Looking Closer At Natural Family Planning
I receive a variety of responses when I encourage my patients to use Natural Family Planning.
“Sure, I know about Natural Family Planning. That’s the rhythm method.” (No, it’s not.)
“I heard that doesn’t work.” (Actually, when NFP is taught and used correctly, the effectiveness rate for avoiding pregnancy is 97-100% in published studies, and it is often more effective for achieving pregnancy than more expensive artificial reproductive techniques.)
“You want me to check WHAT?” (Yes, you will learn a lot about the female body that perhaps you didn’t know.)
“You want me to use nothing?” (No, I want you to learn a very modern, scientific and researched method that is relatively simple to learn.)
From the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: “Natural Family Planning Awareness Week (July 23-29, 2017) is a national educational campaign...The dates of Natural Family Planning Awareness Week highlight the anniversary of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae (July 25) which articulates Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, conjugal love and responsible parenthood. The dates also mark the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne (July 26), the parents of the Blessed Mother.” This year’s theme is “Say YES to God’s Plan for Married Love.”
There is a fascinating history that led to Humanae Vitae’s release in 1968. In brief, all Christian denominations opposed artificial contraception until the 1920s, and after the Church of England allowed contraception within the confines of marriage, one by one, other denominations followed; yet, through the years, the Catholic Church remained opposed.
Blessed Pope Paul VI released his encyclical Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life) and put into contemporary language the traditional teaching on the gift of fertility, clarifying the Catholic Church’s stance against contraception. This went over like a bombshell since the expectation was high that Pope Paul VI would accept the majority opinion of the papal commission that had studied the issue.
What a true prophet Blessed Pope Paul VI was! So many of his warnings in Humanae Vitae have become true. He warned of “the general lowering of morality” if the use of contraception would become widespread. Is there a general lowering of morality in 2017 compared to 1968? Yes or yes?
During the summer months when so many Catholic weddings are scheduled, I encourage you to listen carefully as the priest addresses the couple just before they exchange vows. They are asked if they have come to the altar freely, and if they will love and honor each other all the days of their lives.
Then the third question they are asked is, “Are you willing to accept with love the children God may send you, and bring them up in accordance with the law of Christ, and His Church?”
This is a clear reminder of our Church’s tradition that one of the gifts and responsibilities of marriage is marital love and co-creating new life with God. One who has written and spoken extensively on this topic is Janet Smith, PhD. In her preface to a copy of Humanae Vitae that I have in my office, she states “The Church condemns contraception not because it wants to deny spouses sexual pleasure, but because it wants to help them find marital happiness and to help them have happy homes…the Church is not imposing a disciplinary law on Catholics; she is preaching only what nature and the gospel preach.”
It is a great surprise to many couples just being introduced to NFP that everywoman is, at most times, infertile.
NFP instruction, therefore, is designed to teach the couple when sexual intercourse may result in pregnancy and when it won’t. This is true family planning, not contraception.
Why did I state in the beginning of this article that Natural Family Planning is one of the church’s best kept secrets? It is effective, in line with church teaching, and in this day and age of people wanting things more natural and desiring to avoid putting chemicals in their bodies, NFP is about as organic as it gets...but it is not widely known or advertised in many dioceses. When there was such a unified opposition from the USCCB about the “contraceptive mandate” of the Affordable Care Act over the past several years, my wish was that there would have been an equally strong voice stating “Because we have something BETTER!”
Well have I got a deal for you! In our diocese, NFP is not a secret! Starting in the summer of 2016, several practitioners from The Holy Family Center For Life began teaching Natural Family Planning courses at St. Mary’s – now St. Vincent Evansville. There continue to be other locations where classes are offered as well including Fort Branch, Santa Claus and Jasper. You can call (812) 421-2030 to find out the schedule of upcoming Introductory sessions.
For more detailed information, the USCCB has excellent resources at www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/awareness-week
Dr. Blanke is a Family Physician with St. Vincent Medical Group and a member of the Southwestern Indiana Guild of the Catholic Medical Association.He is a Medical Consultant for the Creighton Model of Natural Family Planning.
