USCCB NFP Resources  


Contents

For Purchase

Free to Download

NFP Office Hours

Spanish Language Resources

Other NFP Resources


 

For Purchase

The USCCB’s NFP resources listed below are sold through International Fulfillment Company (IFC). Please view the resources for purchase below and call or email IFC at 

  • 1-866-582-0943

    or
     
  • Email @email.


Checks for individual orders are accepted by IFC via the US postal system. Please ask the IFC representative for the order total (which will include shipping and handling) and their address. In your payment, be sure to state that the check is for an NFP resource at account 24013. If your order is for a Catholic parish, diocese, or organization, an invoice can be requested and you will be billed.

Questions? The IFC staff will know how to help you. If they can not answer your questions, please contact the NFP Program at nfp@usccb.org or 1-202-541-3240.

For Respect Life resources, please visit store.respectlife.org.

Brochures

 

Natural Family Planning

This eight-panel brochure provides basic information on the methods of Natural Family Planning. It is perfect for marriage preparation programs and general parish education. Order item #9521 (English), item #9525 (Spanish); preview the text here.

 

 

 

 

NFP, Myth and Reality

This eight-panel brochure provides information on the commonly misunderstood points concerning the methods of Natural Family Planning and Catholic teaching which supports its use in marriage. This resource is a popular choice for parish educational materials and general NFP education. Order item #9522 (English), item #9523 (Spanish); preview the text here.

 

 

 

Natural Family Planning, Love, Mercy, Life, Opening the Heart of Marriage

This eight-panel brochure reflects upon Church teaching on marital love and responsible parenthood through the lens of love, mercy, and life. Written as a catechetical resource, this brochure is appropriate for parish use, marriage enrichment programs, and general catechetical programs. To preview the text, see https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/what-is-nfp/responsible-parenthood. Order, item #1626. Please note that an abbreviated version of this text is available as a free two-page bulletin insert on the above web page.

 


Booklets

 

An Introduction to Natural Family Planning

This 20-page booklet provides basic information about NFP. It includes an overview of Catholic teaching, a summary of human fertility, and a reflection on the benefits for husband and wife. A list of select resources is also included. Order item #9921 (English), #9927 (Spanish); preview the text at: usccb.org/topics/natural-family-planning/nfp-basic-information.

 

 

 

Married Love and the Gift of Life

Statement the bishops of the United States on marriage, marital love and responsible parenthood, and the ethical methods of Natural Family Planning presented in a question and answer format. Order from the USCCB store at https://store.usccb.org/products/married-love-and-the-gift-of-life-us-bishops-statement-reflecting-on-gods-wonderful-plan-for-marriage?_pos=1&_sid=2fcd9cdbf&_ss=r. Preview the text here.

 

 





Novena Cards

 

“A Heart Open to God’s Will,” The Annunciation, A Novena

The Annunciation presents the faithful with a wonderful meditation on living with a heart open to God’s will. When making decisions, it is important to remember that prayer helps us “hear” the Lord. Doing God’s will may not be easy. Like Our Blessed Mother Mary, we must trust that God’s will is the best for us! Use this novena to help you “hear” God’s will in your life. This six-page pamphlet features a compelling image of the Annunciation. Preview the text at https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/resources/nfp-novenas. Order item #0726.

Please note that only the English language card is sold through the Respect Life Catalog. The Spanish text is posted on the website and a printable version can be downloaded at https://www.usccb.org/resources/Annunciation%20Novena%20Spanish_2.pdf.

 

Faith and Perseverance, Saints Anne & Joachim Novena

Saints Anne and Joachim are powerful intercessors for grandparents, married couples, expectant mothers, married couples who are having difficulty conceiving. Beautiful, full-color mosaic on the cover of this 4 by 6-inch four-page pamphlet. Order item #0422 (English), item #0423 (Spanish); preview the text at: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/resources/nfp-novenas.

 

Prayer Cards
 

The prayer cards below feature the prayers on one side of the cards (or inside the bi-fold) and the image of the 2023 NFP Week poster on the reverse side. They are available for purchase or to download for free. Read the text and access the JPG and PDF files at the Marriage and NFP prayer resource page.


Reflection Card

 

Oh Flaming Fire

This four-panel reflection card offers a poem about God’s presence in the marriage of husband and wife. Written by author Francis Etheredge, a married man, father, and scholar, the reflection card is perfect for marriage enrichment programs, marriage anniversary celebrations, and marriage preparation programs. preview text here ; order item #2125.

 


 







Posters

View and download PDF files of the current and past NFP Week posters celebrating God’s plan for married love and the ethical methods of NFP at https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/awareness-week/posters. These posters are classic and perfect for hanging in a church vestibule, parish hall, classroom, or doctor’s office. Hard copies are available for purchase as well. Ask for the NFP Week poster of your choice by citing the year of publication (shown in the list of PDF files).  

 


Free USCCB NFP Resources to Download
 

Bulletin Briefs and Inserts

Looking for an NFP related quote to insert in your parish bulletin? Want to insert a two-page article to help your people reflect on Church teaching that supports NFP use in marriage? See our page of downloadable resources for the parish bulletin.
 

Podcasts

Made for Love, sponsored by the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, Secretariat for Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, USCCB. This podcast treats many issues about men and women loving well according to God's divine plan. It especially focuses on marriage and family. A number of episodes treat NFP, for example, episodes 17 and 18 cover the benefits and challenges of NFP use in marriage in the words of the couples themselves. Episode 69 features an interview with NFP promoter, Damon Owens. To view when in the site, scroll down the list for numbered episodes. The titles are self-explanatory.

Liturgy and Prayer

NFP Week homily notes and Prayers of the Faithful (Petitions) are available on the NFP Liturgy and Prayer page. In addition, the text for the NFP prayer cards as well as additional prayers are available at the NFP and marriage prayer page. The text and PDF files of our novenas are here.
 

Social Media Graphics

A variety of social media graphics, many with timeless quotes from Scripture, Church documents, and saints, are developed for NFP Week each year. They do not include dates in the designs and are posted here (please scroll down to the menu and select “Social Media Graphics”).
 

Web Graphics

A variety of web graphics based on the designs from each year’s NFP Week posters are available in English and Spanish and posted here (please scroll down to the menu and select “Web Graphics”).
 


Spanish Language Resources

The resources listed below are featured under the subject topics on this page. They are presented here as well for your convenience.

Booklets

An Introduction to Natural Family Planning
This 20-page booklet provides basic information about NFP. It includes an overview of Catholic teaching, a summary of human fertility, and a reflection on the benefits for husband and wife. A list of select resources is also included. Order item #9927 for the Spanish language; preview the text in English at: usccb.org/topics/natural-family-planning/nfp-basic-information.

Brochures

Natural Family Planning
The text provides a general description of various aspects of NFP. View the English language text at usccb.org/topics/natural-family-planning/what-natural-family-planning.To order, contact: customerservice@ifcweb.com; or call toll-free at 1-866-582-0943. Ask for publication #9525 for Spanish.

NFP, Myth and Reality
The text covers the common myths about NFP and Church teaching. View the English text at usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/what-is-nfp/frequently-asked-questions. To order, contact: customerservice@ifcweb.com; or call toll free at 1-866-582-0943. Ask for publication #9522 for English and #9523 for Spanish. Also available to order via the USCCB Store.

Bulletin Inserts

“In Communion”

“Live the truth and beauty of God’s plan for married love!”

“Married Love and the Gift of Life”

“One Flesh”

“To Have To Hold”
 

NFP Week Posters


All hard copies of the NFP Week poster have the English language on one side and the Spanish language on the reverse.

Separate e-files (PDF and JPG) of the posters can be downloaded at: usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/awareness-week/posters
 

Novenas

The Annunciation
Hard copy is only available in English. A printable copy of the Spanish language text is at usccb.org/resources/Annunciation%20Novena%20Spanish_2.pdf.

Saints Anne and Joachim Novena

Social Media Files

The NFP Week social media files are typically provided in English and Spanish. See usccb.org/topics/natural-family-planning/media-kit (please scroll down to the “Social Media” section on the page).

Web Graphics

The NFP Week web graphics are typically provided in English and Spanish. See usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/awareness-week/nfp-week-archived-web-graphics.


NFP Office Hours

This monthly series features discussion between a content expert and diocesan NFP leaders. Topics include Church teaching, NFP science and methodology, NFP programming, and related subjects. Use the content part of these videos (typically about 30 minutes) in your NFP teacher continuing education, parish outreach, and clergy education!
 


Other NFP Resources

The resources listed below are produced by a variety of diocesan staff, national NFP providers, Catholic universities, and organizations. They include apps, books, brochures, curricula, NFP educational programs, videos, websites, etc. To learn more, please contact the authors or organizations directly.

  • Humanae Vitae, 50 Years Later, Embracing God's Vision for Marriage, Love and Life, A Compendium is available from The Catholic University of America Press (2019). Edited by Theresa Notare, Ph.D., Assistant Director, NFP Program, USCCB, this award-winning* book features the papers from the 2018 Humanae vitae 50th-anniversary symposium held at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC (April 4-6). *The Catholic Press Association awarded this book second place in the category of anthologies in 2020. Orders, 1-800-537-5487.

  • Chart Your Cycle Engaged
    Chart Your Cycle Engaged is an online fertility awareness coaching program that follows a multi-index approach to cycle tracking by recording and interpreting cervical fluid, basal body temperature, and additional at-home hormonal monitoring for increased efficacy and confidence. Chart Your Cycle Engaged provides two offerings for couples fulfilling their marriage preparation requirement for Natural Family Planning:

    1. Live Virtual Introduction to Natural Family Planning Workshop (one hour)
    Each month a free live Introduction to Natural Family Planning virtual workshop is offered. In this one-hour presentation, clients will meet a Chart Your Cycle coach, learn the basics and benefits of cycle charting, and why it matters when getting married in the Catholic Church. The live question and answer session allows time for clients to discuss the information with the cycle coach.

    Participants will receive a certificate of completion for their marriage preparation program. The couple is required to attend together but may attend on separate devices. This is a great option for couples who are not in the same geographic location.

    To learn more and register for the next session visit: Introduction to Natural Family Planning at awesomecatholicmarriage.com;contact: @email

    2. Complete NFP Method Instruction
    Complete NFP instruction and support are offered through a 12-week hybrid program offering self-paced learning with online live coaching for charting evaluation and support.

    Full instruction for autonomous use of fertility awareness cycle charting and interpretation for NFP is provided. 

    The program uses Chart Neo, a medical management model cycle tracking app and platform for secure charting and data management.

    This hybrid program offers both on-demand content and live coaching. It is intentionally structured for busy couples. Join anytime, work at your own pace, and receive personalized support with regularly scheduled check-ins. 

    Chart Your Cycle Engaged includes an Introduction to Catholic Marriage, which provides background on the integration of fertility awareness in Catholic marriage.
     
    To get started visit: awesomecatholicmarriage.com; Melissa Buchan, NBC-HWC, Chart Your Cycle Founder, Neo Fertility Advisor, Integrative Health Coach; Chart Neo Co-Founder, melissabuchan.com, chartneo.com

  • Embodied Magazine: Making the invisible visible!
    Every single person wonders what the meaning of life is: Who am I? How am I supposed to live? What will make me happy? St. John Paul II pointed us to self-gift as the key to becoming more fully human, which leads to the happiness we seek. In what is now known as the Theology of the Body (TOB), St. John Paul II reminds us what it means to be human and that we were designed by God to love as He loves, making God visible in the world. Embodied Magazine delivers inspirational real-life stories of people who have found this TOB way of life bringing them peace, fulfillment, and understanding.

    Embodied Magazine is unique because it provides: inspirational witness through the lens of TOB via a distinctive, beautiful, and compelling magazine. It brings empowering, practical solutions to tough moral and relationship questions.

    Embodied could be used in parishes and schools that teach TOB, in marriage preparation programs, RCIA, young adult ministry, etc. Embodied is available in print and digital view published issues at https://issuu.com/embodiedmag/docs

  • The Archdiocese of St. Louis has available a template for a brochure that can easily be adapted for your NFP ministry. Entitled "What Can NFP Do for You?," the St. Louis NFP staff also offer an option to work with their printer so that you can order hard copies directly. Please see the brochure order page. Contact Melissa Barnason, Office Assistant, Office of NFP, tel. 1-314-997-7576; melissabarnason@archstl.org.
     
  • Minnesota Catholic Conference has available free videos on Catholic teaching on the person and human sexuality from the one-day symposium "Revisit the Catholic Vision of the Human Person." View the talks on their website (select the link in the scrolling images); or, go to their YouTube channel.
     
  • NFP and More has a free brochure on the benefits of breastfeeding. Written by John and Shelia Kippley, This brochure can be downloaded here.
     
  • Culture of Encounter Podcast features a 27-minute interview with NFP pioneer, Mary Shivanandan, STD, available here. Dr. Shivanandan discusses the profound effect of postmodernism on our understanding of the human person. She then presents an alternative, "after-modernism," which is grounded in the personalism of St. John Paul II, specifically his Trinitarian anthropology. Dr. Shivanandan's discussion touches upon reproductive technologies, NFP, and Humanae vitae. This interesting and useful conversation centers on her article "Post-Modernism vs. After Modernism" published in the National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly (Winter 2017).
     
  • Goya Producciones has available a series on Natural Family Planning which they filmed, in part, at the 2015 World Congress on NFP in Milan, Italy. Various NFP leaders from the United States are featured in the series including Mike Manhart, Ph.D., Couple to Couple League, well-known NFP researcher, Joe Stanford, MD (Utah), and Theresa Notare, Ph.D., Assistant Director, USCCB's NFP Program. The DVD series, titled "Marital Love and Responsible Parenthood," is now available in English and Spanish for purchase. DVD Flyer. To view a nine-minute trailer, visit the dating and marriage page.
     
  • The Couple to Couple League announces a new self-paced online NFP class and revised course offerings. The changes are the result of CCL's efforts to make NFP available anywhere, anytime, any place to anyone who wants to learn. The self-paced online class is designed for today's busy couple. The same material that is presented in CCL live classes is delivered in a series of videos and interactive learning modules. To learn more, contact: CCL, Tel., 1-800-745-8252; Email, info@ccli.org; Web. www.ccli.org.
     
  • The Diocese of Richmond (VA) has available an exciting new marriage preparation program that integrates NFP information with Church teaching. Entitled, Unveiled, this innovative program provides a consistent catechetical format for marriage preparation. Unveiled ensures the integrity of content through a series of videos and workbooks for both facilitators and couples. To find out more, contact: Center for Marriage, Family, and Life, Diocese of Richmond; Tel., 804-622-5109; Web, www.unveiledmarriage.com.
     
  • Annunciation Ministries--Evangelization Through Marriage is a pastoral service that provides general consultation to diocesan or parish staff to establish or revitalize their marriage preparation programs. Annunciation Ministries also offers help in establishing NFP programs in the parish or diocese. Contact: Kari Colella, Executive Director, Tel, 781-708-3676; @email; Web, www.AnnunciationMinistries.com.
     
  • CONTRACEPTION: The Real Story, a resource from The St. Augustine Foundation. View the video here. This sixteen-part video educational resource is helpful for parents, diocesan staff (e.g., Marriage and Family Life, NFP, Pro-Life Activities, and Youth Ministry), teachers, Catholic physicians, and parents. Developed by the staff of the St. Augustine Foundation (SAF), the text was written in consultation with a variety of national NFP educators and physicians. The resource is, in part, a response to oppose the false claims of the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) September 29, 2014, "Policy Statement and Technical Report on Contraception for Adolescents." That policy statement promotes long-acting and reversible contraceptives (LARC) for adolescents as "standard medical care." The SAF series provides: a summary of key Catholic teaching on marriage, conjugal love, and responsible parenthood; an overview of human reproduction; a summary of the facts about various artificial contraceptives and their many negative side effects; a critique of the AAP 2014 policy; and a discussion on the virtue of chastity. The resource is also available in a PowerPoint presentation. Video, script, and graphics are available free of charge to diocesan staff. For more information, contact: John E. Fitzgerald, Director, The St. Augustine Foundation; 538 Riverdale Ave., Yonkers, NY 10705; 914-613-5510; @email.
     
  • FACTS launches website-www.factsaboutfertility.org. Fertility Appreciation Collaborative to Teach the Systems (FACTS), is comprised of NFP physicians, leaders, and educators. Their mission is to educate healthcare professionals, especially physicians, on the science and methods of NFP.
     
  • New "Theology of the Body" Video Series available from David Hajduk, a theologian, husband, and father with over twenty years of experience in religious education, youth, family life, and Pro-Life ministries. This series is perfect for NFP teachers in their outreach education, parish directors of religious education, youth ministers, religion teachers, and parents who want to share the beauty of life with their children. Also available from David Hajduk is his book for youth on the Theology of the Body entitled. God's Plan for You: Life, Love, Marriage and Sex

  • Billings Charting App available from www.nfpcharting.com. Lawson Culver, the talent behind NFPCharting.com has now launched an android app for Billings users to chart their fertility cycles from the ease of their smartphones. For more information visit its page in the app store.
     
  • The St. Augustine Foundation has developed a new website to help you educate on NFP and Catholic teaching on human sexuality, the virtue of chastity, marriage, conjugal love, and responsible parenthood. A special feature is several brief courses tailored for young adults. Also included is a video of interviews with Catholic physicians. See catholicsexuality.com.
     
  • BOMA-USA Billings Ovulation Method Association has available the second edition of the book, A Preachable Message. For couples who would like to learn the Billings Method online, WOOMB offers distance education. Contact: Sue Ek at @email.
     
  • Catholic Marriage Prep is an online resource and part of Agape Catholic Ministries in the Diocese of Colorado Springs. It allows for both marriage prep and NFP classes in person or on the web. To find out more visit their website.
     
  • On-Line Marriage Preparation developed by the Archdiocese of Chicago. This program allows engaged couples to experience a qualified Catholic Pre-Cana program completely at their convenience through the Internet. Interested? See Online Marriage Prep.
     
  • "Women, Sex, and the Church; A Case for Catholic Teaching," (Erika Bachiochi, ed.), is written by women who challenge "the common misconceptions that the Catholic Church's teachings are anti-women and anti-sex." This book offers a variety of faithful Catholic women writing on such issues as: love, sex, reproduction, women in the home, and women in the world. A teaching guide designed especially for students of law, feminist theory, and sexual and social ethics is also available. For more information, visit her author page as well. email: ebachiochi@eppc.org.
     
  • The Couple to Couple League has NFP resources for clergy. Please contact CCL at (513) 471-2000, for their current resources. In the past, they offered a "Clergy Packet" which included a variety of easy-to-read brochures that offered general information on the science and couple-relationship building benefits of NFP. The brochures were written for both clergy and parishioners. As of 2019, CCL offers a free seminar for clergy as well. 
     
  • Daughters Forever, Sons Forever: Helping Parents Connect with Teens on Important Issues is a book by Linda Kracht. It has companion study guides for both parents and teens. The resource covers such topics as gender, healthy eating, abortion, marriage, religious vocations, fertility, and challenges of parenting. Catholic parents are given the information, research, and practical advice to guide adolescents through the negative messages of modern culture. The author's goal is to help parents raise faithful teens and to promote healthy communication between parent and child. For more information, See Fortifying Families of Faith.
     
  • "The New Face of Natural Family Planning: A New Breed of Doctors Proclaiming the Message of Women's Health and Happiness," St. Louis Review, Vol. 71, No. 10 highlights 6 resident physicians in the department of OB/GYN who plan to specialize in NFP!
     
  • Now available, the video, "Saying I Do: What Happens at a Catholic Wedding," introduces viewers to the Roman Catholic Order of Celebrating Marriage and answers frequently asked questions about Catholic marriage. This 22-minute video is available for free on the homepage of the For Your Marriage website.
     
  • Online Introduction to the Billings Method Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago this online course provides an introduction to the science of NFP and the Billings Method in particular. A special feature is a video of the NFP couple who teach and witness to living the NFP lifestyle. Supplemental materials such as PDF documents for further reading are also included. Register on their website For more information contact: Maria Garcia, NFP Coordinator, Archdiocese of Chicago, (312) 534-8273; email: @email.
     
  • "Women and ART" by Mary Shivanandan, Humanum Review, Summer 2012.
     
  • WOOMB International, of the Billings Ovulation Method, has recently updated their website. It provides information about their international activities as well as the science and philosophy underpinning the method. New pages have been added as well as options in Spanish, French, Chinese, Vietnamese as well as English.