Dear Dr. Geraghty: I converted to the Catholic Faith over 50 years ago. I was in the military service and my instruction for joining the Church was fast and since I was basically ignorant of religion I did not understand much about birth control because Protestants practiced it. After all this was before it became an issue for Catholics. Shortly after my entry into the Church my wife became pregnant. Her pregnancy was a difficult one and delivery was by C section. She was suffering from a poision in her female organs and on the morning of delivery, before the doctor (a Catholic) closed her up he told me that if she became pregnant again she would proably not survive. He suggested tying her tubes. She was in a comma and could not give permission and she was not Catholic. I was young, ignorant of Church teaching on this and gave my permission because I somehow believed it was okay since a Catholic doctor was tellin me this. Lately I have heard orthodox Catholic doctors say this is not permissible under any conditions. Was I guilty of mortal sin because of my failure to educate myself on Church teaching in this area? Thank you Dr. and God bless you.

Dear Andy,

To commit a mortal sin, you have to know what your are doing. You have to be instructed. Obviously you were not instructed. You figured that a Catholic doctor would give you the right advice. How could you have known he was not following Catholic teaching? Relax.

Dr. Geraghty

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