Portrait of Pope Francis
Religious_leader · policy
Wikipedia (opens in new tab)

Pope Francis on Contraception

Upholds Church Ban (strong)

Pope Francis upholds the long-standing Catholic Church teaching which prohibits the use of artificial contraception within marriage. This position is rooted in the belief that the unitive and procreative aspects of sexual intercourse must remain inseparable. The Pontiff has called for a "counter-sexual revolution" against what he views as the widespread, morally impoverished consequences of contraceptive culture.

His teaching strongly encourages married couples to utilize methods based on the natural rhythms of fertility, often referred to as Natural Family Planning (NFP). Pope Francis affirms that these NFP methods respect the bodies of the spouses and foster authentic freedom, contrasting them with artificial means.

Despite affirming the general prohibition, Pope Francis has demonstrated nuance in specific, extreme scenarios. He famously stated that avoiding pregnancy is not an "absolute evil," referencing past permissions for nuns in high-risk situations, suggesting that moral analysis can shift when preventing harm, such as the transmission of the Zika virus, is the primary concern.

Timeline

  1. Pope Francis praised Pope Paul VI's encyclical Humanae Vitae as having 'proved prophetic' in warning against the negative social effects of widespread contraception.
  2. At the Meeting of Families in Manila, he reiterated that contraception undermines the family, suggesting that removing the natural consequences of sex leads to unintended negative results.
  3. In the context of the Zika virus, Pope Francis stated that avoiding pregnancy is not an 'absolute evil' and cited a previous instance where Pope Paul VI permitted nuns to use contraceptives in rape cases.
  4. In his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, he emphasized that spouses with serious reasons may limit family size based on conscience and promoted the use of natural methods.
  5. He sent a message to a Natural Family Planning conference, upholding the central teachings of Humanae Vitae and condemning the 'contraceptive culture'.

Key Quotes

“Avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil.”

Flight from Mexico press conference February 18, 2016 — Said when discussing the Zika virus pandemic and potential exceptions.

“the use of methods based on the natural rhythms of fertility should be encouraged, emphasising the fact that they 'respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them and favour the education of an authentic freedom'.”

Message to an NFP conference May 2, 2023 — Affirming the value and theological standing of Natural Family Planning.

“The Church strongly rejects the forced State intervention in favour of contraception, sterilization and even abortion.”

Amoris Laetitia (§ 42c) March 19, 2016 — Condemning governmental policies that mandate or impose birth control.

Comparison

  • Vs. Predecessors: Pope Francis continues to adhere to the core prohibition established by Pope Paul VI's 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae. However, unlike predecessors, he avoids explicitly labeling artificial contraception as 'intrinsically evil' and has made comments suggesting exceptions for serious reasons.
  • Vs. Church Teaching on Abortion: He clearly distinguishes contraception from abortion, stating emphatically that abortion is 'much more gravely wrong' and an 'absolute evil' that cannot be justified, unlike the discussion surrounding contraception.
  • Vs. Natural Family Planning (NFP): Pope Francis strongly promotes NFP methods (like the Billings method) as the Church-approved way to regulate births, framing them as respecting the body and fostering tenderness.