Paul Suski –
The Church teaches that the use of contraceptives is intrinsically evil, a grave sin.
On July 25, 1968, Pope Paul VI issued Humanae Vite, the landmark encyclical that reaffirmed the teaching of the Church in this regard. The Pope warned that the widespread use of contraception would lead to “conjugal infidelity and the general lowering of morality.” This is exactly what has happened.
With the introduction of contraceptive pills to the Polish market in 1966, the number of broken marriages almost doubled. Fr. Bielawny compares the periods before the introduction of the contraceptive pill from 1956 to 1966 with the period after its introduction from 1966 to 1975. According to the gathered data, the number of divorces increased from 174.2 thousand to 342.8 thousand, which is a rise of almost 96.8%.
On September 1, 1979, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Pope John Paul II on his pilgrimage to Limerick, Ireland said:
“I want to say a very special word to all Irish parents. Marriage must include openness to the gift of children. Generous openness to accept children from God as the gift to their love is the mark of the Christian couple. Respect the God-given cycle of life, for this respect is part of our respect for God himself, who created male and female, who created them in his own image, reflecting his own life-giving love in the patterns of their sexual being.”
In 1966 in Siedlce, the Primate of Poland, Blessed Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, called out to the nation and state authorities:
“…it is not a matter of indifference whether there will be 30 million people or more living in Poland. Let us remember that today there is a population wave unfolding worldwide. For some, it is a cause for concern, for others, it is hope. Our country is surrounded by nations with over 100 million people on one side and 80 million on the other. If there is a handful of us left here, our name will be erased from the face of earth. A heavy responsibility rests on us for the future fate of our Christian Country. Therefore, we must overcome all selfishness, egoism, and comfort-seeking. We must raise the spirit of sacrifice and renunciation to better serve the Christian nation, whose place is on this land. The commandment of Our Heavenly Father applies to us here on Polish soil: ‘Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. (Gen 1:28)'” There is plenty of room and resources on this planet for all of us.
Regarding birth control, the Catechism of the Catholic Church #2399 clearly states that “legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means (for example, direct sterilization or contraception).”
Demonic forces hate children with vehemence. One must understand there is no passing of guilt, shame, or condemnation here. Regardless of how you were conceived, your Life was not a mistake as the enemy has always wanted you to believe. God saw you long before you were formed in your mother’s womb! (Jer 1:5).
Contrition
Contrition is feeling deeply sorry for all our sin and is necessary for repentance. It allows us to open ourselves up to God`s mercy and recognize ourselves as the dust of the earth. It rises within us when we devote time to an examination of conscience, particularly in the light of the moral injunctions of the Lord or the Ten Commandments.
The evangelical parable known as the prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32) invites us to realize Gods love and sympathy toward the poor and fallen and lost. The loving father is pictured as seeing the prodigal a long way off and rushing to him, finally embracing him and kissing. The son attempts to make his statement of contrition but is interrupted by the fathers expressions of love and offering him the best robe, the ring, the feast on fatted calf; and general rejoicing because the dead had come to life and the lost had been found.
God does not despise a broken spirit and a contrite heart. On the contrary, he delights in it.
In the Old Testament, (Ps 51:17) David exhibits a transparent and contrite heart, fully recognizing and admitting his sins before God. He acknowledges the deep-seated nature of sin. The context of this psalm is rooted in the tragic events described in (2 Sm 11:12).
Ahab, another biblical figure, is also known for his contrition. Although he committed abominable acts, incited by his wife – Jezebel, he humbled himself before God so the Lord ceased to bring evil upon him while he was still alive (1 Kgs 21:29), while his wife did not and tragically perished.
The other associated story is of the meeting Jesus with a Samaritan woman (Jn 4 : 42). The Lord reveals truths about her and about Himself. Only after Jesus told her of her immoral acts, was she able to say, “I can see that you are a prophet.” As soon as the conversation turned to worship, the woman spoke of the difference between the Samaritan temple and the temple of the Jews. In her contrition, the Samaritan woman wanted to know where she could offer sacrifice for her sins. When Jesus named her sins, she did nor rebel and become defensive. Instead, she fully admitted her faults with honesty. In her search for atonement, she was able to recognize the man in front of her as the Messiah who offers her living water.
In the New Testament, the thief on the cross is the most luminous example of deep and sincere contrition. “And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal. Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk 23:41-43). The thiefs words reflected repentance while his confession confirmed faith in Gods mercy.
Peter’s Denial and Repentance is the other compelling story of the Gospel (Lk 22:62). In weeping bitterly, Peter revealed a contrite heart, which led to God`s forgiveness. He instantly realized he had done something horribly wrong, was stricken with remorse. Cephas was never one to disown his unworthiness and his fallen nature. Despite the betrayal of the Master, he was chosen by Jesus to lead the Church.
And here is the crux of moving the Heart of the Lord so that we could receive the abundance of His mercy. The Scriptures confirm that our hearts must be contrite and sorrowful for our sins and failings.
Considering that mercy is so often on the mind of many Catholics these days, there has arisen a concern that a flawed notion of mercy seems to be prevailing in todays society. God is always merciful and ready to forgive us as soon as he sees that we desire to amend our lives and are truly sorry. However, Gods mercy is easily confused with leniency, which is a human feature, not divine.
In Conclusion
Living in a culture that takes contraceptive use for granted, just as it accepts sex without marriage, we do not consider that perhaps having, four, five or even six children could be a genuine blessing for our families and country. “Certainly, sons are a gift from the LORD, the fruit of the womb, a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth.” (Ps 127: 3-4)
Nevertheless, it is uncertain whether, at the time of divine judgment, we will not lament that we fell short in fulfilling the will of the Maker in this respect.
July 30, 1986, our current Polish mystic, Alicja Lenczewska, in her diary wrote of the true value of sincerity with God – “Do not hide from Me to cover your sinfulness as Adam and Eve did in the garden. For I know everything and nothing will be concealed from Me. Do not think that you might amend it by yourself and come to Me cleansed. You cannot do anything; delaying will only aggravate the evil that has stuck to you. Evil creates evil. You must offer it immediately to Me, so that I can take it away before it grows. You must overcome shame, and in humility desire My help.”
The Beatitudes of Wiktoria and Józef Ulma, who are looked upon as heroes of World War II for their actions in sheltering Jews in southern Poland, serve as a poignant illustration of a pro-life ethos. In the face of impending conflict, they consciously chose to embrace the divine calling of parenthood, having four children. Moreover, despite the onset of the global conflict, they displayed remarkable courage by expanding their family to include three more children. This stands in stark contrast to contemporary societal trends, where a considerable number of women, not only in the Land Down Under but regrettably also in Poland, opt for pet companionship over embracing the gift of childbirth.
Father, I abandon myself into Your hands. Do with me what You will. Whatever You may do I thank You. I am ready for all. I accept all. Let only Your will be done in me and in all Your creatures. I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into Your hands I commend my soul. I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love You, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into Your hands without reserve and with boundless confidence, for You are my Father.
Paul Suski, based in Poland, has a BA in English Language Teaching, an MA in Political Science, three adolescent children, and wears a Carmelite scapular.
Another bout of pious rhetoric.