PRE-CONCEPTION

"Avoid immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the immoral person sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body."
1 Corinthians 7:18-20

Jesus died an agonizing death on the cross to atone for our sins. Is is really asking too much for us to respect the life He purchased for us with His own life? And, He promised us His help:

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
Matthew 7:7-8

We humans need God's help to live a righteous life. The Holy Father calls us to cultivate chastity in the way that is suited to our state in life. If we are not professed to a consecrated life, we must live by moral law.

Unmarried people are called to live in chastity and continence, reserving for marriage the ultimate expression of married love.

As Christians and Catholics, we are to set an example for holy living.

"Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."
Matthew 5:16

"Pure Love", written by Jason Evert, is a beautiful article about chastity, and the sins against chastity (e.g., lust, rape, prostitution, masturbation, fornication, pornography.)

Rape is the forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another person. It does injury to justice and charity. Rape deeply wounds the respect, freedom, and physical and moral integrity to which every person has a right. It causes grave damage that can mark the victim for life. It is always an intrinsically evil act. Graver still is the rape of children committed by parents (incest) or those responsible for the education of the children entrusted to them.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2336)

Several of the other web site links we have referenced here have information about chastity, abstinence, and sins against chastity. Please be sure to check out the index on each site.

Married people are called to live conjugal chastity and fidelity. In the Sacrament of marriage, physical intimacy between spouses is a pledge of spiritual communion.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1604) describes the sacrament of marriage as a vocation, "God who created man out of love also calls him to love--the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is himself love. Since God created him man and woman, their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man. It is good, very good, in the Creator's eyes. And this love which God blesses is intended to be fruitful and to be realized in the common work of watching over creation."

Offenses against the Sacrament of marriage include adultery, divorce, polygamy, free union, and artificial birth control.

For married couples, Natural Family Planning (NFP) may be utilized when couples wish to space the births of their children for appropriate reasons, such as medical, psychological, social or economic reasons.

NFP Instructors for the Diocese of Harrisburg in the Cumberland/Perry and Dauphin deaneries:

Many useful pamphlets on NFP are provided in the magazine displays in the rear of the church.

Some people question the difference between NFP and artificial birth control.  A good article explaining the differences can be found on the internet at Priests for Life.

Artificial birth control can cause early chemical abortions by making the lining of the womb adverse to the implantation and growth of the embryo. Artificial birth control is not foolproof and neither are the humans who use them. If ovulation occurs and the egg is fertilized, the contraceptive will reject the embryo. A early abortion can occur during the woman's cycle and she would never realize she had conceived because the embryo dies and is expelled from the body.

And, there are many health side effects that result from the use of artificial birth control. Did you know that The Physician's Desk Reference contains a warning for EVERY birth control pill and device? For more information about the effects of artificial birth control, follow the link to Days.org.