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f BIRTH CONTROL THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1964 GEORGIA BULLETIN PAGE 3 Pill Moral Says Belgian: Not So, Reply Americans CaMDEN, N. J. (NC)—A Bel gian theologian has expressed belief that the so-called ''birth control pill" is a moral means of birth regulation purposes— but his views Immediately came under fire from several promi nent U. S. theologians. Father Louis Janssens, a professor of moral theology at the Catholic University of Lou vain, Belgium, said that in cases where the rhythm method of birth regulation is not possible, "it seems to us that it can be replaced by a recourse to pro gesterone (the 'pill*) so long as used within the framework and within the limits of generous fruitfulness, that is, in the ser vice of justified regulation of births." BUT FATHER Janssens’ American critics said the Bel gian priest's position is incom patible with the teachings of the Church. One said his views typify a school of thought on marriage questions that is "getting out of hand, theologi cally speaking." Father Janssens expressed his views in an article publish ed in the theological journal of the University of Louvain, A re port on the article as iwell. as thi reactions of U, S. theologians appeared in the Catholic Star Herald, newspaper oT the Cam den diocese. SUBJECT OF the exchange are the new oral contraceptives — progesterone steroids — which are synthetic female hor mones that, taken regularly, suppress ovulation and thereby make conception impossible. Catholic theologians have agreed that the progesterone steroids have a legitimate use in correcting certain physical malfunctions and regulating the ovulatory cycle. But they have held that use of the "pill" for birth regulation is not per mitted, BY CONTRAST, the theolo gians agree that, when there are good reasons for it, practice of periodic continence—the so- called rhythm method—is a permitted form of birth regu lation. Father Janssens contends in his article that in several sig- IGNATIUS HOUSE RETREATS BY JESUIT PRIESTS Weekends For Men And Weekends For Women 6700 Riverside Drive N. W. 255-0503 Atlanta, Georgia 30328 it- ; STONE CRA8 CLAWS 6fy>te/L ptaca In Buckhead , 233-4125 [am; . FAMOUS ALL-PURPOSK DRESSING DELICIOUS ON Salads-Meats^Seafood 'SOLD AT HAD I NO STOMS" “PET.^you betl” PET MlWrOMHNY DAIRY division For Convenient Home Delivery In Atlanta Call 636-8677 SuAuAance in ail iU j/ymui! Sjf iti written, ute utAile it. . . Sutter & McLedan 1422 RHODES HAVERTY BLDG. JAckson 5-2086 WHERE INSURANCE IS A PROFESSION NOT A SIDELINE nificant ways rhythm and the "pill” are comparable, THUS, HE said, from the as pect of the "Intrinsic meaning of the conjugal act, the use of progesterone could be likened to the practice of periodic con tinence, it affords a respect for the nature and structure of the conjugal act, fully maintaining the act in its significance in the service of mutual love of the spouses,” He argued that if direct steri lization, which is immoral, is defined as "any human inter vention which has for its pri mary end the halting of the gene rative power," then even prac tice of rhythm would be ruled out. "IN EFFECT," he said, "by positively excluding fruitful- ness...it is human intervention which has for its primary end ...stopping of the generative power of particular sex acts. I "Yet it is generally admitted that periodic continence is not an intrinsically evil practice and that, consequently, it has a positive moral value provided that the intention which governs it be good." In this respect, too, he finds rhythm and the "pill” to be comparable, THE BELGIaN priest draws heavily for his data on physio logical effects of progresterone on the work of Belgian genecolo- gist Dr. J. Ferin and the con troversial Boston genecologist Dr. John Rock, a Catholic whose arguments in support of the "pill" as a moral means of birth regulation have frequently been attacked by theologians and others. Father Janssens said it ap pears "that human interven tion is more involved in the practice of periodic continence than in the use of progesterone, and yet no one holds that perio dic continence is a direct ster ilization or a mutilation."’ "IT IS recognized, on the con trary," he said, "that despite the abuse that can be made of it, it is not evil in itself and that its practice is justified when ever an objectively valid reason is manifested.” He suggested that similarly the use of progesterone for birth regulation can be justi fied when there is an objec tively valid reason for avoiding conception. HE CAUTIONED however, that "one should not have re course to progesterone when the practice of periodic conti nence is possible and sufficient ly efficacious to assure a volun tary and generous procrea tion." Among those criticizing Father Janssens’ views in statements to the Star Herald was Father Francis J. Connell, C. SS.R., dean of religious com munities at the Catholic Univer sity of America, Washington, D. C„ and former dean of the university's school of sacred •■neology, Father CONNELL said that in 1958 Pope Pius XII strong ly condemned the use of con traceptive pills as "gravely sinful, and Catholics who intend to use them thus must be re fused absolution and are in eligible to receive the Holy Eucharist." "Any method used to frus trate the generative powers of the conjugal act is absolutely wrong and a violation of the principles Involved in the Church's teaching on mar riage,” he said. He called use of progesterone a "directfrus- tration.” ASKED WHETHER Father Janssens’ position might some day be reconciled to the Church’s present position, he replied: "Impossible, We would have to throw out the last 400 years of theological develop ment.” * Father John J. Lynch, S. J., professor of moral theology at Weston (Mass.) College and author of several works on marriage problems, said the idea of substituting the "pill” for rhythm is "totally invalid and impossible to reconcile with present accepted theological principles.” MEMBERS of the Archdiocesan Advisory Council to the Secretary for Education are shown with the Secretary, Monstgnor P.j. O’Connor, seated, center. also bottom of page) MOSLEM ATTACK Christians Flee Pakistan TURA, India (NC) — Some 35,000 Christian refugees from Pakistan have arrived in India claiming they had to flee their country because of religious in tolerance and economic pres sure by its Moslem majority. About 20,000 of the refugees are Catholics. The rest are mainly Baptists. Some esti mates put the total number of refugees as high as 65,000. THE CHRISTIAN exodus is taking place along the heavily- populated border area between the Myemsingh District of East Pakistan and the Garo Hills of northeastern India’s Assam state. Most refugees are landown ers who reported that they were driven from their homes by armed Moslems who took their cattle and their crops. Their flight follows religious riots in East Pakistan between Mos lems and Hindus in January dur ing which a U.S. priest—Father OGDENSBURG ■ PITTSBURGH Richard Novak, C. S. CL, of Johnstown, Pa.—was killed, IN PAKISTAN, Communica tions Minister Abdus Sabur Khan denied (Feb, 25) that there had been a mass departure of Christians from his nation. In an interview in Karachi, West Pakistan, he said reports on the number of refugees were exaggerated and false. He ac cused India of using unfair met hods of stimulate the emigra tion of minority groups from East Pakistan. But reports from Catholic missioners in the East Pakis tan border area stated that de partures have been heavy from their seven major mission sta tions there. All Catholics, they said, have left one mission. Another mission has lost four- fifths of its people. Still ano ther has lost one-half. In one mission, there have been no de partures, but missionaries re ported that the people there are getting ready to flee. Pope Paul Appoints Two New Bishops WASHINGTON (NC) — Pope Paul VI has named to new U.S. bishops. They are Msgr. Thom as A. Donnellan, rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, N.Y., appointed Bishop of Og- densburg, N.Y., and Msgr. Vin cent M. Leonard, Vicar General and chancellor of the Pittsburgh diocese, named Titular Bishop of Arsacal and Auxiliary to Bishop John J. Wright of Pitts burgh. The appointments were an nounced here (March 4) by Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi, Apostolic Delegate in the United States. BISHOP-ELECT Donnellan, 50, is a former chancellor of the New York archdiocese and secretary to Francis Carklnal Spellman of New York. He has been rector of St. Joseph’s to rn inary, the archdiocese major seminary, since 1962. Bishop-elect Leonard, 55, has been Vicar General of the Pittsburgh diocese since 1959. For 13 years, from 1937 to 1950, he was resident Catholic chap lain at the Allegheny County Home and the Woodville State Mental Hospital. He is secre tary of the Pennsylvania State Advisory Committee on Men tal Health. Bishop-elect Donnellan will become the ninth Oreinary of the Ogdensburg diocese. He suc ceeds the late Bishop Leo R, Smith who died last Oct. 9 of a heart attack in Rome, where he was attending the ecumenical council. Bishop Smith had head ed the docese for less than a year, having been named Bishop of Ogdensburg on Feb. 12, 1963. MEANWHILE, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Z. A. Bhutto said in Dacca, capital of East Pakistan, that about 10.000 Christians had fled to the Garo Hills. He declared that Pakis tan wants them to return. He denied what he called a "mali cious story" from India that 50,000 Christian tribesmen had crossed the frontier because of Moslem persecution. In the Indian capital of New Delhi, Prime Minister Jawa- harlal Nehru charged (Feb. 26) that two children had been kill ed and 11 persons injured by Pakistani troops "in a bar barous act of indiscriminate firing" on refugees. Earlier (Feb. 13) the Indian Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a note that the shootings were "cold blooded murder" and urged Pakistan "to put an immediate halt to these acts." It called on Pakistan to punish those re sponsible for the shootings. Some refugees reported that as many as 300 people were killed in the incidents. India’s Minister for Works, Housing and Rehabilitation, Mehr Chand Khanna, announced (Feb. 29) that he is coming to the border area to arrange for relief measures on behalf of the refugees. Khanna said in Parliament that the refugees had been subjected to looting, burning of homes and molesta tion of women by the Moslem majority in East Pakistan. Much of the trouble was caused, he stated, by Moslems evicted from India who were taking re venge on non-Moslems in Pak istan. He said the Moslems were ousted from India because they were "infiltrators." A BAPTIST missionary who crossed the border along with all the people of one village told newsmen: "Large-scale looting, arson, forceful occupation of land by frenzied mobs with the conni vance of the police, active help from the "ansars'—village de fense forces— and the kid naping of women, which had been going on for some time, com pelled the people to leave their homes and seek protection on the Indian side of the border,” Ed Curtin Presents ALLEN COLLAY SEXTET -Rlua- 5:30 TO 7:30 BILL FARMER TRIO Chlttar a Humor • Mune Let Our Lounge la Yaur Afternoon and Kvening Retreet DANCK AT THI S&K4 SMCi 760 Wait P'traa TR. 5-4251 Devotions In Honor Of St. Anthony AT ST. ANTHONY’S CHURCH EACH TUESDAY MORNING AT 11:30 Attend Mass or Mall Petitions To Monsignor J.E. King 928 Gordon St. S.W. 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