Dear Editors:
I just read the article Sacramental Grace Is the Difference by Theresa A. Thomas. I thought the article was well done. The section titled: “Follow the Church’s Teachings and Reject Artificial Birth Control,” prompted me to write a clarification. My comments are not necessarily directed toward the author but to all those who write and speak about Church teaching regarding immoral means of birth regulation and in particular, contraception.
I want to focus on the use to the terms “artificial birth control.” I see this so often in articles and hear it from speakers and used to use the terms quite frequently until I began teaching about sexuality and finding the need to clarify and articulate Church teaching with as little confusion as possible. Indeed, the Church is opposed to artificial birth control but She is not opposed to it merely because it is artificial but because it is contraceptive. The Church opposes any type of birth control that sterilizes sexual intercourse. Use of the terms “artificial birth control” is accurate but it is limited. I find it far more effective to communicate the Church’s teaching by simply using the term(s) contraception and sterilization. I believe it is necessary to eradicate from our vocabulary the term “artificial” and to certainly not use it when describing contraception, i.e. “artificial contraception.” Thankfully the author did not do this. Again, it limits Church teaching to simply not using chemicals and devices, but neglects withdrawal which involves neither but is clearly contraceptive. I also find it very necessary in the same breath to address the subject of sterilization. This is increasingly the most popular form of birth control for couples over 30 who have had their desired number of children and are “done”. Another way of addressing this subject is to state the rejection of sterilized sex whether it is permanent (sterilization) or temporary (contraception). Recourse to sex that is infertile, as with NFP, does not sterilize sex. We know periodic abstinence respects the fertile time rather than subverting it by attempting to render it sterile.
Thank you for reading this message. Keep up the good work that you do.
Tim Roder
Director of Marriage & Family
Diocese of Peoria
412 NE Madison Ave
Peoria IL 61603
309-671-1550 ext. 258
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