25
July 1968 A.D. Pope
Paul VI Issued Humanae Vitae (Of
Human Life)
No author. “Humanae Vitae.” Christianity.com. Apr 2007.
http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/humanae-vitae-11630825.html. Accessed 13 May 2014.
The Roman Catholic church has
consistently taken a stand against non-natural forms of birth control. Pope
Paul VI took such a stand on this day July 25, 1968 in an encyclical known as Humanae vitae
(Of Human Life). It was a public statement from an ecclesiastic body that
reverberated immediately around the world and now, decades later, is still the
source of great emotional controversy.
New problems, problems of
overpopulation and economics had arisen, making it needful for him to address
the issues of birth control. Appealing to a total vision of man, the pope
reminded the faithful that birth control must be examined in light of eternity
and its values. Transmitting life is a sacred duty, said the Pope. Married love
"is a very special form of personal friendship in which husband and wife
generously share everything, without undue reservations or selfish
calculations. Whoever truly loves his marriage partner loves not only for what
he receives, but for the partner's self, rejoicing that he can enrich his
partner with the gift of himself."
The Pope went on to state a key
point in his argument. "Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature
ordained toward the begetting and educating of children. Children are really
the supreme gift of marriage and contribute very substantially to the welfare
of their parents."
Total love, such as a man and
wife should share, is meant to be responsible love. Responsible love develops
character and self-control. "To dominate instinct by means of one's reason
and free will undoubtedly requires ascetical practices. . .Yet this
discipline...far from harming conjugal love, rather confers on it a higher
human value. It demands continual effort yet, thanks to its beneficent
influence, husband and wife fully develop their personalities, being enriched
with spiritual values. Such discipline bestows upon family life fruits of
serenity and peace, and facilitates the solution of other problems; it favors
attention for one's partner, helps both parties to drive out selfishness, the
enemy of true love; and deepens their sense of responsibility." If held,
these values are communicated to children who, therefore, grow up with similar
values of their own.
The Pope realistically pointed
out that society can weaken family values by permitting pornography, exotic
dancing and the like. Governments must support the moral order by making wise
provision for families and for the moral education of children. Husbands and
wives have a duty to bring Christian virtues into the home. The life of Christ
must be evident there. Each home should have an outreach, a witness. The
husband should love his wife and the wife respect her husband. The total
person, spiritual and physical is involved.
In summation the Pope called for
the responsible use of natural birth control and avoidance of artificial
control. He strongly opposed abortion.
Bibliography:
1. Pope and pill; more documentation on the birth regulation debate. Edited and introduced by Leo Pyle. Baltimore, Helicon Press, 1968.
3. Various encyclopedia and internet articles.
Last updated April,
2007.
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