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NOTES
This week we are getting real about Natural Family Planning.
If you are unfamiliar with NFP, here are some basic resources for you:
Catholic Teaching on Love and Sexuality
On Birth Control, from Catholic Answers
Helpful Links to some different resources/methods of NFP
Here is a link to the column I wrote for Crisis on the topic of NFP a few years ago:
5 Ways I Don’t Love Natural Family Planning
My main points, which I discuss in this week’s show, are:
1) NFP does not work well for everyone.
2) NFP is not mandatory.
3) Have we no shame?
4) It’s only information.
5) Temperament matters.
Please share your ideas and feedback with me about this week’s show topic!
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GREAT podcast, Danielle! We DO need to talk about this more. Somehow balancing the TMI and necessity to encourage one another. We sucked at NFP. Only barely hanging on and the biggest thing is that we constantly questioned our faith because if no one else was talkig about it, it must not be that hard, so what was our problem??? Of course, now, on the back end of our fertility it is easier, we are older and our communication has improved but oh to have had a sounding board in the middle of our fertility…what a blessing that would have been!! PS Meant to leave you voice mail (your fave) but the week got away from me!! Blessings!!
Thank you, Tracy! I really appreciate your feedback and encouragement. I also loved your comments about blogging/sharing about older kids and teens. It’s a tough balance sometimes, but we all need to know we are not alone in our struggles. I think I will take eon that topic next week. Thanks for all your encouragement and support!
Hi Danielle – Thanks for the NFP podcast. I am a convert and after years of doing things the wrong way (not God’s way), NFP and Theology of the Body was such good news to my ears. Compared to using birth control, I don’t feel used anymore. However, it is difficult. It’s difficult to abstain, difficult to figure out the methods, and difficult to keep in up in our world. I had to switch methods and basically teach myself the method I use now (Marquette). It was also disheartening that in RCIA, I don’t remember this even being mentioned. (I just thought it was the “rhythm method” and no one did it anymore.) The online community is really the only place I can share or “talk” about NFP because I know no one in real life who uses it. In the marriage prep class we took (which was optional), I was the only one who took notes. Everyone appeared less than thrilled to be there (who knows, maybe it wasn’t so new to them as it was to me). Additionally, the extent of NFP education in our church is a poster in the corner of room that says “Love, Naturally.” (The NFP class in marriage prep was at another parish). I love that you mentioned that this is just information. We have so much more information at our fingertips now. However, when we have frustrations, it’s worth it to ask – is the frustration with NFP or with God’s way of life and love? We have also used NFP to conceive, although that sadly ended in miscarriage. I have a new appreciation for the pro-life/NFP/Theology of the Body teachings now more than ever. All that to say, thanks for sharing. I feel like you struck a balance between keeping it real and upholding the Church teachings without shaming others. Thanks.