Can you use NFP with a contraceptive mentality? Is this something to beware of?
No.
Sarah debunks the false worry that NFP users need to watch out for using NFP with a contraceptive mentality.
She looks at the origin of the phrase in magisterial Catholic documents in its context to discover what the "contraceptive mentality" actually refers to, and points to additional references.
References for This Episode:
Magisterial Catholic Church Documents:
Familiaris consortio (1981, St. John Paul II)
Gaudium et spes (Vatican II, read esp. paragraphs 48-52 for beautiful teachings on marriage)
The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality (1995, Pontifical Council for the Family)
Other References:
"NFP: The Myth of the Contraceptive Mentality," article by Fr. Ryan Erlenbush
"That Pesky 'Contraceptive Mentality,'" blog post by Christina Valenzuela of Pearl & Thistle
The Contraceptive Mentality is Real, But It's Probably Not What You Think, blog post by Simcha Fisher.
"How to Talk about the Use and Abuse of Natural Family Planning and the Importance of Accuracy in Translation and Description," academic article by Kevin E. Miller in the Linacre Quarterly
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Thursday, Sept 4, 2025
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