The Patroness of NFP

Lifeguard Column by Nicolo F. Bernardo

NATURAL family planning, more known in clinical circles as “fertility awareness” method, was surprisingly the subject of a lecture of a Nobel Peace Prize recipient 30 years ago.

On Dec. 11, 1979, the lecturer, notwithstanding her other remarkable contributions, focused on a rather controversial topic that must have raised the eyebrows of her elite European audience in liberal Oslo. At that moment, this “peace worker” was telling the world that her social work for natural family planning was among the things she would like to be remembered most.

She was no other than the “living saint,” Blessed Mother Teresa.

In her lecture, the founder of the Missionaries of Charity started with the story of the unborn babe in Elizabeth’s womb, St. John the Baptist, who “leaps with joy in her womb” as the Virgin Mary approaches with her unborn. This unborn child was Jesus, who would later welcome all the unwanted: the poor, the sick, the homeless, the naked, and of course, the “most little one of these”—the unborn.

Mother Teresa cared for this most neglected and defenseless member of the human family, saying, “Let us make…every single child born and unborn, wanted.” Abortion, said Mother Teresa, was a “direct war” committed by the mother herself. “If a mother can kill her own child,” she asked, “what is left for us from killing each other?”

How is this war to be stopped? As her Missionaries did in India, Mother Teresa advocated adoption centers for unwanted babies and the prevention of unintended pregnancies through natural family planning.

Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity began teaching the method in 1967 after a postulate who trained in the Sympto-Thermal method joined them. Since then, the trained Sisters would visit families to teach about fertile and infertile periods via charting or thermometer. Once a couple mastered the method, they are asked to instruct others in return.

It was in 1970 when a Natural Family Planning center was opened in Calcutta, with 150 registered families. Its success drew the attention of the government of India which funded more studies on the method and excused practicing couples from the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s mandatory sterilization. (Indira was not related to the other Gandhi, Mahatma, who like Mother Teresa advocated “birth control through self-control” or brahmacharya. But despite their opposed views, Indira was a close friend to Mother Teresa, as they frequently visited and wrote letters to each other). By 1989, India’s Annual Report lists 69 Natural Family Planning Centers care of Mother Teresa’s nuns.

Illiteracy had not been a barrier in teaching natural family planning. Take it from Mother Teresa, who taught no-read-and-write poor couples how to chart their cycles using sticks! We can credit her for her creativity and resolute effort, which should be emulated by people of good faith who can make natural family planning part of any comprehensive social program for the poor, like our local Gawad Kalinga.

“Another thing which is very beautiful,” she said in her speech, “we are teaching our beggars, our leprosy patients, our slum dwellers, our people of the street, natural family planning.”

Mother Teresa’s message is very timely for our country where families are supposedly struggling with extreme poverty and, either by ignorance or imprudence, not observing responsible parenthood.

Due to the long standing association of “family planning” with “contraception,” promoting natural family planning can itself be daunting, as some would even believe that any form of responsible parenthood should not be taught at all.

But Mother Teresa did not share this confusion. In fact she understood well that part of her mission is to introduce to people natural family planning—the Creator’s design in our reproductive system.

“In Calcutta alone in six years,” she said in her lecture, “we have had 61, 273 babies less from the families who would have temperature meter which is very beautiful, very simple, and our poor people understand. And you know what they have told me?’ Mother Teresa asked, ‘Our family is healthy, our family is united, and we can have a baby whenever we want.’”

Unlike other contraceptive methods, natural family planning works both ways of valuing sexuality and periods of abstinence, so it is in itself promoting moderation.

Mother Teresa reiterated her point in another most publicized speech, before the National Prayer Breakfast at Washington, DC on Feb. 3, 1994, before the pro-abortion and contraception Clintons. In her words:

“I know that couples have to plan their family and for that there is natural family planning. The way to plan the family is natural family planning, not contraception. In destroying the power of giving life, though contraception, a husband or a wife is doing something to self.”

As to whether nuns and priests should involve themselves in teaching natural family planning, Mother Teresa recalled a poor parent who once told her, “You people who have practiced chastity, you are the best people to teach us natural family planning because it is nothing more than self-control out of love for each other.”

In her other speeches, such as before the Nagasaki National University School of Medicine in April 1982, and in her other interviews, Mother Teresa would invite couples to practice natural family planning and for social workers to do the same since the method is effective and healthy—without any side effect.

A feisty woman, Mother Teresa—unlike many pastors today who cannot even raise the issue before the pulpit—would not compromise her principles on the matter. She was staunch and pro-active on the subject. She took the same stand again during the 40th anniversary of the United Nations, when there was a premiere screening of a film on her life during the gala event. Her views certainly made her audience, not the least the UNFPA which supports abortion under special circumstances, uncomfortable.

Navin Chawla, a Hindu civil service worker, writes thus in his book Mother Teresa: The Authorized Biography: “Both (Mahatma) Gandhi and Mother Teresa share a curious combination of religious conservatism and radical empiricism. At heart, Gandhi always remained deeply conservative. Mother Teresa, too, has remained faithful to the official interpretation of Catholic doctrine, particularly on abortion and family planning….She is a true Vaishnavajana—a minstrel of God.”

If only Mother Teresa’s example would be actively emulated in all religious orders, societies, parishes, Catholic communities and schools in our country, we would have gone far in averting incidents of “unwanted” pregnancies and abortions especially among the poor. Perhaps our times call for more Mother Teresas, fertile with vision and courageous to spread responsible parenthood as a noble cause, a saintly mission.

To this end, may I congratulate fellow columnist Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS, founder and national coordinator of Pro-Life Philippines. Kudos to the successful National Congress for aNatural Family Planning on the anniversary of Pro-Life Philippines. May your brood of pro-life advocates increase and multiply! #