|
Perception of "Catholic" NFP theology from a
non-Catholic
by Misty Mealey |
|
I wanted to offer my experience being taught NFP
as a non-Catholic.
Five years ago, I was a pro-choice, pro-homosexual "rights" atheist
who had had terrible side-effects on the Pill and Depo. A devoutly
Catholic friend loaned me The Art of NFP. When she did, she did not
state that it was written from a "Catholic perspective." (i.e.,
there was no advance warning that I would be reading Catholic
theology!)
My initial motives for reading the book were to learn the method and
practice it. I had no interest at all in the moral theology. In
fact, the first several months we used NFP, we also used
condoms during the fertile time. It wasn't so much that we
didn't want to abstain, but we honestly didn't trust the
method. As soon as we saw three charts where my body did what
the book said it would, we threw away the condoms and used
"pure" NFP. However, I can say that because the Pill had dampened
my libido (and now studies report that effect continues after a
woman stops taking it), I believe we simply did not have the
"sex on demand" attitude that our peers often so. We abstained
frequently, mostly because I wasn't interested! Bunching up those
days verses spreading
the abstinence out didn't matter much to us.
[I should say that I had a rather dramatic
conversion and that learning about NFP had a major role in it.
One night while reading
about how my body worked, I had a blinding moment of infused grace
and I emerged from that experience knowing with certainty not
only that God existed, but that he had created me. One moment,
no argument could have convinced me that God existed and the
next, no argument could have convinced me he doesn't.]
I'm kind of a print junkie. If there is a book laying around, I will
read it, even if it's the Routine Manual on Repairing Toasters.
Because TAONFP was on my bedside, more than once I would pick it up
to browse. Eventually I found myself reading the theology
chapters and to be honest, it just made sense to me. I had
spent years being used by men and degrading myself sexually
and I believe there was just something in my soul that yearned
for the noble vision of sexuality presented in the book. I
simply had never heard that sex was supposed to be anything
more than recreational and I was intrigued by the idea.
It sounded a lot better than the "use and be
used" mantra I was reading in Cosmo or hearing among my peers.
So I just wanted to say that my exposure to Catholic sexual theology
did have a profound impact on me, but I hope I don't sound like I'm
boasting when I say I believe I was more disposed than most to
hearing the truth of this message. I had been on a quest for
"the truth" for several years and I had already decided that I
would commit to whatever that truth was, no matter where it
took me or how my life had to change to embrace it. I was an
atheist who believed in objective truth, which already gave me
a significant push toward the right path.
When I chose to be an NFP teacher myself, I specifically did NOT
want to use a curriculum that was overtly Catholic. I believe
the Theology of the Body is universal and I wanted a
curriculum that would allow me to present the truth in
universal terms in a way that would appeal to even the most
secularized heart. I strongly believe in meeting people where
they are: if I'm speaking to a Catholic audience, I cite
encyclicals, the Theology of the Body, the Catechism, etc. If it's a
Protestant group, they get Scripture. If it's a secular group, they
get a talk about the "communion of persons" and "total self-giving
and acceptance." Each group gets the Catholic faith, but only
the Catholics get the present with the obviously Catholic wrapping
paper.
These are just my thoughts on some of the discussion about FAM and
NFP and how they are presented differently.
I
Misty Mealey, NFP coordinator for the Diocese of Richmond, VA
2870 Northview Drive
Roanoke, VA 24015
(540) 772-0463
---
Back
|
|