Posted on 07/18/2008 2:01:48 PM PDT by NYer
.- A group of Catholic dissenters plans to publish an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI in a major U.S. and a major Italian newspaper criticizing Pope Paul VI’s 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae on the fortieth anniversary of its promulgation, July 25. The group Catholics for Choice (CFC) claims that the encyclical’s teaching against contraception has been an “utter failure” that endangers women’s lives and leaves millions at risk of HIV. However, a major pro-life leader said the group’s accusations were hard to take seriously.
According to the version of the open letter obtained by CNA, CFC argues that there is a “paradox” in Humanae Vitae because “most Catholics use modern contraceptives, believe it is a moral choice to do so, and consider themselves Catholics in good standing.” The letter asserts that the encyclical has been an “utter failure” in convincing Catholics to abandon contraceptive use.
Catholic condemnation of contraceptive use, the CFC letter claims, has also hindered what it calls “good public health policies” on family planning and HIV prevention. It further claims that most Catholics support the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV.
Focusing on Pope Paul VI’s Birth Control Commission, which he consulted in preparing Humanae Vitae, the CFC letter says the commission had “voted overwhelmingly” to recommend rescinding the Catholic ban on artificial contraceptives. The majority reportedly argued that contraceptive use was not intrinsically evil and that previous Catholic teaching was not infallible, but according to CFC, Pope Paul listened to the commission’s minority report, which supported the historical Catholic prohibition of contraceptives.
The CFC letter in its conclusion asks Pope Benedict to be true to “the positive aspects of Catholic teachings on sexuality” and also to “lift the ban” on contraception.
Father Tom Euteneuer, President of Human Life International, addressed some of the reported contents of CFC’s open letter in an e-mail to CNA, saying “I find it hard to take seriously the accusation that Humanae Vitae is an ‘utter failure’.”
Father Euteneuer attacked the credibility of CFC, explaining, “An organization founded by a lady who ran illegal abortion clinics in the Third World before she graduated to higher levels of malfeasance is hardly an authority we should take seriously.” He reported that the organization has been condemned twice in open session by the U.S. Catholic Bishops as a deceptive and false “Catholic” organization.
Judging the success of Humanae Vitae, Father Euteneuer asserted, should not be colored by what he called CFC’s “pro-abortion glasses.”
“Millions of Catholic men and women are faithful to this teaching and will not send out press releases to tell about it,” he declared. This was evidenced, he said, by the success of organizations like Couple to Couple League, One More Soul, the “phenomenal popularity” of Janet Smith’s Humanae Vitae presentations and the new “Theology of the Body” of Pope John Paul II.
Father Euteneuer also countered the claim that Catholic teaching hindered HIV prevention efforts in the Third World. “The only country that has effectively controlled its HIV problem has done it through non-condom prevention programs. That is the Catholic Philippines,” he said.
He also noted that Uganda had reversed its “skyrocketing HIV-AIDS rate” through abstinence and behavioral change programs that shunned what he called “the condom savior.”
“They went from a 30% infection rate down to 5%; no other country in the world has done that, and the success can be laid at the feet of Catholic teaching,” he wrote, also crediting the work of the Franciscan nun Sister Miriam Duggan.
Father Euteneuer suggested that abstinence programs might not be as popular as condom-based programs because “abstinence costs nothing” and “cannot garner millions of dollars of economic aid like condoms can.”
Regarding the CFC letter’s claims about the 1967 Birth Control Commission, the HLI president wrote:
“The majority were in favor of changing the teaching and the minority were real Catholics. Whatever the outcome, the sole determinant in the truth of the Church teaching is only one vote, that of the Holy Spirit, and Pope Paul VI followed His inspiration in issuing Humanae vitae at a time when it was overwhelmingly unpopular. He was the Pope, not a politician, and he did exactly what he should have done in reaffirming centuries-old infallible teaching.”
The fulfillment of what he deemed the “so-called Humanae Vitae prophecies” in paragraph 17 of the encyclical vindicated Pope Paul VI’s judgment, in Father Euteneuer’s view.
The HLI president explained Human Life International’s own plans for the fortieth anniversary of Humanae Vitae, saying they had a priest and seminarian newsletter centered on the encyclical at www.humanevitaepriests.org. He reported that the organization also has prepared parish bulletin inserts, homily notes, and a petition campaign to declare assent to the encyclical.
“We will also call for a day of fasting and prayer on the anniversary of the encyclical so that good Catholics can make reparation for the sins of the likes of CFC,” Father Euteneuer stated.
CNA’s attempts to obtain comment from CFC on their letter went unanswered before press time.
Why don’t they just leave!
There is nothing Catholic about this group.
What they really want: Abortion on Demand
If they’re dissident Catholics they ain’t Catholic.
“Catholics for choice” shouldn’t be Catholic at all.
this truly liberated Catholic woman encourages Catholics for Free Choice to shut their pie-holes.
There. Fixed it.
“Catholics for Choice” is an oxymoron.
One view is that his first mistake was appointing the commission in the first place. William E. May wrote in 2003:
The historical fact is that, by the time Pope Paul VI reaffirmed the Church's teaching on the immorality of contraception in his 1968 encyclical Humanae vitae, American Catholics, like Catholics almost everywhere in the Western world, had been conditioned to expect that the Church would "change" her teaching and recognize that contraception, far from being intrinsically evil, was necessary and commendable for married couples. His encyclical, consequently, was immediately dismissed by millions of Catholics whose minds had been shaped by the views of dissenting theologians. These views, widely disseminated and praised by the Catholic press in the five years prior to the publication of Humanae vitae, had been, moreover, confirmed by the majority of the commission of experts the pope had himself charged with the task of advising him on this matter. Thus, his rejection of this advice and his reaffirming of the constant teaching of the Church on contraception came as a terrible shock to millions of the faithful.
I don't remember the time all that clearly, but there were people questioning why the commission (surely he had some idea of what to expect from the individual members!), why so many rumors that the Church would change its position (not really incredible in a time of such continual upheaval in the "spirit of V II"), why such delay in producing HV in the face of all the rumors, etc.
Change name of Article to, “Wannabe Catholics For Choice”
I’m always reminded of Bob Dornan on the House Floor, talking about votes. Something to the effect that “I can get some votes wrong by mistake, but when I get to the Pearly Gates, my votes on abortion will be very clear.”
Leave the Church!
How’s this?: “Dissenting Catholics Protest Crucifixion as a Hoax Since So Many People Continue to Sin Despite the Call To Repentence and Salvation Won By Jesus’ Death and Resurrection”
These 60’s types are taking their last gasp. A priest friend of mine recently exclaimed, “Don’t fear, in 20 years they’ll all be dead.”
There, fixed that. This is dogma. You refuse to obey, you're not Catholic. The Cafeteria closed years ago...like 33 A.D.
They’re just like wasps- they seem to exist to keep trying to sting us.
Thus, his rejection of this advice and his reaffirming of the constant teaching of the Church on contraception came as a terrible shock to millions of the faithful.
I don't remember the time all that clearly
Thank you for posting that quote from William May. A similar discussion arose on Raymond Arroyo's program recently. Like you, my recollection of that time is very limited. I do recall the announcement on the nightly news and the 'surprised' reaction of my parents. But time has proven Pope Pius VI's decision to be the right one. No surprise for us Catholics :-)
[Fr. Thomas Euteneuer] In Persona Christi: The Priest and Contraception
A Challenging Truth, Part Two: The Day the Birth Control Died
A Challenging Truth, Part One: How Birth Control Works
Ten Challenges for the Pro-Life Movement in 2008
The concept of the "intrinsically evil"
Pope Tells Pharmacists Not to Dispense Drugs With 'Immoral Purposes'
Massive Study Finds the Pill Significantly Increases Cancer Risk if Used more than Eight Years
Birth Control Pill Creates Blood Clot Causing Death of Irish Woman
Seminarians Bring Church’s Teaching on Contraception, Sexuality to YouTube
Abortion and Contraception: Old Lies
History of Catholic teaching on Contraception
Pope: Legislation "Supporting Contraception and Abortion is Threatening the Future of Peoples"
On Fox News Fearless HLI Priest Takes on Sean Hannity (may be indebted for saving his soul)
VIDEO - SEAN HANNITY vs REV. THOMAS EUTENEUER (must see!)
The Early Church Fathers on Contraception - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
OK, so why the big fuss? If nobody is paying attention and Humanae Vitae is essentially irrelevant to Catholics, why go to the trouble of publishing the letter to the Pope? Hasn't the objective (universal use of artificial contraceptives) already been achieved?
Or could it be that as time passes, Humanae Vitae is being seen as ever more prophetic? As the fruits of the contraceptive mentality become obvious, could it be that the encyclical is growing in stature and is rising above the decades of calumny and abuse which have been heaped upon it?
Just whom do these people think they are trying to fool? They have already excommunicated themselves, and now they plan to tell the Pope how to lead the Church?? If it wasn’t so pathetic, it would be funny. I am trusting the Holy Father’s secretary to file this missive in the proper receptacle.
Yes, in the Catholic Church we even have a name for such dissidents: Protestants.
Actually they would not be welcome at Evangelical Protestant Churches because of their abortion support. However they would fit right in at most Mainline denominations.
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