On June 28, 1966, the Papal Commission on Birth Control submitted a report to the Vatican after they had prayed together, listened to presentations from experts, reviewed surveys taken from over 3,000 dedicated Catholic couples from 18 countries, and argued among themselves about numerous matters pertaining to human sexuality. This report stated that the Church's teaching on the intrinsic evil of artificial contraception was in a state of doubt. It also recommended that the procreative aspect of sex should not be tied to every sexual act, but belong to marriage as a whole and that couples should be free to choose the non-abortive method of family planning that would work best for them.However, On July 29, 1968, Pope Paul VI published Humanae Vitae (On Human Life), which basically denied the recommendations of the committee. His reasons for this document were that the vote for the commission’s report was not unanimous and that his predecessor had established papal teachings based on natural law that he chose to uphold. Although there was no unanimous concordance, but a 30-5 vote is a pretty strong consensus! He chose to assert the power and authority of his office over the collegially discerned recommendations of the Commission, which had acted in the spirit of Vatican Council II. He chose to say that he knew what was better for the good of married couples than the 3,000 or so couples consulted by the Commission, and he understood theology and the moral law more clearly than the bishops, cardinals and theologians serving on the Commission. The consequence of this has been a loss of respect for the teaching office of the Church, and the marginalizing of countless thousands of Catholics.“The ban on artificial birth control is total and absolute." Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, The Catholic Answer.who do not accept the thesis that every contraceptive act is morally wrong. I can vouch for the fact that very many bishops share the...
