Sterilization Acceptable?

i'm sorry, i didn't mean to detract from the thread, and i didn't mean to encourage responses about my own experience...not that i'm not grateful for your compassion...i just wanted to give a real life experience of how sterilisation can seem like a ray of hope, it certainly did seem that way for me...and yet as in all man made decisions, resulted in the agony of feeling entirely bereft, without His will in it.

ukok said:

i'm sorry, i didn't mean to detract from the thread, and i didn't mean to encourage responses about my own experience...not that i'm not grateful for your compassion...i just wanted to give a real life experience of how sterilisation can seem like a ray of hope, it certainly did seem that way for me...and yet as in all man made decisions, resulted in the agony of feeling entirely bereft, without His will in it.

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You have nothing to apologize for. This is the truth that needs to be told because too many people believe the lies that decisions like that are in their best interest and later they are filled with regret.

cindylou said:

This is such and interesting discussion, simply because my husband and I are in the middle of this mess with our families. We are the only Catholics in either of our family. We are expecting our 4th child in just a few weeks. His mother even called to tell him he should get a vasectomy!! UGHH!. We have tried to explain WHY sterilization is offensive to us, but secular people just don't get it. Unfortunately, that secular view is spilling over into Protestantism as well. There are even some Catholics who are considering such. I absolutely can not imagine closing my womb ON PURPOSE. I know how Dr.s are..my last OB/GYN insisted that he tie my tubes. I now have a new Dr. NFP works if followed correctly. Except for GRAVE circumstances, however, (homelessness might be one, or cancer, or mental illness etc), parents should never deny children into their families!!! Children are such blessings and joys.

cindylou

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Just wanted to wish you a blessed birth!!!

From what I understand, a situation where a married couple is unable to have children is an exception to the "sex only for procreation" doctrine -- women who are past menopause, or men that have become sterile, or people who have had operations (neccessary for health) that have rendered them unable to procreate -- all of those people can still continue to have sex in their marriage. (Since in these cases the couple is not willingy engaging in birth control).

-Chris

Christy4Christ said:

1 Timothy 2 :15

But she will be saved through motherhood, provided women persevere in faith and love and holiness, with self control

This was an answer for Shelb's question to Therese to cite what Paul said on this..

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Thanks Christy

Here it is in the King James

1Ti 2:15​

​

And Douay Rheims bible
The question that comes out in the translation is, is Paul saying that Chldbith saves her, or that she will be kept safe through the act of childbirth . .

Here are several translations:

You can see they are not in agreement as to what is actually meant. That isi why I asked about it.


Peace in Him!

Theresa,

If anything this sure let's out faith alone.

I take the verse to mean that mothers have a unique role and it is their path to sanctification.

kern said:

From what I understand, a situation where a married couple is unable to have children is an exception to the "sex only for procreation" doctrine -- women who are past menopause, or men that have become sterile, or people who have had operations (neccessary for health) that have rendered them unable to procreate -- all of those people can still continue to have sex in their marriage. (Since in these cases the couple is not willingy engaging in birth control).

-Chris

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What doctrine is ‘sex only for procreation?’ There is no such teaching in the Church. The Church recognizes fully that sex is both unitive and procreative, You can not take either one out of the act.

ukok said:

i'm sorry, i didn't mean to detract from the thread, and i didn't mean to encourage responses about my own experience...not that i'm not grateful for your compassion...i just wanted to give a real life experience of how sterilisation can seem like a ray of hope, it certainly did seem that way for me...and yet as in all man made decisions, resulted in the agony of feeling entirely bereft, without His will in it.

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Do you honestly believe that He was not involved in your choice? Do you not see his hand in knowing what pain you were going through, and how scared you were? He made available for you an option that you may have needed to continue your journey and be where you are today. He's also given you a great gift of understanding and empathy, a way for you to be able to reach out to others who are or have been in that position.

My husband chose to get a vasectomy after the birth our 6th child, his 9th. We had to take alot of factors into consideration (including the fact that we were having a child every 18mths to 2 years apart). Our Lord had a hand, I believe, in the decision to go ahead and do this, HWDRM has not been stuck down with lightning, is healthy and the operation was (obviosly) successful.

But even more important when that door was closed God opened a window, another avenue and we continue on. Early this year we took in a 17yr old runaway who was having problems at home. Is this not God's way? Should I be sitting here regretting our decision, or praising him for giving us the oppurtunity to love and care for our extended family (and the high-school students who now call me Mum) and thank him every day for opening his windows?

utok




Peace in Him!