Fortaleza, in north-eastern Brazil, is the first city in the country to pass a municipal law that will celebrate the Billings Method Day, all of April 1, putting itself at the forefront of efforts to promote natural methods for responsible parenthood.

The idea arose in 2018 from a dialogue between Ms. Lucia Studart, responsible for CENPLAFAM Northeast, and Councillor Jorge Pinheiro, during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of papal Encyclical Humanae Vitae, considering the “Appeal to the Public Authorities”, made by His Holiness Pope Paul VI:

“And now We wish to speak to rulers of nations. To you most of all is committed the responsibility of safeguarding the common good. You can contribute so much to the preservation of morals. We beg of you, never allow the morals of your peoples to be undermined. The family is the primary unit in the state; do not tolerate any legislation which would introduce into the family those practices which are opposed to the natural law of God.”

By approving the bill, the legislature also enables the development of public policies that aim to promote natural family planning methods as it authorizes municipal government to allocate funds for educational actions, enabling BOM to be known and spread among the citizens of Fortaleza, thus generating benefits for countless couples.

The date was chosen in honour of Dr. John Billings, founder and propagator of the method, who died on 1 April 2007. Therefore a tribute is paid to the scientific genius who bequeathed to humanity an important contribution in the field of reproductive health, safeguarding full and authentic human freedom and advocating for the gift of fertility, the trust in conjugal love and.the dignity of the bodies of men and women.