What is Responsible Parenthood?
Due to the profound link between the conjugal bond and the gift of life Humanae Vitae emphasizes the vocation of married couples to be parents and insists on openess to life. It is neutral concerning family size. Responsible parenthood refers to the decision to procreate or not to procreate signifying the following: Exclusion of the use of contraceptives for every fertile conjugal act; Knowledge, primarily on the wifes part of her own cycle of fertility/infertility; In the case of an ethically justified decision not to procreate, abstinence from conjugal relations during the wifes fertile period and the restriction of conjugal relations to the wifes infertile period. Exercising control over ones sexual impulse to render it truly and exclusively expressive of conjugal love and the self-giving of persons. This decision to procreate or not to procreate is just (it is responsible) when two things are taken into account: That the parents have the necessary and sufficient resources to secure
