How to Talk about the use and Abuse of Natural Family Planning the Importance of Accuracy in Translation and in Description

Abstract

This essay argues, through a close reading of relevant magisterial texts in the areas of sexual morality and of fundamental moral theology, that, contrary to opinions sometimes expressed by orthodox Catholic thinkers and internalized by good Catholics, the Church's teaching that the use of natural family planning (NFP) to avoid procreation is permissible for “just causes” should be interpreted as requiring married couples to have “serious,” but not “grave,” reasons for avoiding procreation; and the use of NFP to avoid procreation when a serious reason is lacking should be described as involving “selfishness,” not as reflecting a “contraceptive mentality.” Translating Latin and Italian terms correctly, with some help from their context, confirms that just causes are serious (not grave) reasons. Attention to the Church's use of “contraception” to refer to the object, not the intention, of an action, serves as the primary basis for the conclusion that there remains a fundamental difference between contraception on the one hand and the selfishly motivated use of NFP on the other.