Abortion, Contraception, Natural Family Planning, Humanae Vitae
Click here
for a Study guide to
Humanae Vitae written by the Priests and
Pastoral Associates of Priests for Life.
There is a close link between abortion and contraception. Natural Family
Planning, furthermore, provides a solution to both. The Encyclical
Humanae Vitae has been and will remain a prophetic voice in the Church
bearing witness to these truths. Pope John Paul II's
Evangelium Vitae likewise explains the connection between abortion and
contraception as "fruits of the same tree."
In their 2001 revision of the Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities ("A
Campaign in Support of Life"), the United States Catholic Bishops speak
of the connection between abortion and contraception in the following
paragraphs:
Abortion and Contraception
The Church's teaching and pastoral efforts on responsible parenthood are
appropriately treated more fully in other documents. However, we address the
issue here, because some promote widespread use of contraception as a means
to reduce abortions and even criticize the Church for not accepting this
approach.
It is noteworthy that as acceptance and use of contraception have increased in
our society, so have acceptance and use of abortion. Couples who
unintentionally conceive a child while using contraception are far more
likely to resort to abortion than others. Tragically, our society has fallen
into a mentality that views children as a burden and invites many to
consider abortion as a "backup" to contraceptive failure. This is most
obvious in efforts to promote as "emergency contraception" drugs that really
act as early abortifacients.
With Pope John Paul II we affirm that contraception and abortion are
"specifically different evils," because only "the latter destroys the life
of a human being," but that they are also related (The Gospel of Life, no.
13). It is important to remember that means that are referred to as
"contraceptive" are, in reality, sometimes also abortifacient. An end to
abortion will not come from contraceptive campaigns but from a deeper
understanding of our human sexuality, and of human life, as sacred gifts
deserving our careful stewardship.
Priests for Life is committed to assisting the clergy to proclaim these
realities. We will provide an increasing amount of educational material on this
page, as well as links to other web sites.
Married Love and the Gift
of Life -- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, November 2006 [PDF
Format]
The Contraception of Grief: The Genesis of Anguish Conceived by Abortifacients
and Sterilization
Testimonies about Abortions through Birth
Control Pills and Devices
Written articles:
Abortion and Contraception -
Fruits of the Same Tree -- Click [here]
for a testimony on the transforming power of this article.
Comments on Humanae Vitae
The Holy Spirit and Humanae Vitae
Why Prolifers Should Oppose Contraception
Reflection for the Thirtieth Anniversary of Humanae Vitae
What is the Difference between
Birth Control and NFP? (A Parish Bulletin Insert)
The Family Planning Dilemma
Teaching NFP Works: A Parish Example
Inside the Vatican interviews Fr.
Frank
The Pope Paul VI Institute:
Advanced Research in Human Reproduction
"The more children, the more love" -- An
interview with a mother of 20
A Doctor Speaks about the Ovulation
Method
Letter to a Young Girl - from
Dr. Alice von Hildebrand
Audio segments by Fr. Frank:
Why Contraception is Wrong:
[ReadAudio] or [MP3
Format: Listen or
Download]
Teaching NFP and Stopping Abortion: [RealAudio]
or [MP3 Format part 1: Listen or
Download and part 2:
Listen or
Download]
Links to Groups:
Natural Family Planning Outreach
3366 NW Expressway - Bldg. D, Suite 630 - Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Phone: 405.942.4084 - Fax: 405.942.4022
Email: nfpoutreach@nfpoutreach.org
www.nfpoutreach.org
(Invite Fr. Dan McCaffrey to your parish or community
to present the Church's teachings on contraception and Natural Family Planning.)
Couple to Couple League
Natural Family Planning
www.ccli.org
One More Soul Center
Dedicated to spreading the truth about the blessings of children and the harmful
effects of contraception
www.omsoul.com
Pope Paul VI Institute
Resources in bioethics and reproductive technologies in accordance with
the Church's teachings…
www.popepaulvi.com
GIFT Foundation
A not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the virtue of lifelong
chastity…
www.giftfoundation.org
Humanae Vitae Priests
www.humanaevitaepriests.org
Other NFP and related Links
Find an NFP teacher or resources in your area
California Association of Natural Family Planning -
www.canfp.org
Philadelphia Natural Family Planning Network -
www.pnfpn.org
WOOMB - World Organisation Ovulation Method Billings ("Billings Method" -
ovulation method of NFP) - www.woomb.org
Billings Ovulation Method of Natural Family Planning -
www.billings-centre.ab.ca
Family of the Americas Foundation (ovulation method of NFP) -
www.familyplanning.net
Northwest Family Services (Sympto-thermal method of NFP) -
www.nwfs.org
SERENA Canada-A Natural Family Planning Service (Sympto-Thermal method of
NFP) -
www.serena.ca
American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals -
www.aafcp.org
Educational Materials on
Abortion
