This is exactly why we need to make their parishes NFP parishes, and why we need to hear more about the evils and ills of contraception, and the call to chastity within marriage. Send this testimony to your Bishop, DRE, parish priest, or church pastor/ leader, asking them to make NFP a priority in their Diocese/ Parish/ faith community. (Thanks for sharing your story, Dustin.)
See also:
- Priests & Bishops: If you promote NFP, Vocations will come (includes a guide to clergy resources)
- Carlson links Vocations “crisis” to Contraception
…and we’re back. Over the last couple weeks, unemployment malaise has taken its toll, and I’ve just not had the desire to write, neither on the blog nor any of my freelance work.
But this past week I got the chance to sit in on the first night of a weekday marriage preparation seminar called God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage, something that was launched here in Denver, and is done in Madison, Wisconsin as well (where I moved from). Besides being the wordiest marriage prep moniker out there, it’s in my opinion one of the best, if not the best marriage preparation supplement out there.
It’s a supplement to the usual life skills/reflection and the other aspects of marriage preparation, but it’s foundational and indispensable in the marriage prep process. It’s based on John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, a contemporary and life-changing way of explaining life, vocation, love and sexuality that’s beautiful, difficult, engaging and freeing. It’s essentially a full day seminar (or done on two week nights or retreat format) with six talks explaining what the big deal about sacramental marriage is, and why the Church teaches what she teaches, using Theology of the Body (infused with other resources) as it applies to the vocation of marriage.
It’s not all talks, though. It’s interspersed with reflection time, breaks, and DVD’s of Christopher West giving the talks. Actually, the curriculum comes with West doing the entire day, so you could play the DVD’s for the whole day if you wanted to, though I wouldn’t recommend it. The best combination is to plan your own talks (using the curriculum as your guide), weaving in your own witness and experience. I recommend using West at points throughout the day because, though he’s not everyone’s favorite, he’s got mad gifts, and can explain TOB in an accessible way many, many people find engaging and ultimately, enlightening.
The bottom line is that most people view the Church’s teaching on marriage & sexuality as a long list of “no’s”, but it’s a love story, and invitation to love as God loves. I’ve lived my way, and I’ve lived God’s way of love and life, and I’ve found so much wholeness, healing, joy and (yes) humor in embracing the latter, and discovering Theology of the Body has just made it so much more profound.
My husband and I used to facilitate these days back in Madison, and next week, I get to jump back into things by giving an NFP talk. My inspiration is returning….
What about yours? My challenge for you: suggest alternate names for the GPFJFM program!
Any other God’s Plan Facilitators out there? How’s it going? Difficulties? Joys? Do share….
Melchior Broederlam (1381-1409) Presentation in the Temple & Flight to Egypt Tempera on wood, 1393-1399
I feel sorry for Simeon, Anna, the Holy Family and the turtledoves. They get overlooked for a groundhog. In their humility, they might rejoice at the humor of this, but I for one think it’s a shame.
Today is the feast of the Presentation, called The Encounter in the east. It’s an amazing feast day in the Catholic/ Orthodox Churches (both east and west tend to celebrate it on the same day), but way underrated and under celebrated. It is also the foundation feast day of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England, founded on vespers of the Presentation by Fr. John Henry Newman (later to become Cardinal, and whose Beatification will be May 2, 2010).
The mystery of the Presentation can be meditated upon without exhausting it. This drama in the temple has much to teach us about waiting for the Lord, God’s will in our life, prophecy, death, vocation, sacrifice, family, poverty, consecrated life , the Cross and much more.
For me, it is a fusion of meditation on the two main vocations of the Church: that of married life, and that of consecrated life or priesthood. Here we see the relationship between the two, the image of a holy marriage which gives rise to the earliest of vocational dedication. Not only is Christ, the Anointed, dedicated in the temple, but we see very prominently the consecrated and prophetic Simeon & Anna. (See my blog entry on holy families & holy vocations here.)
It is also one of the handful of times that we see (but never hear) St. Joseph. His actions are worth much more than a thousand words, and for this reason and many others I’ve come to love St. Joseph dearly. He found me first, and I’ve come to love my spiritual father greatly. This is why when invited to speak on NFP to a men’s group, I didn’t choose Humanae Vitae or Casti Conuubi, but rather St. Joseph.
In October 2008, I gave a talk to the Knights of Divine Mercy, a men’s fraternal group and apostolate in the Madison Diocese, called “Surge, accipe puerum: reflections on St. Joseph.” It’s not strictly about NFP, but its message is related. I used a number of sources, from books to encyclicals, but it was a friend’s apostolic motto and article on St. Joseph that sparked the Josephine theme. In the end, it became a meditation on Fatherhood (spiritual and biological), and discernment about God’s will for your family, vocation and apostolate. Where is the Lord leading you?
Fast forward to the second track for the reflection on the Presentation.
Related links/ articles:
- Feast of the Presentation overview (and suggestions for ways to celebrate) at Catholic Culture
- The Chivalry of St. Joseph by Stratford Caldecott
- Cardinal Newman’s Sermon on the Feast of the Presentation, foundation day of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England
- John Paul II’s 1998 Homily on the feast of the Presentation
FREE Talks in Madison: Christopher West is making two appearances in Madison, Wisconsin this February, so mark your calendars, Wisconsonians.
God, Sex, and the Meaning of Life
Date(s): February 18th, 7pm
Location: Univ. of Wisconsin/Madison – The Great Hall in the Memorial Union
716 Langdon Street
Madison WI, 53706
Contact: Nico Fassimo
Phone: 612-867-6780
Email: nicofassino@gmail.com
Cost: This is a free event!
Description: This talk introduces a new “vision for life” designed for those who are new to the Theology of the Body. The message can be life-changing. Many will come to see, perhaps for the first time, who they really are—and who they are called to be. God’s plan for us is stamped right into our bodies, and understanding this plan will give attendees a new lens through which to see their lives, relationships, and the world around them. Christopher West will address and answers some of the most fundamental questions of human existence. Mike Mangione will also be performing.
Your Call to Greatness–St. Therese Lecture Series
Date(s): February 19th, 7pm (RSVP–seating is limited)
Location: Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center
702 South High Point Road
Madison WI, 53744
Contact: Andy Galvin
Phone: 608-821-4517
Email: andy.galvin@straphael.org
Description: This talk introduces a new “vision for life” designed for those who are new to the Theology of the Body. The message can be life-changing. Many will come to see, perhaps for the first time, who they really are—and who they are called to be. God’s plan for us is stamped right into our bodies, and understanding this plan will give attendees a new lens through which to see their lives, relationships, and the world around them. Christopher West will address and answers some of the most fundamental questions of human existence.
Em, I'm looking for more correct information on NFP. Anyone?
Here’s the belated Think Again Thursday post, and one I’ve wanted to do for a couple weeks since I read about Cherie Blair’s latest verbal blunder regarding family planning.
Now Mrs. Blair’s no rookie in the Church teaching disobedience department. She’s a regular on the the-Church-should-change-her-teaching-on-contraception circuit, grinding her axe at every turn. In fact, the article prompting this latest edition of Think Again Thursday is a perfect example. It’s evidently a piece about her attitude about money, lifestyle and don’t miss this segueway, “Mrs Blair also says in the interview, in the January edition out on Thursday, that MPs have been pilloried over their expenses. ‘They saw it as an allowance, which is not the same thing.’…An ardent Catholic, she says she hopes that the Church will change its view on contraception.” I’m sorry, what does one have to do with the other? Journalism has gone as far downhill as faith.
Theological misinformation and journalistic disability aside, my beef is largely with this statement, which I believe my readers (of all faiths/ political viewpoints) will have a problem with (the money line in bold):
The Church says that sex is not just for procreation and does allow the natural form of contraception. Personally, I think it is better to go for contraception that works, which is quite different from abortion.
In this letter writing campaign, I’d like to find out if this is the correct quote, as the syntax here isn’t exactly the well-worded style of an experienced barrister.
That aside, it’s clear that legal education and worldly knowledge don’t exactly equal understanding and certainly not wisdom. Would you help me in blogging about this, and in particular by contacting Mrs. Blair to correct and clarify the statement that NFP doesn’t work?
I was resting from blogging Sunday, but wanted to share a great homily on the feast of the Holy Family, December 27 this year by Fr. Robert Barron (h/t to Fr. Jason Cargo for the link).
I also went to Mass tonight at the Denver Cathedral, and Archbishop Chaput gave one of the most rockin’ homilies on family life that I’ve heard–covering the gift of fertility, the suffering of infertility, the ills of contraception and IVF, encouraging vocations in the family, and a word to families touched by divorced (and much more). When that gets posted online, I’ll give you the link.
UPDATE: Archbishop’s Homily from Holy Family is now posted here!
Three cheers for George & Eileen Finnin, Directors of the Philadelphia Area Natural Family Planning Network. Along with Wichita’s rock star NFP Coordinator, CCL Chicago Chapter and a handful of other fervent NFP advocates, they’re harnessing the power of the press release and letters to the editor! They published this Op-Ed piece in the November 28 edition of the Philadelphia Bulletin, which isn’t exactly the NY Times, but is a good example of using the media to get out the word. I challenge the Finnins and others to take the next step, using their ingenuity to take the op-ed/ letter to the editor to the next level, and sumbit it to a more secular newspaper or women’s mag.
- Have you seen any other inventive press releases or letters to the editor?
- What’s the best NFP-related writing you’ve seen out there, something that made you smile, think, or clap your hands?
Do you belong to the “NFP cult”?
Blogger and Seattle acquaintance Mark Shea recently gave NFPworks a little nod in a post, which has attracted a clergyman in the combox who snarkily calls (and implies that I think this) NFP the “8th Sacrament” and a sympathetic commenter implies that NFP fans are (or can be) “worshippers” of the “NFPcult.”
Now [taking a deep breath]. If you listen to this homily by Fr. Chad Ripperger, FSSP, which isn’t the priest in the combox, but it seems that they must be on the same page. (I’d really like to hear Fr. Perroni affirm this.)
Anyhow, the homily, unlike most watered-down, feel good verbosity is actually catechetical, and really quite decent. I appreciate the frank approach to catechesis that doesn’t underestimate his congregation. (Though I have a feeling this homily wasn’t given in the average suburban parish–I’d like to see that!)
“Contraception is against every category of ‘natural inclination’.” [Amen.]
I like how he begins by explaining the natural law, quoting St. Thomas, giving examples, and then speaks at length about Holy Matrimony and the Nuptial Act. I like what he has to say–even the part where he strongly emphasizes that NFP is only to be used for just, serious and grave reasons! Despite what Fr. Perroni and friends might think of this, I agree! I may not hit people over the head with my “grave reasons stick” when I begin a conversation with a Catholic (or non-Catholic) on contraception, but I believe what HMC teaches, and stick to it.
“Provided you have the right intention…it’s a morally licit thing.” [Amen.]
Then he goes on to articulate that artificial insemination and In Vitro Fertilization violate the unity of meaning of the nuptial act, meaning that they separate the unitive (by diminishing or eliminating the need for a physical union) from the procreative (the openness to children and hopefully conception).
“Some Catholics mistakenly believe that because the Church is pro-family and pro-children, that somehow that means that any means whatsoever is okay to attain having children, and that’s not true. The Church doesn’t allow us to do that precisely because she does not want us to violate the rule of God, and ultimately for us to lose our souls as a result of it.” [Amen.]
But he quickly transitions to his discussion of the Church’s only approved method of postponing pregnancy (as well as achieving pregnancy and diagnosing women’s wellness issues, the latter which he omits, either for brevity or lack of knowledge on this): NFP. Here’s where we transition to a more reactionary slippery slope:
“It is a mortal sin to use NFP without a sufficient reason.” [Well...yes and no. Debatable.]
Diocesan Family Life Offices & NFP Instructors: OUCH.
“The teaching of NFP , however, has become a bit problematic as of late. In addition to the fact that some people treat it like it’s the 8th Sacrament, and somehow or another if you’re not practicing NFP when you’re married that you’re committing sin–it’s silly, and quite frankly, it’s insulting to people’s intelligence.”
“It’s okay to teach philosophy or the philosophical and theological dimensions to NFP in a common group–I don’t have any problem with that; it’s a good thing. (And by common group we mean mixed company, and things of that sort.)”
“But there are practices that have arisen in virtually every diocese in this country in which detailed anatomical descriptions and even pictures of the two genders is given to people in mixed company. Now let me set this up as a scenario: you have people who are about to get married. The struggle for chastity is extreme already. And then they put pictures in front of them, and then they wonder why they’re fornicating. Hello!? The fact of the matter is that this is putting people in the proximate occasion of sin. It’s mortally sinful to be doing this….But to actually give anatomical details to people before they’re married in mixed company is utterly inappropriate.“
“It’s mortally sinful to be doing this [giving NFP classes to couples before they're married in mixed company]…It’s a sin against modesty!”
Soo…..where to begin?
First, I don’t think being part of the NFP Movement–either by using it, promoting it or teaching it, that it makes one a de facto member of the “NFP cult.” (See my newly revised “About” section to know where I stand on this.)
However, Father does have a point that some people become so devoted to Natural Family Planning, and are so eager to “convert” contraceptive users, that they pitch NFP in such a way as to present it as “Catholic Birth Control” or “Catholic Contraception.” This is wrong, and I hint at this a bit in my “7 Habits” post. It’s true. Sometimes in our enthusiasm for the Church’s teaching against contraception, we give the impression that NFP is a requirement to be holy, and that it’s a given in marriage, when, in fact, NFP (if you’re Catholic), is to be used only to achieve pregnancy, postpone pregnancy for just, serious or grave reasons, or to identify, diagnose and treat women’s wellness issues, including infertility.
Second, I also believe modesty is a vital virtue, one that’s lost on our generation nearly completely. However, to essentially equate an NFP class (and therefore–GASP! Anatomy diagrams!) to pedalling pornography IS RIDICULOUS! Further to accuse nearly every diocesan program (and therefore the individuals running the program, and their bishops!) who sponsors NFP Instruction for the engaged (for most it’s optional, and a few mandatory) OF MORTAL SIN WITHOUT EXCEPTION OR MITIGATION scandalizes me, frankly.
Father clearly leans towards concupiscence with his mention of the “scandal of NFP instruction,” but it seems to me he may not be aware of who the average couple getting married in the Church is. (Now that I think about it, he probably does know and wouldn’t witness the vows of most of the people getting married today.) Diagrams which enable them to learn about and appreciate God’s gift of fertility most likely don’t scandalous those going through NFP Instruction, and certainly wouldn’t scandalize the average couple who frankly are largely already sexuality active and cohabitating.
Prudence is the key to chastity and modesty. Obviously, if a couple has a sensitivity to things sexual or a tendency to lust, and their purity is strong and sensitive, then heck no–stay away from the NFP classes! But by and large, these are not the couples who are going through Engaged Formation in Diocesan programs.
Kyrie Eleison. I’ve gone on long enough. There’s a balance between the “cult of NFP” and the reactionary extremism of aforementioned brands of providentialism as fostered by certain clergy.
What do you think the balance is?
After seeing this clip of The View (which you may or may not like, depending on your politics–watch it anyway) featuring a very strong and family oriented Rachel Campos-Duffy, I decided to find out who this firebrand mother was. After finding out that we have some very strong worldview connections.
I started following her on Twitter, and found a link to this piece, “Whatever Happened to Large Catholic Families?” (Geocache that!)
Good stuff. Certainly not an analysis piece aiming to answer that question per se, but definitely a look at the current shallow fascination with large families, and testimony to the enduring value of large families. She should be the Population Research Institute’s spokesperson for their Overpopulation is a Myth Campaign (newly added to the blogroll)!
By the way, I think the answer to her article’s question is: the same place where Catholic spines and authentic Church teaching went, probably stored in the closet where the plasma TV boxes are in the garage where people’s three cars are parked.
I’ve been remiss to post something about this AMAZING one-day conference happening in LaCrosse, Wisconsin at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine on Sunday, August 2. So, here it is.
Top Five Reasons to Go to the St. Gianna Conference
5. Archbishop Raymond Burke will be there. Meet the big cheese (he’s from Wisconsin!) of the Holy See’s highest court. He’s a dang holy man, too, and preaches with gentle fire. Last time I heard him preach at a sacred arts conference I cried.
4. The stunning art and architecture of the Shrine will leave you breathless and prayerful, and it will restore your faith in the sacred arts (you will not confuse the shrine with a parking garage from the outside).
3. If you’re trying to conceive, St. Gianna has been a powerful intercessor for this. In fact, in the painting of her by Neil Carlin (above), Mr. Carlin used children for models who were conceived through her intercession! There will be a special blessing for those who wish to conceive.
2. You’ll get to hear and meet St. Gianna’s son, PierLuigi. How many times have you met the son of a saint?
1. You need to learn more about this very recent saint, called a “Martyr of Maternal Love.” (Another post I did on St. Gianna for mother’s day here.)
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