Wonderful column on ‘Humanae Vitae’

What a wonderful column on “Humanae Vitae” by Archbishop O’Brien (CR, Aug. 28). Praise God! It brought me to tears that finally someone has the courage to publicly proclaim and defend “Humanae Vitae.” In the 40 years since it was published in 1968, I have never heard it mentioned from a pulpit.

Thirty years ago as a young married man, amidst the widespread dissent from this teaching, I struggled with this issue. After reading “Humanae Vitae” at the suggestion of my pastor, it caused a complete change of my heart. The majority of those who reject and dissent from this teaching have never read this important little document. Those who do read it find it convincing. Those who go on to study Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body find the reasoning behind “Humanae Vitae.”

My prayer is that it is not another 40 years before we hear again of this encyclical, that every married or engaged couple would read it and every priest would explain and defend it. Then we would begin to see the culture of life triumph over the culture of death.

Catholic Review

The Catholic Review is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.