The Tablet July 30, 2005

Natural Ways to Plan Families

My Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ,

The Church throughout the United States has just completed a special week dedicated to promoting the true meaning of Natural Family Planning (NFP). Natural family planning is an umbrella term that refers to modern, scientifically accurate, healthy and reliable methods of birth regulation. The Church teaches that parents must be responsible for bringing new life into the world so that they will be able to properly support and educate the children that God gives them.

Unfortunately, our contemporary society has adopted what we might call a "contraceptive mentality," whereby couples often choose means other than natural ones to prevent conception from occurring. This attitude, unfortunately, is also evidenced among our own Catholic people. However, for the most part, I believe that many Catholic couples do not understand the various forms of natural family planning that can assist them in achieving the natural and God-given ends of their marriage, namely the loving, unitive and life-giving procreative aspects of sexual intercourse within the sacramental covenant of marriage. For this reason, the Catholic Church teaches that couples must not actively intervene to separate their fertility from their physical union. To do so is to show disrespect for an important gift given to married couples by the Creator.

In 1981, Pope John Paul II, of happy memory, in his Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, wrote: "With regard to the question of lawful birth regulation, the ecclesial community at the present time must take on the task of instilling conviction and offering practical help to those who wish to live out their parenthood in a truly responsible way. …This implies a broader, more decisive and more systematic effort to make the natural methods of regulating fertility known, respected and applied."

It is the responsibility of the Church to make known these methods of natural family planning, which differ completely from the various artificial means of contraception that are being promoted in today's society. Most recently, we heard about the controversy regarding the over-the-counter distribution of the pill RU486, also known as the "morning after" pill. This pill is an abortifacient, which means that it aborts the fertilized egg by preventing it from becoming attached to the uterus. The insidious nature of this pill is further compounded in that it will be available without prescription to anyone who wishes to purchase it, regardless of age. The New York State Catholic Conference has taken a position against the open distribution of RU486, both because of its promotion of promiscuity, and the dangers that it presents to the women who may use it. The challenge facing couples is that the great gift of fertility must be balanced against their ability to provide for the care of their children.

Another consideration involves the unitive aspect of the marriage act, which must also be understood as essential to any healthy marriage. In general, using any natural family planning requires abstinence from sexual intercourse at certain days during the woman's menstrual cycle. For most, this means an average of six to twelve days per menstrual cycle, depending on the fertility signs of the woman, the length of her cycle and the method used. During these times of abstinence, couples can still express their love and affection for one another without engaging in intercourse.

This is part of the challenge of every marriage, since the ability to have sexual intercourse is not without its limitations. Those couples that practice natural family planning come to a much deeper understanding of their sexuality and the great gift of fertility that belongs to most couples. In their responsible use of Godīs gift of human sexuality, neither spouse is, therefore, taken for granted, and each grows in mutual understanding of his or her responsibility and respect toward the other, and the marital bond that joins them together.

Currently there are three main methods of natural family planning that differ from the older "rhythm" or "calendar" method. Over the years, advances in scientific experimentation have also made these methods of natural family planning more effective than any contraceptive means, without the ill side effects. The Billings Ovulation Method, the Creighton Model Fertility Care Services and the Sympto-Thermal Method all offer great opportunities for couples to learn to love one another more deeply while controlling their fertility.

The Diocese of Brooklyn has made every effort to make these methods available. Listed below are agencies with Web sites that can assist couples to learn more about this important help to healthy marriages.

American Academy of Natural Family Planning (AANFP)

www.aanfp.org

Billings Ovulation Method Association (BOMA)

www.boma-usa.org

The Couple to Couple League (CCL)

www.ccli.org

www.popepaulvi.com

www.creightonmodel.com

The Church has great concern for couples as they struggle at times to raise healthy and balanced families. Natural family planning is truly an effort of putting out into the deep, since it involves a commitment and restraint that goes beyond what is normally considered acceptable in today's society. As a Diocese, we will continue to assist all married couples that wish to grow in their love for each other and their embrace of responsible Christian parenthood.