Re: The Pope
 

As I understand it The "rythm" method of contraception was suggested by Pope Paul VI as a response to the condemnation of prophylactic and medical contraception contained in the Papal Encyclical Humanae Vitae. It was held that any other method of contraception was inherently sinful because it attempted to thwart God's purpose. Because of the doctrine of papal infallibility in matters of faith, it was not possible for later Popes to contradict this statement by reversing the decision.

The failed cover up of the paedophilia scandal which has engulfed the American Church and is also now emerging in the Irish Church is partly due to the fact that the late Pope took autonomy away from local bishops and centralised authority in the Roman Curia. For all his promulgation of freedom it seems that John Paul did not learn too much from living under two totalitarian regimes - Nazism and Communism.

Re: The Pope