Letters Respond To New York Times Opinion Piece On Catholic Church's Contraception Ban

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 31 Jul 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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The New York Times on Wednesday published several letters in response to a July 27 Times opinion piece written by National Catholic Reporter correspondent John Allen about the 40th anniversary of the late Pope Paul VI's encyclical "Humanae Vitae," which states the church's opposition to contraception (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 7/28). Summaries appear below.

~ Terrence Connelly: The Humanae Vitae -- which "disregard[s]" recommendations "based on the real, human experiences of marital love" -- suffers from a "profound lack of humanity," Connelly-- co-author of a book about the Vatican's efforts to purge priest professors who disagreed with the Humanae Vitae -- writes in a letter to the editor. Connelly concludes, "That a group of celibate men can continue to leverage the faith to enforce this ban and continue to cause needless anguish among decent people throughout the world who want to do right by their religious belief, is no accomplishment" (Connelly, New York Times, 7/30).

~ Frances Kissling: Allen's "defen[se]" of the ban relies on the "old notion that economic growth requires population growth," which has been "disproved," Kissling -- visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Bioethics and former president of Catholics for Choice -- writes in a letter to the editor. According to Kissling, economic growth has occurred in Europe as birth rates have been declining recently. "Ultimately, decisions about having children should be freely made by couples," Kissling writes, concluding, "Religious teachings that ignore ... human rights cannot be justified by either overpopulation or underpopulation" (Kissling, New York Times, 7/30).

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