marriage Archives - Natural Family Planning | Fertility Awareness

What Does it Mean to Know My Body?

I recently turned thirty-five. I am engaged, and our wedding is still a few months away. There is something strange about standing this close to marriage and realizing that, if God gives us the child we hope for and I am able to become pregnant, I will likely be thirty-six when my first child is…

23 Years of Teaching NFP

The Volpes in the Philadelphia suburbs have taught NFP for 23 of their 25 years of marriage, a statistic they can hardly believe. “It’s almost like I don’t need motivation,” says Jim. “The motivation is so inherent.” Jen learned about NFP when she converted from Methodist to Catholic in college. “My grandfather was a Methodist…

A Gift and a Mission

For Maria and Xavier Martinez, learning Natural Family Planning was more than discovering a method. It changed the way they understood marriage, deepened their appreciation for each other, and opened their hearts to a mission they now share with other couples. Maria and Xavier, who live in Minnesota and have two daughters, help with outreach…

The Ripple Effects of NFP

Carlos and Victoria DeBayle are a testament to the fact that NFP has ripple effects into the rest of marriage and that it is a great tool for giving your marriage the best chance for success. When Carlos and Victoria met in a Catholic group in college, they didn’t hit it off. “I was very involved, he saw me…

The Fruit of a Yes

When Carmen and Alejandro learned NFP wasn’t a requirement for engaged couples in the archdiocese of Miami because there weren’t enough teaching couples, they signed up to become teachers themselves. “We prayed about it and said we could, so we did,” they said. “NFP is an important part of our faith that isn’t shared enough.…

Being Pro-Life & NFP

Brenda and Gregg grew up in faithful Catholic homes and heard of NFP early on. Learning the nuts and bolts of it expanded their understanding of being pro-life. The couple’s main concern before taking an NFP class was efficacy. “A lot of these families that practice NFP have a lot of children,” they remember thinking. They add, “But as you…

Celebrate and Re-dedicate

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 800th year of St Francis. It’s also the 55th anniversary of CCL. We have much to be thankful for. Over the coming months you will see several initiatives marking CCL’s 55th anniversary. A major focus this year will be capturing what you will do to support our…

Anniversaries and Gifts

An anniversary is the annual return of the date of a specific event, typically celebrating, remembering, or marking a significant milestone from a past year or years. Most commonly, anniversaries are celebrated for annual remembrances of wedding dates, dates where couples who love each other make commitments through covenants (not contracts) that they come to the Sacrament of Matrimony freely, give of each other totally, accept children willingly and stay faithful to each…

The Difference Between Information and Formation

When we were newlyweds and practicing NFP, we joined our first parish as a married couple. I was excited to learn there was a pro-life committee and eagerly joined, hoping to promote Natural Family Planning. Sadly, no one seemed interested. It would be another five years before we became a Teaching Couple. Now, 30 years…

Guided by Natural Intelligence

In my work as a CCL coach, I accompany couples through the real questions that arise when charting, especially in confusing or transitional cycles. While today’s technology offers impressive tools, I’ve seen firsthand that wisdom develops through formation, conversation, and guidance. My hope is to encourage couples to use every tool wisely while continuing to…