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Marriage Preparation

Lesson #5

Family Life and Parenthood

 

Family life is one of the most important aspects of Christian marriage. Through family, a married couple fulfills their calling to love, serve, and pass on their faith. In this lesson, we will explore the role of marriage in family life, the vocation of parenthood, and how to build a domestic church rooted in faith and love.

 

 

  1. Openness to Children as a Natural Part of Marriage

    • Church Teachings:
      The Catholic Church encourages couples to view their role as co-creators with God, raising children not just physically but also spiritually.

    • In Christian teaching, marriage is intrinsically linked to the gift of children. From the moment a couple enters into the sacrament of marriage, they are called to be open to the possibility of new life. This openness to children is not only a physical aspect but a spiritual one as well, reflecting the couple’s willingness to participate in God’s creative work.​ 

    • Biblical Foundations: Genesis 1:28 gives the command to "be fruitful and multiply." Children are seen as a blessing and a natural part of the family. In marriage, openness to life is an acceptance of God’s will.

 

 

2. Parenting as a Vocation and Responsibility within the Church

Parenthood is more than a role—it is a vocation within the Church. Christian parents are called to raise their children in the faith, forming them in the image of Christ. The responsibility of parenting extends beyond providing for the physical needs of the child; it includes nurturing their spiritual growth, teaching them love, respect, and morality.

 

Parenting as a Ministry:

 

  • Christian Responsibility:
    The Byzantine Catholic tradition sees parenting as a sacred responsibility. Parents are tasked with bringing their children to baptism, teaching them the faith, and preparing them for the sacraments. This is not just a duty but an honor, and through this, parents fulfill their call to holiness.

  • Building a Domestic Church: Prayer, Catechesis, and Traditions in Family Life
    The term "domestic church" refers to the family as the smallest and most fundamental unit of the Church. In their home, Christian families are called to reflect the life of the larger Church through prayer, teaching, and living out their faith.

  • The Role of Prayer:
    Prayer is the foundation of the domestic church. Families are encouraged to pray together, whether through daily prayers, reading Scripture, or participating in the liturgical life of the Church. The home should be a place where God is present in daily life.

  • Catechesis in the Home:
    Parents have the primary responsibility of teaching their children about God and the Church. This doesn’t only happen in formal education settings, but through everyday moments—discussing the meaning of sacraments, teaching love through example, and sharing in the feasts and fasts of the Church calendar.


    Living Faith through Traditions:

  • Christian traditions are vital to creating a sense of identity and continuity within the family. Celebrating Church feasts, keeping icons in the home, and participating in the liturgical life of the parish all help to root the family in faith. These traditions form a spiritual culture within the home, making faith a lived experience.

    Just as priests and religious have their unique callings, parents are called to minister to their children. They are the first educators of faith, and the family becomes the primary place where children learn about God, love, and community.

Lesson #6

Sexuality and Natural Family Planning (NFP)

Sexuality in Christian marriage is a profound gift that reflects the self-giving love of God. It is through this intimate union that couples express love, become co-creators with God, and grow in their vocation as husband and wife. The Church's teaching on human sexuality upholds its dignity, calling couples to live out their sexuality in a way that reflects their openness to life and their commitment to love one another selflessly. Natural Family Planning (NFP) is part of this vision, promoting responsible parenthood while aligning with the sacred purpose of marriage.

 

 

  1. Theology of the Body and the Gift of Human Sexuality
    Theology of the Body is a term coined by Pope John Paul II in a series of teachings that explore the profound meaning of human sexuality and the human body as created in the image of God. He emphasized that the human body and sexuality are not merely biological, but deeply theological—they reveal the mystery of God’s love and are meant to express self-giving love in marriage.

    • Human Sexuality as a Gift: In marriage, sexual intimacy is not just an act of physical union but a mutual self-gift that mirrors God’s love for humanity. It is designed for the expression of love and openness to life, making the couple co-creators with God.

    • The Purpose of Sexuality: Human sexuality serves two inseparable purposes: the unitive and procreative. The unitive aspect fosters deeper emotional, spiritual, and physical bonding between the spouses, while the procreative aspect allows the couple to cooperate with God in bringing new life into the world.

 

 

2. Why the Church Promotes Natural Family Planning (NFP) over Contraception
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a method for understanding a woman’s fertility cycle to either achieve or postpone pregnancy. The Church promotes NFP as a moral and natural means for family planning because it respects the dignity of human sexuality and the procreative purpose of marriage.

 

The Church's Stance on Contraception: The Church teaches that artificial contraception, which intentionally obstructs the procreative potential of sexual intimacy, is morally problematic because it separates the unitive and procreative aspects of sexuality. Contraception often reduces sexual intimacy to mere pleasure while rejecting the possibility of life.

  • NFP as a Moral and Healthy Alternative: NFP, on the other hand, allows couples to work with the natural fertility cycle, cooperating with God’s design for the human body. NFP encourages self-control, mutual respect, and open communication between spouses, making it a way to responsibly manage family planning without altering the natural purpose of sexual intimacy.

 

 

How NFP Aligns with the Sacramental Vision of Marriage


In the sacrament of marriage, the couple’s love is meant to mirror Christ’s love for the Church—selfless, total, and life-giving. NFP aligns with this sacramental vision by fostering a deeper sense of trust, love, and responsibility between spouses, encouraging them to work together with God in discerning their family’s future.

 

Openness to Life: By using NFP, couples remain open to life, recognizing that every act of sexual intimacy carries the potential to participate in God’s creative plan. This openness strengthens the couple’s relationship with each other and with God, as they remain receptive to the gift of children.

 

Fostering Communication and Respect: NFP naturally encourages regular communication between the spouses about their desires, concerns, and mutual responsibilities. This deepens their connection and strengthens the bond of trust. Respecting each other’s fertility leads to a profound understanding of each other’s needs, fostering an authentic intimacy that goes beyond the physical.

 

Self-Giving Love: In a marriage centered on Christ, self-giving love involves sacrificing one’s desires for the good of the other. NFP challenges couples to practice this kind of love, which strengthens their relationship and helps them grow in virtue, patience, and understanding.

 

Consider questions like:

How can we incorporate NFP into our family planning decisions?

How will learning about NFP foster deeper communication and respect between us?

What challenges do we foresee, and how can we overcome them together?

 

Human sexuality is a sacred gift, deeply intertwined with the sacrament of marriage. Through the practice of Natural Family Planning, couples honor the unitive and procreative aspects of their relationship, cooperating with God’s design and living out their call to be co-creators of life. NFP fosters communication, respect, and trust, inviting the couple to deepen their intimacy while remaining open to the gift of children. By embracing NFP, couples align their family planning with the Church’s teachings, growing in love and holiness as they live out the sacramental vision of marriage.

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