Last evening, Sunday 1st April 2007 Dr John Billings died.
Millions of couples around the world owe the knowledge they have have about their fertility and the ovulation method, commonly known as Natural Family Planning to Dr Billings and his wife Lyn.
The Billings' work has enabled countless childless couples to achieve pregnancy and also assist couples who needed to space children without resorting to potentially abortifacient contraception.
Dr. Billings developed the new method of fertility regulation in 1950 after it was found that the calendar rhythm method had a substantial unreliability in terms of being able to avoid pregnancy.
The method tracks fertility by paying attention to the sensation at the vulva and the appearance of any vaginal discharge. This information can be used to achieve or avoid a pregnancy and can be used even during irregular cycles, breastfeeding, or peri-menopause.
Dr Billings, a neurologist, had decided to undertake the research project into the method he developed for only a couple of months. His work in this area instead continued for fifty years. Dr. Billings was awarded and urged on in his work by both Pope Paul VI, and John Paul II.
He travelled the world teaching his methods and only about eight years ago did he and his wife Dr. Lyn Billings stop world tours. They continued however to travel to China and Pakistan until recently.
Rose Heron, the Canadian representative on the board of the World Organization Ovulation Method Billings (WOOMB), shared her thoughts on Dr. Billings with
LifeSiteNews.com. "He was a pillar of the international community in regards to women's health," she said. "A wonderful promoter of marriage and family and healthy sexuality," she added.
Speaking of Dr. Billings' work Heron said, "It's been life changing for me and many others, it helps us to live in harmony with the what God intended for us."
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Dr. John Billings and for those who remain, his wife Dr. Lyn and their family. His funeral will be this Wednesday, 4th April at 11:00AM at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne.
At the John Paul II Institute where I study, the Billings' are well renowned and respected. In my course on the the Theology and Practice of Natural Family Planning last year we were priviliged enough to have Dr Lyn Billings come in and give one of our lectures.
I only met Dr John Billings once and I didn't even know it was him at the time. This gracious old gentleman came into the bookshop one day early last year and asked me if I had any advice on a good book on marriage and family issues and I recommended and sold him 'Covenented Happiness' by Cormac Burke. He was so kind and sincere, his visit really stood out. Only later did I find out that it was Dr Billings, I was so embarrassed and could not believe the man's humility. Fancy asking me to recommend to him a book on marriage and family issues and here I was extolling the greatness of Catholic teaching to this man! I guess this was the kind of man that he was, simple and unassuming, going about his work for families and the Lord in honest simplicity. May he rest in peace.
Dr Billings, a neurologist, had decided to undertake the research project into the method he developed for only a couple of months. His work in this area instead continued for fifty years. Dr. Billings was awarded and urged on in his work by both Pope Paul VI, and John Paul II.
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