Today in many parts of the world, Mothers are being pampered, spoilt, and given the royal treatment by their children. They are told how wonderful they are and thanked for the sacrifices they have made.
For some Mothers, its been one hell of a sacrifice. That is why today’s speech by the Pope marking 40 years since the release of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical letter “Humanae Vitae” (Of Human Life), was so inappropriate. For those of you who are unaware, this was basically a letter outlining the Catholic Church’s ban on artificial contraception. It not only made Catholic parenting harder than it already was, but it placed a lot more pressure on the woman, who was now faced with the possibility of a pregnancy everytime she wanted a bit of nookie with hubby!
You might say that it also put pressure on the father, but I disagree. If a Catholic couple wished to follow the rules of the church, they had to dance through the minefield of a woman’s menstrual cycle, and act like they were goldilocks walking through the three bears’ house, looking for a chair, a bowl of porridge, and a bed that was ‘just right.’ Except this time, they had to find that time in the menstrual cycle that was ‘just right’, and would not produce kiddies. It was the woman who had to keep track, the woman who had to put up with the horny naggings of a husband in need, and the woman who couldn’t follow her natural urges and make love to her husband at will.
Pope Benedict XVI’s speech today celebrated ‘Humanae Vitae’s virtues:
The teaching laid out in the ‘Humanae vitae’ encyclical isn’t easy,” Benedict said.
“What was true yesterday remains true even today. The truth expressed in ‘Humanae vitae’ doesn’t change; on the contrary, in the light of new scientific discoveries, it is ever more up to date,” the pope added.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanae_Vitae
I find his words quite comical, considering this man is a celibate who, if he has followed his vow of celibacy, has not had sex in over 50 years, if at all! To turn around to Mothers on this day of all days and say that this encyclical wasn’t easy, is an insult to Mothers everywhere. How many women could not follow the ‘natural method’ of contraception outlined above? What was that couple supposed to do? Were they supposed to either keep churning out kiddies for God, or give up sex completely?
Th Catholic Church is a world leader in tackling issues of social justice; it always has been. But when it comes to issues regarding sexual morality, or anything to do with ‘the flesh’, it is so out of touch, it is embarrassing. And to celebrate this encyclical today of all days, was ill timed, and insensitive.
A little history on this encyclical, and why it has been so contentious over the years:
With the appearance of the first oral contraceptives in 1960, some voices in the Church argued for a reconsideration of the Church positions. In 1963 Pope John XXIII established a commission of six European non-theologians to study questions of birth control and population. After John’s death in 1963, Pope Paul VI added theologians to the commission and over three years expanded it to 72 members from five continents (including 16 theologians, 13 physicians and 5 women, with an executive committee of 9 bishops and 7 cardinals). The commission produced a report in 1966, proposing that artificial birth control was not intrinsically evil and that Catholic couples should be allowed to decide for themselves about the methods to be employed…….Paul VI explicitly rejected his commission’s recommendations in the text of Humanae Vitae, noting the 72 member commission had not been unanimous (4 theologian priests had dissented, and 1 cardinal and 2 bishops had voted that contraception was intrinsically evil.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanae_Vitae
So the church has made women, and Mothers in particular, suffer for 40 years for an encyclical that should never have happened. It has been said that;
“Pope Paul VI, saddened by the reactions to Humanae Vitae, would not issue any additional encyclicals in the remaining ten years of his pontificate.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanae_Vitae
Looks like someone’s conscience got the better of him.
To all the Mothers out there, including my own Mother, and my sister, I wish you the happiest of Mother’s Days, and may your families truly thank you for all that you are to them.
Enjoy your day.
