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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Contraceptiing Catholics	Trevor	Sunday, May 4, 2008
Question: I would like to thank you for your insightful answers to my questions. We are truly blessed to be members in full communion with the church Jesus founded in 33 A.D. I have some concerns about Catholics who contracept and partake in the Eucharist. I know of some Catholics, who I know for a fact use the pill, and still come to Mass and eat and drink of our Lord. I do know that they are aware that the Church is against this, but I do not know if they know how grave a sin this is. 1.Are they covered by invincible ignorance if they do not know that they are gravely sinning when they contracept? Your quote from the Catechism 1790-1794 clearly states the Church's stance on moral judgement, but not everybody knows this. All Catholics should know better, but many who teach the faith these days (including priests) stay away from topics such as contraception. Many Catholics who are not fervent in their faith are ignorant in the matter of contraception and to how grave a matter it is. 2. Is it my place to tell them how grave a sin contraception is? Or would this be wrong, because it may remove their invincible ignorance before they are ready to come to terms with contraception? This may be judgemental on my part,but it bothers me to see them partake in the Eucharist when I know they are contracepting. I don't want to see anybody be in sin and fall into greater sin of unworthy Communions. 3. Do I leave this between them and God, or do I say something? I know we are to evangelize by example, but they have never asked my wife or I what we use or don't use. It doesn't seem right for me to come out and say that my wife and I do not contracept, without being asked. 4. What would become of a Catholic at judgement,who knowingly contracepts and knows that it is wrong,but doesn't know that this sin is potentially mortal if all 3 conditions of a mortal sin were met? Please answer my questions. What is a bystander is to do in a situation such as this? Thanks,
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Trevor: You are welcome. I am glad my answer was useful. As to you current questions: 1. I think that it is very unlikely they are in invincible ignorance. I suppose it is possible. Keep in mind that we have a moral obligation to INFORM our conscience. 2 & 3. All of us have an obligation to know the truth. To purposely remain in invincible ignorance is to not be in invincible ignorance anymore since purposeful ignorance actually INCREASES our culpability, not decreases it. The Church teaches that we if we are in position to say something or do something about a sin we witness and do not do it, we are accomplices to the sin. Now, you cannot know if a couple is contracepting unless they tell you, or you see them at the store buying contraceptives. But, when the opportunity arises, such as in a conversation with them and they mention contraception, you have an obligation to relate the truth. Two of the Works of Mercy are to "Instruct the ignorant" and to "admonish a sinner". Now this must be done in love, but, yes, you need to inform a person of the truth, IF AND WHEN the opportunity arises that would allow you to talk to them about it. If you have missed the opportunity, and the couple are friends, when the time is right and the situation is right, you may in a loving way mention, "Guys, I know this is none of my business, but I am worried about you. Do you know what the Church's teaching on contraception is and why the Church teaches it?" If they don't know, or if they don't know all of the details, then you can explain. If they do know and understand and just disagree, then you may need to tell them that they are risking their souls by such a position. I would suspect though that if they claim to know but do it anyway, that they really don't know the reasons behind it and need to be instructed about the nature of marriage, the nature of marital sexuality, and the nature of procreation. 4. All three conditions are not met if the couple does not know that it is grave sin. But if they know it is wrong how can they claim they do not know it is wrong seriously (gravely)? But, I suppose it is possible. If all three conditions of mortal sin are met (regardless of the grave sin) and they die with that mortal sin on their soul, they will spend eternity without God (hell). If if they did not know the sin was grave (condition #2) or they did not have full unimpaired ability to consent to the sin (condition #3) they "may" be saved by the skin of their teeth -- maybe. The amount of reduced culpability is not certain. It may only be reduced from a Class A mortal sin to a Class C mortal sin. But ANY mortal sin (regardless of severity) will send you to hell. Or the culpability may be reduced to a venial sin. Only God knows for sure. It is certainly not something we can risk. We need to inform our conscience and follow it and the Church then we do not have to worry about it. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Contraceptiing Catholics

Trevor

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Question:

I would like to thank you for your insightful answers to my questions. We are truly blessed to be members in full communion with the church Jesus founded in 33 A.D.

I have some concerns about Catholics who contracept and partake in the Eucharist. I know of some Catholics, who I know for a fact use the pill, and still come to Mass and eat and drink of our Lord. I do know that they are aware that the Church is against this, but I do not know if they know how grave a sin this is.

1.Are they covered by invincible ignorance if they do not know that they are gravely sinning when they contracept?

Your quote from the Catechism 1790-1794 clearly states the Church's stance on moral judgement, but not everybody knows this. All Catholics should know better, but many who teach the faith these days (including priests) stay away from topics such as contraception. Many Catholics who are not fervent in their faith are ignorant in the matter of contraception and to how grave a matter it is.

2. Is it my place to tell them how grave a sin contraception is? Or would this be wrong, because it may remove their invincible ignorance before they are ready to come to terms with contraception?

This may be judgemental on my part,but it bothers me to see them partake in the Eucharist when I know they are contracepting. I don't want to see anybody be in sin and fall into greater sin of unworthy Communions.

3. Do I leave this between them and God, or do I say something? I know we are to evangelize by example, but they have never asked my wife or I what we use or don't use. It doesn't seem right for me to come out and say that my wife and I do not contracept, without being asked.

4. What would become of a Catholic at judgement,who knowingly contracepts and knows that it is wrong,but doesn't know that this sin is potentially mortal if all 3 conditions of a mortal sin were met?

Please answer my questions. What is a bystander is to do in a situation such as this? Thanks,

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Trevor:

You are welcome. I am glad my answer was useful.

As to you current questions:

1. I think that it is very unlikely they are in invincible ignorance. I suppose it is possible. Keep in mind that we have a moral obligation to INFORM our conscience.

2 & 3. All of us have an obligation to know the truth. To purposely remain in invincible ignorance is to not be in invincible ignorance anymore since purposeful ignorance actually INCREASES our culpability, not decreases it.

The Church teaches that we if we are in position to say something or do something about a sin we witness and do not do it, we are accomplices to the sin.

Now, you cannot know if a couple is contracepting unless they tell you, or you see them at the store buying contraceptives. But, when the opportunity arises, such as in a conversation with them and they mention contraception, you have an obligation to relate the truth.

Two of the Works of Mercy are to "Instruct the ignorant" and to "admonish a sinner".

Now this must be done in love, but, yes, you need to inform a person of the truth, IF AND WHEN the opportunity arises that would allow you to talk to them about it.

If you have missed the opportunity, and the couple are friends, when the time is right and the situation is right, you may in a loving way mention, "Guys, I know this is none of my business, but I am worried about you. Do you know what the Church's teaching on contraception is and why the Church teaches it?" If they don't know, or if they don't know all of the details, then you can explain.

If they do know and understand and just disagree, then you may need to tell them that they are risking their souls by such a position. I would suspect though that if they claim to know but do it anyway, that they really don't know the reasons behind it and need to be instructed about the nature of marriage, the nature of marital sexuality, and the nature of procreation.

4. All three conditions are not met if the couple does not know that it is grave sin. But if they know it is wrong how can they claim they do not know it is wrong seriously (gravely)? But, I suppose it is possible.

If all three conditions of mortal sin are met (regardless of the grave sin) and they die with that mortal sin on their soul, they will spend eternity without God (hell).

If if they did not know the sin was grave (condition #2) or they did not have full unimpaired ability to consent to the sin (condition #3) they "may" be saved by the skin of their teeth -- maybe. The amount of reduced culpability is not certain. It may only be reduced from a Class A mortal sin to a Class C mortal sin. But ANY mortal sin (regardless of severity) will send you to hell. Or the culpability may be reduced to a venial sin. Only God knows for sure. It is certainly not something we can risk. We need to inform our conscience and follow it and the Church then we do not have to worry about it.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum