Our Speech. Our Story.

Like I've mentioned on Monday, Ryan and I spoke at Mass last Sunday to kick off NFP Awareness Week! Since most of you weren't there...Enjoy!

Me:

Hello my name is Kathryn and this is my husband Ryan Hager. We are here to let you know that this coming week is Natural Family Planning Awareness week. We are proud and happy users of the NFP method. We were introduced to the NFP method a couple of years ago and I won’t lie, we were a bit skeptical at first. Seeing how my brother and sister in law introduced us and also teach the class here at Scared Heart, we couldn’t say no to them or our curiosity. The NFP method is taught in three courses and available here at Sacred heart. This method has been wonderful for our relationship with one another and most importantly our relationship with God. We now understand how important the teachings on the theology of the body are in a marriage between husband and wife. Now my husband would like to share some of his thoughts on NFP. Please look in your bulletin for more information.

Ryan:

The information I gained through our first set of Natural Family Planning classes through Sacred Heart was very helpful and informative. I learned the role of the male in the method and more about the Church’s doctrine and why it promotes a non-hormonal method of birth control. The spiritual aspect of the NFP method intrigued me; however what really drew me to this natural way of family planning were the positive ways that it would benefit Kathryn’s health by discontinuing the use of doctor-prescribed-hormone-manipulating birth control. Some of the published facts that astonished me are as follows:

• Hormonal contraceptives can cause early abortions. (most common with IUD use)  1.
• Women who use birth control pills or other forms of hormonal contraceptives are more likely to experience blood clots.  2.
• Women who started using H.C.’s before their first birth are at a 44 percent higher risk of breast cancer.  3.
•  Women who use contraceptives 11 years or longer are at a 210 percent increased risk of breast cancer. 4.

Ladies and gentlemen, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. If any Catholic women or any women in your life are using hormonal contraception, take this week, “Natural Family Planning Awareness Week,” to inform them of the harm they are doing to their bodies. Thank you and Have a great Sunday!

* Be sure to do your homework. You should never read something and believe it. Read and search accurate sources to get the truth. When you search hard enough for what you are looking for you will always find the answer. Warning: From experience, it's not always what you want to hear or see.

1. Gold, R.B., "The Implications of Defining When a Woman is Pregnant" (The Gutmacher Report on Public Policy, May 2005) 2. Vleig, A.H. et al., "The venous thrombotic risk of oral contraceptives, effocts of oestrogen dose and progestogen type: Results of MEGA case-control study" 3. Kahlenborn, C. et al. "Oral Contraceptive Use as a Risk Factor of Premenopausel Breast Cancer: a Meta- Analysis" (Mayo Clinic Proc. 2006) 4. Croghan, IT et al. "The Role of Smoking in Breast Cancer Development: An Analysis of a Mayo Clinic Cohort" (Breast J. 2009)

*I know this seems a bit to "real" for a blog but I can't sit and say I didn't try. I know the majority of people who read this will ignore it and move on about their day. That's fine. I tried. Part of being a compassionate person is understanding and acknowledging that not everyone is going to agree with you. I am working on this. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeves and get upset every time someone doesn't do what I say/ask. Seriously, no hard feelings. I love everyone and when I say blessings to you I really do mean and hope that the holy spirit touches you in some way today.