Ten Reasons Why Pope Francis Should Listen to Women Priests, Mothers, Grandmothers, and Great Grandmothers/, Pope: Catholics don’t need to breed" like rabbits” by Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

Pope Francis, you need women deacons, priests and bishops who are mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers! They have had first hand experience living as responsible parents in our world today. 

1. Catholics should follow their consciences
2. Catholic parents are the experts on this topic, in decisions about artificial birth control in responsible parenting. not a male, celibate hierarchy.
3. Artificial birth control is not intrinsically evil. The church allows artificial implants of medical devices such as pace makers, what is the difference?
4. The people of God, the ‘sensus fidelium,” have affirmed artificial birth control as the most effective means in achieving responsible parenthood.
5. Artificial birth control is an effective method to prevent unwanted pregnancies and abortions. The rhythm method has an average failure rate of 13-20%.
6. Two-thirds of the world’s poor are women and their children. In some countries artificial birth control, including the Philippines, is illegal due in large part to the hierarchy’s religious and political influence.
7. In Africa, there have been public burnings of boxes of condoms under the direct influence of local bishops. Condoms save lives in the AIDS epidemic. Let’s ask ourselves what would Jesus say and do in this situation today?
8. Women are free moral agents in making decisions to give birth to children. This is another example of the male hierarchy’s domination patterns of power and control over women that denies women’s own moral agency.
9. If men could get pregnant, birth control would be a sacrament.
10. Birth Control is a economic issue. Children cost money! Impoverished people cannot afford to feed, clothe and educate their children. This is the reason millions of children are sold into prostitution and suffer violence and abuse in many places. 

www.arcwp.org
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
sofiabmm@aol.com
703-505-0004

Excellent Article by Jamie Manson on Pope Francis' Visit to Philippines and encounter with young girl who makes the case for a change in church teaching on birth control to alleviate the sufferings of the poor who cannot afford food for large families
http://ncronline.org/blogs/grace-margins/catholic-churchs-complicity-glyzelle-palomars-suffering#.VMAPNZvQweE.facebook