The recent passing of Dr. John Billings April 1, 2007, at 89 years of age will elicit, throughout the world, two kinds of responses.

The first will concern his illustrious career as a medical doctor, researcher, founder and teacher of the Billings Ovulation Method.

His work in developing and promulgating the Billings Method of Natural Family Planning was recognized by Pope Paul VI in 1969 with a papal knighthood and earned an additional star from Pope John Paul II in 2003 for his 50 years of work in this field.

Dr. Billings became president in 1977 of the World Organization Ovulation Method Billings. He was the recipient in 1983 of the Royal Australian College of Physicians’ medal for distinguished and outstanding service. He was named to the Order of Australia, and was awarded the distinction of being the International Catholic Physician of the Year by the International Foundation of Catholic Medical Association (2002). He received multiple honorary doctorates from various universities. Together with his wife, Evelyn, called Lyn, they brought their teaching of the Billings Method to more than 100 countries throughout North America, South America, Asia, the Pacific Islands, Europe and Africa. The Billings Method is now incorporated into the Chinese government’s family planning program in most provinces of China. That country has also honored Billings by granting him the Distinctive Contribution Award of the Ministry of Health.

The second response will be of a more personal nature. The many Catholics who follow the Church’s teaching on artificial contraception are personally grateful to this pioneer of the new, scientifically accurate form of natural family planning.

Those who knew him personally saw a man — despite the impressive accolades that were heaped upon him — of disarming gentleness.

I first met him in Vancouver, and then in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia. This “giant” in the field, and his wife, were pleased to entertain me in a variety of most gracious ways, including escorting me through a wildlife sanctuary. “That sound,” he alerted me as we entered this peaceable kingdom for Australia’s extraordinary fauna, “That’s the song of the lyre bird.”

Lyn took pictures of me petting a kangaroo. She knew quite a bit about Australia’s signature marsupial because she had one as a pet. She explained to me that when a mother kangaroo, who is carrying her joey in her pouch, is being chased by a dingo, she will hurl her young offspring away from her pursuing predator to give it a chance for survival. The mother kangaroo knows that she cannot outrun the dingo and, as her death becomes imminent, thinks of her child’s safety.

This, Lyn elucidated, is how little kangaroos become available as pets.

 John shared memorable stories with me about his experiences with Mother Teresa. He also invited me to a banquet and gave me the opportunity to speak to some of his natural family planning teachers. He had both a keen interest in and natural affinity for philosophy.

I cherish the memory of meeting some of the Billings grandchildren (they had 67 by 1996). It was his nine children and legion of grandchildren that were, as he wanted people to know, his “greatest achievement.”

When my book, New Perspectives on Contraception, was newly completed, my publisher sent Billings the manuscript. Not only did he write an insightful introduction (with surgical precision, one might say) in which he captured the essence of my book, but also read the entire manuscript and noted several typos that were still in the text.

One quotation from St. Thomas Aquinas, in particular, caught his attention: “The greatest kindness one can render to any man is leading him to truth.”

Billings and his wife spent the better part of their lives practicing that delicate form of kindness that leads people to the truth of marriage, love, and human sexuality.

Donald DeMarco is adjunct professor

Holy Apostles College & Seminary

in Cromwell, Connecticut.