Tag Archives: pope

Investigating NFP: Pius XII

Click here to read the previous post in this series.

I have recently come to the (re)realization that bishops are the authoritative teaching body of the Church. As such, it is their responsibility to properly and effectively teach such sticky subjects as the regulation of births. However, those teachings must be in accord with the Bishop of Rome and magisterium of the Church, so I still think there is merit in exploring the relevant papal documents. Let us then continue by hearing the thoughts of Pope Pius XII.

I had thought that Pius XII had written an encyclical about contraception. As it turns out, the only statements he made about the subject were in in various allocutions (addresses) to associations of doctors and the like. These don't carry nearly the same weight as encyclicals and are certainly not infallible. An exploration of the doctrinal authority of papal allocutions can be found here, but I cannot vouch for its accuracy. Nevertheless, Paul VI quotes from these addresses extensively in Humane Vitae, thus lending some of theauthority of an encyclical. I searched for the texts of these addresses and only found the 1951 Address to Midwives on the Nature of Their Profession and the 1958 Address to Officers and Representatives of the Associations for Large Families-of Rome and of Italy. If anyone knows where I might find the rest of them, I'd be indebted. Anyhow, here's the address to midwives.

Continue reading

Investigating NFP: Pius XI

Click here to read the previous post in this series.

It’s time to get our hands dirty by digging into the writings of recent popes to find out what they had to say about contraceptive issues. Let’s start with Pius XI’s 1930 Casti Connubii, which was written in response to the Anglican Communion’s decision that year to permit artificial contraception within marriage (general acceptance came later).

Continue reading

TCitMW: Responses to Critics

I wish to thank all those who have contributed their opinions to the discussion what ways the Church

can/should change in the next pontificate and ways it cannot/should notchange. Some of the responses have come in the form of full blog entries, rather than comments. I’d like now to offer rebuttals and clarifications.

Continue reading

Thank God the Church Isn’t a Democracy

“In one poll, 87 percent of American Catholics said they had a favorable impression of John Paul II. Yet 57 percent said the next pope should moderate the Vatican’s policies ‘to reflect the attitudes and lifestyles of Catholics today.'” – Peter Slevin, Washington Post

“68.3% Prefer ‘Buddy Christ’ from Dogma to a Crucifix – Morgan Gallup Reveals”

More on this later…

My Two Cents About Our Ailing Pope

The following is my ranking, from best to worst, of scenarios for the end of Pope
John Paul II’s pontificate.

  1. He is strong and active until the day he dies quietly in his sleep.
  2. He is bedridden, but he is in good spirits and able to conduct work until the
    day he dies in his sleep.
  3. either of the above, except he dies painfully.
  4. He becomes incapacitated and

    1. a letter written by him is used to specify how to proceed.
    2. there is no letter, but he is not replaced until his death.
  5. He resigns and is replaced.
  6. He does not resign and is forcefully replaced.