Natural Family Planning International

The national diocesan Natural Family Planning (NFP) Week is the last week of July.  It recalls the signing of a letter by Pope Paul VI,  titled “On Human Life”. The writing acknowledges concerns about population and birth control, and questions if couples may use artificial methods versus occasional abstinence.  It clarifies that when we look at our bodies and sex, we can see “natural laws” which are a glimpse at the “will of God”.  Obedience to natural law is a means to get to Heaven.
        The document touches on the marital embrace mirroring the generosity and selflessness of the Trinity, and how couples must also keep in communion with the Trinity to see if they can serve God with the gift of another child.  Just as it would be wrong to force a spouse to have marital relations, it is also wrong to actively manipulate or cancel or sterilize one or the other’s fertility, their ability to make a baby, with sterilization, artificial birth control or interrupting the marital act.  It is the more noble way to master the sexual urge and abstain from relations in the fertile days for family planning as this protects our bodies, health, mutual respect and openness to God.
        Society tells us to be responsible, use birth control and limit family size.  On the other hand, the Church teaches that responsibility is not getting what we want all the time, but being moderate and thoughtful about sexual pleasure.  Contraception has made sexual sin too easy for us;  NFP classes help couples live this teaching.  It also shows governments that forced birth control is not necessary.  Married people, with the graces of matrimony, are able to manage their fertility and safeguard the dignity of marriage from perversion.
    See www.nfpandmore.org for free charts and online instruction.  
Ann and Steve Craig
NFPI Instructors
Robstown TX
Article written for NFP Awareness Week 2010