BASIC MORAL TEACHING OF THE CHURCH ON CONTRACEPTION AND ABORTION

Julita SOCCOM Tawau

The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships. (Quoted from the : ENCYCLICAL LETTER HUMANAE VITAE OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF PAUL VI )

Tawau : The influences  from the worldly rhythm has more and more envelope the mind of the society at this century. The concept of being together without commitment or pre marital sex or cohabitation is one of the big challenges in the spiritual issues. The culture of death seems to be a common way of lifestyle ~ Pro Life verses Pro Choice.

In response to such issues confronting society, the Family Life Ministry of Holy Trinity Parish Tawau took the initiative to organize a half-day program on the 'Basic Moral Teaching of the Church on Contraception.' Some 110 participants from the various ministries and communities attended the event with the youth forming about 80% of the attendance. The event was held on Sunday, 2nd September 2012 at the Church Basement Room from 1.00 pm to 4.30 pm.

The talk began with a brief introduction by Julita on the incidence of abortion. Her sharing touched on the evil act of abortion and world statistic on abortion. The issue of abortion nowadays seem to be a practice as one way to avoid or eliminate life for their convenience. She also stressed on the usage of the contraceptive pills which acted as an       abortifacient, considered as a silent abortion method without the users realizing it.

Fr. Dr. Charles Chiew of the Diocese of Keningau talked on Humanae Vitae, the encyclical letter of Pope Paul VI on the regulation of birth.  Published in the year 1968, the document re-affirms the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church regarding married love, responsible parenthood and the continuing proscription of most forms of birth control.

These are few explanations that can be shared with everyone on the teaching of human life and applied in the marriage life:

1. God's Loving Design   :   Married love particularly reveals its true nature and nobility, its origin from God, who is love, the Father 'from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.' 

2. Married Love   :    "Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the procreation and education of children which is the supreme gift of marriage and contribute in the highest degree to their parents' welfare.'                                     

3. Observing the Natural Law  :  The sexual activity, between husband and wife are intimately and chastely united with one another, through which human life is transmitted, is, as the recent Council recalled, 'noble and worthy.'

4. Union and Procreation   :  the fundamental nature of the marriage act, while uniting husband and wife in the closest intimacy, also renders them capable of generating new life.

5. Faithfulness to God's Design  :  "Human life is sacred—all men must recognize that fact," Our predecessor Pope John XXIII recalled, "From its very inception it reveals the creating hand of God."  Respecting the laws of conception is to acknowledge that one is not the master of the sources of life but rather the minister of the design established by the Creator

6. Unlawful Birth Control Methods   :  the first principle of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage declared that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children. Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary.  for spacing births, arising from the physical or psychological condition of husband or wife, or from external circumstances, the Church teaches that married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles imminent in the reproductive system and engage in marital intercourse only during those times that are infertile, thus controlling birth in a way which does not in the least offend the moral.

7. Consequences of Artificial Methods   :   man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.

8. Concern of the Church  :  She urges man not to betray his personal responsibilities by putting all his faith in technical expedients. In this way she defends the dignity of husband and wife. This course of action shows that the Church, loyal to the example and teaching of the divine Savior, is sincere and unselfish in her regard for men whom she strives to help even now during this earthly pilgrimage "to share God's life as sons of the living God, the Father of all men." 

Fr. Charles finally touched on the issue of cohabitation and the consequences of it that leads to the termination of life of the embryo or the foetus.

The talk was indeed very meaningful and informative as admitted by most of the youth who attended the program. The program ended at 4.30 pm with a photo session .