This is Part Three of our Lenten-Easter appeal.
The right kind of NFP course. In my opinion, the NFP course that is going to advance the evangelization mission of the Church needs to be more than some classes on the human reproductive system. Sheila and I are convinced that every NFP program should promote and teach ecological breastfeeding as a form of natural family planning. We are convinced that every NFP program should teach against specific immoral behaviors to which couples are tempted during times of abstinence from the completed marriage act. We are convinced that all NFP programs should teach about all the common signs of fertility and infertility even if certain programs want to specialize in only one sign. After all, if God made woman in such a way that she has three easily observed signs, who am I or anyone else to withhold that information? For better or for worse, however, it is our understanding that NFP International (NFPI) is unique in holding these convictions and putting them into practice.
So what is NFP International all about and what is it doing?
NFP International is all about making the right kind of NFP course universally available at very affordable costs. After our separation in 2003 from CCL, we wrote a short NFP manual, Natural Family Planning: The Question-Answer Book. It’s been available at our website since 2005, and it was quickly accepted as a Home Study Course by the USCCB office for NFP. We recently used it to teach a classroom course, and we thoroughly enjoyed that experience. Since it is available to download for free, we do not know how many people use it, but we are happy to report that in 2007 the NFPI website had visitors from 126 countries. In the last few months, we have done lots of work on the manual, making it slightly longer but with a shortened title. In the fourth week of Lent, we posted a revised version of Natural Family Planning, still less than 100 pages. Please take a look. You may be interested particularly in Chapter 1 that deals with the “what and why” of NFP.
We are also serious about supporting international NFP efforts. Since mid-2005 we have provided the salary of the full-time director of CCL of Slovakia. Their former parent organization discontinued its support for NFP organizations in which the language of instruction was not in English or Spanish. Our support of CCL of Slovakia has been our main expense for almost the last three years, and we are delighted to provide this support. Its director visited with almost 50 priests last year, trying to persuade them to require NFP instruction as part of preparation for marriage. I wonder who else in the whole world is making that kind of effort! The efforts he is making show why a mostly-volunteer organization needs at least a few full-time employees. We believe the efforts he is making in Slovakia and elsewhere in Eastern Europe are definitely worth supporting, and we are proud to ask for your support. And please rejoice with us that the website of NFP International is getting visits from so many countries.
Our initial intention in 2004-2005 was to limit our efforts to the website and make it the “go-to” site for online NFP instruction and for related research and theology. We had no intention of getting into classroom instruction again. However, some NFP teachers contacted us about using our materials. We worked with a couple in Denver to develop teaching notes, and they quickly developed a PowerPoint presentation. In seven states we now have teachers or will have them very soon. This is moving as fast as we can handle it.
So why are we telling all of this to you? As you can guess, we need your support. If you believe in the importance of promoting marital chastity, please support the work of NFPI with your prayers and your funds. Financial support can be sent to NFPI, P. O. Box 11216, Cincinnati OH 45211. Your donation is tax deductible and we will greatly appreciate your help.
Next Week: NFP and Teaching Chastity….
John F. Kippley
Sex and the Marriage Covenant (Ignatius)
Natural Family Planning (e-book at www.nfpandmore.org)