Biblically speaking, the number 40 brings many things to mind:
- Moses and the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years
- Noah taking refuge in the ark for 40 days and nights of rain
- Jesus fasting for 40 days and 40 nights
All of these images include a long time of trial and difficulty. This could also be said of the Church’s reaction to Humanae Vitae.
Today, 25 July, happens to be the 40th anniversary of Paul VI’s famous encyclical. To mark this occasion, there has been a good bit of write up in the press. Here’s a few of the articles I found today:
- Catholic Groups Ask Pope to End Contraception Ban - abc.com
- A recognition of the 40th anniversary at First Things
- A look at the reaction’s effect on priests - Catholic News Agency
Update: John Allen’s Op-Ed - nytimes.com
Update 2: Peter Steinfels (2 August 2008) - nytimes.com
