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1. As secularised Christians such as Cherie and Tony march into demographic oblivion (the UK birthrate is well below replacement level), they are still beating the drum and trumpeting the 'wisdom' of achieving the slow social suicide of contracepting and aborting themselves out of existence. Do they think that their pro-death laws will be allowed to stand when the most common forename in Great Britian becomes Mohammed?

   Posted By: Matthew Dewar

2. The focal point is the importance of God and His creation. It seems to me that Cherie's argument paves the path of pride - a lack of the primacy of God. Whether women have or have not made (or will or will not make) great strides careerwise is not the issue - far from it. God and the essence of His creation is not put on a back burner for the off chance that someone may or may not achieve "success" in his/her career. Both types of pill, pre or morning after, are aimed to achieve the same result: absence of life.

   Posted By: Lora

3. Well, Cherie, we invite you to reconsider, or should we say consider perhaps for the first time, the full truth about the fruitfulness of marriage. For starters, try reading Humanae Vitae (amazing how few have actually read it). Next try Theology of the Body, and perhaps some of Dr Janet Smith's writings. You may be pleasantly surprised.
   
   Oh, and I think that your son is worth more than all your contracepting contributions to society!

   Posted By: Tom McKibbin

4. God said; Increase and multiply.
   
   Pills (whatever pills they are) have ‘side effects’ and in the long term can cause serious problems like ‘cancer’. Troubles in this world come in different shapes and sizes and one cannot run away from trouble. I never forget this, a Marist priest once said; ‘if you go against nature, nature will punish’ it’s so true. Over ninety percent of women who take pills ended up having ‘hysterectomy’ (taking out the womb) and most of them feel they are no long a woman after that. So there are consequences to what you decide to do in life.
   
   Children are gifts from God and he knows your capacity how many children you can manage, as he said; ‘I don’t give you burden more then you can bear’. In the end even couples should practise Self Control, Self Denial and Self Discipline which are the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
   
   Self control is better then Birth control.
   

   Posted By: Betty

5. as usual our church has got the biology wrong. The contraceptive pill prevents ovulation which means that there is no egg (ovule) to fertilise and therefore no embryo to destroy. The 'morning after' pill can potentially kill the embryo if an ovule had been fertilised.In this case the intention of the user is clearly different.

   Posted By: Ann Ryan

6. I thank God that the Church in Scotland had the courage to speak out and defend Church teachings, which are very clear on this subject. All methods of contraception are "intrinsically evil " You cannot claim to be a CATHOLIC if you accept the opposite view. It is an infallible teaching. Must be believed.

   Posted By: Beverley Bennett

7. Mrs Blair and the author are suffering from two very basic misconceptions.
   
   Firstly the immorality of contraception is not a disciplinary “ban” or “stance”. It is an unchangeable natural moral law applying to all people who have ever lived. The Church has no power to change it. No pope has ever suggested that it can be changed.
   
   Secondly, fertility is not a disease which needs to be “controlled” or “regulated”. INfertility is a disease. Fertility is the healthy state.
   
   Hopefully the Church spokesman did not say as claimed that he “did not oppose regulating fertility”. The Church teaches that all attempts to regulate fertility by any means are intrinsically gravely immoral. It is not a matter of “natural” versus “synthetic” as the article claims the Church’s teaching to be. Contraception using natural herbs or natural hormones or natural latex rubber are equally wrong.
   
   It is however permissible to deliberately AVOID conception by abstaining from the marital act at times known to be naturally fertile. This does not interfere with, regulate or control the couple’s natural fertility.
   

   Posted By: Sharon Lee

8. Cherie Blair - fake Catholic! How many fake Catholics are we meant to tolerate among our ranks? If you don't agree with traditional teachings why don't you leave? Stop agitating to corrupt from within! Furthermore, your reasons for advocating change are also disgusting for suggesting that careers are more important than motherhood. The West is dying because of the contraceptive mentality. Your Britiain and Europe will be 50% Islamic in 50 years. Wake up and smell the coffee!! The sexual revolution and all it espouses has only borne bitter fruits - death, infidelity and future Islamic domination! Get used to the veil Cherie!

   Posted By: Michael Bernard

9. "If you look at what progress women have made in the world, one of the reasons they have been able to make progress is that they have been able to control their fertility."
   The Billings Natural Family Planning is a cheaper healthier way to control fertility that does not make millions for multinational drug and condom manufacturers and has no nasty side effects.
   Luckily for little Liam she was a hasty packer!

   Posted By: Power and control

10. Ann Ryan, your biology is wrong. The contraceptive pill does not prevent ovulation. It significantly decreases ovulation. Ovulation can still occur. When this occurs and the egg is fertilised, the "pill" makes it more difficult for the embryo to attach to the wall of the womb. Thus, it brings about an abortion.

    Posted By: Chris Howard

11. A devout Catholic does not ignore teachings of the Church to suit her purposes. Does she receive Communion? She should not be if she is taking any type of artificial contraception. That would be a sacrilege. But, when was the last time anyone heard a homily about the evils of atrtificial contraception? Since the majority of (so called) Catholics use it, they would rather say nothing as to not offend anyone. She is a heretic, simple as that

    Posted By: CathK

12. The definition of a "devout Catholic" is one who frequents the sacraments and accepts and OBEYS the teachings of Holy Mother Church.
    The definition of a heretic is one who deliberately and obstinately denies any truth which must be believed as a matter of divine and Catholic faith.
    Now which definition fits Mrs. Blair?

    Posted By: Jo L.

13. Ann Ryan has it wrong. The birth control pills work in 3 ways, not only one, as she suggests. The hormones try to stop pregnancy by keeping an a woman from ovulating, by making the atmosphere inhospitable for sperm, and also by shedding the uterine lining so that an egg, if it were to be fertilized, cannot implant, which is why the pill is considered an abotificient. I know many people who became pregnant on the pill. Imagine how many times it actually worked, causing an abortion. Also, Cherie Blair is not a devout catholic. Please.

    Posted By: Anna Stenken

14. Ann Ryan,
    Please study the pill. It works in two ways. The primary goal is to prevent ovulation as you stated. HOWEVER, the secondary goal is to thin the walls of the uterus to a point that any egg that does become fertilised (and there are many, as the pill is not 100% effective) will not be able to attached to the uterine wall and thus will spontaneously abort, killing the embryo.

    Posted By: Lidia Michael

15. "I personally don't think there is anything wrong with that, and indeed without being able to control that I wouldn't have been able to achieve the things that I've been able to do. "
    
    And what have you achieved Ms Blair? God put you in a position to be the wife of the prime minister of Great Britain. So what did you do for humanity while in that position? I do not know one way or the other. But if you did indeed accomplish great things for humanity, it was God who inspired you to do so. It had nothing to do with the fact, as you so proudly boast, that you were taking birth control and denying the birthright that God may have willed for you to give.
    

    Posted By: Bob

16. Perhaps Cherie should be the Pope because it seems she deems herself more wise than the current one and those of the past.
    These elitists are sincerely deceived but I wonder if their sincerity will win salvation for their souls considering the catastrophic fallout from contraception on marriage and family is so obvious that only the spiritually blind could not see.

    Posted By: Laurie

17. Cherie Blair has always been a "Cafeteria" Catholic.
    This is why I am surprised that Tony Blair turned Catholic.
    I guess Tony Blair figured that to be a "Cafeteria" Catholic is easy and perhaps you can float into Heaven when you are Catholic, in name only. Wait till he founds out the Truth. Truth be known, they both are like Pelosi's flavour of Catholicism. "Cafeteria Catholic".
    The "Cafeteria" Catholics are so far from the Kingdom, it is pathetic.
    

    Posted By: Margret

18. If Mrs. Blair had taken the time to learn Natural Family Planning which the Church endorses (we have used it for 27 years of marriage) she would not have conceived on her trip that she forgot to pack her "contraceptives" for. Natural FAmily Planning is not just temperature changes, but mucous and cervix changes that are very obvious. Self control is a virtue not understood in this modern age. That would have to come into play too with NFP.
    
    She is not a devout Catholic if she practises artificial birth control. "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul in the process."
    
    Since artificial contraception has been introduced we have had more abortions as Pope Paul VI predicted would happen. More chldren born out of wedlock, more divorce and unhappy children who do not benefit from their mothers being home, but are out practising a career.
    
    I am a woman and women like Mrs. Blair will never be the kind of woman I would want to emulate. Sainthood comes from being obedient, but people do not understand that virtue anymore these days.
    
    Maureen Van Dusen

    Posted By: Maureen Van Dusen

19. The principle behind the church's teaching against contraception is that "life is good". Contraception and abortion teach that life is bad. I think it's sad that Mrs. Blair believes the church should change its teaching to meet the needs of people. People should change their thinking to that of the church. Imagine if they did. Our world would cherish life and the culture of death would be defeated!

    Posted By: Rose

20. Ann Ryan, I think there are instances where this biology does apply, even if not overwhelmingly.
    
    However you are right - this is not the primary argument against contraception. Contraception is CONTRA naturam, and robs the act of its generative purpose (moral or biological, take your pick). It turns this act into one simply of self-gratification.
    
    As to Tony & Cherie Blair, I wish that they would go and start their own pompous theosophical religion instead of pontificating to us. They make me sick.

    Posted By: Peter

21. When Cherie Blair becomes 'Pope,' she can make the rules. Until then, she should be quiet and follow them or leave the Church. One more bad Catholic won't be missed.

    Posted By: Pandoraah

22. She is what is called a Cafeteria Catholic. One who believes and accepts church teachings ONLY as far as she wants to accept. If you can't accept the church and her teachings maybe the Roman Catholic Church is not for you. Unfortunately our church is becoming very watered down with dissenting "catholics".
    
    When we presume to think we know more in matters of spiritual faith than the Holy Father, perhaps we are letting our pride get the best of us. Don't join a faith if you are not convinced and totally in sync with the teachings of that particular faith.

    Posted By: Mary Louise

23. Mrs Blair, your comments on contraception speak for themselves, morally a contradiction in terms. The gift of a life, your child's life, surely is worth eternally more then, "a career" in this life. . . . .

    Posted By: Nuala Duffy (Keenan)

24. The "west" has tragically lost the way...blinded and seduced by populism and materialism...Our Muslim brethren will indeed have the last laugh...

    Posted By: PCM

25. No, Ann, the Church did not get the biology wrong. In fact, the pill works primarily by preventing ovulation, but also by changing the lining of the uterus to prevent implantation of a fertilised ovum ie similar to the morning-after pill. They both amount to abortion of the new human zygote.
    
    The intention of both is to prevent the natural course of what is supposed to be an imitation of God's love for us. This intention is achieved by willingly undertaking means that can and does directly lead to killing of another human being.
    
    It may be beneficial if you air some of the other instances where you believe the Church "as usual" gets it wrong - perhaps then you may also find how much the one Church established by our Lord is trying to lead us all to Him.

    Posted By: Jose

26. In three paragraghs she managed to include 6 "I"'s.
    I personally...
    I wouldn't...
    I've been able...
    I think...
    I would...
    I think...
    How about: God wants...
    
    
    

    Posted By: Dave

27. No such thing as a devout Catholic who does not accept the teachings of Christ's church. Contraception is evil, period.

    Posted By: dominic

28. Re Ann Ryan's earlier comment that the pill prevents ovulation. She's got it wrong, the pill prevents implantation of an already fertilised embryo, it is an abortifacient. Also, the article is wrong, Cherie Blair is not a devout Catholic - quite the opposite!

    Posted By: Derek Williams

29. Ms. Blair has excommunicated herself, as most if not all contraceptive pills are abortifacients. Plus, who does she think she is giving such a personal opinion? As Catholic lay women, we are to conform our minds to that of Christ and His Church, not merely hold personal interpretations of morality based on utilitarianism and relativism.

    Posted By: M. A. Dean

30. Cherie Blair is so incredibly smart! And best of all she has a point! Just think of all the marvellous things Mary, the mother of Jesus, could have accomplished if she had not had Jesus.
    Cherie, double up on your contraception! We don't need more "mistakes" like yourself!

    Posted By: R. Brown

31. Cherie,
    for such an 'important' issue for you, you should have 'concerted' to the Church of England...they think it is ok for birth control.
    And shame on you for publicly speaking about your child that he would not exist had you not forgotten your pill when visiting the Queen! How much love is that for your son? Shame on you.

    Posted By: lois

32. Tell her the Catholic church will never accept contraception and that it does prevent life from beginning, thus killing it. There is no difference..killing is killing!!!!

    Posted By: Anastasia

33. Man does not tell God's Church what to do---God does---it is not a democracy---she ought to learn that the Church is The Bride of Christ and that is how she becomes The Body of Christ---we do not throw out the husband and take over his role

    Posted By: Linda Morris

34. Why don't the Blairs just shut up and go about their own business and not try to run God's business? These cafeteria catholics have no place in the Catholic Church. It is not a ride on the subway, it is a serious lifetime commitment which the Blairs cannot fulfil. My greatest fear is that they will cause many souls to lose their way if they are not catechised properly. God help them to rise above the hypocrisy of the Blairs. And, or course, God help the Blairs to see the light before it is too late.

    Posted By: Vin

35. Please don't call Ms. Blair a "devout Catholic" because she is terribly misinformed about Church teachings. Why doesn't the author instead compare her ignorance to the papal document "Humanae Vitae," a 1960s document that made four prophetic and incredibly accurate predictions about the world we would live in if artificial contraception were used in the mainstream? Publicly lecturing the Pope and Bishops about doctrine is not too humble Ms. Blair, particularly when you do not know your own faith.

    Posted By: Michael Seaman

36. God is our Creator. Each one of us is made in His image and likeness, a little lower than the angels, and each man, woman and child is precious in his sight. Using artificial means of contraception is denying God His very essence -- that he is our Creator! It's a huge slap in the face to God, when we enjoy sexual relations (ideally with just our spouse), but deny Him His role as Creator when we prevent the conception of one of His beloved creatures!
    
    Wake up, folks! Why do you think the worldwide Muslim population is growing in such huge numbers? Ultimately we will pay a huge price for the sins of artificial contraception and abortion.

    Posted By: Paula

37. I think Ms Blair had her husband Tony enter a Church of make believe in their minds.
    
    The Church cannot accept birth control, it is against life and therefore against the teaching of Jesus.
    
    She must be thinking of another church, one other than the Catholic Church, you know the one Jesus founded through His Apostles.

    Posted By: MS

38. Without disagreeing with what all of the people here have said, I sometimes wonder if this whole debate over contraception isn't really bourgeois/Middle Class? I seem to recall Evelyn Waugh saying something to this effect.
    
    I mean, Catholic theology is immeasurably rich, and what the Church has to offer the world is so significant. Why are people such as Cherie Blair so focussed on one issue?

    Posted By: Adeodatus

39. There's nothing surprising in Cherie Blair's statement. As a fellow Catholic, I support what she is saying; and no- Michael Bernard- that doesn't make you or me more Catholic or less. The amount of hate and bigotry in your statement says a lot about what you are, very sad, and it surely doesn't reflect the humble and compassionate Catholicism that I inherited.

    Posted By: TJ Lawson

40. Anne Ryan, the Church has actually got it right; if you do some research you will find that the combo pill acts in three ways: 1. to prevent ovulation, 2. to change the mucus, 3. to prevent nidation (implantation). On average, a woman in a relationship using the contraceptive pill will have conceived and lost one or two embryos per year. The pill is undoubtedly abortifacient.

    Posted By: Tom McKibbin

41. I really have a hard time with calling someone a devout Catholic who so goes against the age-old teachings of the Catholic Church. It happens all the time, everywhere. And what accomplishment in this world is greater than the miracle of life? I don't get it. I heard that Tony converted because he would not be able to become head of the EU without becoming Catholic.

    Posted By: C Walsh

42. "Important issue" or not, the fact remains that no-one in the Catholic Church, from the Pope down, has the authority to declare that contraception is permissible.
    
    There are certain things that cannot ever be changed.

    Posted By: Lance Eccles

43. Some people need to read the insert that comes with OCP's. The hormones also thin the lining of the uterus so that implantation does not take place. In order not to cause cancer, the doses of estrogen have been lowered so much that ovulation does take place. These are medical facts.

    Posted By: Diana

44. These radical feminists whose motto is " I will not serve"! Understand Lucifer doesnt have affirmative
    action programs in Hell. He welcomes all.

    Posted By: Aussi Mchugh

45. I am not sure about the progress of woman in the world....I am not sure

    Posted By: lostego

46. As a devout Catholic Cherie Blair must know that 'the church' has no authority to reconsider its opposition to artifical contraception as this is God's law, not ours.

    Posted By: Joyce

47. What? Artficial contraception is often abortifacients....
    her thinking is total selfishness......

    Posted By: Linda Gillan

48. Dear Ann Ryan,
    
    You got it wrong. The pill actually is also an abortifaciant. It causes an abortion. The pill causes blood clots and breast cancer. I guess being "green" doesn't matter when it comes to a woman's body. We can use toxins to kill the baby and slowly kill the mother. I guess Blair has never heard of NFP which is all natural and is 98% effective and makes for better marriages.

    Posted By: taad

49. In resonse to Ann Ryan's post:
    
    "as usual our church has got the biology wrong.The contraceptive pill prevents ovulation which means that there is no egg (ovule) to fertilise and therefore no embryo to destroy."
    
    The contraceptive pill works 2 ways. The first is the way you describe where ovulation is prevented. The second is in the event it fails to prevent ovulation and an egg is fertilized, it creates an inhospitable environment for the embryo and causes it to be discharged from the body; in other words, it causes an abortion. You can read the fine print on the pamphlet that accompanies birth control pills and see this information there.

    Posted By: Catholic

50. Why, oh why refer to Cherie Blair as "devout catholic"?

    Posted By: Ro Ro

51. Cherie Blair must really think she's something to think she can get the Catholic Church to change something so at the root of the Catholic faith/ It ain't gonna happen lady! Such egos these high mucky muks have. She had better pray for forgiveness. The good Lord I believe is at the end of His patience with his children. Just watch for the signs of the times and you will soon see what He thinks of ideas like hers. California is burning, a place where many of God's children are breaking His laws. Watch out all you wayward people who try to change God'd laws. That day is closer than you think.
    ML

    Posted By: Margaret Larrivee

52. TJ Lawson,
    
    Your statements against Michael Bernard just don't make any sense.

    Posted By: Michael Webb

53. Oh Dear Cherie, perhaps it isn't God's will that women get to do all the things they want to do. Men have to work. It seems that women want the best of everything. What about raising families? Isn't the family important? Is the world suffering because women don't want to be the main thread in the family any more?

    Posted By: Paul Baylis

54. Wow, 51 responses and I think about two of them actually support an anti-catholic stance, ie artificial contraception is OK.
    Not only has this issue/article generated a relatively large response, but the responses are (bar two) so pro-catholic it is incredibly uplifting.
    God Bless you all

    Posted By: Michael at Glenmore

55. Contraceptives are more of an evil than abortion in the way they prevent a human from being formed. Heaven is to be populated with souls, and if the souls aren't able to exist because of hormonal chemicals, there is an evil that is pure. With abortion at least a human has been created and has the opportunity for everlasting life.(I know that abortion is a terrible evil as well) Contraception is the "gateway drug" to the other non-life procedures and habits of living. Abortions and homosexuality , cloning, embryonic stem cell, and every other thing you can imagine or not imagine happens to be the offspring from the contraception mentality and use. This is a great sin for mankind, it needs to be abated. I hope someone can change Mrs. Blair's outlook on contraception, I am sure the Church won't change for her.

    Posted By: Tanya Wersinger

56. The article reads 'devout' catholic, how can one be devout if one is wilfully, and knowingly committing sin?

    Posted By: Heather Liddell

57. Her beliefs...show that she is not a devout catholic.
    LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION and any harm intended to extinguish the creation after conception is simply MURDER! And any act to prevent life from forming is to deny Life. Since when have we become God? Satan thought he was better than God and look at him now. You get what you give.

    Posted By: Joseph

58. The Blairs are PRO CHOICE TERRORISTS - PROCHOICE HAVE MURDERED MILLIONS AND THE UN CAPITOL HILL and most Countries ARE SUPPORTERS OF MURDER OF THE UNBORN - WE ALSO HAVE CENSORSHIP BECAUSE MANY SITES REFUSE TO PRINT SUCH STATEMENTS OF TRUTH

    Posted By: Black

59. Women committed to the Church's teaching on the integrity of love and life don't regard career as the be-all and end-all: to these women, all power: theirs is the future, not the irrelevant truncations of Cherie Blair.

    Posted By: Jenny

60. What can we do about the Blairs and their ilk?
    
    Let God act!
    
    Come apart awhile, and pray for the Restoration of the Reign of Christ the King in our hearts, homes and nations, and the confounding of His enemies, on the fabulous Christus Rex Pilgrimage, 23 - 25 October.
    
    You'll be welcome to join the ever-growing family from all over, young and old, as we traipse across the beautiful spring countryside of central Victoria from St Patrick's Ballarat to the splendid Sacred Heart Cathedral Bendigo.
    
    Singing the rosary, confession, spiritual direction, solemn high mass, passionate, solid sermons, hymns, glorious renaissance polyphony (Palestrina, Byrd, Tallis), gregorian chant, laughter and pain, lifelong friendship, conversion to God, banners waving, the papal & Australian (and other nations') flags fluttering.
    
    [Mr Lawson, yes, even you're most welcome & yes, we can arrange an auto da fe if you insist.]
    
    
    See you all there.
    
    Info and online registration:
    
    www.crex.org
    
    

    Posted By: HH

61. Research in Australia has found that there's no difference in the rates of Catholic women & non-Catholic women using artificial contraception.
    So if some folk believe that Cherie Blair should be put outside the church, then it would be consistent to argue that a lot of Australian Catholic women should also be.
    As to following the precept to go forth & multiply....it is a fact that the birthrate is falling in this country.
    The birthrate is also markedly falling in the traditionally Catholic countries of Europe like Italy.
    BUT the birthrate is holding up very well in the Scandinavian countries. Yet these are traditionally Protestant countries & not particularly religious at that. With no church proscription on artificial contraception & the same rate of usage as in any other western country.
    And women have equal access & participation in education and careers.
    
    So there you go. In Scandinavian countries, the birthrate remains higher than in traditional Catholic countries, yet women equally participate in careers
    and make use of artificial contraception at the same rate as other more secular countries like Australia.
    There's a reason why that would be so.
    
    
    

    Posted By: Marie H

62. Dear Marie H
    Nobody here said Mrs Blair should be “put outside the Church”. She has put herself outside the Church’s essential doctrines, as of course has any other woman OR MAN (it takes two, remember) who contracepts, especially if they actively try to lead others astray from God’s revealed truth on this matter as Mrs Blair is doing.
    
    I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make with the rest of your comment:
    Are you saying that the Church should “allow” contraception (as if that were possible) because you claim it would perversely increase the birthrate?
    
    An increased birthrate is not a good per se, especially if achieved by evil means. In any case there are many factors influencing the birthrates of European countries (eg level of Muslim immigration, and low taxes and high government family support payments esp because of oil wealth in Norway). Overall, the non-Catholic-majority countries of Europe have a significantly lower birthrate than the Catholic-majority countries.
    
    Are you saying that a sin must not be a sin because a lot of Catholics commit it?? There are several other sins which a much greater proportion, probably 95% or even 99% of Catholics regularly commit. They are still sins nonetheless.
    

    Posted By: Peter G

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