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GIFT Foundation Event: Pandora's Pillbox
With financial assistance from the Catholic Aid Association, we had the opportunity to attend the GIFT Foundation's Second National Conference entitled "Pandora's Pillbox: Closing the Lid on Contraception.''
This title was chosen because the conference unveiled how contraception, like the mythical Pandora's forbidden box, has unleashed a host of evils upon the world.
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"Pandora's Pillbox: Closing the Lid on Contraception''
"God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female created them." (Gen. 1:27)
As Christians we have heard many times that we are "created in the image and likeness of God" and we know from looking around us that we were created male and female, but have we considered that being made in the IMAGE of GOD is why God chose to create both men and women? God created "male" and "female" to image Him, because as Our Creator, He is life-giving. God made us in his image of creative love by giving us the dignity to pro-create as He created us, so that we can be co-creators with Him.
In our current world it is easy to lose sight of this powerful "heaven-bound" understanding of our creation, especially with constantly hearing in the media the societal problems with men, women, and childbearing, such as abortion, out of wedlock births, rape, divorce, pornography, etc. Yet when we stop to consider HOW and WHY we were created and return to God's model plan for us, we can counteract and diminish these escalating societal problems. There are people investing their time and energies doing just that, the GIFT Foundation has been recently founded to expose the many destructive consequences of contraception upon our health, our families and our society. The GIFT Foundation appeals to all people of faith and others of good will to join in leading our society toward a culture of life that is only possible when man's God-given ability to generate life is lovingly and justly respected.
With financial assistance from the Catholic Aid Association, we had the opportunity to attend the GIFT Foundation's Second National Conference entitled "Pandora's Pillbox: Closing the Lid on Contraception." This title was chosen because the conference unveiled how contraception, like the mythical Pandora's forbidden box, has unleashed a host of evils upon the world. Yet, the conference also explored how the "closing the lid" on contraception is possible by restoring respect for God's gift of sexuality by fostering the virtue of lifelong chastity, making a pure gift - whether married or celibate - of our whole selves, body and soul. Steve believes that the disintegration of sexual morality largely stems from a rejection of the nuptial or marital meaning of sex.
In the opening presentation of the conference, the President Steve Habisohn explained how the GIFT Foundation came into existence. When Steve was preparing for his own marriage just a few years ago he became more knowledgeable of the gift of natural family planning and the Church's teachings on married life. Yet, Steve also witnessed that most couples preparing for marriage were unaware of the Church's teachings or they did not have the correct understanding of natural family planning and therefore assumed they were "better" off using contraception of regulate the size of their family.
When Saint Augustine was struggling in his relationship with God, he knew the truth but was not willing to live it, he said this prayer to God, "Give me chastity, Lord, but not yet." Steve Hobisohn said, "The world today has taken St. Augustine's prayer and changed it to 'Give me chastity, Lord, never.' Good Christians have modified the prayer to say, 'Give me chastity, Lord, but only until I am married.'" He questioned the audience, "What other virtue would we ask for only until we are married? Honesty? Patience?" Of course our reaction is that we need all the virtues before and during married life, but "marital chastity" is not something we hear of very often. Because chastity - choosing what is good in regards to our sexuality - is often confused with celibacy it can be confusing. Steve Habisohn states, "Lifelong chastity is the foundational virtue for a new springtime of Christianity." All people whether married, single, or religious need the virtue of chastity.
The conference included a symposium on the various methods of natural family planning (NFP). NFP is a method by which a couple can observe their fertility so they can be open to the life in a generous and prudent manner. The four methods discussed were the Billings Ovulation Method, the Pope Paul VI Institute, the Couple to Couple League, and the Family of the Americas Foundation. All of the methods were clearly distinguished by the presenters both in how the method is used and taught. The diverse methods exist because of the diverse situations of couples. As stated by Pope John Paul II, "Since the conditions of couples are so diverse... it is providential that diverse methods [of NFP] exist." A couple may choose the method which best suits them. A few methods are easiest for instruction in poor countries or among the uneducated; others are able to specialize is assisting infertile couples to achieve pregnancy.
The conference and foundation have been largely inspired by John Paul II's vision of marriage and sexuality. Two presentations were given by a scholar on Pope John Paul II's writings on marriage and family life, Christopher West, MTS. Much of the information from Christopher is his summary of Pope's 129 Wednesday general audiences which were dedicated to articulating a profound analysis of the meaning of human sexuality which is now called the "Theology of the Body." Christopher said that the Holy Father is translating the Gospel for our times with his Theology of the Body.
The
organizers of the conference requested that the Good News of the
church's teaching on married life and love be shared with all. Please
consider how you can share this information with others: |
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Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis
- Office for
Marriage, Family and Life
Phone: 651-291-4488 / Email: spmmfl@archspm.org
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