It is sad when the above headline is news. Yet, it is almost impossible to find bishops (or priests) -- outside of traditional Latin Mass circles -- talking about this subject. We commend the Kazakh bishops for issuing the following reaffirmation of Church teaching:
Pastoral letter on
the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the encyclical Humanae vitae
Praised
be Our Lord Jesus Christ! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! The current year
is marked by the memorable event of the 50th anniversary of the
encyclical Humanae vitae, in which
Blessed Paul VI confirmed the teaching of the constant Magisterium of the
Church regarding the transmission of human life. The Bishops and Ordinaries of
Kazakhstan want to take this favorable occasion in order to honor the memory and
the enduring importance of this encyclical.
During
the last meeting of all our priests and religious sisters in Almaty, there were
thorough discussions on the theme of the preparation of young people to the sacrament
of marriage. There was made the proposal to transmit to young people the main
truths of the Magisterium of the Church with regard to the Christian marriage
and the sanctity of human life from the moment of its conception.
We proclaim with the voice of the Magisterium of
the Church as we can learn it in the encyclical Humanae vitae and in the documents of other Roman Pontiffs the
following demanding truths of Christ’s “sweet yoke and light burden” (Math.
11:30):
· “The Church in urging men to the observance of the precepts of the natural law, which it interprets by its constant doctrine, teaches that each and every marital act must of necessity retain its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life” (Paul VI, Encyclical Humanae vitae, 11).
·
“Excluded
is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual
intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end
or as a means. Neither is it valid to argue, as a justification for sexual
intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive, that a lesser evil is to be
preferred to a greater one, or that such intercourse would merge with
procreative acts of past and future to form a single entity, and so be
qualified by exactly the same moral goodness as these. Though it is true that
sometimes it is lawful to tolerate a lesser moral evil in order to avoid a
greater evil or in order to promote a greater good," it is never lawful,
even for the gravest reasons, to do evil that good may come of it (cf. Rom 3. 8) — in other words, to intend directly
something which of its very nature contradicts the moral order, and which must
therefore be judged unworthy of man, even though the intention is to protect or
promote the welfare of an individual, of a family or of society in general.
Consequently, it is a serious error to think that a whole married life of
otherwise normal relations can justify sexual intercourse which is deliberately
contraceptive and so intrinsically wrong” (Paul VI, Encyclical Humanae Vitae, n. 14).
·
“When the spouses through contraception deprive
the exercise of their conjugal sexuality of its potential procreative capacity,
they attribute to themselves a power which belongs to God alone: the power to
decide in the last instance the coming to existence of a human person. They
attribute to themselves the qualification of being not the cooperators of the
creative power of God, but the ultimate holders of the source of the human
life. From this perspective, contraception is to be objectively judged to such
an extent illicit, that it could never, for any reason, be justified. To think
or to speak the contrary, equals to hold that in human life there could be
given situations in which it would be licit not to recognize God as God” (John
Paul II, Address to Participants of a Study Seminar on
Responsible Procreation, September 17,
1983).
·
“Many think that the Christian teaching,
although true, is nonetheless unfeasible, at least in some circumstances. As
the Tradition of the Church has constantly taught, God does not command the
impossible but every commandment also entails a gift of grace which helps human
freedom to fulfill it. Yet constant prayer, frequent recourse to the sacraments
and the exercise of conjugal chastity are needed. Today more than yesterday,
man is again beginning to feel the need for truth and right reason in his daily
experience. Always be ready to say, without ambiguity, the truth about the good
and evil regarding man and the family” (John Paul II, Address to Participants in a Study Meeting on Responsible Procreation,
June 5, 1987).
·
“Humanae Vitae reasserts
the continuity of the Church's doctrine and tradition. […] This teaching not
only expresses the unchanged truth of Humanae
Vitae, but also reveals the farsightedness with which the problem is
treated. […] What was true yesterday, is true also today. The truth expressed
in Humanae Vitae does
not change; on the contrary, precisely in the light of the new scientific
discoveries, its teaching becomes more timely and elicits reflection on the
intrinsic value it possesses” (Benedict XVI, Address
to Participants in the International Congress on the 40th Anniversary of the
Encyclical Humanae vitae, May 10, 2008).
·
“This document, i.e. Humanae vitae, was inspired by the immutable teaching of the Bible
and the Gospel, which confirms the norms of the natural law and the irrepressible
dictates of conscience regarding respect for life and its transmission by
fathers and mothers who practice a responsible parenthood. The document has
acquired new and urgent relevance in view of the wounds now being inflicted by
civil laws on the holiness of the indissoluble marriage bond and the sacredness
of human life even in the maternal womb. In face of saddening defections in the
Church and society, We, like Peter, feel compelled to go to Him as the only
source of salvation and cry out to Him: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the
words of eternal life” (Paul VI, Homily
on June 29, 1978).
The entire human history gave sufficient evidence for the fact that a
true progress of society depends to a large extent on large families. This fact
applies all the more to the life of the Church. Pope Francis reminds us of this
truth: “It is a consolation and hope to see so
many large families that welcome children as a true gift from God. They know
that every child is a blessing” (Pope Francis, General Audience, January 21, 2015).
May the following words of Saint John Paul II, the pope of the
family, by a light, a strength, a consolation and a joyful courage to all
Christian couples and to the young men and young women, who prepare themselves
for the life of a Christian marriage and family.
“We have the distinctive confirmation that the
path of holiness lived together as a couple is possible, beautiful,
extraordinarily fruitful, and fundamental for the good of the family, the
Church and society. This prompts us to pray the Lord that there be many more
married couples who can reveal in the holiness of their lives, the "great
mystery" of spousal love, which originates in creation and is fulfilled in
the union of Christ with his Church (cf. Eph. 5:22-33). Like every path of holiness, yours too, dear
married couples, is not easy. We know how many families in these cases are
tempted to discouragement. I am particularly referring to those who are going
through the sad event of separation; I am thinking of those who must face
illness and those who are suffering the premature death of their spouse or of a
child. In these situations, one can bear a great witness to fidelity in love,
which is purified by having to pass through the crucible of suffering. Dear
married couples, do not be overcome by hardship: the grace of the
Sacrament supports you and helps you constantly to raise your arms to
heaven, like Moses. At the same time, I ask all families to hold up
the arms of the Church, so that she may never fail in her mission of
interceding, consoling, guiding and encouraging” (Homily in the Holy Mass of the Beatification
of the couple Luigi Beltrame Quattrocchi and Maria Corsini, October 21, 2001).
“May the Virgin Mary, who is the Mother of the Church, also be
the Mother of "the Church of the home." Thanks to her motherly aid,
may each Christian family really become a "little Church" in which
the mystery of the Church of Christ is mirrored and given new life. May she,
the Handmaid of the Lord, be an example of humble and generous acceptance of
the will of God. May she, the Sorrowful Mother at the foot of the Cross,
comfort the sufferings and dry the tears of those in distress because of the
difficulties of their families. May Christ the Lord, the Universal King, the King
of Families, be present in every Christian home as He was at Cana, bestowing
light, joy, serenity and strength” (Apostolic
Exhortation Familiaris consortio, 86).
Astana,
May 13th 2018, Memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Fatima
Your
Bishops and Ordinaries:
+
Jose Luis Mumbiela Sierra, Bishop of the diocese of Most Holy Trinity in Almaty
and President of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Kazakhstan
+
Tomash Peta, Metropolitan Archbishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana
+
Adelio Dell’Oro, Bishop of Karaganda
+
Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in
Astana
Very
Reverend Father Dariusz Buras, Apostolic Administrator of Atyrau
Very
Reverend Mitred Archpriest Vasyl Hovera, Delegate of the Congregation for the Oriental
Churches for the Greek-Catholic faithful in Kazakhstan and Central Asia
