“Let upright men consider, first of all, how wide and easy a road would thus be opened up towards conjugal infidelity and the general lowering of morality. … It is also to be feared that the man, growing used to the employment of anti-conceptive practices, may finally lose respect for the woman and, no longer caring for her physical and psychological equilibrium, may come to the point of considering her as a mere instrument of selfish enjoyment, and no longer as his respected and beloved companion.”
Those are the words from the epic encyclical written by Pope St. Paul VI, dated July 25, 1968. In this letter, Pope Paul reaffirmed the teaching of the Catholic Church regarding married love, responsible parenthood, and the rejection of artificial contraception. And while, at the time, it was controversial, history has proved Pope St. Paul VI to be a prophet with regard to moral teaching in relation to marriage, family, and the sanctity of life.
A 2021 study by the Pew Research Center indicated that the birth rate in the United States dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic and has not recovered, leading to a “baby bust.” It has intensified a continued downward trend in US fertility rates which had already been at a record low before the pandemic. More and more, US adults who are not already parents are saying that they are unlikely to ever have children.
Again, according to the research, some 44 percent of nonparents between the ages of 18 to 49 say that it is not at all likely that they will have children someday, an increase of seven percentage points from the already high 37 percent from the 2018 survey. This, in a disastrous way, complements our own diocesan study of marriage rates. As I shared a few years ago with everyone in the diocese: with the rise of cohabitation and with the rise of young people staying at home with their parents longer, the Sacrament of Marriage has dropped significantly. If we do not have a renewal of marriage, by the year 2035, we will have lost the Sacrament of Marriage in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.
NOW TO THE REAL CONTROVERSY!
According to the American Pet Products Association, APPA, American spent $136.8 billion on their pets in the year 2022, up from $123.6 billion in 2021. Yes, billions with a “B,” not millions. The APPA projected spending to hit a record $143.6 billion in 2023. What is disturbing, is the cultural mindset around pets in general. (And before you get started, I like animals!) A report from MarketWatch states, “Once regarded as merely a pet, dogs and cats are now recognized as a member of the family, with their own beds, insurance policies, and ugly Christmas sweaters.” You might recall some two years ago when Pope Francis received a lot of pushback when he said “We see that some people do not want to have a child. Sometimes they have one, and that’s it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children.” He referred to it as “denial of fatherhood and motherhood [that] diminishes us, takes away our humanity.” And while some would say that having a child in our era is risky, Pope Francis states, “Having a child is always a risk, but there is more risk in not having a child.”
Current statistics indicate that in households made-up of married couples, more households have pets than children. The declining birth rates in many countries is leading to a “demographic winter.” One young woman from Michigan said, “I feel like I would be giving up a lot of my life to be a parent. That would cost money, that would cost time, that would cost things that you want to do.” Instead, she and her partner got a Siberian Husky.
And what is the dark secret that no one wants to discuss? Many Catholics have embraced a contraceptive mentality, falling right in step with the culture at large. No wonder we have declining baptisms or enrollment in our schools or marriages. It’s not hard to figure out. Many Catholics have quietly ignored the teachings of the Church on contraceptives, turned away from Natural Family Planning, and have bought into the “contraceptive mentality.” In many respects, we have become our own worst enemy. But what can we do about it? I encourage all young couples to obtain a copy of “Humanae Vitae,” and, invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, read the document, reflect on it, pray over it, and ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind and heart, challenging you to be more open to life.
“O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine.”
Published in the August 30, 2024 issue of The Mirror.
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