An important document: PIF's "Family and Human Procreation" (and NFP)

A very significant text has been published today:

The Pontifical Council for the Family, founded 25 years ago by John Paul II with the Motu Proprio "Familia a Deo Instituta," and presided by Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, today published a document entitled: "Family and Human Procreation."

The text, according to an explanatory note written by Fr. Abelardo Lobato O.P., consultor of the pontifical council, "is destined to be an object of study, both for its doctrine and in its pastoral application." The document opens with "an introduction to the theme of the relationship between ... the family and procreation." [More...]

Amy Welborn notes that this document is "undoubtedly issued in preparation for the World Meeting of Families to be held in Valencia, Spain in July at which Benedict will be in attendance on July 8-9." [source]

Dom of Bettnet is displeased with the MSM's coverage of this event: "Apparently, for the first time today, the Catholic Church has condemned abortion, contraception, homosexuality, and other misuses of sexuality and procreation, at least if the breathless reports by the mainstream media are to be believed... This is nothing new or groundbreaking, but on a slow news day, the media has to pump it up." [source]

Purposes for publication and mischaracterizations in the media aside - I am very eager to read this document. From the AP's coverage and the (far better) CNS coverage, it is apparent that the document includes a lengthy treatment of the problems caused and questions raised by homosexual unions in society.

Furthermore, the CNS coverage highlights what the document has to say about the misuses of NFP:

"Couples who use natural family planning to have only one or two children allow "brief parentheses" in a marriage "willingly made sterile," said a new document from the Pontifical Council for the Family."

...

The document called for greater church efforts to educate married couples in responsible parenthood, which is not simply refusing to use artificial means of birth control.

When for the good of the entire family it is best to avoid having another child, couples can abstain from sexual intercourse during fertile periods to avoid a pregnancy, it said.

However, using natural family planning to have only one or a maximum of two children "is nothing other than a kind of series of brief parentheses within an entire conjugal life willingly made sterile," it said."

I've witnessed fierce debates on this very question, so it will be interesting to see what this document adds to the discussion. Did anyone catch when it will be made available?