A Catholic Wife Explains "Why I Don’t – and Won’t – Use Contraception"

Marriage properly understood, is the conjugal union of a man and woman for life, of exclusive and mutual fidelity, for the procreation and education of children. The dual purpose of sexual union is unitive: the bonding of spouses in greater love and intimacy, and, procreative: to collaborate freely and responsibly with God in the transmission of human life so as to be open to the blessing of children.

Pope Paul VI’s seventh and last encyclical, Humanae Vitae affirms the Church’s long held prohibition against artificial contraception. Therefore, "any action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" (Humanae Vitae 14) is a sin against "the wise institution of the Creator to realize in mankind His design of love."

Here is an excellent explanation of the Church's teaching on Contraception. Annie Deddens in "Why I Don’t – and Won’t – Use Contraception", writes:

"I (surprisingly!) haven’t been asked very often why I don’t – and won’t – use contraception, but I’ve certainly thought about how I would respond if I were asked… So, why would I never use contraception? “Let me count the ways…”

+ It doesn’t allow you to love – not freely, not selflessly, not totally. You can’t love in those ways when you’re holding back a part of yourself — the gift of your fertility.

+ To say it another way, it doesn’t allow you to love like Christ — which is how we are called to love. Contraception contradicts Christ’s love.

+ Sex is meaningful; it is meant to be unitive and procreative. You cannot separate these two essential aspects — without both, the marital act falls short of what it is intended to be. (Note: this does not mean that couples who experience infertility do not experience the fullness of the marital act).

+ Marriage is intrinsically linked to procreation. Each marital act has the potential of creating new life with God. Contraception, on the other hand, seeks to exclude God from sex.".... Go to Catholic Wife, Catholic Life to Read More.