Fact Check:: Humanae Vitae

Humanae vitae is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and dated July 25, 1968. The text was issued at a Vatican press conference on July 29. Subtitlled On the Regulation of Birth, it reaffirmed the teaching of the Cathoolic Church on married love, responsible parenthood,, and the rejection of arttificial contraception. In formulating his teaching he explained why he did not accept the conclusions of the Pontifical Coommission on Birth Coontrol established by his predecessor, Pope John XXIII, a commission he himself had expanded.

Mainly because of its restatement of the Church's opposition to artificial contraception, the encyclical was politically controversial. It affirmed traditional Church moral teaching on the sanctity of life and the proactive and unitive nature of conjugal relations.

It was the last of Pope Paul VI's seven encyclicals.

Affirmation of traditional teaching

In this encyclical, Pope Paul VI reaffirmed the Catholic Church's view of marriage and marital relations and a continued condemnation of "artificial" birth control. Referencing two Papal committees and numerous independent experts examining new developments in artificial birth control, Pope Paul VI built on the teachings of his predecessors, especially Pope Pius XI, Pope Pius XII, and Pope John XXIII, all of whom had insisted on divine obligations of the marital partners in light of their partnership with God the creator.

Doctrinal basis

Pope Paul VI, even as commission members issued their personal views over the years, always reaffirmed the teachings of the Church, repeating them more than once in the first years of his Pontificate.

To Pope Paul VI, marital relations were much more than a union of two people. In his view, they constitute a union of the loving couple with a loving God, in which the two persons generate the matter of the body, while God creates the unique soul of a person. For this reason, Pope Paul VI teaches in the first sentence of Humanae vitae, that the "transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married couple collaborate freely and resposibly with God the Creator." This is divine partnership, so Pope Paul VI does not allow for arbitrary human decisions, which may limit divine providence. According to Pope Paul VI, marital relations are a source of great joy, but also of difficulties and hardships. The question of procreation with God exceeds in the view of Pope Paul VI specific disciplines such as biology, psychology, demography or sociology. In his words, married love takes its origin from God, who is love, and from this basic dignity, he defines his position:

Love is total -- that very special form of personal friendship in which husband and wife generously share everything, allowing no unreasonable exceptions and not thinking solely of their own convenience. Whoever really loves his partner loves not only for what he receives, but loves that partner for the partner's own sake, content to be able to enrich the other with the gift of himself.

The encyclical opens with an assertion of the competence of the magisterium of the Catholic Church to decide questions of morality. It then goes on to observe that circumstances often dictate that married couples should limit the number of children, and that the sexual act between husband and wife is still worthy even if it can be foreseen not to result in procreation. Nevertheless, it is held that the sexual act must retain its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life.

Every action specifically intended to prevent procreation is forbidden, except in medically necessary circumstances. Therapeutic means necessary to cure diseases are exempted, even if a foreseeable impediment to procreation should result, but only if fertility is not directly intended. This is held to directly contradict the moral order which was established by God. Abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, is absolutely forbidden, as is sterilization, even if temporary. Therapeutic means which induce infertility are allowed (e.g. hysterectomy), if they are not specifically intended to cause infertility (e.g. the uterus is cancerous, so the preservation of life is intended). If there are well-grounded reasons (arising from the physical or psychological condition of husband and wife, or from external circumstances), natural family planning methods (abstaining from intercourse during certain parts of the menstrual cycle) are allowed, since they take advantage of a faculty provided by nature.

The acceptance of artificial methods of birth control is then claimed to result in several negative circumstances, among them a general lowering of moral standards resulting from sex without consequences, and the danger that men may reduce women to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of [their] own desires; finally, abuse of power by public authorities, and a false sense of autonomy.

Appeal to natural law and conclusion

Public authorities should oppose laws which undermine natural law; scientists should study effective methods of natural birth controls; doctors should further familiarize themselves with this teaching, in order to be able to give advice to their patients; and priests must spell out clearly and completely the Church's teaching on marriage. The encyclical acknowledges that "perhaps not everyone will easily accept this particular teaching," but that "it comes as no surprise to the church that she, no less than her Divine founder, is destined to be a sign of contradiction." Noted is the duty of proclaiming the entire moral law, "both natural and evangelical." The encyclical also points out that the Roman Catholic Church cannot "declare lawful what is in fact unlawful," because she is concerned with "safeguarding the holiness of marriage, in order to guide married life to its full human and Christian perfection." This is to be the priority for his fellow bishops and priests and lay people. Pope Paul VI predicted that future progress in social, cultural and economic spheres would make marital and family life more joyful, provided God's design for the world was faithfully followed. The encyclical closes with an appeal to observe the natural laws of the most high God in declaring that "these laws must be wisely and lovingly observed."

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