The Church Natural Family Planning, a blessing

Let me share to you this article written about how Church Natural Family Planning is a blessing to the Catholics.

What is the natural family planning of the Catholic Church? Is it a form of family planning which the secular world thinks about, like the use of the condom, pills, etc. as a means of controlling the world population?

Many use this for determining when to get pregnant because they want a baby. This is therefore a blessing and a gift. Many couples want a baby but for years of trying does not make them have a baby, because only God can give them a baby. But when a woman feels that she is pregnant she should rejoice and be deeply grateful to God because this is an invitation of God to her to be a co-creator of a new life. This is the fruit of the family planning.

The new life is a gift of God. This new life must be protected and maintained. The parents must see to it that this life is not harmed in any way. The parents must take very good care of it. This life is sacred and with dignity.

Every human life, from the time of its conception until its end, is sacred because it is the image of God. Therefore it is a human person desired by God for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God. The parents or whoever is responsible or accountable for the life of this child or for the common good has the very serious obligation to look into the legitimate defense of the life of the life of this child.

Hence, direct abortion, that is, the abortion planned as an end or a means is criminal or gravely contrary to the moral law and “the Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life… because it should be treated as a person from conception, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for and healed like every other human being.”

Sacred Scripture clearly states the “prohibition in the Fifth Commandment of God, ‘Do not slay the innocent and the righteous.’ The deliberate murder of an innocent person is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human being, to the golden rule and to the holiness of the Creator. The law forbidding it is universally valid: it obliges each and everyone, always and everywhere.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

From this quotation we realize the sacredness of the human person of his life. It also teaches us that God, the author of life takes very careful attention and protection of every person or life He creates. Likewise it teaches the parents, the co-creator of God, that they have a very serious obligation to protect this life they create with God. They should see to it that this life is not harmed in any way under our care.

In addition to this duty the parents are to educate, not only to protect, this baby as a very good Christian. As the first teachers of the baby, the parents must teach the values and attitudes of Jesus Christ. This baby must grow up prayerful, intimate with God and helpful to other men and to the society in which he/she lives. If parents dot this we will have a happier community to live with.

This is the valuable contribution of the Natural Family Planning. If parents plan their families this way, we will have a peaceful and happier families and communities.

By Ramon Castro Enojado