creative act. Birth control substitutes science for self-control. Its use rejects the sacredness of marital union and converts it from a gift of God to a mere exercise of passion. Like all evil birth control is a lie; even its name is a lie. There is no such thing as birth control there is only birth prevention. When we prevent birth we prevent life, it should really be called life prevention. Its real name is repugnant so we call it something that it isn’t like we do when we say “free choice.”
God put marriage and sex and procreation together and what God has joined together let no man put asunder.
Minty ,
We all have attractions to things we should not act upon.Think about it please.
Respect for the teachings of Holy Mother the Church in the practice of birth controlling is not respected because when Humanae Vitae was released many in the episcopacy petitioned against it. There have been no corrections; there have been no ex communications; there have not been an examples set for sincerity in the document. I believe it was Humane Vitae that began the concept of “family planning” unprecedented and never taught in the Catholic Church.
“I believe it was Humane Vitae that began the concept of “family planning” unprecedented and never taught in the Catholic Church.”
Humanae Vitae spoke out against artificial contraception and accurately predicted all that would follow if it was accepted. The church teaches that abstaining from sexual relations during a woman’s fertile period is a licit way to defer pregnancy when serious reasons exist for doing so. Modern medicine has made it easier to determine when a woman is less likely to conceive. However, failures in this natural way of birth controlling result in a child that is welcomed into the family, not aborted. It is very unfortunate when a person who wants to accept God’s will in this is married to someone who is ‘uncooperative’. If we could all be spiritually mature and committed to Christ when we marry, and marry someone who is also a well catechized and faithful Catholic, that would be the ideal. But we live in the real world and have to struggle with these issues.
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