The Thomistic Institute Catholic Teaching on Birth Control: Beyond Common Misunderstandings I Prof. Gina Noia
Jul 25, 2025
Gina Noia, an Assistant Professor of Theology at Providence College with a PhD in Theology and Health Care Ethics, dives deep into Catholic teachings on responsible parenthood. She contrasts natural family planning with contraception, emphasizing the ethical implications of each approach. Noia unpacks commonly held misunderstandings and highlights the procreative and unitive aspects of marital love. With a background in clinical ethics, her insights marry theology with real-world applications, making for an enlightening discussion on family life.
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Responsible Parenthood in Catholic Teaching
- Catholic marriage calls for total self-giving, uniting spouses in a love that is both unitive and procreative.
- Responsible parenthood balances the call to have children with prudential discernment about when to responsibly space or avoid pregnancies.
Just Reasons to Avoid Pregnancy
- Couples must have just or well-grounded reasons to avoid pregnancy, rejecting frivolous or selfish motives.
- The Church purposely avoids a strict list, entrusting couples to prudential discernment tailored to their individual circumstances.
Natural Family Planning Explained
- Natural Family Planning (NFP) respects a woman's natural fertility cycles to avoid pregnancy.
- Unlike contraception, NFP works by abstaining during fertile periods, cooperating with biology rather than altering it.
