In the summer of 1968 I was teaching theology at the Beda, an English seminary in Rome. I had returned to England for the summer, and was staying at the house of my widowed mother, near Dorking. I recall clearly one day hearing on the Six O’Clock News that the long-awaited encyclical had finally been published. Pope Paul VI, it was announced, had condemned all forms of artificial birth control as immoral. I was stunned.

I tried to get hold of a copy of the text as soon as I could. I had to wait a few days for it to become available in England. In the meantime I reflected upon the evolution in my personal evaluation of the issues involved. I was a cradle Catholic, and had entered St John’s seminary in Wonersh at the age of 18, straight after leaving school.