Reflections on the 30th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae

Part 5 of 5

After 30 years, the church continues to proclaim the truth of Humanae Vitae to all Christians to help them responsibly fulfill their call to holiness in Christ Jesus. When evaluating the moral dimensions of human sexuality, the church does not lose sight of the vast complexity of its stages of development – psychological, physical, social and cultural. Therefore, dedicated pastors must help the faithful understand that one of the great contemporary moral difficulties of the day is our all-too-pervasive contraceptive mentality. The priest must help couples recognize and find their way through it. The teachings of the Catholic Church clarify the naturally established structure of sexual activities and shed light on the fact that the marital act possesses a dual integrity: openness to life and loving union. Since both of these aspects are essential to each conjugal act, if there is a serious reason to forego procreation for a time, then the couple must make recourse to the natural periods of infertility.

In paragraphs 28 and 29 of Humanae Vitae, each of us as priests is challenged to be a spiritual guide for the people of our day. First, we are to give “the example of loyal internal and external obedience to the teaching authority of the church.” This is a call for faithfulness to the magisterium of the church and a living out of the words of the Apostle Paul: “I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” (I Corinthians 1:10)

This fidelity to the saving teaching of Christ is seen as a form of charity for souls and something which must be accompanied by patience and goodness. The challenge here is to spend time with married couples as they search for ways to grow in holiness.

At the same time, the parish priest must reach out to those who continue to live a contraceptive way of life and patiently draw them closer to Christ. “Teach married couples the indispensable way of prayer; prepare them to have recourse often and with faith to the Sacraments of the Eucharist and of penance, without ever allowing themselves to be discouraged by their own weakness.”

It is a challenge to help married couples develop their conscience through clear and patient preaching, through thoughtful response to questions, and prayer for the married couples we serve, but it is a challenge we must accept.

The priest has a unique opportunity in his catechesis and preparation of couples for marriage to share the message of Humanae Vitae. These couples he serves are called to strive for the holiness of marriage so challenging in our contraceptive culture.

It is important to present our Catholic faith from a positive point of view. Only in the larger vision of Christian vocation can limitations to sexual pleasure and expression assume their true meaning. Christian marriage is a divine institution, and conjugal love is at once personal, fully human (both bodily and spiritual), total (entailing a friendship of selfless giving), faithful and exclusive unto death, fruitful (mutually edifying through personal communion and parenting), social, and divine (finding in God both its source and final goal). The loving will of God, expressed in the teachings of the Catholic Church, does not exclude sexual pleasure, but contextualizes and relativizes it, ultimately raising the appreciation of human sexuality to greater and more sacred heights. Married Christian chastity does not obstruct human freedom, but rather places sexual pleasure and passion in the fuller, more dignified context of a complete married love. It brings not less freedom to married couples, but more of it: If you live according to my teaching, you are truly my disciples; then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31,32)

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