In conjunction with yesterday’s anniversary of St. Paul VI’s 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, this week has been designated by the USCCB as National NFP Awareness Week. Humanae Vitae, of course, affirmed the Church’s traditional teaching that prohibits the use of artificial contraception. NPF, as you likely know, is an abbreviation for Natural Family Planning, a catch-all term for the various methods of avoiding pregnancy that are approved by the Church, which rely on tracking a woman’s menstrual cycle and avoiding intercourse on the days when she is fertile.
Although it’s Friday, I wanted to share the pieces on Humanae Vitae and NFP that we’ve written at WPI.
Why allow NFP but not artificial contraception? by Pedro Gabriel
Humanae Vitae, precursor of Pope Francis by Pedro Gabriel
Pope Francis, disciple of Humanae Vitae by Pedro Gabriel
Humanae Vitae and Me by Mike Lewis
Humanae Vitae: truth, accompaniment, and culpability by Paul Fahey
Humanae Vitae: An anniversary is an awful thing to waste by Paul Fahey
Responsible parenthood as a corporal work of mercy by Brian Killian
I’d also like to recommend this article by Stephen Walford, written for last year’s 50th anniversary of the encyclical.
Happy NFP week, everyone!
Image: Adobe Stock.
Mike Lewis is the founding managing editor of Where Peter Is. In addition to his work for the site, his writing has appeared in America Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, US Catholic, The Irish Catholic, Catholic Outlook, The Synodal Times, and other Catholic publications. He has been quoted in The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, The New York Post, and other mainstream outlets on Catholic affairs. He previously co-hosted the Field Hospital podcast with Jeannie Gaffigan and The Debrief podcast. Before founding Where Peter Is, he worked in communications at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Climate Covenant. He is married with four children.
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