Catholics and Birth Control

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 204, 30 August 1938, Page 7

Catholics and Birth Control

Reply to W.D.F.U. President FATHER HIGGINS STATES THE CASE Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. A statement that the Catholic teach* ing had been quite clearly outlined and the position correctly presented by the heirarchy was made by Rev. Father J. A. Higgins, S.M., commenting to-night on the reference made by the Dominion president of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union (Mrs. Jessie C. Wickham) to the statement by the Roman Catholic heirarchy last week on birth control. Father Higgins is director of social studies to the Catholic Archbishop of Wellington and the Metropolitan of New Zealand, Archbishop O’Shea, S.M. Nothing said by the president of the Women’s Division had in any sense altered the position. What the lady did not appear to realise was the fact that the heirarchy, speaking officially for the Catholic Church in New Zealand, had stated that artificial birth control was wrong in principle and that it was alwaj's wrong, Father Higgins said. “Some made the mistake of thinking the church condemns artificial birth control when there is no right to make us* of it, whereas there is never any right to use it,” ho added. **lt is consequently beside the point to urgo that the sale of contraceptives should be controlled. Of course if they are to be sold their sale should be controlled, but the question is whether they should be sold at all. As there is no right moral use for them they should not be so A at all. “The Women’s Division errs in advocating control of the sale of contraceptives as though they may in certain circumstances rightly bo used and therefore rightly sold. Also, it must be remembered that once it is admitted that there can be a right and proper use of contraceptives there is simply no possibility of controlling their use, that married people will not consult the Women’B Division concerning their conduct and that the unmarried will take what license they see fit without reference to the Women’s Division. “What the modern world, the Women’s Division included, will not face is tho problem of the absolute ught or wrong of birth control. People generally wish to act on expediency rather than on principle, but we are false to the law of God unless we do* cide that our conduct is to be settled not on what is convenient but on what is right as opposed to what is wrong. It docs not trouble people who are selfish enough to act on convenience rather than on the law of God that the practice of birth control will ruin society. They may not personally suffer, though they may. Society will certainly suffer but people who are willing to violate the laws of nature for their own satisfaction are not loyal enough to think of anything but themselves.”