837 



to be against the divine will. Nevertheless, modern religious opinion 

 has found Islamic principles which provide a sanction for contracep- 

 tion. Moslem leaders, like the Shah of Iran, King Hussein of Jordan, 

 former Prime Minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman, Presi- 

 dent Bourguiba of Tunisia, and the late President Nasser of Egypt all 

 signed the document known as the Statement of Population by Heads 

 of State, which urged family planning as the remedy for rapid popula- 

 tion growth.^^^ 



In the encyclical HwmaTiae Vitae, proclaimed on July 25, 1968, 

 Pope Paul VI reiterated the opposition of the Catholic Church to 

 artificial birth control, declaring that each and every marriage act 

 must remain open to the transmission of life. All artificial interference 

 with conception was banned, as was abortion and even sterilization, 

 whether temporary or permanent. If a Roman Catholic couple wishes 

 to limit the number of their children, they should, he said, either ab- 

 stain or limit intercourse to the woman's infertile periods (the rhythm 

 method). 



In expounding his views, the Pope recognized the special problems 

 that runaway population growth posed for the less developed coun- 

 tries. He contended, however, that the solution of these difficulties 

 diould envisage the social and economic progress of the individual as 

 well as society, and should maintain a respect for "true human values." 



The encyclical evoked protest both within and outside the Catholic 

 Church, Dr. John Rock, a pioneer in developing the birth control pill 

 and also a Catholic, sharply attacked the Pope's message. The Associa- 

 tion of Washington (D.C.) Priests declared that they would refuse to 

 counsel obedience to the ban on birth control, while the National Con- 

 ference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement in support of the Pope. 

 Abroad, Cardinal Alfrink and the Netherlands Catholic Bishops re- 

 fused to, support the encyclical. It was criticized by Italian papers 

 of varying political coloration because of the appeals it contained 

 to government authorities in the LDCs. Among the Catholics who 

 accepted and supported the papal encvclical were those who never- 

 theless expressed apprehension that adnerence to its principles would 

 severely test the faith of many of their fellow Catholics. The Pope 

 persisted in his position, however, and has not modified it in subse- 

 quent remarks. 



Since the Catholic countries of Latin America are experiencing the 

 most rapid rate of population increase in the world, the question natu- 

 rally arises as to what connection, if any, there might be oetween their 

 Catholicism and the ongoing rush of new births. The evidence appears 

 to be mixed. For example. 



Dr. Benjamin Vlel of Chile has pointed out that in Santiago, among wealthier 

 families of strong Catholic persuasion, the birth rate is only 20 per 1,000 while 

 among the lower dass where "Catholicism exerts a doubtful Influence ♦ ♦ • the 

 birth rate, even with two abortions for every five births, reaches 40 per 

 thousand." "• 



The only explanation for this difference, in Viel's view, was that upper 

 class couples used contraceptives unknown among the lower classes. 



"I Ibid., pa«e 158. 



"I "Latin America at the Crossroads," (Victor Fund for the International Planned Parent- 

 hood Federation, Report No. 3, September 1966). page 21. 



