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Why Natural Family Planning Differs from Contraception Pope John Paul II In 1998 Pope John Paul II wrote a letter to Dr. Anna Cappella, director of the Center for Research and Study on the Natural Regulation of Fertility at Rome’s Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. The occasion was a convention commemorating Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI’s 1968 encyclical. Excerpts are reprinted below. ___________________________________________

I hope that everyone will benefit from a closer study of the Church’s teaching on the truth of the act of love in which spouses become sharers in God’s creative action. The truth of this act stems from its being an expression of the spouses’ reciprocal personal giving, a giving that can only be total since the person is one and indivisible. In the act that expresses their love, spouses are called to make a reciprocal gift of themselves to each other in the totality of their person: nothing that is part of their being can be excluded from this gift. This is the reason for the intrinsic unlawfulness of contraception: it introduces a substantial limitation into this reciprocal giving, breaking that “inseparable connection” between the two meanings of the conjugal act, the unitive and the procreative, which, as Pope Paul VI pointed out, are written by God himself into the nature of the human being (HV, no. 12). Continuing in this vein, the great pontiff rightly emphasized the “essential difference” between contraception and the use of natural methods in exercising “responsible procreation.” It is an anthropological difference because in the final analysis it involves two irreconcilable concepts of the person and of human sexuality (cf. Familiaris Consortio, no. 32). It is not uncommon in current thinking for the natural methods of fertility regulation to be separated from their proper ethical dimension and to be considered in their merely functional aspect. It is not surprising then that people no longer perceive the profound difference between these and the artificial methods. As a result, they go so far as to speak of them as if they were another form of contraception. But this is certainly not the way they should be viewed or applied. On the contrary, it is only in the logic of the reciprocal gift between man and woman that the natural regulation of fertility can be correctly understood and authentically lived as the proper expression of a real and mutual communion of love and life. It is worth repeating here that “the person can never be considered as a means to an end, above all never a means of ‘pleasure.’ The person is and must be nothing other than the end of every act. Only then does the action correspond to the true dignity of the person.” (cf. Letter to Families, no. 12). 2 The Church is aware of the various difficulties married couples can encounter, especially in the present social context, not only in following but also in the very understanding of the moral norm that concerns them. Like a mother, the Church draws close to couples in difficulty to help them; but she does so by reminding them that the way to finding a solution to their problems must come through full respect for the truth of their love. “It is an outstanding manifestation of charity toward souls to omit nothing from the saving doctrine of Christ,” Paul VI admonished (HV, no. 29). The Church makes available to spouses the means of grace which Christ offers in redemption and invites them to have recourse to them with ever renewed confidence. She

exhorts them in particular to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is poured out in their hearts through the efficacy of their distinctive sacrament: this grace is the source of the interior energy they need to fulfill the many duties of their state, starting with that of being consistent with the truth of conjugal love. At the same time, the Church urgently requests the commitment of scientists, doctors, health-care personnel and pastoral workers to make available to married couples all those aids which prove an effective support for helping them fully to live their vocation (cf. HV, no. 23-27). Natural Family Planning Program, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops | 3211 4th Street NE Washington, DC 20017-1194 | Tel: 202-541-3240 | Fax: 202-541-3176 | [email protected]

Celebrating the Richness of Church Teaching Janet E. Smith The Church’s teaching on contraception is not just a doctrine that states what not to do. Many people would benefit from knowing that it is a doctrine that explains how extraordinarily important is the act of having children. One reason that modern culture has trouble understanding the truth of Humanae Vitae is that it fails to appreciate what a profound good children are. It is true that most parents love their children beyond belief and frequently even acknowledge that they are great gifts from God. Many parents will testify that when they held their baby for the first time, they experience a rush of love matched by little else. But they do not always realize that in having children they are “co-creators” with God. This is not a term used by Humanae Vitae; it is a term used by John Paul II in his writing. Humanae Vitae does speak of the “extremely important mission of transmitting human life” that God has entrusted to spouses. A human life is of inestimable value; a human soul is destined to share a blissful eternity with God, the angels and saints. Only God can create a new human soul but he needs the help of human beings to bring forth a new person. When engaging in sexual intercourse spouses are inviting God to perform his creative act of bringing a new human soul into existence: they supply the sperm and egg; God provides the soul. He then entrusts that soul to the parents to guide and educate and ultimately to help get them to heaven. Our culture does not really focus on helping people to realize that some day they will likely be parents and how tremendously important a task that is. We do not often think that we should be spending much of our youth preparing for the responsibilities of being parents. Contraception enables us to think of sexual intercourse as a casual and to some extent as an insignificant act rather than an act that can change the universe – for the coming to be of a new human being truly changes the universe. Someone who did not exist before comes into existence and will remain in existence forever. If people were conscious of the extreme significance of the sexual act, they could not possibly be as cavalier about it as they now are. They would choose their spouses very very carefully – and use as a foremost criterion the suitability of that person to be a parent. Those who succeed in marrying someone who will be a good parent – someone who is patient, generous, responsible, kind, other directed, and reliable also are nearly guaranteed to get a terrific spouse – for who wouldn’t want a spouse with those virtues? Our sexually out of control culture and divorce culture has led 68% of children born in the U.S. to being born out of wedlock or born into households that will fragment through divorce. One out of four pregnancies is aborted. Those who understand the Church’s teaching on sexuality know that to a great extent it is shaped by a concern for the well-being of any children who may result from acts of sexual intercourse. Children born into families where their parents are sexually self controlled, where they are faithful, stable, and desirous of children are predictably much better off than those born to single parents, to the unfaithful, to those open to divorce or divorced. The Church’s teaching is also shaped by a knowledge that those who become parents generally become much better people; they need to develop quite a set of virtues in order to be good parents. Those virtues also help them be good spouses, good co-workers, good citizens. Those who use natural family planning to plan their family size develop the virtues needed to be good parents; they develop sexual self-control and patience and generosity – and they almost never divorce. Catholics who have not heard a defense of the Church’s teaching on contraception might be surprised how rich and full of common sense it is.

Nationally known speaker and author, Janet E. Smith, PhD, teaches at Sacred Heart Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Many of Dr. Smith’s talks treating the Church’s teachings on human sexuality are available in a series called “Sexual Common Sense.” Contact: 1-888-765-9269; or visit, www.mycatholicfaith.org. This article was originally produced for California Association of NFP’s newsletter, CANFP NEWS, (Winter 2008), copyright ©. CANFP; www.canfp.org 1-877-33-CANFP. This article is reprinted here with permission from CANFP Association.

Natural Family Planning Program, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; www.usccb.org.

Natural Family Planning It’s worth it. Join the Revolution! By Jill Cherrey In marriage preparation programs, couples frequently ask: “What is the difference between contraception and Natural Family Planning (NFP)?”Although I am happy to explain, I often realize that words are inadequate. I try to encourage them to ask a better question: “How can a couple have ‘authentic sexual intimacy’ and responsibly plan their family?” The difference between the two questions is deep and wide. The answer has to do with joining a revolution—God’s revolution! God’s love is revolutionary. It is freely given. It is permanent, total, faithful, and fruitful. And, God shares His love with us as gift. When man and woman marry, they make a vow at the altar to love each other as God loves. In their consent, the “I” becomes “we!” And, there is more. God’s gift of sexual relations to husband and wife gives them a particular way to “seal” or “perfect” their vows in a physical reality where the “we” can become “us” in a child. With NFP, spouses say, “I love you freely” because the time of sexual abstinence demonstrates that they can say “No” and do no harm to God’s gift of fertility. This makes their times of “Yes,” more meaningful. To put it another way, if we cannot say “no” to our sexual urges then we are not truly free and our “yes” really means nothing. When a couple jointly respects God’s gift of fertility rather than seeking to manipulate it, they offer the total gift of their persons to each other. A faithful gift is one that is always in the best interest of the person, and NFP allows a couple to say, “You are amazing just the way you are” (remember, when using NFP, the couple does not seek to alter their fertility through chemicals, devices, or procedures). In addition, the discipline of periodic sexual abstinence helps couples to resist temptations that offend sexual fidelity and the virtue of chastity. NFP allows the couple to give God the final word on whether their sexual union will result in pregnancy. In turning over physical fruitfulness to God, the couple practices spiritual fruitfulness as they open their hearts to God who is love. A revolution is not an easy endeavor. It can be exciting, but it inevitably will require personal sacrifice and even suffering. NFP is no different. Accepting

God’s invitation to live His plan for married love is both humbling and wondrous. It involves many blessings. And, yet, it will also have its difficulties. For example, when postponing a pregnancy, some couples may experience prolonged periods of sexual abstinence due to unclear fertility signs—and they will feel the loss of their physical intimacy. When facing the challenge of postpartum and breastfeeding or during perimenopause, other couples may wonder if their efforts are worth the trouble. And, sadly, some couples may be tempted to give up when receiving disapproval from friends or family. At times such as these, it will be important for NFP couples to know that they are not alone. They can seek help from their NFP teachers and local diocesan leaders. The diocesan NFP community has access to resources, including spiritual directors and appropriate medical professionals, who can help couples who are in need of assistance. Most importantly, when facing challenges, NFP couples should be encouraged to turn to God in prayer—as individuals and as a couple. In my own life, I have both worn down rosary beads and the path to the Adoration chapel during spiritual battles in my life - and God never failed to give me consolation and direction! In my mind’s eye stands an image of a heart with the caption, “Sacrifice is the Metric of Love.” We know this truth in the deepest part of our being. Unfortunately, today we live in a culture that has tried to redesign love and in particular, sex. In doing so, it has eliminated the language of love which is the language of self-sacrifice. NFP supports the language of love. It stands against any notion that love is about self-satisfaction to the exclusion of self-donation. NFP allows couples to honor God by respecting His design. It both respects man and woman as created by God, and values God’s gift of fertility. NFP therefore values the child as gift. What is God’s design for men and women but that which is love and life, babies and bonding, unitive and procreative, together! With NFP, a couple can trust the gift as it was made, and when they do so, they can truly renew their vows and invite love, God’s love into their marriage. This is a revolution worth joining! _____________________ Jill Cherrey is the NFP coordinator for the Archdiocese of Newark. Natural Family Planning Program, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This article is printed with the permission of the author. You have her permission to reproduce in whole or in part, in print and/or electronically, with the following statement: Jill Cherrey, “NFP, It’s worth it! Join the Revolution!” Used with permission.