Catholics should embrace modern family planning methods

By Peris Nyambura

The stand by the Catholic Church that abortion should not be permitted must be challenged. This position has been restated in the last few weeks by John Cardinal Njue and other bishops.

There are many Catholics who do not subscribe to these views. Catholicism is rich and over a billion people worldwide are Catholics. While united through sacramental bonds especially through baptism and the Eucharist, Catholics interpret various teachings of the church in different ways. In this, they are no different than early Christians, such as Peter and Paul, who fought vigorously to defend matters of faith and morals. Good and faithful Catholics disagree on almost every issue that confronts us in the modern world, from the death penalty and nuclear war to how to end poverty and certainly on questions of personal morality.

The deep struggle many Catholics experience as they seek to reconcile their lives, relationships, and values with church pronouncements should be respected. In recent years, conflicting views of what it means to be Catholic have been dominant in the media and among Catholics. Indeed, to grapple with moral dilemma and seek answers based on faith, reason and charity are the hallmarks of enlightened Catholicism. Many resources exist for those who seek to define their own Catholicism and for those who want to understand this rich and complex tradition.

Women’s lives

For example, there are Catholics that belong to a movement known as Catholics for Choice which was founded in 1973 to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe the Catholic hierarchy’s ban on contraception and abortion has a disastrous impact on women’s lives, especially the lives of poor women who may rely solely on Government-run programmes for access to reproductive healthcare services. Members of this movement know it is women and their families who pay the price every time theocracy trumps democracy in the debate over women’s health care.

Deciding when and whether to have children is the most important decision individuals and couples make. Catholics are ardent supporters of responsible parenthood, a concept promoted by conservative Catholic leaders. The debate within the church is not about whether to limit family size based on responsibility to care for and love children; it is about which methods to use. This includes the right of individuals and couples to decide on when, whether, and how they will form families.

In spite of a minority in the church opposing most methods of family planning, Catholics throughout the world use modern methods of contraception and believe that using such methods is exactly what good Catholics should do.

Equally, Catholics do not agree that a woman who needs emergency contraception at a hospital or pharmacy should be denied because of the religious beliefs of her church leaders. Sectarian interests should never block life-saving health interventions.

In all parts of the world, women, men and their families suffer because they lack the resources to plan their families, and the comprehensive information and education to keep them safe and healthy. Therefore, abortion should be safe, legal and accessible, and contraception and childcare must be available and affordable.

—The writer is a contributor to www.catholicsforchoice.com