A personalist approach to Natural Family Planning

Katie van Schaijik | Jan 20, 2011

An acquaintance from many years back, in Steubenville, sent a note just now:

I just came across today, by accident as it were, one of the old articles
which you wrote for the university concourse some time ago.

I thought I would write you to let you know that I think your assessment of this matter was “spot on”! It’s too bad that so many people are still tying themselves up in knots trying to figure this one out. I’d encourage you, if you haven’t already done so, to republish this article on the
personalist project web-site. Hope all is well.

I think perhaps I have posted it here before, but, no harm in repetition.

The topic of came up for me again too recently, when my newly engaged daughter mentioned she has friends in college who hold that NFP is seldom justified, that most Catholics who practice it do so with “a contraceptive mentality.” I think they’re wrong. Seriously so. In the article I try to explain why.

In brief, providentialism represents and perpetuates a false view of human sexuality, of marriage and of the Christian moral life—a view that malforms consciences, grievously burdens families, and misrepresents the Church to the world.