It is always a pleasure when we get to profile one of the many generous and talented women and men who serve as NFP instructors, providers, and physicians in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. As the Office of Natural Family Planning, we cannot say enough positive things about these providers! These men and women are not only highly trained in their field but also have a passion for the work that they undertake. They do this work because they know they are called by God and have been put on earth with a mission of good news!
We love shining a spotlight on these women and men because they are the ones who are in the trenches every day serving you. Today we are highlighting Elizabeth Hoffman, RN, BSN – Certified Billings Ovulation Method Instructor, a wonderful woman who is embracing the single life as she generously shares her talents with the world as a nurse.
Elizabeth can be reached via e-mail with questions or to learn more about the Billings Ovulation Method.
Let’s get to know Elizabeth!
Please tell us a little about yourself? Are you married? Do you have children? Pets? What are your favorite hobbies?
I’m living the generous single life. I enjoy swing dancing, reading books over a hot cup of tea, and the endless adventures of gluten-free baking.
Are you originally from St. Louis? If you are not from St. Louis, where did you grow up? What parish do you belong to?
I’m from St. Louis and a parishioner at St. Mary Magdalen in Brentwood.
What is your professional background? Where did you go to school?
I’m a Registered Nurse with 10 years of experience in a variety of specialty areas, including: general medicine, gynecology, liver transplant, liver research, and diabetes research. I’m a graduate of St. Dominic High School in O’Fallon, MO (2009) and Truman State University (2013).
How did you first learn about Natural Family Planning (NFP)?
I first learned about NFP when I was a junior in high school in morality class. We were assigned partners to do real-world research on a specific moral topic, and the topic my classmate and I chose was family planning. We received a minimal, cursory overview of NFP from a local instructor as part of our research project. We also did a deep dive investigation into the perils of contraception. While we didn’t get the full picture of NFP during that project, it did ignite my desire to continue pursuing the truth and better healthcare for women.
How many years have you been involved in NFP and which method do you teach? How did you become involved with that method? At what location do you teach clients?
I’ve been teaching the Billings Ovulation Method with Aware (our local group) for 9 years. I discovered this method in 2013 when I saw a bulletin advertisement offering training for those interested in teaching. I didn’t know anything about the method at the time, but was prompted by the Holy Spirit to contact them with my interest. The rest is history.
Introductory courses for the Billings Ovulation Method are taught in person at St. Mary Magdalen in Brentwood on the second Thursday of each month. We welcome couples and individuals for these training sessions (registration prior to the class is required).
I also teach with a national organization called Catholic Women and Couples NFP (CWCNFP), which is sponsored by the USCCB. This is a virtual program that allows single adult Catholic women and couples (dating, engaged, or married) to learn the Billings Ovulation Method for free. The program works with insurance for basic coverage of the introductory class and individual follow-up sessions. If insurance is denied or a co-pay is required, funding from the USCCB covers these remaining costs. Because the program is virtual, I teach people from all over the US.
What made you want to pursue a career as an instructor in NFP?
I honestly decided to pursue teaching NFP because I was so frustrated that no one would actually teach it to me in high school or college. I graduated from nursing school and realized that I still had no concrete understanding of my fertility (NFP is considered a laughing joke in nearly all professional healthcare training programs, sadly). When I discovered the advertisement in a bulletin seeking new instructors for the Billing Ovulation Method, I seized the opportunity to finally get the answers I was seeking.
I was initially nervous about teaching NFP as an unmarried woman, but I soon discovered the practicality and diverse applications of NFP make it valuable for all women to learn – even if they aren’t sure of their vocational path.
What aspect of NFP most speaks to your heart?
I absolutely love the way NFP restores awareness of the dignity of womanhood and sacramental marriage.
The women I teach are so grateful to finally understand their bodies and the natural variability in their cycles. It empowers them to actively understand and recognize their fertility instead of smothering it with chemical contraceptives. NFP gives them a window into their personal health each cycle.
The couples preparing for marriage also gain tremendous perspective on the supreme gift of co-creation God has entrusted to them. They are challenged to love more selflessly and sacrificially, and in the process discover a vibrant marriage and family life. NFP truly re-orients our hearts to God’s loving will and our holiness therein.
What are your hopes for your clients? Your career?
I am hopeful that we can expand NFP to be taught to young people much sooner. Most people learn NFP for the first time during their marriage preparation process a few months (or even a few weeks!) prior to their wedding date. Often, this isn’t enough time for the couple to build confidence in charting and applying the rules, or even to digest the theological truths of why we practice NFP within sacramental marriage. Our teaching group is piloting sessions at St. Mary Magdalen in Brentwood to encourage young adults to discover and consider NFP as they continue their faith journeys.
Is there anything else we may have missed that you would like to add?
I am profoundly grateful for the Magisterium for their steadfast profession of the truth, and for the Church’s unwavering support of all NFP methods. While we live in dark and challenging times, the Church remains a shining ray of hope as she offers us the path to redemption and holiness. The abundance of NFP programs in the Archdiocese are made possible by the generous resources provided by the Church, most especially the Annual Catholic Appeal.
We, at the Office of Natural Family Planning, would like to express our thanks to Elizabeth for time to share her story with us. It was delightful to learn more about you!
Please stay tuned to the blog and our other social media to hear more about some of our other great NFP instructors, providers, and physicians in the weeks and months to come!