My friend uses birth control- is she still considered Catholic?

>>Doctrine says it is wrong.<<

Let's review the Church teaching: "excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means." (Humanae Vitae 14)

Is your friend doing this? No, she is not, because she is not sexually active. Even if she were sexually active, "the Church does not consider at all illicit the use of those therapeutic means necessary to cure bodily diseases, even if a foreseeable impediment to procreation should result there from—provided such impediment is not directly intended for any motive whatsoever." (Humanae Vitae 15)

Your friend is not committing a sin; she is not going against Church teaching; she is still considered Catholic.

<<My friend uses birth control- is she still considered Catholic? Doctrine says it is wrong. She gets really sick "once a month" if she doesn't have it, though, and she isn't sexually active. In the eye of the Catholic Church, is she still a Catholic?>>

Using birth control pills in this manner, for this reason, isn't necessarily sinful. She has to be careful not to "take advantage" of the fact she's on birth control pills and start using them in that fashion.

<<Or just a sinner?>>

What is '"just" a sinner'?

<<Considering everyone is a sinner, I think she's "safe" but I've heard people say that if you break any dogma you can be excommunicated and you're just a "cafeteria Catholic.">>

What you think is irrelevant. We don't live by what we think should or should not constitute sin. We live by what God thinks should or should not constitute sin because it's what God thinks that's really important.

Truth be told, Church Dogma is NOT subject to line-item veto. There's no point in even being Catholic if one thinks it's okay to pick and choose which Dogma to follow and which to ignore.

<<I don't think that most Catholics agree with every doctrine, much less live by them ??>>

You a mind reader? Probably not, so don't worry about what you THINK "most Catholics" believe or not.

Speaking for myself, because myself is the only person I can speak for, I DO believe all elements of Catholic Dogma.

Catholic women are allowed to take medically necessary hormone treatments -- sometimes dosed in the form of the Pill - to correct imbalances without committing any sin. If this is what your friend is doing, she is still Catholic and she is not sinning with the Pill because she's not taking the Pill in order to have sex without making babies. I hasten to add, however, that drs tend to Rx the Pill as a stop-gap. It may be alleviating her symptoms but it certainly isn't fixing the problem. She would need to see a reproductive endocrinologist to get REAL help.

ALL Catholics are sinners, whether they are using birth control or not. Some of us are worse than others.

It's not your place to speculate whether "most" Catholics agree or follow every doctrine. Those of us who happily obey the Church, even when it's hard to do so, are likely not going to boast about it, so you would never know. Those of us who refuse to follow Church teaching and are open to you about it are not a fair representation of the Church.

I'm not Catholic, but I've known that birth control is considered a mortal sin amongst the upper members of the Vatican and such. Even now, it is considered "evil" to be on birth control according to the Catholic Church. Oddly enough, the bible doesn't mention this, and therefore it's only a matter of doctrine and traditions set forth by the church itself. It doesn't mean that they're right, but that's their rules. And it would seem that the Catholic Church feels their rituals and laws trump the bible, but they don't. There is nothing in the bible which suggests that a married couple should abstain from sex unless they're doing so to have children. I'm sure not all Catholics agree with this, but if the Vatican and the Pope sets the Catholic Law, either the Catholic should follow that law, or leave the Catholic Church. Most protestant churches don't have a problem with this. And my feeling is, that for all certain churches say we should be "fruitful and multiply", you won't see the church helping those families raise those children when there is no money.

Sure.

Most of Italy uses birth control. Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in all of Europe, approx 1.2 children per couple. It's overall population is dropping..... and in case you have forgotten, the Pope live in Rome!!!!! He says nothing.

Uhhhh, interesting.

All these women in years passed, used to have those 4 or 5 kids before they decided being against birth control was a crock, but did the church ever step to the plate and pony up any money for these large families???? Uh, no. Not once.

They still don't.

Parents owe it to children to be able to parent. And that's expensive in today's world. Yahoo had an article about 2 years ago that in the US, it costs $180,000 - $250,000 to get a kid to age 18. That's about $1000/mo, less in the beginning, more later. This includes no private art or music lessons, no camp, no symphony tickets, no RVing, nothing. Just a belly of cheap food, computer, a cell phone and some dope in high school

Which is more sinful? Having children you cannot afford to raise, nor provide medical care to, nor feed, or not having so many?

Thank you mom for having just the two you could properly care for. I'll always love you for that.

birth control is a style of heading off babies... putting it mildly, its a style of utilising words that imitation so called Catholics use to cover their unfavorable sin....................each and every sperm no longer introduced is a defamation to the writer That pronounced, through fact of our unfavorable guilt , and lust ; guy has lost administration of his/hers desires, pushing itself to utilising operations, birth control, contraptions, to stay away from babies ,and not abiding by utilising The Heavenly Fathers regulations for a real servant of the Lord. Sorry to assert that your priest( yet another Joyce Meyers) that never tell there flock the reality relating to the word of God.. those are the Sunday specific hypocrites of the twenty first century...might the Lord have mercy on you , and your Priest.. you'll be able to stay in a in demand time , however the word of the Lord never ever differences. once you reside exterior the Lord the on a daily basis mortal issues seem to never be solved. continually the lustful suggestions , and the financial mentally contraptions in whilst it includes babies. Too many or no longer adequate??? the place does it end.. We cant have the money for them you assert??? ask your self how the Lord helps you! Galatians financial disaster 5 2 Pete financial disaster 2

yes but misled. The idea that some Catholic priests and bishops put out there that whatever you personally decide is sin is fine is not right and they will have much to answer for.

If she definitely needs the medicine and is not sexually active she is fine though

if it is used for other medical conditions apart from birth control it is legal.

however one must rely on the conscience on the person receiving it .

this only applies to the common pill, not any other means .

A lot of Catholics don't follow the doctrine (ie; adultery, stealing, gluttony, etc.). She is Catholic if she believes she is.

She is considered a bad catholic. If you ask me, the catholics that make these dumb rules are the bad catholics.