Read the Catechism in a Year
The Sixth Commandment: You shall not commit adultery.
Why are all methods of preventing the conception of a child not equally good?
The Church recommends the refined methods of self-observation and natural family planning (NFP) as methods of deliberately regulating conception. These are in keeping with the dignity of man and woman; they respect the innate laws of the female body; they demand mutual affection and consideration and therefore are a school of love.
The Church pays careful attention to the order of nature and sees in it a deep meaning. For her it is therefore not a matter of indifference whether a couple manipulates the woman's fertility or instead makes use of the natural alternation of fertile and infertile days. It is no accident that Natural Family Planning is called natural: it is ecological, holistic, healthy, and an exercise in partnership. On the other hand, the Church rejects all artificial means of contraception - namely, chemical methods ("the Pill"), mechanical methods (for example, condom, intra-uterine device, or IUD), and surgical methods (sterilization) - since these attempt to separate the sexual act from its procreative potential and block the total self-giving of husband and wife. Such methods can even endanger the woman's health, have an abortifacient effect (= cause a very early abortion), and in the long run be detrimental to the couple's love life. (YOUCAT question 421)
Dig Deeper: CCC section (2370-2372) and other references here.
a huge help to live Natural Family Planning for us = "Triple Strand" approach by John +Sheila Kippley. Their question-answer-format book is, "Natural Family Planning, The Complete Approach." It covers symptothermal method, and/or ecological breastfeeding, +moral teaching, which Blessed JPII said MUST be taught with the method. Blessed Seelos, pray for holy marriages!
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