Office of Family Life

Natural Family Planning (NFP)

The privilege of husband and wife to bring new life into the world is a gift from God. It is a sacred responsibility through which they participate in God's creative power. Natural family planning (NFP) helps the couple understand the beauty of this creative power by defining the scientific, natural, and moral aspects of family planning that allow couples either to achieve or postpone pregnancy. NFP is both life-giving, as it brings forth new life in the marital relationship, and love-giving, as it deepens and enriches the bond of love between husband and wife. It truly is good for body and soul!

NFP Week - July 20 - 26, 2025

Celebrate and reverence God’s vision of human sexuality

Daily Lectio Divina guides 2025

English Lectio Devina

Spanish Lectio Divina

Good for the Body. Good for the Soul.

Catholic Teaching

Discover the beauty of God's gift of marriage and its ability to give you a share in his creative love and power -- a love that brings new life into the world and increases and deepens the love of spouses.

• Second Vatican Council

• Papal Teachings

• The Holy See

• The USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

• Quotes by Topic

couples' stories

Catch a glimpse into real-life stories by real-life people!  Discover how Natural Family Planning can affect your marriage . . .

• A Husband and Wife Share Their Conception Story 

• The Moral Character of Responsible Parenthood

Articles

• Love Naturally - Written by USCCB/NFPP staff, this reflection considers how love is a gift from God and that the methods of NFP are a support to God's gift of married love. 

• NFP Saved My Health - Naturally! - This brief reflection by Brooke Paris Foley provides a clear witness to how NFP charting can help identify a woman's health issues.

• Join the Revolution! - Jill Cherrey, NFP Coordinator, Archdiocese of Newark, reflects on her work with couples learning NFP.

• Why Natural Family Planning Differs from Contraception - Excerpts from a 1998 letter by John Paul II commemorating Humanae Vitae.

• Redeemed Sexuality (En español) - Theresa Notare, Ph.D., Assistant Director of the USCCB's NFP Program, provides a popular explanation of the theology behind NFP.

• A Boost for NFP - Rev. Charles Goraieb, a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix, offers a pastoral perspective on NFP.

• Responsible Parents are Open to Life - Most Rev. J. Peter Sartain teaches about responsible parenthood.

• My Slogan: “Practice Saved Sex!” - Journalist, Fletcher Doyle reflects on Natural Family Planning.

• Celebrating the Richness of Church Teaching - Noted professor, Janet E. Smith, Ph.D., explains Catholic teaching on married love and responsible parenthood.

• Marriage: The Gift of Love and Life - Most Rev. Victor Galeone, retired Bishop of St. Augustine, offers a reflection on the 40th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae.

Who Are We?

What NFP was, is, and will be.

Featuring the NFP Teachers of the Diocese of New Ulm

VIEW THE DIOCESAN NFP FAITHFULLY YOURS BOOKLET

Current Medical Research

Research includes the areas of: NFP, human fertility, and related issues. Great resource for promoting NFP or for your own education and understanding.

prayer resources

- NFP Novenas

Resources

The what, why, and who regarding NFP for couples, clergy, teachers, health care professionals, and anyone promoting the good of the family.

additional resources

What is NFP?

Learn about one of today's best kept secrets.

Natural family planning, or NFP, is an umbrella term for methods that allow a couple to achieve or avoid a pregnancy by monitoring the wife's fertility.

There are many different programs that provide methods of NFP. Each program teaches either the ovulation method or the sympto-thermal method. Each is a safe, natural, and reliable way of timing pregnancy.

In the Diocese of New Ulm, both NFP methods are being taught with three programs represented: FertilityCare (ovulation), NFP International (sympto-thermal), and Couple to Couple League (sympto-thermal).

• For a list of NFP physicians, practitioners, and trainers in the Diocese of New Ulm, click here.

• For more information on what NFP is, check out the July 2012 issue of The Prairie Catholic, page 10.

• For more information on NFP and the programs in the diocese, contact Sr. Candace Fier, (507) 233-5328.

Contact the Office of Family Life:

Sr. Candace Fier, ISSM
Director
cfier@dnu.org
(507) 233-5328