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Hi Christina,
First, the Church isn't against all birth control when used in accordance of the designs of our bodies.
A good portion of my answer has been taken from the Couple to Couple League. They provide very good information.
There are natural and unnatural methods of birth control. The Church is
against unnatural means of birth control.
Because the conjugal embrace between a man and woman is inherently procreative,
when a birth control method prevents the natural consequence of possible
pregnancy, it is considered unnatural. Some examples are:
- Spermicides
- medications that cause abortions
- barrier methods (condoms and diaphragms)
- cervical sponges and caps, and
- withdrawal
These are unnatural birth control methods by definition because they
contracept or interfere with a sexual act between a man and a woman in
such a way as to prevent the natural consequence of a possible pregnancy.
Other examples of unnatural birth control are:
- The IntraUterine Device (IUD). This can act contraceptively by impeding
the transport of sperm to the fallopian tubes. The IUD also can act to
prevent a conceived baby from implanting in the uterus, which would be
a very early abortion. This is called an abortifacient mechanism.
- The Pill. This may act contraceptively, but it also is designed to prevent
the implantation of any possibly conceived baby from taking place, which
is most definitely abortifacient. e.g. Plan B and Norplant. For Real stories from Real couples check out this page.
Side note: Plan B should not be:
- a pill that induces an abortion but
- to bring your infant to birth then go to your local Catholic diocese where they will welcome you and your new child with open arms.
- Sterilization. This is contraceptive in that it severs the passages through
which sperm or egg would travel to each other. However, both vasectomy
and tubal ligation violate the natural integrity of the body. When a
healthy system is intentionally damaged for no proportionately serious
medical reason, it is nothing less than self-mutilation.
If a birth control method is being sold at the neighbor drug store there
is a 98% probably it is a unnatural form of contraception that the Church
and Our Blessed Lord would not want you to practice. Some of these birth
control pills can also destroy the chemistry within the woman's body,
though you will never be told that.
Jesus said, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life; not the Way, the Truth
and No Life.
You are probably saying,
Give me a break, what would the Church
consider approved birth control.
This can be summed up in 3 letters: N.F.P. Nature Family Planning.
Because NFP birth control methods do not interfere with the conjugal embrace
between a man and a woman in such a way as to prevent the natural consequence
of a possible pregnancy.
In addition, both spouses have an openness to
new life when they become one.
The Catechism tells us:
2370 Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on
self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. (Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae 16) These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically evil: (Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae 14)
Thus the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid, through contraception, by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other. This leads not only to a positive refusal to be open to life but also to a falsification of the inner truth of conjugal love, which is called upon to give itself in personal totality. . . .
The difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle . . . involves in the final analysis two irreconcilable concepts of the human person and of human sexuality.
(St. Pope Paul II, Familiaris Consortio 32)
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Again, I highly recommend you visit the Couple to Couple league website if you wish to practice true birth control with your married spouse. If you are having troubles finding something, check out their Site map. This is from their web site:
NFP has two basic forms.
The Sympto-Thermal Method and Ecological Breastfeeding.
In both these forms of birth control there is an openness to new life
and a possible pregnancy.
The Sympto-Thermal Method (STM) is based on daily fertility awareness;
a couple charts the wife's common signs of fertility day by day
and uses that information to determine her fertile and infertile times.
It can be used both to achieve and to avoid or postpone pregnancy. When
used to avoid pregnancy, the couple abstains from marital relations (intercourse)
during the fertile time.
Ecological Breastfeeding is actually the world's oldest form of NFP.
It is still widely practiced in certain parts of the world, and is used
successfully to space children by many women in the United States. The
key factor in Ecological Breastfeeding is frequent suckling. It usually
requires minimal fertility awareness, especially in the early months, and,
in the absence of signs of possible fertility, no periodic abstinence.
The term "ecological breastfeeding" was developed to sharply
distinguish this form of baby care from "cultural breastfeeding" which
provides little or no natural infertility.
Ecological Breastfeeding is a type of nursing that respects and follows
the natural order, i.e., a mother nurses her baby on demand without relying
on bottles, pacifiers, or fixed schedule. It is actually the world's
oldest form of family planning because by providing her baby nourishment
and nurturing according to the standards of Ecological Breastfeeding,
a mother will almost always experience an extended time of infertility
following childbirth. With today's common “cultural nursing” (usually
a combination of nursing and supplementing with bottles), women usually
experience an early return of fertility.
Over the years at CCL we have found that teaching about Ecological Breastfeeding
has been the most appreciated aspect of our classes. Many women tell
us that they find Ecological Breastfeeding to be truly life-enhancing.
For the best information, order Sheila Kippley's ground-breaking book, "Breastfeeding and Natural
Child Spacing."
There is more to NFP than the mere physical aspects of understanding
and working with your fertility. The moral practice of NFP involves a
way of life, not just a method of birth regulation. Therefore, CCL instruction
provides insight into a host of values and moral principles that are
involved in responsible parenthood and the decision to use NFP.
Many couples find that learning Natural Family Planning together and
living the NFP lifestyle strengthens their marriage. The couple to couple
league has made NFP easier with their CyclePro charting software. CyclePRO allows you to plan your pregnancies and keep an accurate electronic charting
history of your cycles. |
Before I leave the subject of Natural Family Planning, I would be remiss
if I didn't mention probably the best Speaker in this field, Dr. Janet
Smith. Her talk on Contraception,
Why Not? has been extremely well received
by those that wish to:
- understand the Church's teachings in this area
and
- understand Natural Family Planning.
Here is a snippet of what she
said:
Women who use Natural Family Planning have an amazing sense of self-respect
and well-being. They think that their fertility is revered by their husbands
and they think that they've got themselves particularly good husbands.
“I've
got my husband who's particularly good. He's a wonderful man. He's got
high moral standards. He doesn't treat me like a sex object. I can trust
him. He likes me even when we're not having sex together. He's a great
guy. I got myself a good one.”
And males have a great reverence
for their wives, for their fertility. They don't want to see he body damaged.
The don't want her to take all these pills and use these devices. They
say,
“No. I love her. I wouldn't put her through those risks. And
this willingness to have a baby for me, that's a wonderful thing. What
a woman puts herself through! And I am going to respect that.”
So,
there is this deep bond between the two of them.
And NFP doesn't say no to God. You see, NFP respects a woman's fertility,
has no bad social consequences (in fact wonderful ones — there's
almost a non-existent divorce rate among couples using Natural Family
Planning) and NFP doesn't say no to God because God has said,
“I
want to be there at the fertile time. I made the fertile time for bringing
forth new human life. If you engage in the sexual act, I want My option
of making new human life. But I gave you a half of a month, three quarters
of a month, where you're infertile and if you want to pursue the bonding
power of the sexual act without babies, do it then. I'm asleep. I'm
out of town. I don't expect to be invited at that time. I'm not around.
You can't even make Me come. I won't come. I can't. I made your body
in a certain way.”
There's no saying no to God. NFP couples respect
the fertile period as if they're on sacred ground. You don't walk there
unless you're prepared for the consequences. |
Here entire talk can be found here.
The Church would be against any form of birth control, unnatural or natural,
outside the bonds of marriage, because although the sexual act between
a man and a woman may be open to the natural consequence of a possible
pregnancy, the life-long commitment of both spouses is lacking.
This
lack of a life-long commitment between the man and woman would put the
salvation of their offspring as well as their basic physical and emotional
well-being of their offspring in jeopardy.
This would include cohabitation
situations, legally or illegally recognized, among any man and woman.
Hope this answers your question.
Mike
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