It is always of interest to carefully distinguish the problems at hand. The purpose of contraception is to prevent pregnancy effectively; abortion's purpose is to destroy an infant already conceived.

The Church insists that couples must not radically separate sex and procreation because she maintains that conjugal relations are human acts not reducible to mere instinctive conduct. More precisely, the Church does not approve the artificial methods of contraception because these, in a general way, remove from sexuality one of its essential ends. However, at the same time, the Church encourages Christians, with the help of grace, to grow in the practice of freedom and responsibility. Sexuality, freedom, and responsibility are, then, included in an integral vision of man. Let us acknowledge it: the requirements of the Church are demanding, like the rest of the Gospel.

  BACK TO "THE CHURCH & CHILDBEARING"   |   TABLE OF CONTENTS   |   NEXT QUESTION  
WE BELONG TO GOD: http://www.simbahayan.org/sin950918-webelongtogod.html
PSYCHOLOGY OF SPOUSAL RELATIONSHIP: http://www.simbahayan.org/B1-NFP-Potlawska.html
RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD DEFINED: http://www.simbahayan.org/B5S-rpdef.html
RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND MORAL MATURITY: http://www.hli.org/issues/contraception/church/con3.html
THE DIVINE PLAN FOR TRANSMISSION OF LIFE: http://www.hli.org/issues/contraception/church/con1.html
A DISCIPLINE THAT ENNOBLES HUMAN LOVE: http://www.hli.org/issues/contraception/church/con2.html
PERIODIC CONTINENCE (aka NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING): http://www.tcnfp.org/advant.htm
CREATIVE CONTINENCE (aka NFP): http://www.simbahayan.org/B1-creativecontinence.html
THE FIRST ENVIRONMENT: http://www.simbahayan.org/sin940605-environ.html
IMMORALITY OF CONTRACEPTION: http://www.catholic.com/answers/tracts/contracp.htm
WHY CONTRACEPTION IS WRONG: http://home.sprynet.com/~schauer/art-cont.htm
CONTRACEPTION LEADS TO ABORTION: http://miraclerosarymission.org/ev061495n8.htm
ABORTION IN EARLY CHURCH TEACHING: http://www.catholic.com/answers/tracts/_abortn.htm
DECLARATION ON ABORTION: http://www.simbahayan.org/magis-decabort.html
A POSITION PAPER ON ABORTION: http://www.hli.org/issues/abortion/position.html
LIFE BEFORE BIRTH: http://www.simbahayan.org/LBB1-nidation.html
FIRST TRIMESTER OF LIFE: http://www.simbahayan.org/LBB-1trim.html

CASTI CONNUBII (CHASTITY IN MARRIAGE)
http://listserv.american.edu/catholic/church/papal/pius.xi/casti.connubii
HUMANAE VITAE (ON THE REGULATION OF BIRTH)
http://www.sni.net/advent/docs/pa06hv.htm
DECLARATION ON SEXUAL ETHICS
http://www.sni.net/advent/docs/df75se.htm
VERITATIS SPLENDOR (SPLENDOR OF TRUTH)
http://www.sni.net/advent/docs/jp02vs.htm
EVANGELIUM VITAE (THE GOSPEL OF LIFE)
http://www.sni.net/advent/docs/jp02ev.htm
THE TRUTH AND MEANING OF HUMAN SEXUALITY
http://www.sni.net/advent/docs/cf9601.htm

CBCP PASTORAL LETTER: "LOVE IS LIFE" (1990)
http://www.cbcp.net/documents/lovelife_90.html