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Contraception
The Church's teaching on contraception³ is founded upon the inseparable connection, willed by God and unable to be broken by man on his own initiative, between the two meanings of the sexual act: the unitive meaning and the procreative meaning². (Humanae Vitae 12)
Contraception is intervention in the reproductive system or in the act of sexual intercourse to prevent fertilisation. However, some 'contraceptives' do not prevent fertilisation but prevent implantation of the embryo and so are actually abortifacients.
Emergency contraception, the 'morning after pill', works primarily as an abortifacient by hardening the lining of the uterus and preventing implantation of the embryo.
Some forms of the pill, intra-
The AIDS virus is many times smaller in size than the naturally occurring holes in a latex condom and so can freely pass through the holes in the condom. "Sperm have a diameter of 50 microns. Naturally occurring holes in the wall of a latex condom have a diameter of 1.0 microns. The HIV
retrovirus which causes AIDS has a diameter of 0.1 microns. In effect, this would be comparing perhaps an ant crawling on a basketball. AIDS viruses swim freely through the holes of the condom. That is a fact that should be widely publicised". CM Roland, Editor, Rubber Chemistry & Technology, Washington Times, 4/22/92
The wide availability and use of contraception in society inevitably lead to more abortion as pregnancies can occur even when contraception is used, leading to the situation of a pregnancy that was not 'wanted' in the first place.
Contraception, by reducing the likelihood of conception, increases the likelihood of casual sexual relationships outwith marriage. This devalues marriage and turns human sexuality into nothing more than sterile gratification.
Further Information
Encyclical Humanae Vitae (Paul VI); Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio (John Paul II); Alapadre Catholic Web Site (www.alapadre.net); Catechism of the Catholic Church 2370, 2399. Vatican Web site (www.vatican.va)
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