LOAF TIDINGS

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches about contraception in the context of human sexuality, marriage, and family planning.

_CCC 2366-2372_: The Church teaches that married couples have the right to decide on the spacing of children, but must do so in a way that respects the moral law.

_CCC 2370_: The Church rejects methods of birth control that include sterilization, artificial contraception or abortion.

_CCC 2371_: The Church promotes natural family planning (NFP) methods that involve observing and understanding a woman's reproductive cycle in order to achieve or postpone pregnancy.

_CCC 2399_: The Church teaches that intercourse must always be open to the possibility of life, and that contraception weakens this openness.

1. Respect for human life and dignity

2. Integrity of marriage and family

3. Importance of responsible parenthood

4. Reject artificial means of controlling fertility

The Church encourages couples to use Natural Family Planning methods based on observing and understanding a woman's reproductive cycle rather than using artificial methods of contraception.

By understanding the teachings of the Church, we too can join in shaping the culture of life!

How many people around us know about Pro Life? Most people have no idea about it. I was one of them. We realized the importance of Pro Life when we had an experience in our life.

The month after our second son turned one, I found out that I was pregnant with a baby in my womb. We were happily ready to welcome the baby, but it was at the third month scan that we found out that the baby in the womb had genetic defects and would be a Down syndrome baby. The Doctor said that if this baby is born, it will be a big problem for you common people and it will require a lot of money for treatment. The doctor said it is best to get rid of this baby now, there is nothing more I can do.

Hearing these words of the doctor, my spouse and I sat before God and cried and prayed. We were not ready to destroy the baby in my womb, no matter what the defects. Except one of my sisters, no one supported our decision. That's when I remembered the doctor talking about the importance of life in a video, Dr. Finto Francis. Went to see the doctor that same day. He told us “God gives life and only God has the power to take it away. Nothing happens in our life without God's knowledge, go ahead boldly.” We can accept that baby in any condition and the doctor will be with us. The words of that pro-life activist doctor gave us a lot of comfort...courage...a hope.....Exactly one month later we went for check-up again. When the doctor checked the baby, there was no heartbeat. It was too much for the mother in me to know that the baby in my womb was no more alive for so many days.

The doctor reassured us that it was a good decision that you were willing to accept the baby despite knowing that there were genetic defects and leave the rest to God. We were admitted there that day. My first two children were delivered by caesarean section. The doctor said that this baby can be delivered with medicine and taken out. I gave birth to that baby in pain with medication. When the baby came out, only my partner was with me in the room. Then he took the baby in his arms. Baby was much smaller than my palm .....baby fingers ......baby limbs. Seeing all this, I could not bear the grief. We had Holy Water with us. The information was conveyed in the labor room after the baby was blessed with a Cross using Holy Water and recited prayers we knew. Later they came and took the baby away. Maybe if I had delivered that baby in the labor room, we wouldn't have been able to see that baby and understand the importance of that baby's life so deeply.

I felt that God was testing us in that one instance, maybe if I had destroyed the baby in my womb as soon as I found out that the baby had a disability, I would have had to live with that burden of sin and guilt today. God gave, God took, praise be to God! Later we were able to give birth to two more children!

Pro Life is a system that stands for life, for the comprehensive protection of life. Let no child be killed in the womb for any reason. Let's wake up and act to protect life! Best of luck to all families for the March for Life!