{"id":3409,"date":"2011-07-25T15:58:23","date_gmt":"2011-07-25T20:58:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.austincnm.com\/?p=3409"},"modified":"2011-07-26T09:17:50","modified_gmt":"2011-07-26T14:17:50","slug":"3-not-so-secret-secrets-about-nfp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2011\/07\/3-not-so-secret-secrets-about-nfp\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Not-so-Secret Secrets about NFP"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
A few weeks ago, my wife and I attended an evening of marital enrichment at the church. \u00a0We sat down next to a couple and commenced with the regular chit chat, quickly finding out that like us, the couple had recently had their third child.\u201cAre you planning on having more?\u201d they asked us.\u201cWell,\u201d we said, \u201cwe\u2019re open to it, but we\u2019re praying through God\u2019s plan for our family.\u201dThe man of the other couple quickly piped up, \u201cNot us! We\u2019re done. \u00a0I\u2019ve got to get an appointment to get snipped ASAP.\u201d<\/p>\n

His response was disarming, in part because of the emphatic way it was offered, but also because there is a part of me that expects fellow-Catholics to be a little more open to the Church\u2019s teaching on marriage, sexuality and contraception. Most people, I\u2019ve found, know little more than the typical set of misconceptions that float around our society and are used to designate Catholics as \u201ccrazy\u201d when it comes to these matters.<\/p>\n

When we tell people that we practice NFP, we usually receive one of three responses<\/p>\n

Disbelief –<\/strong> \u201cYou mean people actually do that!?\u201d they say. \u00a0Yep, people actually embrace a method of planning their family that involves self control, discipline and a recognition of the full dignity of our bodies. \u00a0Radical, huh?<\/p>\n

Skepticism<\/strong> – Once, shortly after telling a couple that we practice NFP, the woman piped up with this gem:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cYou know what you call a couple practicing NFP, right?\u201d\u201cWhat?\u201d I asked.\u201cPregnant!\u201dUsually, this skepticism is driven by fine empirical data such as, \u201cMy grandmother practiced the rhythm method and had like twelve kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defensiveness –<\/strong> If there\u2019s one thing I\u2019ve learned, it\u2019s that few people have any understanding of the Church\u2019s teaching on sexuality. \u00a0However, they know they are vehemently against the practice of NFP and can defend their position by citing the reasons why it\u2019s unreasonable. \u00a0I have yet to be convinced by their conviction.<\/p>\n

As Catholics, our job is to understand the teachings of our Lord and, by extension, the teachings of our church. \u00a0We need to learn these principles and defend them. \u00a0To that end, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has designated July 24-30, 2011 as National Awareness Week for Natural Family Planning (NFP).\u00a0To get you in to the spirit of NFP Awareness week, I offer three not-so-secret secrets about NFP.<\/p>\n

NFP is good for your marriage –<\/strong> Engaged couples often think that NFP would be detrimental to their marital relationship because, they assume, it puts some restrictions on physical intimacy and eliminates spontaneity. \u00a0They have been taught by years of reading magazine headlines in the supermarket checkout line that spontaneity is key to a happy and healthy physical relationship. \u00a0While it might be true that NFP adds some level of \u201corder\u201d to the marital relationship, the positive effects of NFP far outweigh the lost “thrill” of spontaneity. \u00a0Due to the increased communication and intimacy that comes with understanding fertility, NFP-practicing couples see a divorce rate of just .2%, which is certainly a far cry from the almost 50% of society at large. \u00a0Also, anticipation trumps\u00a0spontaneity\u00a0any day.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just for Catholics –<\/strong> There is a joke floating around that NFP stands as much for \u201cNot for Protestants\u201d as it does for \u201cNatural Family Planning.\u201d \u00a0However, the theology behind NFP is not exclusively Catholic, but rather, is rooted entirely in the Bible. \u00a0Evangelical radio shows such as Family Life Today<\/em><\/strong> have prominently featured episodes dedicated to the practice of Natural Family Planning and various evangelical magazines have picked up on the increasing trend of Protestant Christians embracing the NFP lifestyle.<\/p>\n

NFP is effective –<\/strong> The extent of most people\u2019s knowledge of NFP is the rhythm method which, as I understand it, involved counting days from start of the menstrual cycle and circling off a definite number of days to avoid intimacy if a couple was trying to avoid pregnancy. \u00a0Honestly, that might be a terrible description of the rhythm methic because I don\u2019t know the rhythm method because modern NFP isn\u2019t the rhythm method!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 There are several different methods that a couple can use to go about tracking their fertility (Billings, Creighton, Sympto-Thermal) that are infinitely more precise than just counting days on a calendar. \u00a0Each of these methods empowers couples to observe the real signs of fertility and determine the likelihood of conception. \u00a0There are real scientists behind these methods and real support organizations dedicated to helping you learn the method to begin living a life free from artificial contraception.<\/p>\n

These are just a few of the secrets you might not know about NFP, but there are many great resources to consider if you want to learn more.<\/p>\n

The USCCB has a page dedicated to the 2011 NFP Awareness Week<\/a>, full of resources.<\/p>\n

The Austin Diocese<\/a> can point you in the right direction is you\u2019re looking to take an introductory course in the practice of NFP.<\/p>\n

In the past, I\u2019ve written a few pieces about the incredible impact of NFP in my own marital relationship:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Best Secret I Know<\/a><\/div>\n
The Best Secret I Know, Part 2<\/a><\/div>\n
Man Enough to Love Like That<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A few weeks ago, my wife and I attended an evening of marital enrichment at the church. \u00a0We sat down next to a couple and commenced with the regular chit chat, quickly finding out that like us, the couple had recently had their third child.\u201cAre you planning on having more?\u201d they asked us.\u201cWell,\u201d we said,… [Read More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,88],"tags":[191,81,114,113,79],"class_list":["post-3409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-blog","category-marriage-blog","tag-intimacy","tag-marriage","tag-natural-family-planning","tag-nfp","tag-sexuality","entry","has-post-thumbnail"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2466,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2011\/06\/sex-is-good\/","url_meta":{"origin":3409,"position":0},"title":"Sex Is Good","author":"Brandon Kraft","date":"June 22, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Catholics aren't known for being knowledgeable about sex. The extreme stereotype says we're ashamed of it, and our bodies. We have sex only because of\u00a0marital\u00a0duty and we shouldn't enjoy it. The stereotype says that we\u00a0acknowledge\u00a0we need to do it, but almost as a necessary evil. Wow. I know aspects of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/38992864_a0e99b0c4c_m.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":40814,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2013\/07\/nfp-and-the-holy-spirit\/","url_meta":{"origin":3409,"position":1},"title":"NFP and the Holy Spirit","author":"Shawn Rain Chapman","date":"July 26, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 In October 1994 I was part of a nine day intensive training in Omaha, Nebraska given by the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction, together with Creighton University. It was my \"Phase I\" to become an NFP Instructor. I was learning so much, even though\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Holy Spirit image","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/IMG_0246-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":40823,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2013\/07\/one-on-one-with-an-nfp-practitioner-about-the-fertility-care-center-of-st-marys\/","url_meta":{"origin":3409,"position":2},"title":"One on One with an NFP Practitioner about the Fertility Care Center of St. Mary’s","author":"Julia Motekaitis","date":"July 22, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"In honor of NFP Awareness week, I was blessed to interview a dear friend and NFP Practitioner Melissa Buchan, about the Fertility Care Center of St. Mary's in College Station. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Contact us! Aggiecatholic.org\/fccsm fcctexas@gmail.com 979-846-5717 ext #143 https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/aggiefcc The Fertility Care Center was developed by Dr. Thomas\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marriage and Love"","block_context":{"text":"Marriage and Love","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/marriage-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"FCwebsitebanner","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/FCwebsitebanner.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12232,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/02\/sex-love-and-the-pill\/","url_meta":{"origin":3409,"position":3},"title":"Sex, Love and the Pill","author":"Kathryn Whitaker","date":"February 28, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The last several weeks, my husband and I have hovered over our smart phones and iPads, reading every possible article about the HHS mandate and controversy.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen tweets, read controversial FB status updates, scrolled through interesting blog posts and had engaging conversations with Catholics and non-Catholics.\u00a0 While the controversy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/shutterstock_298879_wedding-table-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":38911,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2013\/03\/married-without-children\/","url_meta":{"origin":3409,"position":4},"title":"Married without Children","author":"Cristina Mares","date":"March 27, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"My husband and I have been married for over 3 years now. I\u2019ve learned that marriage contributes to our personal salvation through \u00a0its call to service. Two other sacraments, Holy Orders and Matrimony, are directed towards the salvation of others; if they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marriage and Love"","block_context":{"text":"Marriage and Love","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/marriage-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"MarriedWithoutChildren","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/MarriedWithoutChildren.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":344672,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2017\/01\/response-archbishop-chaput-tocqueville-lecture\/","url_meta":{"origin":3409,"position":5},"title":"Taboos and Resolutions (A Response to Archbishop Chaput’s Tocqueville Lecture)","author":"Lindsay Wilcox","date":"January 3, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"They say you shouldn't talk about sex, politics, or religion in public. As an evangelization-minded Catholic, I live a little differently, but I do tend to stay away from politics. I just don't like it. These days, however, there's no getting away from politics, even when we'd rather talk about\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"\"The Gospel of John reminds us that the truth, and only the truth, makes us free. We're fully human and free only when we live under the authority of the truth.\" \u2014Archbishop Charles J. Chaput","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/atxcath-chaput-tocqueville-550x289.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/atxcath-chaput-tocqueville-550x289.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/atxcath-chaput-tocqueville-550x289.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3409"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3409\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}