Some strenuously contend that the Church is in error by teaching that contraception, which is the deliberate severing of the procreative and unitive aspects, is always sinful. Birth control is urgently needed in our world, the argument goes. Even some who consider themselves to be ardently pro-life declare that the Church should focus on eliminating abortion and let men and women decide about how to prevent conception.
To the contrary, the Church emphasizes that contraception is intrinsically evil because it disobeys the Eternal Law of God as revealed in Sacred Scripture and the Apostolic Tradition and because it's in disharmony with the Natural Law. Furthermore, she is quick to raise her voice in unmasking the proven fact that some of the so-called contraceptive drugs and devices are actually abortifacient (“abortion-inducing”) because they work after conception, not before, thereby destroying the preborn life already existing, not prohibiting the egg and the sperm from uniting.
Dr. Bobomir M. Kuhar, Executive Director of Pharmacists for Life International (PLI), demonstrates in his Infant Homicides Through Contraceptives (Eternal Life, P.O. Box 787, Bardstown, KY 40004-0787) that the familiar “Pill,” RU-486, Depo-Provera, Norplant, Intrauterine Device (I.U.D.) and the “emergency contraception” drug either sometimes or always kill newly-conceived human life.
Many who use abortifacients don’t know that these extinguish life, but think that these drugs and devices prevent conception.
Surgical abortion takes the lives of approximately 1,400,000 infants in the United States annually. According to several researchers, this figure, released by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, may be too low given the traditional reluctance of some abortion providers to report accurately the total number of abortions for which they are responsible.
Chemical and mechanical abortion is also the taking of innocent preborn human life, but by the “silent” drugs and devices. It’s just as fatal as surgical abortion with the same grotesque result: a precious preborn child, created in God’s image, is dead.
This information must be shared by bishops in their pastoral letters, priests in their homilies and confessionals, catechists in their religious education classes, married couples in their instructions to engaged couples, Catholic health care professionals in their hospitals and clinics, etc. If Catholic pharmacists, physicians and nurses ceased any cooperation with dispensing these “human pesticides” and “agents of death,” preborn human life would enjoy greater protection.
Dr. Kuhar submits: “Recent published data complied by PLI analysts reveal that, conservatively, there are about 9.6 to 14.3 million chemical, mechanical and surgical abortions yearly in the United States alone.”
He offers the remedy. “A prescription for victory in this battle for the basic right to life must include much prayer, active education of the health professions and the public by pharmacists, proactive membership in groups like PLI, and local pro-life groups, as well as boycotting the products of those New Abortionists who insist on making chemicals and devices which kill our preborn brothers and sisters. The ordinary consumer, as well, must let the New Abortionists know they will not monetarily support the chemical and mechanical destruction of our nation’s most precious resource and its future, and then consumers must follow through and act accordingly, even if this means some minor inconveniences. Vote economically with your feet!”
Prayer and good work are crucial. Pray daily the Plea to the Ever-living God for the Preborn:
Lord God, our eternal Father, we come to Your Throne, full of awe and reverence at Your saving power. Through our Savior and Brother Jesus Christ, we beg You to help us stop the widespread slaughter of preborn life in our land. May our love for our innocent brothers and sisters help us provide all human life with protection under our civil laws. We fervently pray that all surgical and chemical abortions and contraception will immediately cease in our beloved country, the United States of America. We know that through the intercession of Mary our Mother, chosen spouse of the Holy Spirit, and Saint Joseph, chosen spouse of Mary, our request will be granted. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Free copies of this prayer may be obtained from: “Plea” Prayer, Sacred Heart Church, C/O P.O. Box 285, Gettysburg, SD 57442-0285.)
© Copyright 2004 Catholic Exchange
Monsignor Charles M. Mangan was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Sioux Falls in 1989. He is presently assigned to the Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
