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Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland 510 Ocean Avenue P.O. 11559 Portland, Me 04104 Telephone: 207.773.6471 Fax: 207.773.0182 Contact the Diocese |
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Natural Family Planning Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a safe, effective way to help a couple determine when sexual intercourse can and cannot result in pregnancy. It is not contraception. Modern methods of NFP are safe and clinically proven, when used properly, to be highly effective at avoiding pregnancy. These methods are not the old "rhythm method". Modern methods of NFP are based on the readily observable signs of fertility and infertility present in each menstrual cycle. So any woman, regardless of the regularity or irregularity of her cycles, can use NFP effectively. NFP has no harmful physical side effects. It fosters authentic marital love, respect, honesty, and couple communication. It also fosters trust in God and an authentic marital spirituality that deepens the couple's relationship with Christ and his Church. NFP, when used properly, is "marriage insurance." Surveys indicate couples who practice NFP have a practically non-existent divorce rate. This is because practicing NFP fosters those very same virtues that are necessary for a healthy marriage. It allows intercourse to be a true expression, renewal, and deepening of the couple's commitment to their marriage vows. Parish Social Ministry, sponsored by Catholic Charities Maine, offers the Ovulation Method/Creighton Model of Fertility Care (NaProTECHNOLOGY), teaching a woman to know her cycles and use this information for the maintenance of her health. Fertility is observed as part of health, not disease. If there are fertility abnormalities, we help identify the problem, while striving to maintain the procreative potential. We offer informational sessions for couples, parishes and clusters, and individual follow-ups to learn and practice the method effectively. Meg Yates RN, MA, CFCP is the Teacher/Practitioner. She works out of St. Paul Center in Augusta and can be reached at (207) 871-7464 or 1-800-CARE-002, both at ext. 2626, or e-mailing her at myates@ccmaine.org Meg offers free monthly introductory sessions at St. Paul's Center. This is an opportunity to learn more about the Creighton Model of NFP. If couples then wish to learn the method, they schedule individual sessions with Meg. The fee per session is $25.00. Another independent Creighton Model Practitioner is Brian Griffin MD, NFPMC, FCP in Hodgdon (Houlton area). His phone number is (207) 532-2551. Meg Yates can also help refer couples to the following teachers of the Sympto-thermal Method as taught by the Couple to Couple League: Charlie and Claire Fitts
Dan and Stella Perreault
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© 2006 Copyright Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland
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