Author Topic: SSPX Expanding NFP? (Read 4733 times)

SeanJohnson · « **on:** November 02, 2019, 06:58:30 AM »

Saturday, 2 November 2019
The SSPX expands the use of NFP?

http://tradcatresist.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-sspx-expands-use-of-nfp.html?m=1

To its credit the SSPX has always made clear its opposition to the misuse of 'Natural Family Planning'. There have been a number of well written articles by priests themselves along with reprints from the excellent SI SI-NO NO magazine some of which can be accessed here under The Catholic Family heading.

Whilst I have always thought that an enormous amount of weight seems to have been given to one single letter to the Italian Midwives from the last orthodox pope, I completely accept that there are cases when (in union with a competent spiritual director) NFP may be used.

Click here to hear the full talk including Fr Couture's large family example.

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However, it goes without saying that the SSPX (and occasional Ecclesia Dei priests) were always fighting against the conservative tide, particularly considering that many of the their potential lay recruits come from 'pro-life' organisations who push NFP like a religion in itself. But up until recently it appeared that they were unwilling to join the crowd on the issue.

The video above is from a recent Fatima Center Youth Conference Q&A session. Fr Daniel Couture (District Superior of Canada) is asked to differentiate between artificial contraception and NFP. He answers well to a mixed congregation of well meaning Novus Ordo-ites and Traditionalists, but then decides to adapt Pope Pius XII 's stipulation's regarding NFP to his own interpretation for today. Obviously as a priest that is what he would have to do in a practical manner in the confessional in any case. But whilst his first case regarding China is theologically arguable, I am at a loss to understand his example of home schooling mothers at all.

Let me state that I have nothing but admiration for those mothers who choose to home educate. On a natural level it is a somewhat thankless task. Women who work for various Catholic moral causes in the social sphere attain the plaudits of one's contemporaries, whilst the constant sacrifices of the home-schooling mother are often witnessed by God alone and sadly are as likely to receive condemnation by their fellow laity as by worldlings.

So what is the answer to these efforts by the Fr Couture's SSPX? Why, have less children of course! In all my years supporting the SSPX I have rarely come across families who actually live the faith as much as those who home educate. I am certainly not saying they are better or more pious, but the practical decision to home educate means that the souls of their children are not in the hands of secular ɧoɱosɛҳųαƖ tolerating school teachers but are their responsibility and that obviously has ramifications for the way these people live their lives.

As regulations begin to tie Catholic schools in knots, including the SSPX, one would have thought that rather than spending the millions from the Jaidhof Foundation on Shrek castle style Cathedrals they should invest in high level home schooling courses run online. This would cost a fraction of the hundreds of thousands needed to hire teachers (even on the shoe-string wages they pay them). Perhaps they may not produce the bankers and lawyers etc that the SSPX esteem so much, but they may produce priests and possibly saints.

The bizarre example by Fr Couture is made even more so by the fact that the external situations he uses are in many ways solvable by the SSPX itself! If he is so concerned about the plight of the home schooling mother then why not encourage older mothers from the pulpit whose children have now grown and fled the nest to spend some of their spare time in assisting such mothers? Whilst it could involve imparting their knowledge to the children, it could just be as simple as minding the children for an afternoon each week or helping out with chores or lifts. What a help that would be to many a mother and how much would God bless such a person for giving their time in such a way!

Incredibly, after Fr Issac Mary puts forth a more old-school SSPX response, Fr Couture returns to his subject with examples of a massive drop off in practice amongst large families and puts the blame on the father's selfishness and excessive workload. I do not doubt the truth of this, but how does one jump from that problem to limiting birth? Surely if the SSPX sees a crisis in large families through fathers working hours, the answer is to reexamine how they judge success. If thrift was seen as a virtue rather than something to be pitied, if economics were taught in a serious manner during marriage courses, if ones income did not mean more attention from priests, if husbands were regularly catechised on treating their wives with love and, just as importantly time, then perhaps the problem would be solved without recourse to Fr Couture's solution. How is the problem the amount of children as opposed to external factors which are within our power to change? This is what differentiates his home-schooling family example and his one regarding China!

Now we come to the crux of the matter; Whilst I do not doubt that Fr Couture speaks from experience regarding some home-schooling mothers who have difficult lives, I do not understand how his example differs from a traditional catholic woman who, through either materialism or financial necessity, works outside the home. If a woman has five children, works full time, then has to pick up children from school, come home and cook dinner etc etc how can that woman not justify her own situation as needing 'a rest' from more babies according to Fr Couture's modern interpretation of neccesity?

We should never forget how 'hard-case scenarios' make bad laws. One has only to see how the Conciliar Church used the Vigil Mass to justify the Saturday evening Mass now so common. Fr Couture's example seems a dangerous precedent to set. Whilst I have little doubt that Fr has the good of his laity in mind, I worry that this line of reasoning is now commonplace and one hopes that the Society does not eventually begin to toe the conservative line and treat NFP as a trivial matter or worse, as a virtue rather than something tolerated as a necessary evil for a given period of time.[/size][/font][/size][/font]

SeanJohnson · « **Reply #1 on:** November 02, 2019, 07:06:39 AM »

Ps: Fr. Couture’s comments begin at 41:45 of the video linked above.

SeanJohnson · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2019, 08:09:44 AM »

I too am uncomfortable with Fr. Couture's comments.

After discussing the "health of the mother" justification for NFP by Pius XII, he abruptly slips into a discussion of homeschool mothers, and the stresses of that life.

Is he saying parental stress is justification for NFP?

He certainly seems to be saying exactly that.

SoldierofCtK · « **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2019, 01:44:41 PM »

Fr. Couture seems to "double-down" on his lukewarm response with a "nuanced" addition to his original answer, around 55:00. He has the nerve to bring +ABL into the nonsense, as well...

SeanJohnson · « **Reply #4 on:** November 02, 2019, 02:07:14 PM »

Quote from: SoldierofCtK on November 02, 2019, 01:44:41 PM

Fr. Couture seems to "double-down" on his lukewarm response with a "nuanced" addition to his original answer, around 55:00. He has the nerve to bring +ABL into the nonsense, as well...

I did not know there was more, and having heard it, there is no doubt about Fr. Couture’s message:

1) Large families are bad; they cause children to lose the faith

2) Because mothers cannot school them properly

3) So because we are not as strong as previous generations (speak for yourself!), we need to have smaller families

4) And the children need to be sent to SSPX schools.

Wow.

Very disappointed to hear this kind of talk.

It contrasts sharply with Archbishop Lefebvre saying the large families of tradition are the glory of the Catholic Church.

I’ll see if I can find it.

This would probably have made the CCCC thread/book.

CathInfo.com

Author Topic: SSPX Expanding NFP? (Read 4733 times)

SeanJohnson

SSPX Expanding NFP?

SeanJohnson

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SeanJohnson

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SoldierofCtK

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