Is it allowable to use NFP in order to have no child?

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someone429 said:
Is it allowable to use NFP (natural family planning) in order to have no child?
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It could be. That is something that must be discerned under pastoral spiritual direction for the couple.

A couple can’t have a permanent intention against children, but they may have to use NFP indefinitely.

There is an important difference between these two things that many people here fail to grasp.
 
Yes it is; if in doubt contact your Pastor and make an appointment with him to discuss it.

Pray very much and thanks for asking; it IS a Mortal sin to use onntraceptives
 
someone429 said:
Hello!

Is it allowable to use NFP (natural family planning) in order to have no child?

It seems that a valid Catholic marriage requires that the spouses are open to children when they consent to marry. So, I guess that it is not. But I am not sure.

If it is not, then, is it allowable to use NFP in order to only have one child?

It will be better if you can support your opinion with some official teaching from the Catholic Church or a Pope.

Thank you!
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You can use NFL to space your family. So yes, you can. However, it should not be not having any children at all. Anyway, allow time to lead you and to live one day at a time. You may find a time when you want a child of your own.

It is wrong not wanting to have children in a marriage because it is against the fundamental purpose of marriage, which is to have children and multiply.
 
A quote which might be helpful
The mere fact that husband and wife do not offend the nature of the act, and are even ready to accept and bring up the child, who, notwithstanding their precautions, might be born, would not itself be sufficient to guarantee the rectitude of their intention and the unobjectionable morality of their motives.
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This is from Pope Pius XII. He eventually goes on to his more well-known quotes delineating what might the reasons be to avoid pregnancy and they could apply “even for the entire period of matrimonial life”. I suggest you read the appropriate paragraphs yourself, and not just take my little description here. Either do 36-39 or perhaps start earlier at 32.
 
Mr Marshal is not speaking for the Church, he is presenting his opinions. He does give the general idea, the “umbrellas” of reasons.
 
Serious question to those who are old enough to remember. Was there this much stink raised over “the rhythm method” before NFP was so widely promulgated?

If not, do you think it is a percieved difference in effectiveness, the messy internet or something else that causes this level of judging people’s reasons to be grave or not grave?
 
Good question. I wonder the same. I do think that the internet and, increased communication on the whole, has lead to a lot of “finger pointing”. People can now read about stuff going on in other areas of the country (world) that they never had access to before.
 
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PJM said:
Yes it is; if in doubt contact your Pastor and make an appointment with him to discuss it.

Pray very much and thanks for asking; it IS a Mortal sin to use onntraceptives
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You know, I’ve always wanted to ask this question and your response simply has made me do it. I’m sorry if this is out of bounds and the mods, please delete this post if it is, but I have to ask:
It has been credibly statistically proven that the failure rate of NFP when practiced properly is lower than the failure rate for condoms, mechanical, and chemical methods of artificial contraception. IOW, there is a better chance of pregnancy due to the failure of a condom, an IUD, or the pill, then there is with NFP. So, is the use of ABC open to life when used, and is the only real contraception, elective abortion (though that is a somewhat contradiction in terms.)
I ask this only because opponents of the church have actually thrown these statistics in my face in a discussion of this type, and I really don’t have a good solid answer (on a non moral basis)
 
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It seems that even NFP cannot be used easily.

Personally, I hope that I will not have more than two children (although if I have any more child, I will accept him or her). I have not got married, but am considering it. So, does it mean that I shouldn’t get married as long as I hope so?
 
I’m not old enough to know, really, but when I was younger everyone said it didn’t work, and now one can actually find people who say it (NFP) works.
 
Pug said:
I’m not old enough to know, really, but when I was younger everyone said it didn’t work, and now one can actually find people who say it (NFP) works.
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My guess is that those who say it doesn’t work are thinking of the rhythm method, which is unreliable. It is now usually possible to more accurately determine when a woman is ovulating.
 
That is a good guess, but I asked medical professionals (way back when I got married). They said NFP with a thermometer (not rhythm) didn’t work. But now even Planned Parenthood will admit it works. Perhaps it is a method effectiveness compared to actual user compliance thing, and nowadays people are more careful to distinguish them.
 
Hoping for a small family is not an impediment to marriage. But you should talk about your hopes with your prospective spouse so you know eachother’s dreams and ideas.
 
Hoping for a small family is not an impediment to marriage. But you should talk about your hopes with your prospective spouse so you know eachother’s dreams and ideas.
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I know. Of course, I will talk with my spouse if I want to get married with her with such a hope. But is there a way to try to achieve (just to try, not to guarantee) a small family with a marriage? Artificial contraceptives are forbidden, and as many of you have said, the NFP can only be used with serious reasons. So, is there any other way to try to achieve a small family with a marriage? If there is not, doesn’t it mean that I shouldn’t get married as long as I hope for a small family?
 
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@someone429
If you are not yet married, try not to worry about this too much and place your trust in God. I honestly think a lot of the NFP can only be used in grave situations talk is from well meaning unmarried people who are concerned it takes on a contraceptive mentality. Once you are living it, you see what a sacrifice it is and will see that living this way is still open to life. I have 4 kids. Some of them are really really close together. NFP helped us space the others out a bit more. Three cheers for NFP!
 
A marriage, being by nature ordered to the good of the spouses and the children, could lead to a small family size, and this could happen by design using NFP. You and your wife discern together if you will use it at a certain time or not. The catechism says
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.
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So if the two of you prayerfully discern that is it appropriate to restrict family size at that time, then you can use NFP. You are not required to plan to have a big family or a small family, rather, you want to be willing to respond to the situation in which the two of you (and any children) find yourselves. Your one child may need special care, your wife may have a lot on her plate, etc., so many things that you two will consider together. I don’t really think you can know in advance how it will be.
 
@joeybaggz, I don’t think the Church cares much how effective the method is or is not. If a condom were determined to be 50% effective, the Church would still categorize it as an unlawful means for spacing children. Also, if you are 100% infertile on day N of the month and choose to have relations on day , and not on the other days, then that is acceptable to choose as a method of delaying pregnancy for awhile, in the eyes of the Church (provided you are married, etc.). The method failure percentage is not the measurement they have in mind of some type of openness.

Here the couple is on Wednesday. Do they choose to have relations as they are that day, or do they apply a condom to impede procreation first? That is closer to what they have in mind.
 
As somebody who came from a large family, I’m curious why you would want a small family. I’ve received so many things from my siblings. Perhaps when you imagine your future family, imagine how much benefit your kids will receive from having siblings. In some ways, it will be easier to parent because you will develop systems of doing things. For instance, the oldest children set the example for the youngest.

Also, perhaps see yourself as somebody who is trying to change the world. Not all of your children will think as you do, but those who do will really help build the Church’s presence in the world.
 
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