[NYer]

COUPLE TO COUPLE LEAGUE

[FatherofFive]

I'm still troubled by NFP.

We Catholics should accept children lovingly as a gift from God. I know no artifical means are used to prevent pregnancy, but we are actively working to prevent conception. I would like to see NFP as a way to increase the chance of conception.

But, as the father of five who wanted nine, I am probably in the minority here.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

To keep this fair, the couple should be permitted to conduct an interview of the priest on his own sexual practices to make sure everything is orthodox. There should also be MANDATORY follow-up studies to track how many relationships which go through diocesan Pre-Cana and marriage weekends proceed successfully through Catholic marriage, etc.

When I was growing up, we had a "marriage course" in high school which explained Catholic teaching (taught by a priest who was later kicked out for engaging in an illicit affair with a woman). Since the administrative structures of many dioceses have done a very poor job policing their own staff, these kinds of programs need to be watched VERY CLOSELY.

I believe the Catholic divorce rate has actually risen during the postconciliar years of the experimental marriage encounter weekends, pre-cana, etc.