Catholic Times' article shows how the couple can have more satisfaction in their married life, add more meaning to their sexual love relationship and family by using the natural method of fertility regulation. Lee Theresa the representative of the Korean Happy Family Movement stresses that the natural method of birth regulation opens one to see the wonders in the gift that God has given us, to understand the gift, and strengthens the love of the couple.
Both husband and wife accept the natural cycle of fertility and work with it. They go beyond the bodily pleasure to achieve a oneness in their spiritual understanding and concern for each other, and in temperance, grow in respect for one another. In practicing NFR the couples notice a positive change in their relationship. Theresa wants it known that "conversation between the couple increases, sensitive issues are discussed.They learn other ways of expressing their love, more than with the emotions they become more intimate and there is a greater respect for themselves."
There are many who have a wrong understanding of the natural fertility method: too complicated, difficult to learn, the period of abstinence is long, an unreliable method of regulation etc..The biggest misunderstanding, she says, is the use only to avoid pregnancy or to avoid artificial means.
Many Catholics despite the teaching of the Church are ignorant of the method or are lazy or do not understand what real love between the couple should entail. This is not only true, she laments, of the couples but pharmaceutical companies and doctors who recommend the quick and easy methods of preventing pregnancy.
How can one ignore the feeling of love that arises and refrain from expressing this in the sexual act? She believes that those who think this way confuse love and the sexual act as the same, and in extreme cases there are those that see them as opposite to each other.
We all have a respect for life but do not know concrete ways to realize this in our lives.There are many cases in married life where sexuality becomes a problem. The understanding of each others sexuality and the changes that occur are not always easy to accept.
In conclusion of the article, Theresa says that couples who use the natural methods are giving the children a wonderful lesson in sex education. Like the lessons given by the parents at the weekly attendance at Mass, natural family regulation practiced by the parents will be an important aspect of family life.
