COMMENTS ON CASTI CONNUBII

It is often repeated in defense of the Rhythm method (Ovulation Control) that the encyclical "On Christian Marriage" (Casti Connubii) by Pope Pius XI (I 930) permits Rhythm.

Let us look at what the encyclical says and who interpreted it. Understand that right reasoning is God-centered-and distorted reasoning is man-centered. Part IV of the encyclical, "Vices opposed to Christian Marriage," is where the often quoted Paragraph misused to defend Rhythm can be found:

Nor are those considered as acting against nature who in the married state use their right in the proper manner, although on account of natural reasons either of time or certain defects, new life cannot he brought forth.

Right reasoning tells us what the Pope meant: It is not wrong to have marital relations when a woman is already pregnant, nursing, past menopause, or during her normal sterile time of the month ("natural reasons of time"). Then the Pope refers to "certain defects," which right reasoning tells us is sterility in either partner for one reason or another. But most certainly this does not give permission for the act to be used exclusively at the sterile time in order to avoid conception! This is what these Rhythm-promoters erroneously contend that the Pope was granting.

Theologians quote the Pope as also saying: "For in matrimony, as well as in the use of matrimonial rights, there are also secondary ends." Right reasoning again shows us this is true in marriage, for the secondary ends have their right as the marriage is lived and fulfilled. However, in the definite planning of the use of Rhythm, these secondary ends set aside the primary purpose, in order for the secondary end to be accomplished. This can never be justified even for the well-intentioned spacing of children. The Natural Law of God tells us the primary purpose can never be set aside, as the encyclical indeed goes on to say "so long as they (the secondary ends) are subordinated to the primary end and so long as the intrinsic nature of the act is preserved."

Now when God created man, He gave man the directive to increase and multiply-therefore, the Natural Law. When the fertile time is deliberately avoided, man is only studiously serving himself. If an artificial device is used to disrupt the act, everyone knows it is wrong. However, these theologians say that if man uses the so-called "natural way" (Rhythm), it is permitted in order to space children, or keep from having children altogether in "serious" circumstances. They argue that in using Rhythm, man is not using an artificial device, and the act remains open to life. As we have said before, if the act is so open to life, why all the observing and checking to make sure the act is not open to life?

When the Pharisees used this type of conniving to justify their selfish desires, Jesus outright called them the liars and hypocrites that they were. Casti Connubii tells us:

But no reason however grave, may be put forward by which anything intrinsically against nature may become conformable to nature and morally good. Since, therefore, the conjugal act is destined primarily by nature for the begetting of children, those who in exercising it deliberately frustrate its natural power and purpose sin against nature and commit a deed which is shameful and intrinsically vicious.

Casti Connubii again tells us:

No difficulty can arise that justifies the putting aside of the law of God which forbids all acts intrinsically evil. There is no possible circumstances in which husband and wife cannot, strengthened by the grace of God, fulfill faithfully their duties and preserve in their wedlock their chastity unspotted. This truth of Christian Faith is expressed by the teaching of the Council of Trent: "Let no one be so rash as to assert that which the Fathers of the Council have placed under anathema, namely, that there are precepts of God impossible for the just to observe. God does not ask the impossible, but by His commands, instructs you to do what you are able, to pray for what you are not able that He may help. 

Casti Connubii also says:

Nevertheless, since it is a law of Divine Providence in the supernatural order that men do not reap the full fruit of the Sacraments which they receive afteracquiring the use of reason, u less they cooperate with grace, the grace of Matrimony will remain for the most part an unused talent in the field unless the parties exercise these supernatural powers and cultivate and develop the seeds of grace they have received.

These modern theologians say that man has a "responsibility" to be "prudent" in using the marriage right. The prudence practiced in Rhythm is a material prudence. True prudence is fidelity to God and its fruit is fullness of grace, as Casti Connubii calls that "unused talent."

Where did theologians come up with such man-centered interpretations of an encyclical written to be God-centered? If Casti Connubii were to be read without their slant, it is easy to see that the Pope is by no means trying to promote Rhythm.

Modernism already had come full bloom in Europe with George Tyrrell's and Tielhard de Chardin's further development of the self-sufficiency produced by the French Revolution. Progressives pushed for "Liberty," saving they were freed from the heavy bond of fidelity to God. Man had science now to explain how God's creation worked, and the devil used his conniving tricks to get the theologians of the Church to cooperate with the "father of lies," for the Rhythm method is a falsification of the intrinsic nature of the marriage act.

We are told "encyclicals carry the weight of doctrine," when they are in line with Church Tradition - Casti Connubii is such an encyclical, and also carries the truth of right reasoning regarding the vocation of marriage. The same cannot be said of the later Humanae Vitae of Paul VI. With each Pope stating something entirely different from the other (and Paul VI two contradictory things at once!) - one encyclical has to be wrong.

We must all beg the Holy Ghost for the grace of discernment to cope with this world and the pressures it exerts upon us. God promised HIS Providential care, and that is man's security even under the very threat of death. For Heaven is the goal toward which our life must be aimed. "We have not here, an everlasting city. "

TO PRIESTS AND HIERARCHY

I have been told by Priests and Bishops that what is projected in my writings is "the way of perfection." That is, it is a preferred way but not a required way-it is highly encouraged, virtuous, but not necessary This is much the same as how becoming a fully perfected and sanctified saint while on earth, is preferred to "merely managing to save one's soul." Perfection is the better state for one's soul to be in before death, but is not necessarily required in order to simply save it (not that such a wonder as salvation, even "barely" achieved, is mere or simple ... ).

We naturally beg to differ with these clerics who are obliged to help us in taking care of our souls, and yet would have us break the Natural Law to do so. Like murder and sodomy, it is an unnatural perversion fraught with evil consequences, to frustrate the obligation to have children in marriage openly and as God would send them. We also know that although Papal encyclicals may enrich one another, they cannot contradict one another without at least one of them being unorthodox. As we have just seen, Casti Connubii and Humanae Vitae contradict each other in that Casti Connubii tells us that there is no possible excuse to fit aside the Laws of God (which forbid all acts intrinsically evil), yet Humanae Vitae says that if there are serious reasons, one can use NFP (part 16). Each and every act is supposed to be left open to the transmission of life; the rest is to be left to God.

Of course, NFP advocates will not admit that their method of birth control is intrinsically evil. However, St. Augustine tells us that, "intercourse even with one's legitimate wife is unlawful and wicked where the conception of the offspring is prevented." Preventing conception is exactly the purpose of NFP. This makes it intrinsically evil, not only frustrating the primary purpose of marriage, but bringing on other sins and trials in its wake. Remember, the whole purpose of the Church and Her sacramental system is to help men become united to Jesus Christ, refrain from sin, and to assist them to do God's Will in such a virtuous way that they are made as holy as possible by the time their course is run upon this earth. NFP is one of a myriad of stumbling blocks to this purpose. In dealing with it or any other problem, while in this life, we should remain mindful of this double assurance of Our Savior:

In the world you shall have distress, but have confidence, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

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Updated: January 25, 2000

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