Natural Family Planning Awareness Week ~ Awareness Week  July 25-31, 2010

"Trust" God has a plan for your marriage

NFP Awareness Week is an event begun by the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals and now sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).  The dates highlight the anniversary of the papal encyclical, Humanae Vitae (July 25) and also mark the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne (July 26).

 This year’s theme is “Trust” God has a plan for your marriage.  Posters can be ordered at:  customerservice@ifcweb.com or call: 1-866-582-0943 (ask for Poster #1022).  Local NFP Class information is posted on the Department for Marriage & Family Ministry website:  www.clevelandcatholiccharities.org/mfm 

 The Church teaches that the sacrament of marriage symbolizes Christ’s relationship with His Church.  What is this relationship but one of generous, self-sacrificing, passion-filled and fruitful love!  Married couples who use natural family planning to postpone or achieve pregnancy find many benefits:  better communication, respect and awe for God’s gift of fertility, growth in patience, maturity, self-mastery, and holiness, as they seek to understand God’s plan for their lives.

The United States Bishops issued a document intended for engaged and married couples called, “Married Love and the Gift of Life” that explains Church teaching about God’s plan for marriage and natural family planning in a simple question-and-answer format.  Copies are available through the Dept. for Marriage & Family Ministry for $2.00.  To order, call 216-334-2972 or email: gdeeks@clevelandcatholiccharities.org.  For more information, contact Rose Jacobs at 216.334.2973.  More education is needed to help couples know and appreciate the benefits of using natural family planning.  Certified NFP instructors are available to assist in this important ministry.

 A popular booklet has recently been updated.  An Introduction to Natural Family Planning by Fehring, Kitchen and Shivanandan, has been expanded.  Orders can be placed with customerservice@ifcweb.com  or call: 1-866-582-0943 (Publication #9921).  The booklet is also available in Spanish (Publication #9927).

 Helping couples to achieve responsible parenthood and to deepen their conjugal love is part of the Church’s total pastoral ministry to Catholic spouses and requires both education and pastoral care.

For more information, contact Rose Jacobs, NFP Coordinator, at 216-334-2973 or rjacobs@clevelandcatholiccharities.org