Like many Catholic couples, Jill and Jim Cherrey learned Natural Family Planning (NFP) as a faith-filled way to plan their families while enriching their relationship. They enjoy sharing their positive experience with other couples through engaged and marriage ministries.
Over time, Jill and Jim saw many couples who were originally excited to practice NFP get disillusioned when challenges arose.
Jill, now coordinator of the Marriage Ministry for the Paterson Diocese and an NFP method instructor, said those challenges are often rooted in confusion using NFP in real life after taking a class, finding time to do the needed steps to practice the method, and learning to grow when differences in a couple’s relationship surface in the process.
The Cherreys share what they’ve learned as part of “Natural Family Planning 2.0,” an audio podcast the Office of Family Life of the Paterson Diocese recently launched. The four-episode series helps practicing couples build on their love for each other and their experiences in marriage.
“NFP 2.0” also offers accurate and practical information and insights to help them overcome common challenges in practicing NFP while living out the sacrament of marriage. The Cherreys co-host the podcast with Eni Honsberger, diocesan Family Life director, who also practices NFP. Together, they engage in upbeat, encouraging, and often humous conversations.
Jim Cherry told The Beacon that NFP “means living out the marriage vows honestly in a marriage centered on our faith and trust in God.”
“It elevated the mutual respect we have for each other,” Jim Cherrey said. “NFP strengthened our attachment in all ways — emotionally, psychologically, socially, physically, and spiritually. It started with the desire to be obedient to God, but it ended up being about Him teaching us how to love.”
The goal of the podcast is to offer tools for couples to experience NFP in this positive way.
The four episodes cover an array of topics for NFP — an umbrella term for certain Church-approved methods to achieve or avoid pregnancies. Among the subjects are: how to practice NFP effectively, which includes charting the wife’s menstrual cycle, and creating unity and joy in the marriage, even when the husband and wife have differing levels of desire.
“We go deep into the relationship aspects of NFP and how it can help spouses achieve greater intimacy,” said Honsberger.
She is married to Brian Honsberger, executive director of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison and Director of Mission and Technology Integration for the Paterson Diocese. They have three young boys. The Cherreys have been married for 36 years and have three adult children.
The Church supports NFP because it respects God’s design for married love. It represents the only authentic approach to family planning available. Artificial contraceptives contradict God’s plan, according to Church teaching.
“Sexual love is our gift of self to our spouse. Therefore NFP can be an important part of our vocation — learning to love each other and helping to get each other to heaven by living a virtuous life,” Jill Cherrey said.
“NFP 2.0” is neither intended to be a couple’s first step in the NFP process nor to replace medical advice. It’s available on Spotify, Apple, and St. Paul Inside the Walls’ website at https://insidethewalls.org/nfp-podcast. It’s recommended that only adults listen, because of the frank nature of the discussions.
Couples will be able to follow up with upcoming monthly Zoom sessions and materials on the St. Paul’s Women’s Health and Fertility website at https://insidethewalls.org/nfp. There, they can request a live session with Eni Honsberger or Jill Cherrey for $10.
