Dezelski (USCCB Assistant Director), “Cultural tendencies lead to not recognizing a child as a gift”

“That a child should not be recognized as a gift is not too difficult to imagine if we look at current cultural trends throughout the world that recede and lack respect for the reciprocal gift of a man and a woman.” This was said by Julia M. Dezelski, Assistant Director for Marriage and Family Life, at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who spoke this morning during the panel discussion dedicated to Amoris Laetitia in the context of the World Meeting of Families, being held Dublin. “I experienced firsthand the gift of a new life when I gave birth to my first child only 6 months ago,” she said, “but I also realize that new life is not always loved.” Dezelski, then, indicated three elements in chapter five of Amoris Laetitia that “contribute to creating a healthy family life.” “These points may seem obvious, but they are all threatened and questioned today. All these elements together promote the care for the gift of life,” she reiterated, “it is in the context of the mutual self-giving love between husband and wife, male and female, that the gift of a child is best received.” This condition excludes contraception. “In Humanae Vitae, we are reminded that the reciprocal gift of husband and wife requires the whole person. Contraception is, therefore, contrary to the good of spousal love.”