A Reflection on Natural Family Planning Awareness Week by Fr. Thomas Loya, M.A., S.T.B.

The following reflection was written by Fr. Thomas Loya, a Byzantine Catholic priest who is the pastor of Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Parish in Homer Glen, Illinois, and the Director of Pro Life and Marriage and Family Ministry for the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, as well as Director of Tabor Life Institute. He is also the pastor of the parish attended by Theo McManigal, our social media manager. The following reflection was shared in the parish bulletin and the weekly eparchial newsletter and is reprinted here with Fr. Loya’s permission.

---

On July 25, 1968, St. Pope Paul VI came out with one of the most pivotal papal encyclicals of the modern age, “Humanae Vitae” (“Of Human Life.”) The encyclical articulated the Catholic Church’s teaching on the true sacramental meaning of the one flesh union between a husband and a wife and how the use of artificial birth control would not only harm that union but lead to catastrophic consequences for humanity as a whole. In the encyclical Pope Paul prophesied four dire consequences that could come true if the world, especially Catholics, went down the path of the contraceptive worldview. Indeed, 54 years later, every prediction has come true to the last detail.

Contraception is not just about an artificial way to prevent the conception of a child. It is an entire worldview. It is about anything that we approach in a way that is dishonest to its integrity, to God’s design and to what something actually is. Contraception is about doing something but not really doing it, calling something by a certain term but that term is not what that particular thing really is.

Not only do most Catholics today practice artificial birth control, but in many ways we have become a contraceptive culture: artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, artificial turf, “Lite” beer, decaf coffee, “fake news,” ‘crab meat’ at the grocery store that really is not crab meat, fish sticks instead of a piece of real fish, genetically modified foods, “virtual reality,” and now artificial intelligence. Contraception is about telling a lie. To introduce a lie into the intimacy of the one flesh union between a husband and wife is to introduce something destructive to the relationship and with consequences for the entire world.

Knowing that the world, and even many Catholics, would not understand and accept the message in Humanae Vitae, St. Pope Paul VI gave a little key to understanding this teaching with the use of a section heading: “Total Vision of Man.”

He said that we must understand both the natural and supernatural vocation of the human person. In other words, we have to understand the mystical meaning, which is the real meaning, of our humanness and our sexuality.

It is in the very ‘language’ of the body during the one flesh union between husband and wife that a reciprocal personal gift of self is being offered that is free, full, faithful and fruitful. By its very nature, its very integrity, the one flesh union between husband and wife is at the same time unitive and procreative. It is precisely through the one flesh union of husband and wife that a couple engages in the ultimate vocation of the human person: to form a union and communion of persons in love. In other words, to participate in the interior life of the Holy Trinity and to love as God loves, as God loves his own bride—his creation come to it fullness in the Church. Artificial contraception introduces a dishonesty into this act between husband and wife because although in their bodies the husband and wife are saying they are making a full, personal gift of self to one another, through contraception they are withholding parts of their gift—their potential for fertility. This “violation” of the integrity of the gift is what Pope St. John Paull II said “constitutes the essential evil of the contraceptive act.”

At the same time, Humanae Vitae talks about responsible parenthood. The Church is not saying that wives should be constantly pregnant. If for grave reasons there is a need to space births, the Church advises couples to take into account the natural rhythms of fertile and infertile times of the woman’s generative cycle. However, this should not be used as some would say as, “Catholic birth control.”

Nowadays there are ample resources giving instruction on how to effectively discern these times of fertility and infertility. A couple can contact their local diocese which generally offers instruction and literature in this area. One thing that is consistently true: Couples who follow the Church’s teachings on Natural Family planning have closer, holier and longer lasting marriages.