Report
Diocesan Development Program for Natural Family Planning Profile 2001 Summary
In December of 2001, 189 Profile questionnaires were mailed to dioceses. One hundred and two or 54 percent of the dioceses completed and returned questionnaires. This year’s report represents the second largest set of baseline data gathered on NFP programs throughout the nation, since the Profile began in 1990. As in previous years, the data indicates that certain aspects of NFP programs remain relatively unchanged with slight improvement in a few areas.
When viewed nationally, NFP programs vary in dioceses from almost nonexistent to comprehensive. Some dioceses have very strong educational programs that integrate NFP into all educational efforts on human sexuality, marriage, and family life. Through hard work and dedication, other dioceses have made tremendous strides in improving the quality of their NFP programs in order to be certified as meeting the Standards for Diocesan NFP Ministry. Increasingly, there is a trend in dioceses or provinces to sponsor their own teacher training programs. But across the nation, as one diocese improves its NFP program, another diocese experiences a reduction in its NFP program size through teacher loss, budget cuts, and/or diocesan restructuring. The hard fact remains that in many dioceses, NFP is viewed as a marginal pastoral concern (cf. questions on personnel, funding, and time devoted to NFP).
Finally, regardless of the diocese, the single most compelling pastoral question when examining individual diocesan NFP efforts is: “Can couples who wish to be faithful to Church teaching on responsible parenthood readily get the NFP support they need?” The answer to this question will determine how best to plan and support local diocesan NFP ministry.