Natural Family Planning classes offered in Spanish

By Christine Bordelon, Clarion Herald

Karen Canales knows first-hand how difficult it is for engaged Catholic couples who speak Spanish as their first language to find Natural Family Planning (NFP) classes in their native language.
 
She said her experience with NFP has had positive results – she has an 18-month-old boy Gabriel – but she had to drive to the northshore to take her first Creighton-method NFP course with the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
   
Canales then learned the “Family of the Americas” ovulation method was being taught in Spanish at Hope Fertility Care Center at Hope Woman’s Clinic in Covington, but the morning class schedule was not always convenient for working couples.
 
She found the Family of the Americas course easier to follow and even bought the course material in English so that she could share what she learned with Spanish-speaking, engaged Catholic couples. Canales mentors couples with her husband Jose through Divine Mercy Parish in Kenner.
 
From there, it was suggested more people could be reached at one time by conducting NFP classes in Spanish at the Hispanic Apostolate in Metairie, where ongoing marriage preparation is held for Spanish-speaking couples.
   
“I’m familiar with their services, and they didn’t have this, so I figured why not offer it (as a volunteer),” Canales said.
 
Canales began teaching NFP in Spanish using the Family of the Americas method on Jan. 15. She used an app called “Natural Method” by Family of the Americas (developed by Mercedes Wilson) that’s available in the App store on phones for $5. The apostolate is also ordering books to use in the course.
 
“The turnout was great,” she said about the first class, “and we were able to install an app on their phones to use. There were videos on the app.”
 
A second, follow-up class is scheduled Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Hispanic Apostolate.
   
Canales said the method is easy for people of any reading or writing level to understand. The course is being held at night, making it more convenient for working couples, Canales said.
 
NFP is a natural, scientific and moral method of family planning “based on the observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle.” It’s inexpensive, increases communication between married partners and is 97-99% effective in avoiding pregnancy and has no side effects.
   
For details, call the Hispanic Apostolate, 2525 Maine Ave., Metairie, at 467-2550.
           
Christine Bordelon can be reached at cbordelon@clarionherald.org.