Local Couple Explores the Scientific and Spiritual Sides of Natural Family Planning – Detroit Catholic

“Immeasurable Love” Date Night allows married and engaged couples to explore the beauty and prudence of the Church’s wisdom.

Royal Oak — Twelve couples gathered at St. Mary Parish in Royal Oak to learn not only the science behind natural family planning, but also the spirituality behind it.

“Immeasurable Love: Mini Date Night” was an opportunity for couples to spend an evening away from home, enjoy wine and snacks and learn how natural family planning can strengthen Catholic marriages, said Nicole Joyce, associate director of Evangelization and Missionary Laity for the Archdiocese of Detroit.

“Our goal is to give engaged and married couples the opportunity to learn about the different methods of NFP and decide which one they would like to use best,” Joyce says, “and also to give those who are already using NFP some tips and wisdom they can share with other couples about using natural family planning.”

The evening coincided with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Natural Family Planning Awareness Week (July 21-27), a day to celebrate God’s plan for the love of couples and the gift of life and to raise awareness of the health and spiritual benefits of natural family planning.

The event is designed for couples who are practicing or looking to practice natural family planning in their marriages to answer questions couples may have and to review and reaffirm the methods married couples are already using, Joyce said.

“I think one of the biggest misconceptions about NFP is that it’s unscientific, ineffective, or less effective than hormonal contraception,” Joyce says. “These couples have heard speakers who know the studies and research that show NFP is as effective, if not more effective, than hormonal contraception. Plus, NFP is consistent with the Church’s teachings on marriage and sexuality.”

Lauren Vitale, who has taught the Marquette Method since 2017 and teaches NFP classes in Metro Detroit, spoke about the history of natural family planning, how it differs from fertility awareness, and why couples have used NFP for so many years.

“Natural family planning is a term coined by the National Institutes of Health to describe methods of monitoring for fertility and changing behaviors to either avoid pregnancy or make pregnancy possible,” Vitale says. “The term natural family planning was not coined by the Catholic Church. It is a research term used by the scientists who developed the term. It is actually a specific term that refers to a method used to have a baby. We are talking about a term that is based on specific scientific research.”

Vitale then delved into the misconceptions surrounding NFP and stressed the importance of using the method correctly: For example, she said, even women who take their temperature daily and monitor other habits may miss key elements of the NFP recording and observation process, which could reduce the success rate of NFP.

“There are many reasons to use NFP. It could be because the Catholic Church says it’s the only way to avoid pregnancy, or it could be because you want to have a baby and increase your chances,” Vitale says. “Either way, it takes effort to use NFP properly; you can’t just set it and forget it.”

Vitale discussed the different methods of NFP, the benefits of taking NFP courses and staying in communication with an NFP coach, and other health benefits associated with natural family planning.

Vitale emphasized the role NFP can play in strengthening the bond between couples, as both partners need to be involved in the process and share with each other.

“NFP is not just science. It’s not just data collection and observation. It’s a two-way communication,” Vitale says. “If you’re avoiding pregnancy, talk to each other. Ask, ‘How is abstinence going for you?’ If it’s a struggle, ask how you can love each other during abstinence. If you’re trying to have a baby, ask, ‘Are we getting enough sleep? Are we taking care of our bodies the way we should?'”

Open and honest communication between partners is the only way NFPs can succeed, and it’s one of their biggest advantages, Vitale added.

“If you want to build a muscle, you have to work out. If you want to be holy, you have to work out your holiness muscles,” Vitale says. “Marriage is a sacrament that helps you get to heaven. In your marriage, you will find many different things that will help you grow in holiness. One of them is NFP. You will have the opportunity to grow in virtue as a couple. It may not seem like a benefit while you’re living it, but know that you will see the benefits and they will bear fruit.”

Naples Beachnow works as a natural family planning educator in Metro Detroit and spoke about how NFP can help women better understand their bodies beyond the possibility of conceiving.

“What I’ve learned after years of practicing NFP with my husband is that there is something incredibly sacred about our bodies,” Beachnow says. “What the chart teaches us is not just about your cycle and your health, but how beautifully and intentionally the Creator created our bodies. Depending on which method you use, all of this, to some degree, helps you understand not only your fertility but also your gynecological health. Just by charting, you can gain a deeper understanding of what’s going on in your body.”

Natural family planning fosters a closer, more communicative relationship between couples, making reproduction, in Beechnow’s words, a “we” process rather than a “husband or wife” process.

“That’s the beauty of communication, and it’s a preparation for two people to become one,” Beachnow says. “It can be the most beautiful and sacred way to become one. It’s really important to value that union above all else and to practice it.”