Educational Resource
Pope John Paul II and Humane Vitae (1986)
Pope John Paul II and Humane Vitae by Janet E. Smith in International Review of Natural Family Planning, Volume X, Number 2, Summer 1986
Pope John Paul II has made teaching about human sexuality a major part of his pontificate; on nearly every visit to countries around the world, he has taken care to reiterate the Church's opposition to artificial means of birth control. Many who have read the writings of John Paul II say that they are difficult to read, that he has a rather impenetrable style. That may be true for some of his works, but I am among those who find his works not only challenging, but at the same time lucid and illuminating. Those I know who, in particular, are familiar with his writings on family life and sexuality all say the same thing: These views are exciting.
Some may ask, when one is referring to papal teachings, what can one possibly mean by the word "exciting"? Now, since I am from the University of Notre Dame, you will not be surprised to find me using football examples to clarify my points. We have a definite understanding of excitement at Notre Dame-it generally means a last minute winning field goal in the Notre Dame stadium-but this is not the way that I am using the word here. It is more like the excitement one finds in the works of St. Thomas, for instance. Fewer people find excitement there than in football-but seekers after truth will know what I mean.
Janet E. Smith, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Program of Liberal Studies at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. Her article is a version of a talk she first gave to Women for Faith and Family in St. Louis, October 1985.