For many devout Catholics, the use of Natural Family Planning (NFP) is an opportunity for married couples to grow in their mutual love and respect for one another, while fulfilling the promise they made on their wedding day, “to accept children willingly….”
However, debates have ensued on this topic from both ends of the spectrum. There are those who use NFP for any number of selfish reasons, and those who believe it should never be used because it is no different from artificial contraception. In looking at the Church’s teachings on this topic, it is clear that neither of these positions is correct, and NFP, when used correctly, allows couples to use the faculties that God gave them for the good of their marriage and families. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states this as the couples having an “authentic freedom” to make these choices.
NFP has been referred to as “Catholic birth control” by those who do not understand what it really is. A simple explanation of it is that married couples become familiar enough with the woman’s cycle to know at what times of the month conception is more and less likely. When a couple has decided that they have a serious enough reason to put off conceiving a child for a time, they take advantage of this knowledge, and refrain from the marital act when conception is likely. The Catholic Church, in her wisdom, gives the guidance that it may be used if a couple has “well-grounded reasons” (Humanae Vitae, 16) for spacing births. Ultimately, this is a decision to be made by the couple, having sought God’s help in prayer, and quite possibly the help of a spiritual director. Any well-grounded reason will be a purely unselfish one. Limiting the amount of children born in order to afford a luxury boat is probably a more selfish reason. But perhaps the husband and father of three children has just lost his job and money is tight. Right now may not be the best time to have another child. In this case, the couple is using their freedom and rationality
So then, NFP is just like artificial contraception, right? Wrong. People make the argument that, since NFP is a way to avoid conception, it is just another form of birth control and should not be used by devout Catholics. When a couple engages in the marital act while using artificial contraception, they are engaging in a selfish, anti-life action. The very action itself is not an action that could result in conception. It takes away one of two ends of the marital act, namely, procreation. However, when a couple engages in the marital act knowing that conception is not likely, but doing nothing to actively and artificially prevent it, there is nothing that is anti-life in their action, just as there is nothing anti-life about engaging in the marital act when a married couple knows that conception is impossible due to a current pregnancy, age, illness, or sterility.
Furthermore, NFP requires the couple to practice abstinence at certain times of every month. This in itself can only bring about good, giving an opportunity for a couple to practice chastity within their marriage. Well, why not, one may ask, just abstain from the marital act until a more prudent time to conceive a child? This would be an action that disregards the other end of the marital act, the unitive end. The mutual love and complete giving of oneself to his or her spouse is part of a healthy marriage, and the Church has never taught otherwise. NFP gives spouses the opportunity for chastity, unselfish love, and the use of their reason in cooperating with God in His plan for their family.
