Faced with the enormous number of forms of "violence against life done to millions of human beings" (n. 10), in his Encyclical John Paul II has made a very precise choice, which is that of concentrating his attention on the attacks "affecting life in its earliest and in its final stages". The reason is that they "present new characteristics with respect to the past and which raise questions of extraordinary seriousness" (n. 11). Some of these attacks are radically new, non-existent and unthinkable up to a few decades ago. Others, even if existing for centuries have taken on in our time completely new purposes, meanings and functions, and have had a real reversal in social evaluation. Among the attacks on life at its earliest stage, abortion is obviously one.

Among all peoples of ancient Christian civilization, abortion was always severely condemned by common consent and likewise severely punished by the legal system. But in recent decades, among the majority of these same peoples, a tendency has been established which the Encyclical describes: "in generalized opinion these attacks tend no longer to be considered as 'crimes'; paradoxically they assume the nature of 'rights', to the point that the State is called upon to give them legal recognition and to make them available through the free services of health-care personnel" (n. 11). An emblematic example of "how the value of life can today undergo a kind of 'eclipse'" (ibid.).

The analysis that the Pope develops concerning the causes and factors responsible for this tragic phenomenon is complex and well-structured. Elements of a general nature emerge, elements which belong to the whole modern social and cultural context such as: "scepticism in relation to the very foundations of knowledge and ethics" (n. 11), a "completely individualistic concept of freedom, which ends up by becoming the freedom of 'the strong' against the weak who have no choice but to submit", a freedom, furthermore, that is separated from "its essential link with the truth" (n. 19; a subject dealt wish in depth in the previous Encyclical Veritatis splendor); and at the heart of everything, "the eclipse of the sense of God" with the consequent loss also of the "sense of man, of his dignity and his life" (n. 21).

Pro-abortion culture is strong
where contraception is accepted

With these and other deeper and more general factors a systematic and organic action is combined, one that is "fostered by powerful cultural, economic and political currents which encourage an idea of society excessively concerned with efficiency ... a kind of 'conspiracy against life"' (n. 12). And this conspiracy [involves] "even international institutions engaged in encouraging and carrying out actual campaigns to make contraception sterilization and abortion widely available", with "the mass media ... often implicated in this conspiracy" (n. 17). The Pope can dispense with citing proofs in support of these grave condemnations, since the UN Conference in Cairo on Population and Development, which brought them starkly to everyone's attention, is still so recent.

It is worthwhile pausing briefly on the connection just mentioned between contraception and abortion. The Pope recalls two positions, widely known and believed, which are logically connected and, at first sight, very persuasive: 1) "contraception, if made safe and available to all, is the most effective remedy against abortion" (n. 13); In other words, the true prevention of abortion is the spread of contraception; consequently: 2) the Catholic Church, by persisting in condemning contraception, ends up by "actually promoting abortion" (ibid.).

It is clear that this heavy accusation against the Catholic Church stands or falls depending on whether the first statement is true or false. The principal proof rests not on ideas but on facts.

A first fact, as pointed out by the Encyclical: "Indeed, the pro-abortion culture is especially strong precisely where the Church's teaching on contraception is rejected" (n. 13). And in reality wherever in the world legal abortion has been promoted by persons, movements or organizations openly involved in the spread of contraception for some time.

The same can be said for the promotion of scientific research focusing on pharmaceutical products capable of killing the newly-conceived child in the easiest, safest and most innocuous way for the woman, without calling on healthcare personnel and unregulated by society.

Furthermore, sociological studies on the practice of abortion in individual countries have shown that the ease with which a woman resorts to abortion is noticeably greater for those women who use contraceptives, as compared to other women, especially if they use natural methods of fertility control.

In human society, this passage from accepting contraception to legalizing abortion follows logically. In fact the contraceptive culture, with regard to fertility, encourages a hypocritical attitude that is labeled "responsible", while in reality it is a "refusal". When firmly established, it soon creates a contraceptive mentality, that is, the prejudiced and clear rejection of every child unwanted by the couple, or the woman. Once it is widespread in society, this refusal is the most suitable ground for accepting as legitimate the idea of eliminating every child of an unwanted pregnancy. And thus we arrive at abortion and its justification.

Contraception is a false language of love

The transition from contraception to abortion has found another and more subtle incentive in a clever elimination of the border between contraception and abortion. New medicines have been sold as contraceptives, whose only, or at least unfailing, effect is not to prevent conception but the newly-conceived's chance of survival: products therefore that are definitely abortive. Thus new terms have been invented and promoted, terms such as "postcoital contraceptive", "emergency contraception", "morning-after pill". Then their abortive character is often concealed by presenting their action as "regulating menstruation"; therefore as a simple medicine for curing a health problem of the female organism.

We are confronted with a real mystification, which the Encyclical does not fail to condemn. The Pope sees in them an attempt to silence conscience, which, in spite of everything, continues to perceive life "as a sacred and inviolable value". Thus there is "a tendency to disguise certain crimes against life in its early or final stages by using innocuous medical terms which distract attention from the fact that what is involved is the right to life of an actual human person" -- (n. 11). A procedure which the Pope also sees in the widespread terminology for abortion in its most obvious and common form. The expression "interruption of pregnancy" is now widely used, "an ambiguous terminology ..., which tends to hide abortion's true nature and to attenuate its seriousness in public opinion". And the Pontiff observes: "Perhaps this linguistic phenomenon is itself a symptom of an uneasiness of conscience" (n. 58).

The mass of lies and dishonesty hidden behind the statement that abortion can be prevented by contraception is truly incredible. In fact the opposite is true! On the other hand, contraception is already in itself a false language of love. John Paul II has widely and repeatedly illustrated this in his rich teaching on love, marriage and the family. In the Encyclical, he confines himself to a simple reminder by briefly comparing contraception and abortion: contraception "contradicts the full truth of the sexual act as the proper expression of conjugal love" n.13)'.

It is absurd that we could rediscover and respect the truth about human life through a series of lies. The road to follow is quite different. The whole Encyclical Evangelium vitae is committed to marking it out. The firm and constant moral condemnation of contraception by the Catholic Church is only one of the signposts. To be more precise, it is the "no entry" sign, because this is a road to be followed only if one wishes to help strengthen rather than contradict our contemporary culture of death.