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Guest Column: Natural Family Planning Week
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July 11, 2023Each year the Natural Family Planning Program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) schedule a week for an educational campaign for Natural Family Planning (NFP) Awareness. This year the week will be Sunday, July 23 through Saturday, July 29 and the theme is Marriage: One Flesh, Given and Received … Natural Family Planning supporting God's gifts of love and life in marriage. The dates of NFP Awareness Week highlight the anniversary of St. Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae (Tuesday, July 25) which articulates Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, conjugal love, and responsible parenthood. The dates also mark the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne (Wednesday, July 26), parents of our Blessed Mother. Pope Francis has designated that feast as World Grandparents Day, a fitting commemoration during National NFP Awareness Week!
NFP has a number of advantages for couples. While divorce rates in the United States are unfortunately high, the divorce rates for couples that practice NFP are much lower. These statistics are lower because NFP couples must communicate with each other, and the woman is not impacted by the negative effects of hormonal contraception. Couples practicing NFP may also be more receptive to God’s influence in their marriage and realize He is the creator of all life. Couples that use NFP not only find that it improves their communication but also adds courtship elements and they find other ways to express their love for each other. Real love wants the best for the other person. An NFP class is required for all couples wishing to be married in the Diocese of Amarillo.
For further information, please go online to [email protected]. The Diocesan Family Life office facilitates NFP classes to educate all engaged and married couples about God’s plan for responsible parenthood. Those seeking additional details on NFP Classes in English or Spanish are encouraged to visit the diocesan website, amarillodiocese.org/nfp or call 806-414-1059.
James Schulte is director of the Family Life Office for the Diocese of Amarillo.
