Natural Family Planning

The 50th anniversary of Humanae vitae was celebrated in 2018. Visit our HV 50th Anniversary Resource Page for information and resources.

To view the subject titles of the content in this section of the USCCB website see our NFP Site Map

God designed marriage as an "intimate partnership of life and love" (see Gaudium et spes, no. 48). In God's design, marriage is a unique union of one man with one woman "for the whole of life" (see Canon 1055, The Code of Canon Law). Marriage is oriented to the good of the spouses and to the creation and nurture of new human life (see Gaudium et spes, no. 48). Making decisions therefore, about when and how many children to have in marriage is a sacred responsibility that God has entrusted to husband and wife. This is the foundation of what the Church calls, "Responsible Parenthood"--the call to discern God's will for your marriage while respecting His design for life and love. 

The Catholic Church supports the methods of Natural Family Planning (NFP) because they respect God's design for married love. In fact, NFP represents the only authentic approach to family planning available to husbands and wives because these methods can be used to both attempt or avoid pregnancy. When learning about NFP, it is important to know that: 

Natural Family Planning is an umbrella term for certain methods used to achieve and avoid pregnancies. These methods are based on observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. Couples using NFP to avoid pregnancy abstain from intercourse and genital contact during the fertile phase of the woman's cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy.

NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child. By respecting the love-giving and life-giving natures of marriage, NFP can enrich the bond between husband and wife.                                          (Standards for Diocesan Natural Family Planning Ministry, p. 23)

This section of the USCCB website provides information and resources that will help you to learn about the methods of Natural Family Planning and Catholic teaching which supports its use in marriage. Many of the resources here are tailored for diocesan NFP coordinators, teachers and educators.

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2018 was the 50th anniversary year of the papal encyclical, Humanae vitae written by St. Paul VI in 1968. The encyclical provides beautiful and clear teaching about God's plan for married love and the transmission of life.

Please visit the links below to view the past calendar of events and to access helpful resources on our Humanae vitae page. Check out the videos of the historic academic symposium held at The Catholic University of America in April 2018. And, visit our Prayer and Liturgy page for monthly prayers inspired by Humanae vitae.

Humanae vitae Events and Resource page.      
                                                                                                                 
The HUMANAE VITAE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM held at The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC on April 4-6, 2018 was co-sponsored by the bishops' Committee for Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth and funded in part by Our Sunday Visitor Institute. The papers from this important event will be published in the near future. Meanwhile, to view videos of the presentations visit the USCCB YouTube page. To learn more about this event see the Humanae vitae page at The School of Theology and Religious Studies, The Catholic University of America.

Humanae Vitae, 50 Years Later, Embracing God's Vision for Marriage, Love and Life, A Compendium is available from The Catholic University of America Press (2019). Edited by Theresa Notare, Phd, Assistant Director, NFP Program, USCCB, this book features the papers from the 2018 Humanae vitae 50th anniversary symposium held at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC (April 4-6). Orders, 1-800-537-5487.

Humanae vitae 50th Anniversary Prayers page.

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Mission of the USCCB Natural Family Planning Program

Helping couples to deepen conjugal love and achieve responsible parenthood is part of the Church's total pastoral ministry to Catholic spouses. Fulfillment of this ministry includes both education and pastoral care. This means "instilling conviction and offering practical help to those who wish to live out their parenthood in a truly responsible way" (Familiaris consortio, #35).

Contact Information:

Natural Family Planning Program
Secretariat for Laity, Marriage, Family Life & Youth
3211 4th Street NE
Washington, DC 20017

Email: nfp@usccb.org
Telephone: (202) 541-3240