By John F. Kippley
(to be run in 7 sections daily during NFP Week)
The reason for the existence of NFP International is to provide the right kind of instruction in Natural Family Planning (NFP), something that is much more than “Catholic birth control.” The right kind of instruction in NFP has to address the whole person. Within the Catholic Church, the entire body of Catholic teaching on love, marriage and sexuality needs to be presented in the context of Christian discipleship. The NFP course and the rest of the marriage preparation need to present Jesus as the reason for all teaching about love. He is love incarnate, so it is a great omission to try to teach about love and marriage, including sexual love, without letting Jesus show us the way.
Some negative aspects
The right kind of NFP instruction is both negative and positive, and everyone has a human right to learn both. There are serious problems with unnatural forms of birth control, and they need to be addressed. Hormonal birth control (the Pill, injections, implants, and coated intrauterine devices) can have long-term harmful effects. Everyone should learn that every form of hormonal birth control has the potential to cause an early abortion. Every couple deserves to know that the Pill increases the risk of breast cancer. They should also know that vasectomy is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Lastly, they should realize that the traditional barrier methods of birth control are by no means 100% effective. The Catholic Church is truly being a friend of women and men alike when it teaches against contraception. If this information does not help a couple to eschew all unnatural forms of birth control when they start their marriage, at least it may help them to discontinue these unhealthy and immoral practices in the future.
The positive aspects
The New Evangelization involves raising the consciousness of ordinary people about God’s personal interest in the things of nature as well as in specific doctrinal teaching. The right kind of NFP course provides an excellent opportunity to teach and explain some important parts of God’s plan for us. The positive aspects of natural family planning are beautiful in themselves and even more attractive in comparison with the unnatural forms of birth control.
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John F. Kippley
Battle-Scarred: Justice Can Be Elusive