The bishops & NFP.Leslie Tender's article on contraception presents an incomplete history that rests on negative presumptions. Tentler presumes a negative intention behind the not-yet-published bishops' document on contraception, referring to it as an "episcopal fait accompli." Had the author checked with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB USCCB United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (Washington, DC) ) rather than relying on the New York Times, she would have learned that the document is being designed at the specific request of priests as a resource to use in counseling couples. When published, this document will be just one small part of a pastoral effort that has been ongoing for more than forty years. Tentler notes that after the promulgation PROMULGATION. The order given to cause a law to be executed, and to make it public it differs from publication. (q.v.) 1 Bl. Com. 45; Stat. 6 H. VI., c. 4. 2. of Humanae vitae in 1968 "almost no Catholic leaders were talking publicly about contraception." If by "publicly" she means in the media or the pulpit, that is generally correct. But in addition to issuing their own affirmation of Humanae vitae almost immediately (August 26, 1968), the U.S. bishops helped to establish the Human Life Foundation (later renamed the Human Life and Natural Family Planning natural family planning Biological birth control Any FP that does not rely on artificial agents–eg, OCs, 'morning-after' pill, spermicidal foam, RU-486 or devices–eg, condoms, diaphragms, IUDs to prevent conception Methods Rhythm–calendar method, Foundation) in 1969. Its purpose was to systematically fund and conduct research on the female menstrual cycle. That office eventually worked with the National Institutes for Health, the then Department of Health Education and Welfare Noun 1. Department of Health Education and Welfare - a former executive department of the United States government; created in 1953 and divided in 1979 executive department - a federal department in the executive branch of the government of the United States , and the World Health Organization. It continued its work until about 1980 after which the U.S. bishops founded the Diocesan Development Program for Natural Family Planning to help dioceses build NFP NFP Not for Profit NFP Natural Family Planning (contraception) NFP National Focal Point NFP National Financial Partners Corp. NFP Nurse Family Partnership (Denver, CO) ministry. This effort coincided with the work of lay and clergy pioneers at the diocesan level. Regional organizations such as the New England NFP Association cropped up to train teachers in NFP and organize classes for couples. Diocesan programs were established and some Catholics eventually founded their own national NFP educational programs, such as Couple to Couple League The Couple to Couple League is an international, non-profit organization based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and dedicated to teaching and promoting Natural Family Planning. Specifically, CCL promotes the symptothermal method of fertility awareness and also promotes lactational amenorrhea , Family of the Americas, and Creighton FertilityCare. Tentler's article speaks of a bleak history with brokenhearted bro·ken·heart·ed adj. Grievously sad. brokenhearted Adjective overwhelmed by grief or disappointment Adj. 1. priests and suffering laity who have "nowhere to go." History shows that the bishops have been providing guidance on this issue for years. Much remains to be done, but the full story needs to be known. THERESA NOTARE Washington, D.C. The writer is assistant director of the USCCB's Diocesan Development Program for Natural Family Planning. |
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