How My Pastor Established a Successful Parish NFP Program

As a Creighton Model Practitioner I was very blessed to have a supportive priest who spoke regularly about contraception and NFP during his homilies. Yet, Father Joseph Illo didn’t stop there, and his further support paved the way to a successful NFP program at our parish. I believe that the following five actions could be used as a model for other priests who wish to encourage greater NFP adoption among their parishioners.

RECRUIT PARISH NFP TEACHER

Fr. Joseph encouraged couples using NFP to become teachers and promoters. It took me five years before I was able to answer that call but Father gently reminded me to keep discerning along the way. In this age of zoom and online learning it is no longer required to have a local teacher, but I still believe this is an important component to wider adoption. Engaged couples and young families need to have an image of what NFP looks like in actual practice. In parishes where there are no teachers it would be a good practice to have NFP families giving witness talks and setting up an information table after Mass.

FUND NFP TEACHER TRAINING

Fr. Joseph also supported my training financially. I recall Fr. Joseph asking me one day what was holding me back from going through the Creighton education program. I thought for a moment and realized that all my previous obstacles had fallen away but one—lack of money. He asked, simply, “How much do you need?” Between his support and the support of generous parishioners this last obstacle faded quickly.

NFP INSTRUCTION FOR ALL ENGAGED COUPLES

Fr. Joseph began to require all couples preparing for marriage attend at least four sessions of NFP training. I was privileged to work with these engaged couples, most of whom were hearing the Church’s teaching on contraception for the first time. Many of them decided to continue meeting with me, even after their requirement had been met, because they saw the beauty with which God had created them. Realizing that the Church might be right about this made some wonder if there were other things the Church was right about. I was blessed to see engaged couples becoming active members of our parish.

NFP SEMINARS FOR AREA CLERGY

Fr. Joseph asked me and two other NFP teachers to speak to some priests in our town and give them an overview of the different methods. We also shared our experience working with engaged couples. Shortly after that meeting at least four other priests began requiring couples requesting the Sacrament of Matrimony to attend our classes. Priests don’t often know much about the different methods of NFP or how any of them work. Having this knowledge helps the priest to know when and where to refer couples.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR COUPLES TO LEARN NFP

Under Fr. Joseph’s direction, the parish also made available scholarships for NFP instruction for married couples. While NFP classes are not expensive it does still cost money. This could lead to some couples trying to teach themselves from a book or the internet, which will only lead to discouragement and misunderstanding. These scholarships are an investment in the family and are such a blessing to the recipients who want to be faithful to Our Lord.

The priest plays an important role in the NFP professional’s success. They are the frontline on the battlefield and usually the first person a couple will approach when looking for guidance. Speaking about the evils of contraception during homilies is the first bold step. By taking these additional measures they can build a parish’s acceptance of NFP and transform faithful families.