40 Years of Humanae Vitae

Forty years later, contraception ban colors U.S.-Vatican ties

RNS' Daniel Burke examines the impact of the Catholic church's ban on contraception on American Catholics, in this week's full text article, linked above.

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Sixty-one percent of Catholics insist that individuals should have the final say on contraception; 75 percent say it's possible to be a good Catholic while disobeying church teachings on the matter, according to recent surveys. Forty years after Pope Paul VI issued "Humanae Vitae" and upheld the ban on artificial birth control, the encyclical continues to be a flashpoint in the church. Nearly all Catholics agree that Humanae Vitae's effects are pervasive and enduring.