NFP info for Clergy

NFP Info for Clergy

Priests and deacons are on the "front line" in the Church helping the faithful understand God's plan for married love. Although no one expects clergy to become "certified NFP teachers," basic information on the science and methodology of NFP will help clergy in their pastoral efforts (Source: USCCB).

Clergy Webinar: Ask a Catholic Doctor Almost Anything, Wednesday, August 9, 4:00 - 5:00 pm; Sponsored by the Couple to Couple League

Natural Family Planning - A Gift for Marriage

Here is a bold statement: Married couples who practice Natural Family Planning have strong marriages and healthy sexual relationships. Can we really say this to couples, especially those who struggle with the Church's stance on the use of contraceptives in marriage? The answer is "yes!" In studies comparing Catholic married couples who practice NFP versus those who don't, NFP users reported higher levels of sexual satisfaction in their relationships and experience significantly lower divorce rates than non-NFP users.

All engaged and married couples deserve to be fully informed about what the Church teaches and why when it comes to the sacredness and fruitfulness of marital love and responsible parenthood. Learning an NFP method before the wedding gives couples a distinct advantage in so many ways.



First, both husband and wife will have a much better understanding of the hormonal changes and accompanying physical and emotional responses that take place each month in the woman's cycle, and can be proactive about any unusual observations. This enhanced understanding leads to mutual respect and an awareness of the awesome gift of fertility. It's impossible for couples not to see the miraculous imprint of God's life-giving love in their daily lives.

With so many advances in the science and technology of NFP, and with a heightened concern about the side effects of contraceptive methods, couples are more open than ever to learn a natural method of family planning. The practice of NFP enables couples to live out their marriage vows with integrity – their promises of fidelity, permanence and openness to life.

It is the duty of the Church to inform couples of the serious implications of using contraception, which separates the unitive and procreative aspects of marriage, and may impede the flow of sacramental graces that are so essential to happy, healthy marriage. The loving response is to give couples every opportunity to access the sacramental grace that is so essential to lifelong, joy-filled marriage. Natural Family Planning and the Sacrament of Reconciliation are keys to sacramental grace for couples in their fertile years.

Here are some important resources to learn about NFP from the clergy perspective:

• For a complete set of NFP resources for clergy from the USCCB - CLICK HERE.

• For the NFP Introductory Session slide presentation from the USCCB - CLICK HERE.

• For access to the free clergy seminar from the Couple to Couple League - CLICK HERE.

Opportunities to Encourage Couples to Practice NFP

To speak about Fertility Awareness with conviction to engaged and married couples is an important goal for clergy members. It requires a good working knowledge of the science of Fertility Awareness Methods of Family Planning as well as the many health benefits, moral implications, and realistic challenges - practicing NFP requires discipline, commitment and strong marital communication - all things that are great for a marriage. (CLICK HERE for a solid introduction to NFP)

Two great opportunities to speak personally to couples about the benefits of NFP are:

1. Marriage Preparation sessions with engaged couples and civilly married couples seeking convalidation - In the necessary conversations about openness to life and raising children in the Catholic faith, priests and deacons should feel comfortable bringing up the topic of fertility awareness and responsible parenthood. While most couples will be introduced to NFP concepts at Pre-Cana, a more personalized approach in an open discussion format will enable couples to ask important and probing questions and seek answers and resources from reliable Catholic resources (brochures about NFP would be helpful - CLICK HERE for a full set of NFP resources)

2. Baptism Preparation - couples seeking baptism for their infants or toddlers are in need of good family planning information. Often they do not want to return to contraceptive methods once the first child is born and are much more open to fertility awareness methods.

Excerpts from Humanae Vitae (July 25, 1968)

To Priests

28. And now, beloved sons, you who are priests, you who in virtue of your sacred office act as counselors and spiritual leaders both of individual men and women and of families—We turn to you filled with great confidence. For it is your principal duty—We are speaking especially to you who teach moral theology—to spell out clearly and completely the Church's teaching on marriage. In the performance of your ministry you must be the first to give an example of that sincere obedience, inward as well as outward, which is due to the magisterium of the Church. For, as you know, the pastors of the Church enjoy a special light of the Holy Spirit in teaching the truth.

(39) And this, rather than the arguments they put forward, is why you are bound to such obedience. Nor will it escape you that if men's peace of soul and the unity of the Christian people are to be preserved, then it is of the utmost importance that in moral as well as in dogmatic theology all should obey the magisterium of the Church and should speak as with one voice. Therefore We make Our own the anxious words of the great Apostle Paul and with all Our heart We renew Our appeal to you: "I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." (40)

Christian Compassion

29. Now it is an outstanding manifestation of charity toward souls to omit nothing from the saving doctrine of Christ; but this must always be joined with tolerance and charity, as Christ Himself showed in His conversations and dealings with men. For when He came, not to judge, but to save the world, (41) was He not bitterly severe toward sin, but patient and abounding in mercy toward sinners?

Husbands and wives, therefore, when deeply distressed by reason of the difficulties of their life, must find stamped in the heart and voice of their priest the likeness of the voice and the love of our Redeemer.So speak with full confidence, beloved sons, convinced that while the Holy Spirit of God is present to the magisterium proclaiming sound doctrine, He also illumines from within the hearts of the faithful and invites their assent. Teach married couples the necessary way of prayer and prepare them to approach more often with great faith the Sacraments of the Eucharist and of Penance. Let them never lose heart because of their weakness.

Excerpts from "The Sacrament of Matrimony - Catechetical Segment for Marriage Preparation" (Click Here for the full document)

• The conjugal union of husband and wife is sacred and achieves the twofold end of marriage: the good of the spouses themselves and the transmission of life. The unitive and creative aspects of the act are inseparable and are both inherent to the marriage act [CCC #2366].

• Called to give life, spouses are cooperators with the love of God the Creator [CCC #2367].

• Children, the crowning glory of creation, are a gift from God.

• Contrary to the ideas that children are a burden to be avoided and that couples should have as many children as possible, the Church calls parents to exercise responsible parenthood.

53. Responsible parenthood is based on the notion that couples, in cooperation with God’s plan for life and love, bring as many children into the world as they can raise and nurture to maturity and independence. The Church affirms the couple’s right, within the context of Natural Family Planning (NFP), to determine by themselves the number of their children and the distance between births.

54. A Christian married couple has as many children as God gives them and as they can take responsibility for, given the health of each spouse and their social and economic situation. Christian married couples should be responsible in using the gift and privilege of transmitting life. The criteria for regulating birth is avoiding conception for good, not selfish reasons, without external coercion, and using means that are morally acceptable in the Church.

55. Because the family has a mission to bring God’s love to the world, the Church hopes that Christian married couples will generously and courageously welcome children into their family.

56. The Church supports the use of scientific-based methods of self-observation of the signs and symptoms of fertility known as Natural Family Planning (NFP), as morally acceptable in keeping with the dignity of man and woman, respecting the natural, healthy functioning of the female body, and demanding mutual affection and consideration [CCC #2370-2372, 2399]. NFP is ecological, holistic, healthy, and an exercise in partnership.

57. The Church rejects all artificial means of contraception – namely chemical methods (“the Pill”), mechanical methods (condom, IUD), and surgical methods (sterilization), as these methods separate the sexual act from its procreative potential, block the total self-giving of husband and wife, can be detrimental to the woman’s health, can have an abortifacient effect, and can be detrimental to the couple’s relationship.

58. Married couples who experience infertility can accept medical assistance that does not contradict the dignity of the human person, the rights of the child to be conceived, and the holiness of the Sacrament of Matrimony [CCC #2375, 2379]. Natural Procreative Technology (NaPro Technology) addresses the root causes of infertility and often enables couples to conceive naturally.

59. All assistance in conceiving a child through research and medicine must be stopped when the generative bond of conception and parenthood is broken by a third person or when conception becomes a technological act outside of sexual union in marriage [CCC #2374, 2377].

60. Children should originate from the loving union of husband and wife rather than as a product of a technological procedure. Married couples who have exhausted all permissible medical means of assistance can adopt, take in foster children, or become involved in some other way of the caretaking of children.

• Marriage continues creation. When children are regarded as the supreme gift of marriage, generosity increases. Couples need to discuss their plans for children, and continue these discussions throughout the fertile years of marriage.

• Responsible parenthood is a couple’s right and duty. If they are blessed with children, they are entrusted with the decision as to how many children to have, and choosing a natural method of family planning to space them.

• New technological methods for fertility awareness make natural methods of family planning more attractive to couples. The increase in infertility due to environmental causes is a concern for many couples. There are also concerns about the side effects of contraceptive methods. Couples are far more open today than in the past to learning a method of Natural Family Planning.

COUPLE REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

1. Have you discussed how many children you hope to have, and when you hope to have them? What does this mean for your careers and financial goals?
2. Are you prepared if God chooses to bless you with a special-needs child? Are you prepared to deal with the possibility of infertility?
3. Are you willing to explore the latest methods of Natural Family Planning (NFP)?
4. In what ways will NFP help you to better appreciate the privilege of being co-creators with God?

From the Catechism...Church Teaching on Procreation

As with all aspects of our Catholic faith, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the definitive source of Church teaching for the Sacrament of Marriage, and in particular, for procreation. 

Click on the links below for a complete set of paragraphs from the Catechism that explain what the Church teaches about procreation, natural family planning, responsible parenthood, and infertility:

• Openness to Fertility (CCC  #1652-1654)

• The Family in God's Plan (CCC #2201-2233)

• Male and Female He Created Them (CCC # 2231-2235)

• The Fecundity of Marriage (CCC #2366-2372)

• The Gift of a Child [Reproductive Technologies] (CCC # 2373-2379)