Humanae vitae

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Humanae vitae

encyclical by Paul VI

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June 29, 2026

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Humanae vitae, meaning "Of Human Life," is an encyclical issued by Pope Paul VI in 1968. It reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church's traditional prohibition of artificial birth control, asserting that every marital act must remain open to the procreation of human life. This teaching was controversial, as it went against the recommendations of a commission established by Vatican II and was opposed by many theologians and laypersons. The encyclical stated that the primary purpose of marriage is the procreation and rearing of children, though mutual love is also considered an important, equally primary end. The church's stance on birth control has continued to be a subject of debate and varying interpretations within Catholicism.1234

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Cardinal Joseph Bernardin
Rise in the church hierarchy
…after Pope Paul VI issued Humanae vitae (1968; “Of Human Life”), a papal encyclical that rejected artificial contraception. Coming several years after the Second Vatican Council (1962–65) and its sweeping modernizations, the encyclical rankled many Catholics who had hoped for a more liberal policy on birth control. (Its teaching was…
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…after Pope Paul VI issued Humanae vitae (1968; “Of Human Life”), a papal encyclical that rejected artificial contraception. Coming several years after the Second Vatican Council (1962–65) and its sweeping modernizations, the encyclical rankled many Catholics who had hoped for a more liberal policy on birth control. (Its teaching was…
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St. John Paul II
Decision to join the priesthood
…work appears to have influenced Humanae vitae (1968; “Of Human Life”), Paul VI’s encyclical rejecting artificial contraception, which became one of the church’s most ignored teachings. Some bishops also disagreed with it, saying privately that, on this issue, Wojtyła may have made basic theological mistakes.
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…work appears to have influenced Humanae vitae (1968; “Of Human Life”), Paul VI’s encyclical rejecting artificial contraception, which became one of the church’s most ignored teachings. Some bishops also disagreed with it, saying privately that, on this issue, Wojtyła may have made basic theological mistakes.
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Roman Catholicism
Contemporary teaching on papal authority
…to consult the bishops, promulgated Humanae vitae (the encyclical on birth control), considered by some observers to be the most divisive papal initiative of recent times and one that amounted to a de facto negation of collegiality. Although Paul seemed less supportive of collegiality, he did encourage the exploration of…
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…to consult the bishops, promulgated Humanae vitae (the encyclical on birth control), considered by some observers to be the most divisive papal initiative of recent times and one that amounted to a de facto negation of collegiality. Although Paul seemed less supportive of collegiality, he did encourage the exploration of…
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St. Paul VI
Vatican II and Paul VI’s pontificate
…1968 he issued his encyclical Humanae vitae (“Of Human Life”), which reaffirmed the stand of several of his predecessors on the long-smoldering controversy over artificial means of birth control, which he opposed. In many sectors this encyclical provoked adverse reactions that may be described as the most violent attacks on…
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…1968 he issued his encyclical Humanae vitae (“Of Human Life”), which reaffirmed the stand of several of his predecessors on the long-smoldering controversy over artificial means of birth control, which he opposed. In many sectors this encyclical provoked adverse reactions that may be described as the most violent attacks on…
Read More