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Church promotes Natural Family Planning (NFP) awareness this week
By Julie Filby
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This week, July 24-30, marks national NFP Awareness Week—an educational campaign of the U.S. bishops to focus attention on natural family planning methods and Church teachings that support their use in marriage.
NFP (natural family planning) is an umbrella term for certain methods used to achieve and avoid pregnancies. These methods are based on observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. With NFP, no drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy.
“NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child,” according to a statement from the U.S. bishops. “By respecting the love-giving and life-giving natures of marriage, NFP can enrich the bond between husband and wife.”
NFP week highlights the July 25th anniversary of the papal encyclical “Humanae Vitae” written by Pope Paul VI articulating Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, conjugal love and responsible parenthood. Also, yesterday, July 26, marked the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Mother.
The best way to learn NFP is from a qualified instructor. For more information visit www.archden.org/marriage or call the Office of Marriage and Family Life at 303-715-3160.
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