Dr. Richard Fehring, professor emeritus and former director of the Boland Institute for Natural Family Planning, has won a Vatican II Award from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee for his scholarly contributions to the field of fertility. His Pope Benedict XVI Award for Leadership in Scholarship and Academia recognizes him as a leader who has lived the Church’s mission through teaching, research, discovery and publication in a theological field.
“Dr. Fehring has devoted his life to research of and access to natural family planning, specifically in his development and pioneering of the Marquette Method of NFP,” said Doug Ulaszek, director of formation and family life for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
After serving in the Army Nurse Corps, Fehring served 46 years at Marquette as a professor. During that time, Fehring published more than 200 academic articles and book chapters. Marquette founded its Institute for Natural Family Planning in 1998 with Fehring as its first director.
Shortly afterward, Fehring developed the Marquette Method fertility charting system to help women identify biological signs of fertility and both achieve and avoid pregnancies. The Marquette Method is being taught in the United States, Canada, Australia, France, Mexico and Uganda. The Boland Institute’s teacher training program makes Marquette the only university in the United States to provide NFP training to practicing health professionals.
“I take satisfaction in developing a system of natural family planning that is very effective and easy to learn and use for family planning purposes, so that couples can live out their faith and married lives in peace,” said Dr. Fehring. “I also take great satisfaction in mentoring nursing students and other health professionals in research that impacts married life and our faith.”
In 2025, Marquette received a $7.5 million gift from the Richard L. Boland Love for Life Foundation to endow the Boland Institute.
