Hello, I am a 43 year old woman who is dating a very wonderful, considerably older man. We're both eligible to marry in the Church, and it's lovely to have found such a person later in life, particularly after each of us has had a rather rough time up to now.

His children are grown and my youngest is a teenager.

We're falling in love and starting to talk about the future. Trouble is, we're tired. Neither one of us is prepared to think about raising more children.

As a faithful Catholic, I know how terrible that sounds. My question is, does this present a barrier to marriage? Is sheer exhaustion and/or time of life a sufficiently grave reason to use NFP?

If God gives us children, we will accept them lovingly, no question, but is it wrong for us to use NFP in this situation?

We, both of us, are concerned.

Dear Anonymous

As a non-moral theologian, but as a fellow Catholic it is my considered opinion that you do have a just reason for using NFP, and you have an outstanding attitude about it.

Judie Brown

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