He said, "Be fruitful and multiply". The church added "without end"
"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it...". (Genesis 1:28)
"And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth." (Genesis 9:1)
"And you, be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply on it." (Genesis 9:7)
"Take wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that you may be increased there, and not diminished." (Jeremiah 29:6)
"For thus says the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:18)
Man cannot create life; no power on earth can guarantee the birth of a baby. The key to that decision is in the hands of God alone. He is the third Partner in the conception of every child. If you block or prevent that a couple is saying that they do not want God in their marriage.
Bingo. If I marry and have just one child, there - I've multiplied! What I want to know is why every last Catholic parent-wannabe isn't told to be in bed, copulating 24/7, to avoid wasting even one sperm cell.
"He said, "Be fruitful and multiply". The church added "without end""
God does not expect "without end". That is why he made our bodies the way he did. Women can not have children their entire lives. God knew our bodies couldn't endure childbirth in our 60's. We have a limited time frame in our lifespan to have children. I trust God knew what he was doing. The church is simply following His plan. It's a shame that so many discard it.