July 17, 2008

Bishop's Appeal 2008

Respecting Life

By Mary Pat Van Epps

Director, Natural Family Planning Center

Forty years ago on July 25, 1968, Pope Paul VI issued the encyclical, Humanae vitae (on Human Life). The secular media had led Catholics to believe that somehow the Church was going to be able to change its teachings on marriage and the procreation of children.

Humanae vitae simply reiterated the constant teachings of the Church that human life is sacred; that love comes from God; and that marriage is a Sacrament where the spouses, through mutual self giving love, cooperate with God in the procreation and education of children. Humanae vitae reminded us that children are the supreme gift of marriage; and that the very nature of the marriage act, designed by God in His creation of men and women, is both love giving and life giving. Humanae vitae also reminded us that, because of Gods design, each conjugal act must remain open to the possible transmission of life, and that contraception always prevents the total self gift of the spouses in the marriage act.

The Diocese of Memphis Natural Family Planning Center offers support and encouragement to couples to live their married lives in harmony with Gods design for their sexuality and fertility. Natural Family Planning today is very different from the old Rhythm Method of the past which was based on guessing and counting days on a calendar. NFP today is scientifically based to determine the fertile phase in each woman's cycle by her day to day awareness and observation of her naturally occurring signs of fertility and infertility.

The Diocese of Memphis NFP Center offers classes in the Billings Ovulation Method of NFP with a new series beginning every month at the Catholic Center as well as individual follow up appointments with each couple for as long as needed. The classes teach married and engaged couples, both Catholic and non-Catholic. NFP is one of the most important evangelization tools in the Church today. Couples who have attended say they appreciate the freedom that NFP gives them to achieve or postpone pregnancy in a way that honors God and also respects their own dignity as human persons created in His image. It is through the generosity of so many people contributing to the Bishops Appeal that the Diocese of Memphis is able to serve so many families in our diocese in this way.

The NFP Center also presents the annual Mother/Daughter and Father/Son programs which bring parents and children together to learn and talk about God's plan for growing up, the physical and emotional changes of adolescence and the sanctity of human life. These programs promote self-respect, fertility appreciation and the virtue of chastity as well as communication between parent and child about the important gifts of human sexuality and fertility. The NFP Center developed these programs in 1986, and they have spread throughout the country to many other dioceses.

The chastity promoting materials developed by the NFP Center are unique items and include bookmarks, stickers, cards, pamphlets, T-shirts, boxer shorts, tote bags and even onesies and bibs for babies. They are all available for purchase and can be viewed on the diocesan website at www.cdom.org (click on NFP Center) where an order form is also available for printing. These chastity promotion materials have been sold and distributed throughout the U.S. and Canada for more than 20 years.

The NFP Center always strives to present authentic Catholic teaching on human sexuality. The office is also able to provide chastity and fertility appreciation presentations to the Catholic schools and parishes. The humanity of the unborn child is always a central part of the presentations, as is the beauty and wonder of God's self-giving love to a culture that is suffering and even dying from the misuse and abuse of His great gifts of sexuality and fertility.

Without the contributions and prayers offerd during the Bishop's Appeal, the Natural Family Planning Center would not be able to reach so many people. For more information about the Natural Family Planning Center, visit www.cdom.org and click on NFP center or call 901-373-1285.

For more information about the 2008 Bishop's Appeal, call 901-373-1208 or visit www.cdom.org.