BOSTON (Reuters Life!) - Some 98 percent of sexually active Catholic women in the United States have used contraceptive methods banned by the church, research published on Wednesday showed.
A new report from the Guttmacher Institute, the nonprofit sexual health research organization, shows that only 2 percent of Catholic women, even those who regularly attend church, rely on natural family planning.
The latest data shows practices of Catholic women are in line with women of other religious affiliations and adult American women in general.
"In real-life America, contraceptive use and strong religious beliefs are highly compatible," said the report's lead author Rachel Jones.
She said most sexually active women who do not want to become pregnant practice contraception, and most use highly effective methods like sterilization, the pill, or the intrauterine device (IUD).
"This is true for Evangelicals and Mainline Protestants, and it is true for Catholics, despite the Catholic hierarchy's strenuous opposition to contraception," Jones said.
Nearly 70 percent of Catholic women use sterilization, the birth control pill or an IUD, according to the Guttmacher Institute research.
The numbers are slightly higher among women who identify as Evangelicals or Mainline Protestants, research showed.
The latest data is from the 2006-2008 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG).
The findings nearly match previous NSFG data from 2002, which showed that 97 percent of Catholic women were using birth control, and are consistent with a trend tracked over the last decade by Catholics for Choice.
So tragic... we need to do a better job of teaching about the beauty of Catholic teaching on sexuality and the dignity of life and the human person. Until the contraceptive mentality ends, abortion will not end. I used to try to separate these issues, but they are totally and inescapably related.
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't it mandatory for couples planning to marry in the Church to be instructed in NFP? Why the silence from the pulpit?
ReplyDelete"Some 98 percent of sexually active Catholic women in the United States have used contraceptive methods"
ReplyDeleteAnd the remaining 2% are ostracised for NOT using contraceptives and usually by other Catholics. Even good Catholics shake their heads in disgust when some couples show up for mass with too many children in tow.
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I have so much admiration for Catholics who live out their faith. They have a rough row to hoe. Truly they are saints, crabby, worn down, financially insolvent, saints with few people to confide in because when they complain about their fatigue or troubles, others will say,"Why did you have all those kids?" Then deem the faithful Catholic couple to be stupid but if you have two kids and are having a crappy day you can find lots of people who will sympathize -as long as your normal.
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teresamarie,
I couldn't agree with you more. Our lead couple said that family planning wouldn't be discussed and they all but endorsed birth control. My husband was angry.
Sometimes I feel the people of our Catholic faith are simply lost - millions of them.
Blogging is nice because we can find a handful who agree with us and offer emotional support for one another.
"...Why isn't it mandatory for couples planning to marry in the Church to be instructed in NFP? Why the silence from the pulpit?..."
ReplyDeleteNFP is birth control; Vatican Council II variety.
The sacrament of Holy Matrimony is for the procreation of children for God's greater glory, and to replace the fallen angels, including Lucifer.
Good on you, Mrs. Belinda, you said it well.
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