A question on NFP

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Wisdo44

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The Catholic Church teaches that it is okay to use NFP as a way of avoiding pregnancy in GRAVE situations.

I was just wondering what constitutes grave situations?
 
financial difficulties that would make it hard to care for a baby; physical problems that would make it dangerous for a woman to have a baby; emotional, psychological or mental problems that could have negative effect on the family.

im sure there could be other but i think these would be the most common. it absolutely can not be for any selfish reason no matter how seriously selfish someone is!
 
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Wisdo44:
The Catholic Church teaches that it is okay to use NFP as a way of avoiding pregnancy in GRAVE situations.

I was just wondering what constitutes grave situations?
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Actually, the Church does not teach that the reason must be a grave reason. The Church states it must be a just reason. These are very different things. Just reasons must not be rooted in selfish motivations and must conform to the objective criteria of morality. They are unique to the couple and are discerned through proper formation of conscience, prayer, and discernment as a couple. As such, there is no discrete list of what is and what is not a just reason because it is completely unique to the couple discerning God’s Will for their family.

The relevant Catechism paragraph states:

2368 A particular aspect of this responsibility concerns the regulation of procreation. For just reasons, spouses may wish to space the births of their children. It is their duty to make certain that their desire is not motivated by selfishness but is in conformity with the generosity appropriate to responsible parenthood. Moreover, they should conform their behavior to the objective criteria of morality: When it is a question of harmonizing married love with the responsible transmission of life, the morality of the behavior does not depend on sincere intention and evaluation of motives alone; but it must be determined by objective criteria, criteria drawn from the nature of the person and his acts criteria that respect the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love; this is possible only if the virtue of married chastity is practiced with sincerity of heart.
 
I believe it is Just Reasons, not necessarily grave.

Another one that fits my life is when the spouses are in conflict about whether to have a baby.

A very grave reason for some in other countries is the possibility of a forced abortion.
 
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Wisdo44:
The Catholic Church teaches that it is okay to use NFP as a way of avoiding pregnancy in GRAVE situations.

I was just wondering what constitutes grave situations?
Click to expand...
As has been said, many things can constitute grave, (or just) reason. However, truly responsible use of NFP doesn’t just explore why not to have a baby, but asks God to be fully active in all the decision making.

This means not just, “Does God want us to make a baby today?” but also, “Does God want us to renew our marital vows today?” The real key to using and understanding and using NFP responsibly is knowing that charting provides information. The decision to come together in the marital act must always involve all three of you; God, husband, and wife. If ALL unions occur outside the fertile time and God’s will is upheld then it is moral and just. (In the situations where a woman’s life might be in danger with another pregnancy.)

OTOH if ALL unions occur only in the fertile phase and God’s will is not upheld then it is not moral and just. (In the case of a man wanting to prove his virility through a constantly pregnant wife.) The true gift of NFP is not really about “not making babies.” NFP is about inviting God into the very deepest intimate act in your marriage and asking for His holy guidance in every act.
 
hi wisdo44,

DH and I use NFP for a just reason. I had a stroke back in March 2005 due to a blood clotting abnormality. I can’t take blood thinners since I bled out and I am not a candidate for surgery to remove the clots from my brain so the only thing I have to rely on is prayer and faith.

All of my doctors told me that I’d be an extremely high risk if I were to get pregnant due to my clotting problem and the medications I take.

Yes, we would like children but we have been blessed w/3 nieces 4 nephews and 1 ? on the way. There’s nothing better than spoiling them (aka surgaring them up with sweets) and sending them back to their folks wound up. lol

hope this helps.

Lisa
 
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