What were Pope John Paul II’s positions on abortion and artificial contraception?

Throughout his pontificate, Pope John Paul II maintained traditional church positions on sexual and moral issues, consistently upholding the sanctity of life and the family unit.1

• Abortion: John Paul II firmly denounced abortion, characterizing the acceptance of the practice in Western societies as part of a broader "culture of death". He also opposed medical practices that he viewed as manifesting the intention to commit abortion, such as the use of the "morning-after" pill.123
• Artificial Contraception: The Pope upheld the church’s traditional prohibition of artificial contraception, maintaining that marital acts must retain an intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life. This stance remained a consistent feature of his moral teachings, emphasizing that the primary end of marriage is the procreation and rearing of children.13

By maintaining these positions, John Paul II sought to reassert religious discipline and uphold the church's moral authority regarding personal morality and the family.12