Catholic Contraception Teachings Tested by Zika Virus Warnings

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By United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By Michael Wyland | 4 hours ago
February 3, 2016; CNN

The recent and dramatic spread of the Zika virus has alarmed public health officials and citizens, fueled by frequent media reports of the virus's potential effects when contracted by pregnant women. The risk of babies born with microencephaly is still unknown, but early reports in Brazil show a marked increase in cases since the Zika virus was identified as a significant health risk. According to the CNN report, “Babies with the defect have small heads and abnormal brain growth and often have developmental delays, seizures, problems with movement and speech, and other issues.” In addition to Zika-influenced microencephaly trends, public health officials in Colombia are also tracking changes in the incidence of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), sometimes known as “French polio.”

In several countries, officials have advised women to avoid pregnancy until more is known about Zika and necessary countermeasures have been implemented. Many of the affected countries have significant Catholic populations, however, which puts church officials in a bind when advising parishioners.

Two Catholic priests take opposing views in the article:

The Rev. Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, said that means birth control is wrong no matter what. “That prohibition doesn't change based on circumstances,” he said. “So couples have a responsibility to live according to the church’s teachings in whatever circumstances they find themselves.”

“The polemical approach, that contraception is devious or demonic in origin or the smoke of Satan, may ultimately not be the best pastoral approach,” said the Rev. James Bretzke, a professor of theology at Boston College. “In Catholic Church teaching, some would say it would be acceptable to try to prevent conception in cases like this.”

Catholic teaching says that life is a gift from God and should not be interfered with by artificial means. Sexual abstinence is consummately effective at preventing pregnancy, but other “natural” means of contraception endorsed by the church are much less effective. Does the risk of babies born with Zika-related medical conditions mean the Catholic leaders should alter their teachings to meet the crisis?

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/02/04/catholic-contraception-teachings-tested-by-zika-virus-warnings/