The Serena organization is composed of couples who use the sympto-thermal method of Natural Family Planning. Very basically, this method combines observation of mucus and other symptoms with daily recording of temperature in order to establish the fertile and infertile times in any given cycle.
A very common question is – who or what is SERENA? Perhaps the best explanation of what SERENA stands for is stated in the objectives of the Serena Canada Corporation. Some of these objectives are:
a) To provide information concerning human reproduction to enable couples to know and to assume responsibility for their own fertility.
b) To provide information conducive to the development of conjugal love and harmony of the family unit.
c) To contribute to research and education of the public in matters of family life.
d) To foster respect for the value of human life at all stages of development.
SERENA is, therefore, committed to teaching Natural Family Planning through the Sympto-Thermal method, at the same time upholding pro-life values. We are glad to have this opportunity of explaining our objectives and goals in “The Interim”, since we, too, are enthusiastically pro-life and pro-family.
We want to explain a little of the history of the SERENA movement and its philosophy. In future articles, we will discuss some details of the method itself and the values which we at SERENA hold and try to promote.
The symptom-thermal method was first developed in Quebec in 1955. In 1962, the name SERENA was chosen, derived from Service de Regulation des Naissances. By 1964, there were some thirty teams of teacher – couples in Quebec; Ontario and New Brunswick had their first teams by 1966. A National Secretariat was established in 1971 and by 1973 eight provinces were represented. B.C and Nova Scotia were incorporated in 1975, followed by Manitoba in 1977. SERENA celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 1980 and has gone from strength to strength, being involved with the World Health Organization, and in 1982 being called as a consultant by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities.
Teacher-couples belong to local area teams which meet regularly. This means that we grow from each other’s experiences, insights, knowledge and support. All team couples undergo a period of training spread over 6 months and must pass a final examination before becoming accredited as a teacher-couple. The couple must, of course, be using the method themselves.
We ourselves have found that one of the most positive aspects of being part of SERENA is that we are involved as a couple. Right from the start SERENA insists that both husband and wife should be fully informed of the details and application of the method and of the way living the method will affect their married life. SERENA hopes both husband and wife will realize that they are responsible for their fertility and that the facts of a natural family planning method are not the concern of the woman alone. After all, it takes two to tango!
SERENA sees fertility as one of God’s most precious gifts to us. The more a husband and wife are aware of the nature of each other’s fertility and sexuality, the more sensitive to each other they can be.
SERENA believes that fertility is a positive asset and that by using Natural Family Planning a couple is able to prevent conception through the use of periodic abstinence, or is able to try to achieve conception when desired. We know through our own experience that couples can learn to cope with their fertility potential without resorting to technological means. By opting for a natural method of family planning many couples come to a fuller realization of their own sexuality. They see the link between sexuality and procreation more clearly. Their life as a married couple and as a family unit gains from their increased awareness of the value of personal respect, love, sexual communication, fertility, and child development.
Since the SERENA philosophy sees fertility as a positive asset, and not as a disease to be controlled, couples embracing this philosophy find it easier to accept periods of abstinence in a positive way.
Many people we counsel, including (not surprisingly) the young couples we speak to at Marriage Preparation Courses, etc. sometimes look horrified when the word “abstinence” is mentioned – a fate worse than death! It takes time for couples, especially newlyweds, to realize that some periods of abstinence are inevitable in any marriage – there may be periods of separation, childbirth, ill health of one of the partners, etc.
What they do not yet realize is that periods of abstinence can be used to learn and develop other ways of expressing love and affection for each other. An important part of SERENA’s philosophy is that these other ways should be non-genital. We feel we should stress this, since we are aware that there have been some misunderstandings about SERENA’s treaching on this matter. Our official teaching does not deviate from this point.
Periods of abstinence can be opportunities for us to meet some of our spouse’s other needs, e.g. in developing our personal relationship, our intimacy, our acceptance and affirmation of each other. We tend to forget that there are many levels of relationship between spouses other than sexual.
One of the most important points of SERENA’s teaching is that we are, at all times, open to life. This is not to say that we lack confidence in our method but that we realize we are putting out trust in our own human resources. We also know that no method, artificial or natural, is perfect.
It is immensely encouraging for us in SERENA to have the support of the Church and to know that what we promote and practice is in line with the teachings of the Church. We often recommend to couples learning our method that they re-read “Humanae Vitae” and other documents on sexuality and marriage, to experience the wisdom and prophetic insights contained there.
SERENA’s approach to teaching is based on the idea of a couple as mutual gift and fertility as a shared responsibility. This is why we stress the couple-to-couple approach. Couples who wish to learn about the symptom-thermal method visit us in our home, in a non-clinical, non-threatening atmosphere. In this way even the time element does not present a problem. The couple can take all the time they want to ask questions and can return for a follow-up visit if required.
Since many of the enquiring couples have been using some other means of family planning, it is important that SERENA teaching-couples know as much as possible about all other methods of contraception. This does not mean that we promote their use; it does mean that our discussion with a new couple will be more open, understanding and knowledgeable.
The enquiring couple, through being exposed to a fairly extensive presentation on Natural Family Planning and fertility awareness, often acquires a much better understanding of their own fertility and moves closer to having a more fully informed conscience.
We look forward in future articles to explaining more about the details of the symptom-thermal method and its effectiveness.
