Jay Boyd does a marvelous job explaining what the Catholic Church (i.e., scripture, magisterium and Tradition) had always taught for more than 1960 years in relation to the first and second end of the Sacrament of Matrimony. The first end: procreation and education of the children (i.e., cooperate with God by being co-creators to the souls He wills to populate Heaven). The second end, is the union of the spouses.
Jay explores various aspects of the current situation of many faithful catholic couples who use NFP as if it were the virtuous way to control having children while still being morally correct. She explains why such attitude is not really open to life. Instead of focusing on how to determine what are the serious (i.e., "just causes") for which the Catholic Church gives the dispensation of using NFP to avoid pregnancy, the current way of promoting NFP in the church resembles simply the Catholic contraception.
This book (together with other articles, for ex. "Heroic parenthood" and some talks by Michael Voris [Vortex 5-Sep-13] and Mic'dUp [28-Aug-13]) , specially the gem of the first chapter of Jay's book (taken from a talk found at audiosancto.org) are worth the money.
To put it simply, the arguments presented in these sources have helped my wife and I stop teaching NFP (after 10 years of being a certified teaching couple) and instead focus on share the blessing of large families, the blessing of children, and complete trustful surrender to the Will of God. This has been truly liberating and a complete blessing! (We are now expecting our 5th child).
Sadly, we still find many people who argue: "well, teaching NFP still helps couples to shift from artificial contraception". Jay makes a marvelous point that if NFP was the only solution, then it would be OK. Instead, why just stop there instead of teaching the whole truth of what marriage is about!
May God keep on blessing Jay and the marvelous priest of the audiosancto homily
Antonio M, PhD
PD I have bought more copies of the book to give as gifts.
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Heretical
This book is not Catholic Church teaching. It was given to us as a "gift." We gave it to our pastor who called it complete garbage and heresy. The book has no imprimatur or endorsement from any priest or bishop.
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This book is not Catholic Church teaching. It was given to us as a "gift." We gave it to our pastor who called it complete garbage and heresy. The book has no imprimatur or endorsement from any priest or bishop.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2014
