BISHOP CALLS FOR CLASSES IN METHOD OF BIRTH CONTROL

EWTN.com ^ | 1.10.06 | Catholic News Agency

[el_chupacabra]

PHOENIX, January 10 (CNA) - Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix is now the third U.S. bishop to require a full course of natural family planning for couples who want to marry in a Catholic church. The other dioceses are Denver and Fargo. Most other dioceses only require an introduction to the method.

In a series of articles, Bishop Olmsted said artificial birth control is a grave wrong that is at the root of many of the problems afflicting American society, reported the Arizona Republic. He said: "marriage itself is gravely harmed" when a couple uses birth control, and that marital infidelity increases. He added: "The use of contraceptives is always morally evil, and many of them have harmful side effects as well."

Peggy Frei, who heads the Natural Family Planning Center of the Diocese of Phoenix, told the Arizona Republic that there are no statistics on how many people use natural family planning, but her office taught the full course to 422 people in 2004 and 2,469 individuals took the introductory class.

Once the full-course requirement is in place, it will teach about 2,000 couples a year, the average number of marriages conducted in the diocese since it was founded in 1969.

The American Academy of Family Physicians says that when couples are diligent, natural family planning is 90 to 98 percent effective.

[vrwc0915]

ping for later

[Nihil Obstat]

195 diocese and only 3 require it?

[shekkian]

I'm not Catholic, but I agree to a point. I wouldn't go so far as to call contraceptives evil, but I wouldn't want my wife to use them.

[veritas2002]

Most people don't understand the connection between contraceptives and abortion. In Griswold vs the St of CT, the Supreme Court ruled that contraceptives were legal because of the constitional "guarantee" to the right to privacy. So, in Roe v Wade, the Court (to be consistent with this so-called "right to privacy), said that abortion should also be legal based on this same right to privacy, reasoning that if the contraceptive failed, then they legally had the right to remove the product of the failed contraceptive (which just happened to be a pre-born child).
Many Catholics view contraception as a "stand-alone" sort of issue but when they realize that there is a connection between contraception and abortion, they might think twice about its use. It is also well-known that many contraceptives are abortifacients - they prevent the embryo from implanting and it dies.

[redgolum]

When my wife and I went through the Pre Cana classes in Nebraska, the NFP classes were required for completion. You only had to take one to "get signed off" but there was at least some exposure.

[ArrogantBustard]

There's a huge difference between sarcasm and crass stupidity.

Your inability to distinguish the two is most instructive.

[klossg]

This Bishop is fantastic! NFP will help our society see the goodness involved when a married couple loves without contraception getting in the way.

It is important to note what the article says about the effectiveness:"The American Academy of Family Physicians says that when couples are diligent, natural family planning is 90 to 98 percent effective."

That is as effective as the Pill or the patch! Better than condoms and diaphragms! And it doesn't harm a woman using it! That is great.

Also, it builds up relationships, is free, involves no doctors or pharmaceutical companies and is very good for health! The only side affect is: a couple talks more and realizes the impact sex has on their love. My wife and I teach NFP here in NJ. It rescues marriages. Women do not feel used. As a man/husband I can say that NFP helps me better understand my wife and her desires and needs. I am amazed at what my wife takes for granted and I never understood before we started using NFP.

[Full Court]

natural family planning,

That is birth control in the eyes of God.

1 Corinthians 7:5  Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time,
that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer;
and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

[Ostlandr]

I'm no abortion fan- my religion teaches that all life is sacred, and a pregnant woman is about as sacred as anything in this world.

But God gave us humans brains and the ability to learn. Birth control is a tool, like fire, the wheel, electricity or a gun. As such, it has to be used responsibly. And God very nicely designed the world so that those who use birth control to enable a life of casual sex are gauranteed to have it come back to bite them in the posterior.

Interesting to note that, in certain "modern" societies (I.E. Europe) where birth control and abortion are the norm, the number of babies born is below the replacement rate. Looks like in a few dozen generations the problem will solve itself.

[Dumb_Ox]

195 diocese and only 3 require it?

And in the Archdiocese of Denver, my home parish's office rather bashfully mentioned NFP classes to an engaged (and very Catholic) couple I know, depicting them as optional. Sometimes bishops have as much control over their parishes as the pope has over the bishops--not much.

[bornacatholic]

Amen, brother. That was a well-deserved retort he received

[NYer]

Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone. It could well happen, therefore, that when people, either individually or in family or social life, experience the inherent difficulties of the divine law and are determined to avoid them, they may give into the hands of public authorities the power to intervene in the most personal and intimate responsibility of husband and wife.
HUMANAE VITAE

[bornacatholic]

That perfectly accords with NATURAL Family Planning.

NATURAL.

God Created

Capiche?

[A.A. Cunningham]

There's a distinction, which you fail to recognize, between natural and artificial. One remains open to life, the other does not. Natural birth control is not abortifacient nor does it expose the user to increased risk of heart attack, stroke, hypertension, cancer, sterility and death.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is, charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity. Against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

[AlaninSA]

"The American Academy of Family Physicians says that when couples are diligent, natural family planning is 90 to 98 percent effective."

I can confirm that it does work when used properly, diligently and consistently. I hope, of course, that I've not now hexed my five year run of no additional kids...

It forces discipline on one aspect of your relationship. Yes, it means "hands-off" for segments of the month, but it does bring you closer - and it forces you to communicate about the physical aspects of your relationship...and the rest of your relationship follows.

[A.A. Cunningham]

You should let Chaput know about that.

[NYer]

This Bishop is fantastic!

Bishop Olmstead approached Mother Angelica to request prayers for his diocese. She responded by sending him 5 of her cloistered nuns to establish a convent in Arizona. Here is a picture of him and 4 of the Sisters when they appeared on Life On The Rock.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted and the people in the Diocese of Phoenix have welcomed us with open arms and have made us feel so welcome.  Being the first contemplative Order in the Diocese, we take our responsibility very seriously to pray and sacrifice for the Church, and in particular for the Church in the Diocese of Phoenix. Below the Sr . Marie Andre, Sr. Mary Fidelis, Sr. Marie St. Paul, and Sr. Mary Joanna are seen with our Bishop, as we taped a Life on the Rock Show with Fr. Francis Mary, MFVA on EWTN.

This is one very wise and savvy bishop! He understands the nature of contemplative prayer. The life of every contemplative Religious is to be lived in the Heart of the Church...intimately united in a profound solidarity with the Church and Her saving mission.  The cloistered life affords them the opportunity to "supply the ammunition of prayer" to all those priests, missionaries, and active Order Religious throughout the entire world who are stationed on the "front lines."  Mother Marie of St. Clare described this aspect of the vocation in the following way: "To devote ourselves to Jesus in the Eucharist, to the Church, to the interests of the glory of God, to the extension of the Kingdom of Our Lord, these are our duties.  And do not say that, because of our humility, it is too great a vocation.  As adoring souls, we must lead all souls to Jesus, but principally the souls of Priests.  In our holy Constitutions, in effect, we are told that we must not be content with our own sanctification, but we must make it our business to pray for the missionaries. All those who have the care of souls should be the object of our supplication. To reach sinners, holy Priests are needed; to direct chosen souls, holy Priests are needed; and for us too, for the fervor of our little Community, holy Priests are needed. Finally, who will give us Jesus in the Sacrament of Love if not the Priest?"  It is precisely in this life of hidden prayer that the contemplative is a missionary - consumed with a burning desire for the salvation AND sanctification of souls.  In this way "the little world of our enclosure" opens up to vast horizons of hope!

What an awesome concept!! And, it works.

[Coleus]

I wouldn't go so far as to call contraceptives evil, >>

it's leaving God out of the conjugal and procreative act. If God is out who is in?