Quick Notes on NFP and Theology of the Body

(1) Yesterday, I got an e-mail from Joe Manzari (whose arguments against self-attestation in Scripture I mentioned last year) which read:

Friends,

   I’ve created a new website: www.trynfp.org, and I’m hoping you can share it with your friends and family. A little known fact is that in 2001 a scientific survey was conducted under the direction of Dr. Robert Lerner, sociologist at the University of Chicago, to study the relationship between the use of contraception and divorce. The results presented from the three surveys analyzed revealed that compared to other women in general, couples who practice Natural Family Planing (NFP): 

  • have a dramatically low (0.2%) divorce rate;
  • • experience happier marriages;
  • • are happier and more satisfied in their everyday lives;
  • have considerably more marital relations; 
  • • share a deeper intimacy with spouse than those who contracept;
  • • realize a deeper level of communication with spouse;
  • • find that with perfect use, it is 99.5% effective.

     The website is meant as a tool to help raise awareness about the benefits of Natural Family Planning and the dangers of contraception.

     I’d appreciate you spreading the word, posting it on Facebook, emailing the link to your family and friends, and mentioning it on your blog.

All the best,

 Joe

Feel free to check it out, and let me know what you think.

(2) Theology of the Body is coming to St. Mary’s!  I’ll have more on this later, but here’s what I know so far.  There are three young parishoners who’ve trained to facilitate small groups for Theology of the Body, the Church’s sexual ethic through the lens of Pope John Paul II.  JPII’s theology here was incredible and beautiful, and the facilitator I talked to was on fire for it.  Plus, our resident seminarian, Jason, has lectured on Theology of the Body at seminary.  It looks like the courses at St. Mary’s are going to be set up through Imago Dei.  They’re set up like mini-semesters: groups of up to fifteen are formed, and they meet one night a week for six weeks.  It’s $35 for the materials, and I think that’s the only cost.  All the facilitators are trained in a six-hour course by Imago Dei, and have taken oaths of loyalty to the Magisterium; plus, Imago Dei provides the materials, so as Matt (the facilitator I spoke to) described it, he’s not able to make it fail on his own.  Anyways, it looks like that’ll probably be starting mid-January, so if you’re in the Arlington / D.C. area, keep your eyes open.  I have little doubt that those fifteen slots for the first six weeks are going quick.

(3) Something similar, but with a broader focus, may be coming to Kansas City, Kansas.  I’ll let you know as more comes out, but I’m excited about what I’ve heard so far.  Keep an ear to the ground if you’re around those parts, too.

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