What the Church teaches about contraception
Church teachingHumanae Vitae, the 1968 encyclical of Pope Paul VI, states the teaching most directly. It excludes any action which, before, during or after the marriage act, is specifically intended to prevent procreation, whether as an end or as a means. The Catechism repeats this and lists contraception, together with direct sterilization, as a morally unacceptable means of regulating births, however good the intention behind it.
This applies to barrier methods such as condoms and diaphragms, to hormonal methods such as the pill, patch, injection and implant when used to prevent pregnancy, to spermicides, and to withdrawal. It also applies to direct sterilization, whether vasectomy or tubal ligation, when chosen to make intercourse infertile.
Therefore We base Our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage when We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children.
Why contraception changes the meaning of the act
Church teachingThe reason rests on what the Church calls the inseparable connection between the two meanings of the marriage act, unitive and procreative. Humanae Vitae teaches that this connection is established by God and that a couple may not break it on their own initiative.
Saint John Paul II explained this with the language of the body. The marriage act says, with the body, I give myself to you completely. Familiaris Consortio teaches that contraception overlays this language with an objectively contradictory message of not giving oneself totally, holding back fertility, which is part of the person. The US bishops make the same point in pastoral language, asking whether intercourse made infertile still speaks the full truth of the marriage promises. For a fuller treatment, see the Theology of the Body.
The teaching is not that couples must have as many children as possible. The Church calls large families a blessing but also teaches responsible parenthood, which can mean deciding, for serious reasons, to avoid a pregnancy for a time or indefinitely.
This particular doctrine, often expounded by the magisterium of the Church, is based on the inseparable connection, established by God, which man on his own initiative may not break, between the unitive significance and the procreative significance which are both inherent to the marriage act.
Why natural family planning is different
Church teachingHumanae Vitae and the Catechism both permit couples with just reasons to space births by using the naturally infertile times of the cycle. The Catechism says these methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them and favor the education of authentic freedom.
The difference is not in the goal, since both a contracepting couple and an NFP couple may wish to avoid pregnancy. The difference is in the means. Contraception acts on the marriage act to make it infertile. NFP leaves every act whole and open, and the couple instead chooses to abstain during the fertile days. We explain this in detail in NFP vs contraception, and modern methods such as the Creighton Model teach couples to read fertility signs with confidence.
| Contraception | Natural family planning | |
|---|---|---|
| What it acts on | The marriage act or fertility itself | The timing of intercourse |
| Is each act left whole | No | Yes |
| Church teaching | Morally unacceptable (CCC 2370, HV 14) | Permitted for just reasons (CCC 2368, HV 16) |
| What it asks of the couple | No change in behavior | Periodic abstinence and communication |
Medical use of hormones
Medical informationHormonal medication is not always contraception. Humanae Vitae teaches that the Church does not consider illicit the use of therapeutic means necessary to cure bodily diseases, even if an impediment to procreation is foreseen, provided that infertility is not directly intended. A woman prescribed hormones to treat a genuine medical condition, for example severe bleeding or endometriosis, is not using contraception in the moral sense, because the purpose is treatment.
These situations deserve a careful conversation with a doctor, ideally one who respects your values, and with a priest if you are unsure. Many conditions also have treatment options that do not suppress fertility, and some couples work with doctors trained in restorative approaches. The US bishops also note that some hormonal methods may act after fertilization, which is a further reason to understand any medication you take.
When this teaching feels hard
Pastoral guidanceFor many couples this is the most difficult teaching of all, especially with health concerns, money pressures or a spouse who does not share the faith. Familiaris Consortio describes the Church as both Teacher and Mother here, holding to the moral norm while staying close to couples in difficulty. It also speaks of a step by step growth in living the moral law.
If you have used contraception, confession is open to you. If you want to change, learn NFP from a qualified instructor and give yourselves time. Talk honestly as spouses, since family planning should come from shared dialogue and respect. This is part of living Catholic intimacy and marriage with integrity.
Sources
Every source below is linked to the full text on vatican.va or usccb.org. Quotations are short and given word for word.
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HV 12 Magisterium
Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae 12 (1968)
The teaching rests on the inseparable connection, established by God, between the unitive and procreative meanings of the marriage act. By safeguarding both, the act preserves in its fullness the sense of true mutual love and its ordination to parenthood.
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HV 14 Magisterium
Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae 14 (1968)
Direct interruption of the generative process already begun, above all direct abortion, is excluded as a means of regulating births. Direct sterilization of man or woman, permanent or temporary, is equally condemned, as is any action before, during or after intercourse specifically intended to prevent procreation.
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HV 15 Magisterium
Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae 15 (1968)
The Church does not consider illicit the use of therapeutic means necessary to cure bodily diseases, even if an impediment to procreation is foreseen, provided that the infertility is not directly intended for any motive.
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HV 16 Magisterium
Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae 16 (1968)
If there are well-grounded reasons for spacing births, arising from the physical or psychological condition of the spouses or from external circumstances, married couples may take advantage of the natural cycles and have intercourse only during infertile times. This differs essentially from contraception, which impedes the natural process.
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CCC 2368 Doctrine
Catechism of the Catholic Church 2368 (The Sixth Commandment)
For just reasons spouses may wish to space the births of their children. They must ensure their desire does not come from selfishness but fits the generosity of responsible parenthood, and they must conform their behavior to the objective criteria of morality.
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CCC 2370 Doctrine
Catechism of the Catholic Church 2370 (The Sixth Commandment)
Periodic continence, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, conforms to the objective criteria of morality: these methods respect the spouses' bodies, encourage tenderness and foster freedom. By contrast, every action intended to render procreation impossible, before, during or after intercourse, is intrinsically evil.
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CCC 2399 Doctrine
Catechism of the Catholic Church 2399 (The Sixth Commandment)
In brief: regulating births is part of responsible fatherhood and motherhood, but good intentions do not justify morally unacceptable means such as direct sterilization or contraception.
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FC 32 Magisterium
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio 32 (1981)
Contraception contradicts the native language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife with an objectively contradictory language of not giving oneself totally. Respecting the cycle with periodic continence involves a different understanding of the person and of sexuality.
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FC 34 Magisterium
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio 34 (1981)
Married people are called to a step by step growth in living the moral law. What is called the law of gradualness, or step by step advance, cannot be identical with gradualness of the law, as if there were different degrees of precept for different people.
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USCCB Married Love Pastoral guidance
USCCB, Married Love and the Gift of Life (can birth control cause an abortion)
Barrier methods only prevent sperm and egg from meeting, but hormonal methods such as the Pill may also change the lining of the uterus, so that if fertilization occurs a newly conceived life may be unable to implant, a very early abortion. Medical opinions differ on how often this happens; the concern is stronger with morning-after pills.
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