The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-10-23
WASHINGTON

family life expert and a
theologian have contest
ed an international Pro-
testant study groups con-
clusion that f
Christian principles empower
married couples to decide by
themselves the purpose of the
marriage act.
If a couple decides, in
thoughtful and praYerfUl
Christian decision" that the
act will be performed without
the intention of begeffing chill.
dren, they may morally en-
ploy artificial means TO pre-
vent conception, the Protest
ant group said.
Furthermore, the 21-mem-
Der unit said that there APP
pears to be no moral differ
ence' between the use of arti-
fetal devices to prevent con-
ception and employment of the
rhythm method to limit
births.
II also said that the world
population is increasing by
so million persons a year,
mostly in underdeyeloped re-
gions, and suggests that the
answer is a wise combina-
ton" of economic and social
assistance, as well as the ex-
tension of family planning"
This endorsement on moral
grounds Of artificial birth con-
troll came (Oct. y in a report
from an official study group
of the World Council of
Churches, an organization OF
III Protestant and Eastern
Orthodox bodies.
The report, entitled RE
sponsible Parenthood and the
Population Problem" was dis
tributed by the World Council
TO its members for study and
comment.
Until the central committee
of the council acts on the re-
port, which II may do ut its
August. 1850 meeting, IL rep
resenfs only the views OF the
II members Of the committee,
a spokesman for the world
council said.
The two Catholic priests
who replied to the report are
Msgr. Irwin A.. DeBlanc, dl-
rector of the Family Life
Bureau, National Catholic We'll
fare Conference, and Father
John C. Ford, Sd, professor
of moral theology at the
school of sacred theology, the
Catholic University of Amer
lea.
Msgr. DsBlsne said that
many Protestsnfs ere taking
their cue for the practice OF
religion not from natural or
divine law, but from exped-
lency."
Natural law, he said, is the
most important issue involved
in the question of birth con
troll. Those who proceed to
questions OF economics, OF the
times, of personal health and
do not take up the point OF
natural law dismiss the essent-
iaI point he said.
1.-The battle for morality is
won or lost on this issue OF
the intrinsic nature of the act
ON natural law" he said.
I'm protesting what is com
monty known as birth con-
troll, we argue against any $
whatsoever of matrimonY exer-
eised in such a way that ihs
&C. is deliberately frustrated
in its natural power TO gener-
ate life" he added.
The determinants OF the
morality of any human act, he
continued, are three. He de-
fined them as: The act itself,
the circumstances and the IN
tentions of the one acting.
IF any one of these deter.
minants is evil, the whole act
is evil. In the use of rhythm, it
is possible that all three deter
minants are moral In the use
OF contraceptives, the act IT.
self, at least, is intrinsically
evil and will never be moral
because ii interferes essential
~ with the functlonlng OF a
primary natural faculty"
In his comment, Father
Ford, addressing himself to
the Protestant committees
conclusion that no moral dis
tinction exists between rhythm
and artificial birth control,
commented:
1.-THE Catholic Church teach
es that there are many eireum-
stances in which family limi-
ssfion is a permissible aim.
but no circumstances in which
II is morally permissible 10
have intercourse while DELHI
erafeiy destroying the physical
Integrity OF the marriage act"
He said there is an "essent-
ial moral difference between
abstalnlng from an act and
performing a mutilated act.