It occurred to me yesterday, while at home recuperating from a minor elective surgery, to investigate the Catholic Church's teaching regarding vasectomies. If you google "catholic church on vasectomy," the first return is a forum, "Catholic Answers," and you come immediately to the following question:
I know a vasectomy is a sin.
Before I received greater understanding of the church and knowledge and understanding of Catholic teaching, I had a vasectomy to keep from having further children for financial reasons.
Now I know the evils of my action and constantly worry about the effects this has had on my salvation even after going to confession.
I want to have surgeory to correct it but have been told it is quite expensive.
So, should I be celebate [sic] since I cannot have kids with my wife until I can afford to reverse my vasectomy?
Also I would not mind seeing this thread stray from my question if it is to help someone else so long as I can get some response here.
God Bless
Jack
Oh, Jack! Your first instinct, to have a vasectomy on the ground that you could not afford more children, was sound. But instead you had to listen to the authoritarian virgin bachelors of the Church and now you are contemplating spending what money you are able to save on an expensive reversal of the vasectomy. The proof that the procedure worked is that you will have a child you cannot afford. The money spent on the reversal would have paid for all the new baby's food, clothes, and diapers--but, of course, if you hadn't paid for the reversal you wouldn't need to buy all that stuff, either.
Really great. It is as if the Church is determined to make life as miserable as possible for those foolish enough to be influenced by it. I admit I do not understand why the Church endorses "natural family planning." If it is okay to use an ineffective method of avoiding pregnancy, why should it be a sin to use an effective one?
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