From Lionel Frigault re "fertility care family centre article". (Letters to the Editor).

This article (Nov. 2001, page 31) touched a nerve. No, several nerves. My wife, Anna, and I are strong supporters and advocates of NFP and have been so for almost 30 years, using, teaching, training provincial, national and international delegates.... Nerve 1: The tokenism in this article given to the roles of volunteers. Nerve 2: The 'Creighton and Billings' models observe and record the changes in only one parameter to identify Fertile/Infertile phases of a woman's procreative cycle. There are many more signs and symptoms of which couples can become aware to increase the 'sound knowledge of their fertility'. Nerve 3 has to do with a "professional" approach as demanded by the Creighton model.

I certainly see a very clear and needed role for professionals in this area, but I seriously question their involvement as principal teachers of NFP. They would better utilize their time and training with problem diagnosis, and research. With professionalism of course comes the aspects of livelihood, job, offices, staffs, etc. and payment for services becomes necessary. That kind of restricts the outreach.

Being involved in family ministry over the past 25 years, I see the role of couples and families crucial to the Church, society, nation, world... Family is the basic and prime teacher of relationships. As so often stated by the Vatican, family is 'The Domestic Church'.

After Vatican II, the laity was challenged to take Christ to the workplace. The expression for marriage was still focused on procreation and the rearing of children. With the notion of the 'Domestic Church' married couples are challenged to express their sacramentality beyond the having and rearing of children. It is in the sharing and expressing of our values, beliefs, talents, interests, loving service, that we grow toward fullness and wherein we contribute to the Kingdom of God....

Therefore, expensive, professional services, as high profile, well trained, and marketable as they are, do lessen the opportunities for married couples to respond to God's call, their vocation to minister and give witness out of their reality for His sake.

Our involvement has been and is with Serena, a Canadian organization with over 45 years experience which teaches the Sympto-Thermal method of fertility awareness, primarily on a couple-to-couple basis. Serena services are totally without charge, follow-ups are free, and the only cost to learners is the cost of materials they purchase. The teacher-couples are all volunteers, married, who respect life from conception, promote periodic continence, practice what they preach, are faith-filled, and are in accord with Church teaching. They share this counter-cultural approach to family planning out of their strong sense of conviction.

P.S. Here's another positive spinoff. When teaching sessions happen in their homes, their children witness the sacramentality of their parents and thus see Christianity at work.

Diocesan Office for Family Ministry

Hamilton, ON