Condemnation Of Birth Control

Northern Advocate, 30 August 1938, Page 5

Condemnation Of Birth Control

WELLINGTON. This Day

Catholic teaching had been quite clearly outlined, and me position correctly presented by the Hierarchy, said Father J. A. Higgins, commenting last night on the reply by the Dominion President of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union, Mrs. Jessie C. Wickham, to a statement last week by Catholic bishops of New Zealand on birth control. Father Higgins is director of social studies to the Metropolitan of New Zealand, Archbishop O’Shea. j Nothing said by Mrs. Wickham had 1 in . any sense altered the position, he; added. What she did not appear to realise was the fact that the Hierarchy, j speaking officially for the Roman. Catholic Church in New Zealand, had ; stated that artificial birth control was ‘

wrong in principle, and that it was always wrong. “Some make the mistake of thinking that the church condemns artificial birth control when there is no right to make use of it. whereas there is never any right to use it," he said. “It is consequently beside the point to urge that the sale of contraceptives should be controlled. “Also, it must be remembered, that,

once it is admitted there can be a right and proper use of contraceptives, there is simply no possibility of controlling their use.

“What the modern world, the Women’s Division included, will not face is the problem of the absolute right 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 decide that our conduct is to be settled, not on what is convenient, but on what is right, as opposed to what is wrong. It does not trouble people who are selfish enough to act on convenience rather than on the law of Gcd that the practice of birth control will ruin society.”