The acceptance of an unexpected or unintended pregnancy, suddenly places the mother and father (if left alone or ill-informed) facing a seemingly complex and difficult change. The child under formation faces a world that could reject it and retain his right to life inferior to the one that has been chosen and called upon to host it in her womb. The birth may be considered as having been conceived in the wrong moment, a “mistake” to be cancelled. Expressions that could contribute in making one lose sight of what should be the inalienable right: the right to life.
A “string” of terms used is predominant in the non-recognition of the fetus as a living- being. Many today use terms such as the so-called “voluntary termination of pregnancy” (cited from article 1 of ll. 140/78) which go to replace those terms that are much more significant but sound uncomfortable viz. “abortion” that would give the real sese to the harsh reality behind.
With the same “ambiguity” in the meanings, we could refer to then the contraceptive which is too easily used. Semantically, it begins to take on a different significance: one would often imagine that the word is related to a simple way of keeping “fertility under control”, thus nullifying the profoundest concept in itself that is summed up in the relational value in procreation, thus giving rise to “manipulation”. Putting a ‘block’ on the functions is preferable, the biological capacity, through contraceptive means ,rather than being aware of one’s own fertility and adjusting to it.
Paul VI in his Encyclical,’ Humanee Vitae’ July 25, 1968 defines the indivisibility of the two aspects, marriage and procreation that “[…] for its intimate nature, the conjugal act, unites the spouses in a deep bond , which makes them suitable for generating new lives[…] While safeguarding both these essential aspects, the conjugal union and procreative aspect, the conjugal act preserves the sense of mutual real love and the highest vocation to which mankind was ordained fatherhood “.
A scientific definition of the term “contraception” can be found in sussisidio No. 5 of the text published by the Movement for Life entitled “Human Fertility, a valuable asset to get to know and exploit responsibly”: “contraception is a means of fertility control, which does not prevent only the sperm to meet up with the ovule but does, in some cases, trigger off a set of mechanisms that provoke induced pharmacological abortion.” In other terms it is in contrast to the acceptio, i.e. the reception.
And so a semantic problem arises in the ,cutural and procedural definition, first watering down the term “abortion” to “contraception”. Realistically speaking, with “conception” we can no longer refer to contraception and the various pharmaceutical remedies that are sustained, which “block”the impregnation of the embryo in the uterus should rather have a connotation that no longer defines it as abortion as such but contraception. The State Council has emanated an Decree No.4057/2014, aimed at verifying the issue. Nothing is to be taken for granted, not even scientifically. Without doubt, a good rule would be that whenever there is a lack of absolute certainty on the action of the compound, the principle of extreme precaution should prevail. Amidst the confusion in the Tower of Babel, whether induced or alleged, has only served to add more fuel to the confusion.
For the present we are waiting for a ruling from Palazzo Spada. Pending on this, or alternatively, it would be necessary or sufficient that they re-order their lives placing in their “hearts” the right priorities correctly along the scale of values. Neverthless, the “proper morality in the acts” are to be considered, Giovanni Paolo II in the encyclical letter, ‘Veritas Splendor’ of August 6th, 1993 No.72 notes that: “the Act is morally good when freely made choices are in accordance with the true goodess in man […] (Matt 19.16) it immediately highlights the essential link between the moral value in an act and the ultimate aim of man […] that the way to the end purpose is marked by the divine laws which protect the human good. The act done in accordance to good can only be the way that leads to life. ‘
Davide Rizzo
Head of Life-Help Centre in Loreto
President of MpV-Marche
Translation provided by Marina Stronati
