You are here:

Catholics/church rules regarding hormone / birth control pills

Advertisement

Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 2/11/2009


Question
I am not catholic but my daughter is studying to become catholic.  I support her in her choice and am happy for her. She is 19 and is having terrible hormonal problems.  She asked me for advice and I consulted several doctors who all have the same answer - to take birth control pills for 3 to 6 months.  This should put her body back into balance and she should no longer have to take the pills.  I understand the church's policy on birth control pills but since she will not be taking them for contraception, only to stabilize her hormones is the church still against it?  Please advise as soon as possible I would like to have the answer for her when I speak with her tonight and tell her what I have found out.  I know she does not want to go against the teachings of the church and probably will not even consider it.  She wants to be baptized in April but does not feel she can fully commit because her hormones are affecting her thinking.
Thank you very much!

Answer
Hi, Mary:
Thanks for the question.
You are correct that the authentic teaching of the Holy Catholic Church on the moral issue of contraception, rooted in the positive natural law, cannot condone the use of birth control pills for contraceptive purposes.
Understanding, then, that this teaching is not a mere disciplinary rule or policy that could be changed at an arbitrary whim; the use of hormonal pills for the treatment of certain conditions is permissible for therpeutic health purposes.
Nevertheless, I think it is very important to point out that the manner in which many, most, if not all contraceptive pills works will actually cause a very early term abortion of a zygot/embryo by not allowing the  fertilized ovum to implant into the uterine wall.
I don't know whether your daughter is married (probably not?); and I don't know anything about her sexual history; but this matter of what the pill does to tiny little babies that are conceived would, I hope, make anybody who could potentially get pregnant (i.e. have an ovum fertilized), needs to avoid the side effect of the abortifacient property of the pill.
I wish her the best of everything in entering into the Catholic Church by Faith and Baptism this coming Easter Vigil.  And I hope that her health concerns can be safely and morally addressed.

Fr. Timothy Johnson

Catholics

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Fr. Timothy Johnson

Expertise

A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.

Experience

I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.

Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)

Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology; MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary; 2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality. BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy; BA - Liberal Arts; AA - General Studies.

Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15. Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office. I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church. Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.