We have all heard the question, “Is it better to give a man a fish or to teach him how to fish?” A corresponding question is this: “Is it better to give a mother a case of formula or to encourage her to breastfeed her baby for at least a year and preferably two years?” The latter is the breastfeeding recommendation of UNICEF and WHO that was endorsed by Pope John Paul II in 1995.
A key part of the NFPI program is the promotion and teaching of ecological breastfeeding. This is a unique apostolate to serve the poorest of the poor because every baby is poor regardless of his or her social environment. I do not mean “unique” only among NFP organizations but in a much wider context. I am not aware of any groups of priests or religious who are doing this. I am happy to report, however, that in the Philippines Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of the Archdiocese of Cagayan do Oro and Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez have quoted the NFPI website language about ecological breastfeeding as well as systematic NFP. I am also happy to report that registrations from the Philippines are among the most frequent of our international visitors.
John F. Kippley