Family Life

What the Church says about Family Planning

Catechism of the Catholic Church 2366-2367: Fecundity is a gift, an end of marriage, for conjugal love naturally tends to be fruitful. A child does not come from outside as something added on to the mutual love of the spouses, but springs from the very heart of that mutual giving, as its fruit and fulfillment. So the Church, which “is on the side of life” teaches that “each and every marriage act must remain open ‘per se’ to the transmission of life.” “This particular doctrine, expounded on numerous occasions by the Magisterium, is based on the inseparable connection, established by God, which man on his own initiative may not break, between the unitive significance and the procreative significance which are both inherent to the marriage act.”

Called to give life, spouses share in the creative power and fatherhood of God.

“Married couples should regard it as their proper mission to transmit human life and to educate their children; they should realize that they are thereby cooperating with the love of God the Creator and are, in a certain sense, its interpreters. They will fulfill this duty with a sense of human and Christian responsibility.”

Click here to read a guest column in The Catholic Post written by Diocesan priest, Fr. Charles Klamut. 

If you are interested in taking a one-time introductory class to learn more about Natural Family Planning, or if you are looking for a class as you prepare for marriage in our diocese, please CLICK HERE. 

For general information, fill out a form below, email fertility@stphils.com or call 309-323-0085 and one of the practitioners will follow up with you.

Creighton Model of Family Planning: St. Joseph FertilityCare

This method of charting equips women to be advocates of their health and to see the beauty of God’s design of the body. Married couples can use this knowledge to assist in the conception or to temporarily or permanently avoid pregnancy. In addition, the charting system allows for the collaboration with OB/GYN doctors and nurse practitioners for the management of fertility disorders and diseases such as hormone dysfunction, ovarian cyst, polycystic ovarian syndrome, abnormal bleeding, miscarriage, infertility, and pain. Through one-on-one appointments set up through trained practitioners at St. Joseph FertilityCare, you will be trained in the Creighton Model of Family Planning.

The Marquette Method 

The Marquette Method utilizes the Clearblue(R) fertility monitor to identify urinary levels of Estrogen and LH. It includes protocols for breastfeeding and irregular cycles. This method can be sued with other indicators of fertility. The Marquette Method is beneficial for engaged couples, married couples and single women. 

Practitioner: Jenny Witt

Jenny is a nurse who is also trained as a FertilityCare Practitioner through the Creighton Model System. She has been a St. Philomena Parishioner since 2007. Jenny has been utilizing the Creighton Model System since 2005. She has found through this personal experience that the system has improved her health, diagnostics, and has provided her effective treatment in her reproductive health. It has also equipped her to empower other women, young women, and couples to know the value of their fertility. 

Practitioner: Erin Myers

Erin is also trained as a FertilityCare Practitioner. She and her husband, Dan, are members of St. Philomena Parish and parents of six children. 

Christine Gorman, BSN

Christine graduated with a bachelors of science in nursing and has worked in women’s health throughout her nursing career. She and her husband have three children and have used Natural Family Planning (NFP) since getting married in 2017. They began using the Marquette Method in 2020 and Christine became certified to teach this method in 2023. Christine offers classes in person or on Zoom.