Do American Catholics with small families practice birth control?

Question

Are Catholics who have small families practicing birth control or do they simply give up all sex after one or two births?

Why did most good Catholics of 100 years ago have large families of five or six or more children vs today?

For example, Benamin Franklin (a Christian, not a Catholic) was one of about 17 children.

http://www.beliefnet.com/

Answer 1

I've heard that 80% of Catholics use birth control. I'm not sure how accurate that figure is, but I would not be surprised if that was true. It's just too impractical for people not to use it -- the church is way out of touch on this issue.

Answer 2

All Christian Churches didn't approve of birth control until 1930 when they reversed their position. The Catholic church is the exception, many European Catholics had large families and some still do. But the majority of Catholics all around the world practice birth control (artificially). Times have changed, before it was common to have large families now is just more expensive to take care of children. Is better to bring children into the world that you're going to love. I think the Vatican is going to reverse their position on this in about 30 or 40 years. Btw, Catholics are Christians too.

Answer 3

I believe most do. Until the 1930s, the Catholic Church was not alone in its opposition to contraceptives. However, after the Anglican Church passed a resolution in favor of birth control at its 1930 Lambeth Conference, other Protestant denominations began to relax their prohibitions as well. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church held fast to its opposition. For the Vatican, the primary purpose of intercourse was for the sacred act of procreation. If couples were interested in having intercourse, then they had to be willing to accept the potential for the creation of another life. For devout Catholics, that left only abstinence or the church-approved rhythm method (the practice of abstaining from sex during the woman's period of ovulation (or at all) --That was taught as a way). However, the rhythm method was unreliable, and many believed it placed a heavy strain on marital relations. Since 1957, Church law had allowed women with "irregular" cycles to take the Pill to regularize their cycle and enable them to better practice the rhythm method. Some got around the use than With the pill in the 60s many more decided it was best for them. It's still a fight among many. Since the Pill used the same hormones already present in the female reproductive system and did not tamper with sperm, Some believed the Church should view the Pill as a "natural" form of contraception. Many belief the church is wrong in this issue. Yet they aren't going to say much about it at this time. They will stand besides them in all other things. Just like many do behind their own religion even if they don't accept all they practice.

Answer 4

My husband and I are Catholic. We do not use artificial birth control. We have been married for 13 years and we have 3 kids.

We went through a period of infertility when we were first married. It took years to conceive our son, who is now 8. Then we very easily conceived a daughter, now 5 and another girl, now 3.

If we could have more kids, we'd love to have more kids. My son would like us to adopt him a "twin" brother, born on or near his birthday but a bit younger, so we're on the lookout for a boy that fits the bill. :-)

I know another Catholic couple who tried desperately to have a second child after their first but were never able to. Actually, I know three couples like that, and two of the couples adopted sibling groups later to fulfill their desire for more kids when their bodies wouldn't cooperate.

All this to say, a Catholic family that is small in number does not necessarily mean that the couple is using artificial birth control or is practicing total unity.

Also, there is natural family planning. Perhaps if you understood the female anatomy better, you would know that it's impossible for women to get pregnant every single day of the month. Couples can simply choose when they have sex to help plan their families.

Answer 5

We practice Natural Family Planning where we count the number of days to find out when the wife is ovulating and then abstain from sex during those days. It's isn't 100% for sure that you will not get pregnant by using this method, but then again neither is birth control or condoms. It is the will of God that a child be created, birth control or not.

Answer 6

The truth is, in the average married couple who use no birth control at all, and breastfeed their babies, will have an average of only five kids! Even before birth control was widely available, most families did not have 17 kids.

Do you consider that a large or small family?

Answer 7

I know I was just talking with a friend who is planning on having a Catholic wedding in the spring and through the church counseling she was told that Catholics are to only have sex for 2 reasons. 1st to consummate the marriage which happens only once and 2nd to reproduce so unless she is planning on trying to conceive then they are suppose to sustain from sex. And to use birth control is considered evil. Something I just learned and thought it was very interesting.

Answer 8

Back when I was Catholic we practiced BC. I even got snipped eventually.

The reason for family size difference then vs now is probably due to knowledge, and/or actually using BC.

Answer 9

Catholics practice only the part of the religion that suits them

Answer 10

many practice natural birth control, meaning have sex on days when fertility is lowered in chance