Humanae vitae

Humanae vitae Latin for 'Of Human Life' Encyclical of Pope Paul VI
Signature date	25 July 1968
Subject	About birth control
Number	7 of 7 of the pontificate
Text	In Latin In English
← Sacerdotalis caelibatus   Redemptor hominis →

Part of a series of articles on
Abortion and the Catholic Church
Official opposition Canon 915 Eucharist denial or excommunication Canon 1397 §2 Evangelium vitae Humanae vitae In politics
Philosophy and theology Consistent life ethic Culture of life Sanctity of life Ensoulment Double effect Indirect abortion
History Gianna Beretta Molla Margaret McBride excommunication 2009 Brazilian girl abortion case Death of Savita Halappanavar
Activism March for Life Life and Family Paris Prague Washington, D.C. West Coast Priests for Life Sisters of Life Knights of Columbus Catholic Answers CatholicVote.org American Life League Center for Family and Human Rights National Right to Life Committee
Dissidence Catholics for Choice A Catholic Statement on Pluralism and Abortion
See also Other Christian views In the United States Abortion Abortion law
Catholic Church portal
v t e

Humanae vitae (Latin, meaning 'Of Human Life') is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and dated 25 July 1968. The text was issued at a Vatican press conference on 29 July.^[1] Subtitled On the Regulation of Birth, it re-affirmed the teaching of the Catholic Church regarding married love, responsible parenthood, and the rejection of artificial contraception. In formulating his teaching he explained why he did not accept the conclusions of the Pontifical Commission on Birth Control established by his predecessor, Pope John XXIII, a commission he himself had expanded.^[2]

Mainly because of its restatement of the Church's opposition to artificial contraception, the encyclical was politically controversial. It affirmed traditional Church moral teaching on the sanctity of life and the procreative and unitive nature of conjugal relations.

It was the last of Paul's seven encyclicals.^[3]