Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-08

truly cultured natures to the barbarous
standards of savage people"
Proceeding to explanation of the evils
opposed to each of the benefits OF
matrimony, the Pontiff considers first
Offspring which many have the bold
ness to call the disagreeable burden OF
matrimony."
They say, the Pontiff comments, that
children are to be carefully avoided by
married people, not through virtuous
confluence (Which Christian law per-
mits in matrimony when both parties
CONSENT but BY frustrating the mar
riage act. Some justify this criminal
abuse on the ground that they are
weary of Children and wish TO crafty
their desires without their consequent
burden.
Others say they cannot on the one
hand remain continent nor on the other
can they have children because Of the
difficulties, whether on the part OF the
mother. or on the part of family cir
cumstances.
But no reason, however grave, may
be put forward by which anything in
trinsically against nature may become
conformable to nature and morally
good. Therefore, since the conjugal act
Is the same designed primarily by nature
for the begetting of children, those who
its natural purpose, sin against nature
and commit deed which Is shameful
and intrinsically vicious.
Small wonder, therefore, If the holy
writ bears witness that the Divine
Majesty regards with greatest detesta-
ton this horrible crime and at times
has punished 1t with death. I" Since,
therefore, openly departing from the
uninterrupted Christian tradition. some
solemnly to declare another doctrine
regarding this question.
Guilty of Grave Sin.
'The Catholic Church, to whom God
has intrusted the defense of the in
tegrity and the purity of morals, stand
ing erect in the midst Of the moral
ruins which surround her, in order that
she may preserve the nuptial union
from being defiled by this foul stain,
raises her voice in token of divine am
bassadorship and through our mouth
proclains anew:
ANY use whatsoever of matrimony
exercised in such a way that the act is
deliberately frustrated in its natural
power is an offense against the law of
God and nature, and those who indulge
in such are branded with the guilt of
a grave sin"
The encyclical goes in some detail
into contraceptive methods. But
another very grave crime is to be noted,
venerable brethren, which regards the
taking of the life of the offspring
hidden in the mothers womb. Some
wish it to be allowed and left to the will
of the father or the mother. Others
say it is unlawful unless there are
weighty reasons, which they call by the
name of medical social or eugenic.
Because this matter falls under the
penal laws of the state by which the
destruction Of the offspring begotten
but unborn is forbidden, these people
demand that the classification which in
one form or another they defend be
recognized by the public law and in
no way penahzed.
There are those, moreover, who ask
that the public authority provide aid
for these death-dealing operations a
thing which, sad to say, every one
knows Is Of frequent occurrence in some
places"
Such an act "for medical and thera-
however much we may pity the mother
whose health and even life Is gravely
imperiled by the performance OF the
duty allotted to her by nature, neverthe-
less, what could ever be q suficient
reason for eXcusing in any way the
direct murder Of the innocent? This is
precisely what we are dealing with here.
Whether inflicted upon the mother
or upon the child 1t Is against the pre-
cepts of God and the law Of nature;
Thou shalt not kill; the life of each
Is equally sacred and no one has the