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J.MJ. NC News Service Translation Printed
by the DAUGHTERS OF ST. PAUL ENCYCLICAL
LETTER Mastery of Self 21. The honest practice of regulation of birth demands first of all that husband and wife acquire and possess solid convictions concerning the true values of life and of the family, and that they tend towards securing perfect selfmastery. To dominate instinct by means of one's reason and free will undoubtedly requires ascetical practices, so that the affective manifestations of conjugal life may observe the correct order, in particular with regard to the observance of periodic continence. Yet this discipline which is proper to the purity of married couples, far from harming conjugal love, rather confers on it a higher human value. It demands continual effort yet, thanks to its beneficent influence, husband and wife fully develop their personalities, being enriched with spiritual values. Such discipline bestows upon family life fruits of serenity and peace, and facilitates the solution of other problems; it favors attention for one's partner, helps both parties to drive out selfishness, the enemy of true love; and deepens their sense of responsibility. By its means, parents acquire the capacity of having a deeper and more efficacious influence in the education of their offspring; little children and youths grow up with a just appraisal of human values, and in the serene and harmonious development of their spiritual and sensitive faculties. Creating an Atmosphere Favorable to Chastity 22. On this occasion, we wish to draw the attention of educators, and of all who perform duties of responsibility in regard to the common good of human society, to the need of creating an atmosphere favorable to education in chastity, that is, to the triumph of healthy liberty over license by means of respect for the moral order.
Everything in the modern media of social communications which leads
to sense excitation and unbridled customs, as well as every form of
pornography and licentious performances, must arouse the frank and
unanimous reaction of all those who are
To Men of Science To Christian Husbands and Wives 25. And now our words more directly address our own children, particularly those whom God calls to serve Him in marriage. The Church, while teaching imprescriptible demands of the divine law, announces the tidings of salvation, and by means of the sacraments opens up the paths of grace, which makes man a new creature, capable of corresponding with love and true freedom to the design of his Creator and Savior, and of finding the yoke of Christ to be sweet.31 Christian married couples, then, docile to her voice, must remember that their Christian vocation, which began at baptism, is further specified and reinforced by the sacrament of matrimony. By it husband and wife are strengthened and as it were consecrated for the faithful accomplishment of their proper duties, for the carrying out of their proper vocation even to perfection, and the Christian witness which is proper to them before the whole world. 32 To them the Lord entrusts the task of making visible to men the holiness and sweetness of the law which unites the mutual love of husband and wife with their cooperation with the love of God the author of human life. We do not at all intend to hide the sometimes serious difficulties inherent in the life of Christian married persons; for them as for everyone else, "the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life." 33 But the hope of that life must illuminate their way, as with courage they strive to live with wisdom, justice and piety in this present time, 34 knowing that the figure of this world passes away. 35 Let married couples, then, face up to the efforts needed, supported by the faith and hope which "do not disappoint...because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." 36 Let them implore divine assistance by persevering prayer; above all, let them draw from the source of grace and charity in the Eucharist. And if sin should still keep its hold over them, let them not be discouraged, but rather have recourse with humble perseverance to the mercy of God, which is poured forth in the sacrament of Penance. In this way they will be enabled to achieve the fullness of conjugal life described by the Apostle: "husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church...husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the Church...this is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church.' However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." 37
26. Among the fruits which ripen forth from a generous effort of fidelity to the divine law, one of the most precious is that married couples themselves not infrequently feel the desire to communicate their experience to others. Thus there comes to be included in the vast pattern of the vocation of the laity a new and most noteworthy form of the apostolate of like to like; it is married couples themselves who become apostles and guides to other married couples. This is assuredly, among so many forms of apostolate, one of those which seem most opportune today. 38 To Doctors and Medical Personnel To Priests
28. Beloved priest sons, by vocation you are the counselors and spiritual
guides of individual persons and of families. We now turn to you with
confidence. Your first task-especially in the case of those who teach
moral theology-is to expound the Church's teaching on marriage without
ambiguity. Be the first to give, in the exercise of your ministry,
the example of loyal internal and external obedience to the teaching
authority of the Church. That obedience, as you know well, obliges
not only because of the reasons adduced, but rather because of the
light of the Holy Spirit, which 29. To diminish in no way the saving teaching of Christ constitutes an eminent form of charity for souls. But this must ever be accompanied by patience and goodness, such as the Lord himself gave example of in dealing with men. Having come not to condemn but to save, 41 He was intransigent with evil, but merciful toward individuals. In their difficulties, may married couples always find, in the words and in the heart of a priest, the echo of the voice and the love of the Redeemer. And then speak with confidence, beloved sons, fully convinced proposing doctrine, illumines internally the hearts , of the faithful inviting them to give their assent. Teach married couples the indispensable way of prayer; prepare them to have recourse often and with faith to the sacraments of the Eucharist and of Penance, without ever allowing themselves to be discouraged by their own weakness. To Bishops 30. Beloved and venerable brothers in the episcopate, with whom we most intimately share the solicitude of the spiritual good of the people of God, at the conclusion of this encyclical our reverent and affectionate thoughts turn to you. To all of you we extend an urgent invitation. At the head of the priests, your collaborators, and of your faithful, work ardently and incessantly for the safeguarding and the holiness of marriage, so that it may always be lived in its entire human and Christian fullness. Consider this mission as one of your most urgent responsibilities at the present time.
As you know, it implies concerted pastoral action in all the fields
of human activity, economic, cultural and social; Final Appeal 31. Venerable brothers, most beloved sons, and all men of good will, great indeed is the work of education, of progress and of love to which we call you, upon the foundation of the Church's teaching, of which the successor of Peter is, together with his brothers in the episcopate, the depositary and interpreter. Truly a great work, as we are deeply convinced, both for the world and for the Church, since man cannot find true happiness-towards which he aspires with all his being - other than in respect of the laws written by God in his very nature, laws which he must observe with intelligence and love. Upon this work, and upon all of you, and especially upon married couples, we invoke the abundant graces of the God of holiness and mercy, and in pledge thereof we impart to you all our apostolic blessing. Given at Rome, from St. Peter's, this 25th day of July , feast of St. James the Apostle, in the year 1968, the sixth of our pontificate. PAULUS PP. VI.
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| 2001 Catholics Against Contraception | ||
Appeal
to Public Authorities
is given in a particular way to the pastors of the Church in order
that they may illustrate the truth. 39 You know, too, that it is of
the utmost importance, for peace of consciences and for the unity
of the Christian people, that in the field of morals as well as in
that of dogma, all should attend to the magisterium of the Church,
and all should speak the same language. Hence, with all our heart
we renew to you the heartfelt plea of the great Apostle Paul: "1
appeal to you, brethren, by the name of Our Lord J esus Christ, that
all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that
you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." 40