The mission of the Office of Natural Family Planning (NFP) is to assist couples in understanding Church teaching for marriage and sexuality by providing practical, competent instruction on fertility and procreation through coordination and promotion of Church-approved methods of natural family planning taught in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
We hope to be a catalyst for integration of human sexuality in Catholic marriages as couples discern God’s will for their families through a lens of prudence, generosity, and responsible parenthood. We seek to be a voice changing the societal narrative of fertility as a burden and reframing it as a gift from God.
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is the general title for the scientific, natural, and moral methods of family planning that can assist married couples in family planning. Each method works by understanding a couple’s combined fertility through observation of naturally occurring fertile signs in the woman’s menstrual cycle. With proper instruction and cooperation with the cycle, couples can effectively use NFP to achieve or avoid pregnancy. NFP respects the love-giving (unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the conjugal marital act, therefore supporting God’s design for married love. Ultimately, NFP is pairing awareness and appreciation of fertility with prayer, communication, and discernment.
As part of USCCB’s NFP Awareness Week (July) in celebration of the anniversary of the release of Humanae Vitae, we host a social media campaign and an annual Love and Life Mass celebrating the beauty of NFP. Rotating at different parishes through the Archdiocese, the Love and Life Mass with the Bishop includes a fellowship lunch following. It is a great opportunity to connect with others in the Archdiocese!
An introductory session is the first step in understanding and appreciating your fertility! Available virtually or in-person, group classes or one-on-one, intro classes can be found at various locations (hospital and parish-based) around the St. Louis area depending on the method you chose. For Natural Family Planning instruction available in Spanish, contact stlnfp@archstl.org.
An intro class session to one of the NFP methods is required for marriage preparation in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Ideally, the sooner you start learning the better! We suggest attending 3-6 months prior to your wedding to allow time to gain confidence in the method.
The Wonder of Eve helps teenage women understand how naturally amazing their bodies are and the impact their choices can have on their future health and fertility. It is an age-appropriate, engaging presentation that helps young women understand how their bodies are developing and the power they have in understanding it.
It includes a brief introduction to tracking cycles as a window to better understand their health. Girls are encouraged to take good care of themselves now and to understand how God designed their bodies to work so they can advocate for their healthcare.
The Beauty of Eve is a powerful presentation for young adults about how wonderful and marvelous the design and function of the female body truly is. It helps women appreciate their fertility and advocate for their own gynecologic health. It empowers women to know how cycle tracking can greatly benefit their health by identifying potential problems and being a natural alternative for family planning. Click below to schedule for your young adult, college, or mom’s group today.
Couples facing problems with fertility do not have to walk this journey alone. Faith tells us that our lives are ultimately in God’s hands. As you work toward acceptance of this challenge, our Enkindle Ministry is here to offer hope while seeking peace when your fertility journey is not going as planned.
We have available miscarriage and infant loss sympathy cards. Designed with a beautiful, original watercolor of Forget-Me-Not flower to commemorate the child and bring comfort to those experiencing the tragedy of losing a child.
Since its inception in 2009, the Archbishop Robert J. Carlson Adoption Fund has awarded nearly $325,000 to 57 grant recipients–allowing over 60 children to be adopted into their forever families. According to The Balance.com, the average cost of private adoption through an agency can be up to $45,000. This grant helps adoptive parents offset some of the cost associated with bringing a child into their family through adoption. As a Church, we want these families and children to be seen, known, and loved.
This grant is totally fundraised. Donate here today or participate in the annual Cardinals raffle.
NFP Parish Ambassadors serve as the liaison between the Office of NFP and your parish community – helping to ensure more Catholic families know the value and benefit of NFP. Other goals include: raising awareness and dispelling misconceptions about NFP, meeting people where they are, and connecting parishioners with NFP resources and users. To find out more, email stlnfp@archstl.org
We offer 4 methods of NFP in the Archdiocese of St. Louis – Billings Ovulation Method, Couple to Couple League, Creighton Model FertilityCare System, and Marquette Method. All are Church-approved ways to monitor fertility but vary when it comes to how to track and record fertile signs and how often you follow up with a teacher. All methods can be used in all stages and situations of reproductive life. We recommend choosing a method that works best with your lifestyle and personality!