1. Office of Natural Family Planning
Diocese of Phoenix
Welcome: To those fulfilling marriage prep requirement to be married in the Catholic Church and especially those who are not Catholic and are here to support your Catholic fiancé (fiancée); To those interested in information about NFP for health, relational, or moral reasons; To those enrolled in the series of classes to learn NFP for whom this is the foundational class; To those here to achieve, avoid or postpone pregnancy.
About us: Married xx yrs, xx children, NFP very rewarding in marriage, trained by Northwest Family Services
We’re excited to be here with you to talk about marriage
NFP instruction is part of the marriage prep program, so we have mostly engaged couples here… but married couples can also take the class.
Take a moment to introduce yourself to the people around you (name, wedding date, parish)
Why is the Introduction mandatory?
You have made a great choice to enter into a sacramental marriage in the Catholic Church.
Why did you choose this instead of a justice of the peace wedding? (optional: get answers from the class)
A sacramental marriage is so much more than a “legal union” between two people. It is a covenant – an exchange of persons instead of goods.
The Church wants you to understand exactly what that means – especially with respect to sexuality and family – so that you have the best chance to have a long lasting marriage, deeper intimacy, and ultimately the joy that comes from having Christ as the center of your marriage.
Office of Natural Family Planning
Spreading the Gospel of Life, One Marriage, One Family at a Time
Office of Marriage and Respect Life

2. NFP Parish Rep Training Session
1:00 Introductions
1:15 NFP and the Marriage Prep Policy for the Diocese
1: Theology of the Body –Helping Instructors and Reps make the point of
successfully living & witnessing to NFP
2: minute Break
2:45 NFP Parish Rep Ministry
3:00 Developing an effective Couple Witness Talk
4:00-5:00pm Work on Couple Witness/Share in Small groups
(5:00pm Mass available at St. Mary’s Basilica)
We have just 4 hours to train you to become NFP parish reps. Don’t worry, you already have all the qualifications by the grace of the sacrament of marriage and the fact that you practice NFP in your marriage. We are hoping to give you pertinent information to help you in this ministry by what we offer for you today.
We have refreshments coming for our break, but we have water and ice tea now, so make yourselves comfortable. The restrooms are down the hall…. . We hope you enjoy this afternoon and we welcome your input as we continue to improve this training for another next spring.

3. Covenant of Love: Marriage Preparation Policy Changes 2010
Office of Marriage and Respect Life

4. Marriage Prep Timeline
Month 1: A couple meets with Pastor or his delegate, parish starts their Nuptial File.
Month 1-3 : FOCCUS inventory
Month 1-3: Married Life Skills Course (weekend or 6 evenings)-ex: Love for Life, Engaged Encounter, Unitas or other approved program.
Month 3-6: God’s Plan for Joy Filled Marriage (weekend)-this will include an NFP Introduction
Month 4-7: Full NFP Course ( with charting)
Month 8 Reconciliation
Month 9: Final meeting with Pastor or his delegate

5. -God’s Plan & NFP Teachers √
Impressive Results among couples, parishes, NFP Teachers & God’s Plan presenters
-NFP Acceptance Rates√
-God’s Plan & NFP Teachers √
- Compliance Rates-Next Year
- NFP Continuation Rates

6. God’s Plan Evaluations ,184 Completed- 53% of couples say Yes to NFP; 33% unsure; only 8% say No to nfp!
Yes No
Maybe/Not Sure
No Answer
More Active in Faith?
2198 = 69%
335 = 11%
573 = 18%
76 = 2%
Deeper Commitment to Christ?
2512 = 79%
541 = 17%
n/a
130 = 4%
Living together?
2006 = 63%
1083 = 34%
91 = 3%
Sexually active?
2803 = 88%
321 = 10%
60 = 2%
Save Sex now for Marriage?
1338 = 42%
446 = 14%
923 = 29%
477 = 15%
Plan to Contracept pre-course?
1178 = 37%
1242 = 39%
605 = 19%
159 = 5%
Still Planning to Contracept?
440 = 14%
935 = 29%
942 = 29%
911 = 28%
Yes to NFP after Intro
1719 = 53%
222 = 8%
1051 = 33%
192 = 6%
Stage 3

7. Couples choose nfp!

8. What are couples saying after their NFP classes?
“We were not sure about using NFP until we went to God's Plan for a Joy filled marriage class which cemented the idea for us & gave a lot more explanation.”
“I was amazed to see how the chart progressed along with my cycle. Excited to use!”
What are couples saying after their NFP classes?
“This is a very interesting & useful course that I believe should be taught in place of other forms of “Sex Ed" as it is far more useful & brings one in touch with their own body, as well as their partner’s. ”
“I hope you'll be around for a while, I think we still need a lot of feedback.”
“Great course, learned a ton, looking forward to getting better at our charting techniques.”
“Right now I am on the pill for medical reasons but will stop after I finish this last cycle. After that, we will do NFP. I should be having normal cycles in about 6 months & so I would appreciate a follow-up. Thank you again for your help.”
“I went to Catholic schools for 12 years & never heard about this before. It would have saved me lots of heartache. ”
“Going to stop using contraceptives & start NFP as main form of BC.”
“While we're still learning, looking back, we see how far we've come. It will be great to continue to use NFP when we're married. ”

9. Nfp-Beyond marriage prep
All NFP Methods, including Fertility Monitor lending
Free Teacher & Couple Parish Rep Training
Referrals for NFP-Only Healthcare Providers
Referrals for Low Cost IUD Removal & Sterilization
Reversals
Pastoral & Practical Support for those affected by Infertility:
Annual St. Gerard’s Mass of Comfort & Hope
Support & referrals for licit infertility treatments
Support & referrals for those suffering miscarriage
NFP For Pre-Menopause- free refreshers
NFP While Breastfeeding- free refreshers
Mother-Daughter/ Father-Son ‘Gift of Fertility’ Workshops
NFP/ Fertility Awareness Presentations tailored to parish’ needs:
RCIA, Adult Catechesis, Parish Leadership, Women’s/Men’s Groups, Baptism Classes.
Catholic Academy for Life Leadership for Teens
We are dedicated to empowering all people to see their sexuality as a great gift from God
Nfp-Beyond marriage prep

10. Periodic Abstinence: the Gift to Married Love Fr. Charlie Goraeib

11. Take a Break!
15 minutes

12. Theology of the Body
A reflection on the Catechesis of Pope John Paul II on God’s Plan for Human love

13. Three Horizons
Original Man Historical Man Eschatological Man

14. Matthew 19: 3-9
Some Pharisees approached him, and tested him, saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?" He said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator `made them male and female' and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate." They said to him, "Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss [her]?" He said to them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery."

15. Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..…..
God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.

16. The Law of the Gift (the “disinterested” gift
of self to another for the purpose of Union and Communion)

17. Genesis 2:25
The man and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame

18. Characteristics Self-donation vs. Lust Service vs. of Self-Fulfillment
Integrity of Sexual Intercourse vs. Division
Mutuality vs. Domination
Trust vs. Fear of Abandonment
Interdependence vs. Fear of Dependence
Sex as gift vs. tool or weapon
Harmony vs. Conflict

19. Spousal Meaning of the Body
Our bodies, as male and female,
proclaim that we are made for
union and communion.

20. Definition of Lust
(CCC 2351) Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes.

21. Impact of Lust On our relationship with the (Community) of God
On our relationships with people of the opposite sex
On how we see other persons and human existence
On how we view ourselves.

23. Mat 5:8
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

24. Chastity: right use of
reason in ordering our
lower passions.

25. Acquisition of Chastity
Prayer
Understand Satan
Guard your intake
Boundaries
Health
Self-mastery
Realistic about weaknesses
“men of violence” Mat 11:12
Blessed Mother
Confession

26. Ways of Living Chastity
Married
Single

27. Sacrament of Marriage
It is Christ who instituted all 7 sacraments Definition of Sacrament: Visible signwhich depicts an invisible reality that imparts God’s grace

28. The Vows
Free Total Fruitful Faithful

29. Periodic Abstinence and the Law of the Gift
Learn to deny one’s passions and desires, thus giving meaning to the gift
Communication
Respect for the natural feminine cycle of fertility
Other means of demonstrating affection
Living the Paschal Mystery of Cross and Resurrection
Sexual love as means of service and self-donation vs. personal fulfillment

30. Responsible Parenthood
To Whom must couples be responsible?
--God
--Family
--Society
--Themselves

31. “Sacredness” of Fertile Period

32. NFP Couple Parish Representatives
Promoting NFP Within the Parish
Welcome to all you wonderful couples. My name is Cindy Leonard and I am the Coordinator of the newly created Office of NFP at the Diocese of Phoenix. Thank you so much for coming here on this beautiful Saturday afternoon.
Introductions all around the room.
I truly appreciate the gift of your time and talent to this new ministry. We’d like to begin today with prayer and we have a beautiful prayer that Fr. Charlie Goraieb, pastor of Queen of Peace parish, has written for us. Father Charlie, would you lead us in prayer? “Pray” Thank you, Father.

33. Achieving a goal expressed by Bishop Thomas Olmsted:
To establish parish NFP liaison couples to assist pastors in promoting NFP and to be NFP point persons for the laity.
Why this new ministry? Our Bishop spoke to the Board of Directors of PNFPC soon after he arrived in Phoenix. He wanted us to know how supportive of NFP he is and that his own mother was an NFP teacher in Kansas for many years. He had a 6 point plan for promoting NFP in this Diocese and this program is really the 5th point of that plan. As the NFP center gets busier and busier, we really need the help of the entire NFP community to help us to promote NFP and what better place than the parish. Couples supporting other couples in their own parish, couples helping the pastor to provide accurate information about NFP for his parishioners can all go a long way to accomplishing our mission of promoting the living of NFP for all married couples.

34. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted
“I hope you will be able to respond generously to this call for your invaluable service. If so, I know you will enrich your own marriage as well as help to enrich the marriages of those to whom you are called to minister.”

35. NFP Full Series Requirement
USCCB-DDP/NFP set a minimal standard of four meetings with each couple. We require four in addition to the introduction to NFP.
God’s Plan for Joy Filled Marriage now has the NFP Introduction embedded into it, in the last session.
God’s Plan+ three classes + one-month follow-up. This takes about three months to complete.
Class Series cost:$110 per - $175 per couple
Online: $
Couple to Couple League classes: $135
Creighton Model: $175
Our Bishop is convinced that the Introduction is really not enough, so changes are coming in the Marriage Preparation Policy of the Diocese of Phoenix. The Full NFP learning series will be a requirement for all couples marrying in our Diocese beginning in January of 2010.
There are now 17 parishes which are requiring completion of the full NFP class series because they recognize how beneficial the practice of NFP is for a couple’s marriage. We give certificates for both the introduction class and the completion of the class series.
All of the methods that we support here in the Diocese comply with the USCCB requirements.
At this time I’d like to have Fr. Charlie Goriaieb come up to share with you one of his great passions, the Theology of the Body which Fr. Charlie studied at the John Paul II Institute in Washington, D.C. He is the president of the Board of Directors of PNFPC, pastor of Queen of Peace Parish in Mesa and very generous with his time.

36. NFP Parish Rep Ministry “Job Description”
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings…” Isaiah 52:7
Assist pastors in promotion of NFP in their parish
Offer to have your contact information at the reception desk and with the Marriage Prep coordinator for questions couples may have.
Read about NFP & Become familiar with the NFP Intro Packet and website.
I love this quote from the Holy Bible, ( read it). I think it describes your new ministry perfectly, because you really will be bringing good news, peace, and good tidings to all those in your parish, most especially to your pastor.
You will want to meet with him, let him know of this training and that you are ready to help him promote NFP in your parish.
You can offer to have your phone numbers….
You will want to know who is in charge of the Marriage Prep at your parish and let them know you can help them promote NFP to their couples.
It would be great if you read a lot about NFP, Theology of the Body and become familiar with all the articles in the NFP Intro Packet. Each couple has a packet. You will especially want to be familiar with the schedule of classes and the USCCB brochure, “NFP: Myth and Reality”. Those two inserts will give you quick answers to frequently asked questions.

37. NFP Parish Rep Ministry “Job Description”
Make sure announcements for classes appear in your parish bulletins.
Ask to have NFP posters & schedules placed in the vestibule or brochure rack of your Church.
If your parish hosts NFP classes, greet the NFP teaching couple & help make sure room is set up for them
Offer to share your witness at various meetings in your parish:
RCIA classes, Marriage Prep, Bible Studies, Women’s & Men’s Fellowship Groups, Baptism Classes, Ministry Fairs, after Mass-especially during National NFP Week at end of July ( can share new video!)
Whenever classes are offered at a location near your church, we send bulletin announcements about a month prior. If you see the bulletin announcements, you have one less job in this ministry. But. If you don’t ever see announcements, you could either ask the pastor about it, or call us and let us know and we’ll call him.
Every summer the USCCB sells beautiful NFP posters for National NFP Week, the last week in July.
If your pastor wants to hang one or two of the posters, that has English on one side and Spanish on the other, we are happy to buy them and get them to you.
The schedule of classes is sent to each pastor, marriage prep coordinator and parish each year in October. Copies can be made to be given out. We can send them out to you electronically as an attachment, as well.
Hosting parish: meet and greet!
Witness, which will be unique to each couple but something that can usually speak to many. In just a few minutes we’ll expand on this.

38. Parish Rep Reporting
Let us know about ministries in your parish for referrals: ministries to infertile couples, those who have suffered miscarriages, adoption ministries etc.
Please keep track of all NFP parish work that you do for the year on the Report Form.
At the end of the year please send the form to the Office of NFP, Diocese of Phoenix. Or send s during year, reporting what/where/to whom you promoted NFP.
Statistics will be reported to the Bishop and to the USCCB-DDP/NFP

39. NFP Methods Coordinated by Office of NFP:
Northwest Family Services Sympto-Thermal Method (NWFS)
Family of the Americas Ovulation Method (FAF)
BOMA-Billings Ovulation Method Association (BOMA)
Creighton Model-CrMs---NaProTechnology
CCL- Couple to Couple League
Available throughout the Diocese in over 30 parishes, in both English and Spanish and Vietnamese
The PNFPC is a non profit organization that began its mission of teaching NFP in 1974 at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Just this year the PNFPC entered a new phase of that mission by accepting a proposal made to us by the Diocese of Phoenix to become an Office of the Diocese of Phoenix under the Office of Marriage and Respect Life. This transition took place on July 1 of this year and we are all very excited to be working even more closely with the Diocese and the Bishop. We are still located at St. Mark’s Church and the average person doesn’t see any difference as we have continued our work of providing classes throughout the Diocese at over 30 locations in both Spanish and English and in a variety of NFP methods.
The PNFPC started by supporting only the Sympto-Thermal Method of NFP as taught by the NWFS of Portland. Through the years we have added:

40. NFP Only Healthcare Professionals
NaProTechnology- Deirdre Wilson, D.O.
Dr. Clint Leonard, Ob/Gyn, Napro Technology
Dr. William Chavira, Ob/Gyn
Dr. Lori Carillo, Ob/Gyn
Lisa Clouse McDaniel, PA, Napro Technology
Sarah Adamo, PA, NaproTechnology

41. Registration Procedures
Couples should be directed to our websites:
NFP----
Marriage Prep site:
Couples can pay on line by credit card, or by mailing a check or money order. Cash is not accepted. Only limited scholarships available. Many parishes assist.
May call for clarification or questions:
Another exciting change that took place late this past summer is the upgrade and unveiling of our new website. We had 2 very talented webmasters making it a dynamic tool which will help us to register the numbers of clients we are sure to have after the mandate takes effect. Couples will be able to register and pay on-line and there will be spots to have changing articles, and an e-newsletter. We just sent about 1000 postcards to all those on our address list to announce our changed name, the new website, and the Restless Hearts Conference on the weekend of Nov 7 & 8.

43. NFP Recruits Are Needed! Couples who:
Wanted!!
NFP Recruits Are Needed! Couples who:
NFP Couple Parish Reps
NFP Instructors
Have experienced the blessing of periodic abstinence in their own marriages by living NFP.
Would like to grace their marriage with shared lay service.

44. NFP Instructor Recruitment
Office of NFP has a trainer for: NWFS S-T method(English) and for FAF Ovulation Method(Spanish or English).
Special need for bilingual Sympto-Thermal instructors.
CCL -on-line teacher training ( English only).
NFP Instructor Recruitment
As you are building up the NFP community at your parish, please keep in mind our #1 need, for more teaching couples so we can offer enough classes to meet the Bishop’s coming mandate.
In your materials you have an “ad” on buff colored paper that you can use to advertize for teaching couples. We can also send it to you electronically as an attachment.

45. Getting Started as NFP Parish Rep Couples:
Your pastor will receive a letter from the Office of NFP with your name and contact information.
Please call your pastor, introduce yourselves and set up a meeting to offer specific services in the parish. He will be happy to have this position filled! ( On the parish checklists now!) Please don’t say: “What do you want us to do?”
Bring a gift: “Married Love and the Gift of Life,” and know that you are beautiful to him and to Bishop Olmsted, because you bring Good News!!
We have certificates for each of you stating that you attended today’s training. In addition I will be sending a letter to your pastor as a way of introducing you and your contact information and
letting them know of your commitment to this ministry.
At this time, I’d like to introduce two of the most active NFP presenters in our Diocese. They are active parishioners at Our Lady of Mt Carmel and in the City of the Lord. They attended Fr. Charlie Goriaeb’s Theology of the Body Study Group, and they have helped many couples to write their witness of using NFP in their marriage. Help me to welcome Jenelle and Mark Van Brunt.

46. Jenelle and Mark Van Brunt
Sharing your story by Writing your NFP Couple Witness

47. Couple Witness-
Take 20 minutes to reflect, write notes, and then come together to share an outline containing:
Conversion to using NFP
Challenges while using NFP
Fruit since making the change to NFP
Share with group now, develop more fully at home.

48. Tips for Preparing Your Couple Witness
Pray for God’s inspiration.
Read examples of witness talks ( on USCCB site).
Both Husband and Wife share equally in time.
Write in down. Get feedback.
Practice it! Try not to read it when presenting.
Use humor, pathos, regrets, joy. Make it very personal.

49. Thank you so very much for sharing this very good news!
Questions?
Thank you so very much for sharing this very good news!
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings…” Isaiah 52:7