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Pope Pius XII authoritatively taught that "engaging in sexual intercourse while avoiding the will to fecundity without a sufficiently grave reason is a sin against the very nature of married life." Do you object to the Church's teaching on this issue because it took place before "V2"?

Max, I've continually invited you to allow Pius XII and others to be read based on the interpretation given by the approved Theologians of the Church, in harmony with the pronouncements of his predecessors and sucessors in the Pontificate, rather than attempting to make an interpretation by ourselves.

Your continued promotion of the view that all Catholics are obliged on pain of mortal sin to have as large a family as naturally occurs without ever attempting to limit it in numbers short of extremely severe medical or economic indicators is simply wrong and in total contradiction to the unanimous opinion of Catholic Moralists and the express views of the Holy See in the decisions of the Sacred Penitentiary which began the whole discussion of periodic abstinence in modern times.

You are laying up non-existant burdens upon people. The Sacred Penitentiary in its response of June 16, 1880 said "Married couples who use their marriage rights in the aforesaid manner are not to be disturbed". But you continue to disturb them by accusing them of non-existant sins and making them equivalent to users of artifical contraceptives. Why? Do you really think you have a better grasp on Catholic moral law than the Sacred Penitentiary, and the approved theologians?

You are laying up non-existant burdens upon people.

Reliance upon God's divine providence is not a burden -- quite the opposite -- it is a joy. Pope Pius XI and Pope Pius XII were clear and consistent in their teaching. I have already provided links to their 3 most relevant documents -- documents that were cited numerous times in Vatican II's "Gaudium et Spes," to cite just one significant magisterial example.

The links are there -- I encourage everyone to read them for themselves and then to decide for themselves. See what Pope Pius XI really said in Casti Connubii and what Pope Pius XII really said in his Allocution to Italian Midwives and his Address to Large Families.

http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=5370&longdesc

http://www.ewtn.com/library/ENCYC/P11CASTI.HTM

http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/P511029.HTM

I believe that everyone who takes the time to read these authoritative statements for themselves will discover a Catholic theology of marriage that is reasonable, consistent, liberating, joyful, and faithful to 2000 years of Christian teaching. Unfortunately, it's hard to see how any of those terms can be applied to the currently-popular cheese-paring approach to marriage.

For those, and perhaps this may include you Hermann, who say, "It would fulfill the deepest wishes of my heart if only I could accept children joyfully and gratefully from God in whatever number He chooses to send them, but alas it is impossible in this day and age," I urge you to attend a Traditional Catholic chapel where you are likely to meet many inspiring examples of families who are proving that it is not impossible. Our own chapel has literally dozens of families who have not limited their fruitfulness in any way, and who have been privileged to receive many blessings from God.

Rather than search for exceptions and excuses, they have wholeheartedly accepted the admonition of the Church:

Infuse into the spirit and heart of the mother and father the esteem, desire, joy, and the loving welcome of the newly born right from its first cry. The child, formed in the mother's womb, is a gift of God, Who entrusts its care to the parents.
With what delicacy and charm does the Sacred Scripture show the gracious crown of children united around the father's table! Children are the recompense of the just, as sterility is very often the punishment for the sinner.
Hearken to the divine word expressed with the insuperable poetry of the Psalm: "Your wife, as a fruitful vine within your house, your children as olive shoots round about your table. Behold, thus is that man blessed, who fears the Lord!", while of the wicked it is written: "May his posterity be given over to destruction; may their name be blotted out in the next generation".