Editor,
I am writing in response to the column "Immaculate contraception" by Lucinda Ulrich in Friday's Daily Lobo. This column is a free association of negative comments about large families rather than a well-thought-out essay on child rearing.
I come from a family of eight children. It was not difficult being raised in a large family - on the contrary, it was quite enjoyable and still is to this day. Growing up, we always had enough people for an excellent game of basketball or some other sport. There is plenty of company for the holidays, and one rarely celebrates a birthday alone. I've never had to move by myself, of which anyone who has moved alone is naturally jealous. These are just a few of the benefits.
No doubt, there are some drawbacks to a large family. I did not get the designer clothes or the latest toys. I did not get as much parental attention as someone from a small family. There are other drawbacks, too, but there came a point in my life when I made the firm conclusion that I would rather have all of my siblings instead of the expensive pair of jeans or having college paid for.
There also came a point in life when I became aware that it is far better to exist than to not exist. Being grateful to be alive and being the sixth child gave rise to a profound gratefulness for my parents and their openness to life and extreme generosity. I know full well that in most other families I would not be here.
My parents are devout Roman Catholics. The Catholic Church opposes the use of artificial contraception. The Church teaches that when a man and woman give themselves to each other in the union of marriage, it must be a total self-giving - both the heart and the body. The use of artificial contraceptives contradicts the total self-giving love demands. Also, it tends to create an environment for spouses to view and treat each other solely as objects of pleasure rather than persons. Not to mention, it can be physically harmful.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
This does not mean that every Catholic couple must have eight children. The Church does not want couples to have more children than they can responsibly care for. Natural family planning is advocated for the time when having another child is not a wise decision. This method uses the natural fertile and infertile periods a woman experiences, and this method also requires a certain level of self-control, something this country is lacking.
The family is the orchard of the country. We should support every family, no matter what size, but we should give extra support and thanks to those who generously give rise to large families.
Benjamin Sanchez
UNM alumnus
