More catholics use contraception than non-catholics. So much emphasis on abortion and so little realistic discussion of contraception, especially by those who will never give birth.{jcomments on}
We are married for 15 years. personally I became a catholic in high school and got interested in understanding the faith. I embraced the faith fully and got fully involved in church activities in my parish as a youth to the university and even after university. by the time I married we were both aware of what the church expected of us on birth control. we hoped to be free of contraceptives but didn’t find teachers to guide us on NFP immediately. We began on trial and error and after our 1st born my dear wife got scared to continue that way and without my consent she went into artificial methods. This hurt me spiritually and in a way affected our relationship but we continued talking about it. Due to the effects of the Norplant she was using she began body complications and having sexual intimacy was next to impossible. after soul searching we decided to look for NFP teachers which we did, got taught and how to use and when we reached autonomy our teachers sent us to be trained as teachers. It took some time for my wife’s body to get back to normal but today we thank God for our decision. My take is that the church should not change her teaching on birth control simply because we human beings do not want to sacrifice for good things in our marriage. I am happy to report that since 2009 we have also taught many couples whose marriages have come back to life through the use of NFP and especially because in NFP I and my dear wife we talk to each other every day. I can share more and more about this and the joy it has brought our marriage but let me stop there. We are happily married with 3 children.
Thank you for this opportunity. God bless your work
Patrick Kinyua{jcomments on}
The Church has already lost this argument! There are very few Catholics who look on contraception as a sin, but rather as a tool, given to the world by a loving God, to help rationalise married life and the care and love of children.
Gone are the days when each family consisted of six, ten or sometimes double that number of children, bringing their families into a life of poverty and neglect of the individual child.
God has blessed us with a growing knowledge of medicine and how it can be used to help us live good and healthy lives. How can a bunch of elderly, celibate men, with no experience at all of married life, decide how married couples should behave in the bedroom?
The Church has always got itself hung up above sex and made it the major sin of choice! Is this because it is ongoing, whereas murder is usually a one-off? Where is their logic?! Artificial contraception does not harm other people which must be one of the most important criterion in regard to the severity of any sin. Consenting sex between a wife and her husband that is not open to procreation builds up their love for each other and helps produce a loving relationship in which it is best to bring up children. Think again Church!
As in the earlier comments the “laws” around birth control made no sense and caused problems not only in my marriage but in many I shared stories with. Because of health reasons and because there were , and are, many children waiting for adoption we adopted our 4th child….a blessing to all because of birth control.{jcomments on}
During my childbearing years, I did use artificial contraception. By spacing my children apart a couple of years, I was able to be mentally and emotionally available to each child. Without that helpful tool, I could not have been as patient and nurturing to each child (of God) as I was or as each one deserved.
I never deemed this a sin. This decision was reached prayerfully and was how my conscience guided me.
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