Gibraltar Cursillo Team Leaders write...
God is our friend, the companion of the dreary ways of life. On those dreary ways He takes away their greyness and horror and transforms them.
T
he reality is that we are as close to God as we choose to be, intimate friendship with God is a choice, not an accident. If you want a deeper, more intimate connection with God you must learn to honestly share your feelings with Him, trust Him when He asks you to do something, learn to care about what He cares about, and desire His friendship more than anything else. We must choose to be honest with God. The first building block of a deeper friendship with God is complete honesty about our faults and our feelings. God does not expect us to be perfect, but He does expect us to be completely honest with Him. It is interesting to know that in the Bible, the friends of God
were honest about their feelings, often complaining, secondguessing, accusing, and arguing with their creator. God, however didn’t seem to be bothered by this frankness, in fact he encouraged it. God allowed Abraham to question and challenge Him over the destruction of Sodom and pestered Him about what would it take to spare the city. God also listened patiently to David’s many accusations of unfairness, betrayal, and abandonment. Can God handle that kind of intense honesty from us, genuine friendship is built on being totally open with each other. God listens to the passionate words of his friends. Until we mature enough to understand that God uses everything for good in our lives, we may have some resentment toward God over our appearance, unanswered prayers, past problems, and
Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor: Fr. S. Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.gi. Production Editor: A. Sargent: angela@europeaxess.com. Upon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is run in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar by EuropeAxess Media Ltd. as a not-for-profit project. For Advertisers: This magazine is handdelivered to homes, churches, hospitals and many businesses around Gibraltar every month. To discuss your advertising requirements, or promote your church group or charity, call Tel: +350 200 79335 email: angela@europeaxess.com. Editorial is selected by EuropeAxess Media in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Neither of these parties is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained herein, nor do the views and opinions expressed herein necessarily reflect the views and opinions of either party. Advertisers are not endorsed by virtue of advertising in this magazine. EuropeAxess Media Ltd. reserves the right to refuse space to any submissions or advertisements. Efforts have been made to establish copyright owners of images, but if we have used your material, and have not credited you, please contact us to discuss restoration. The magazine is online at uponthisrock.gi. Cover Photo: Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned ©Angela Sargent. Insert: ACN Presentation ©G.L.Torres
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God’s
Friendship
other things we would change if we could. Bitterness is the greatest barrier to friendship with God, the way to avoid this of course is to realise that God always acts in our best interest, even when it is painful and we don’t understand it. Releasing our resentment and revealing our feelings is the first step to healing, tell God exactly how you feel. We must choose to obey God in faith, every time we trust God’s wisdom and do whatever He says, even when we don’t understand it, we deepen our friendship with God. We don’t normally think of obedience as a characteristic of friendship, however, Jesus made it clear that obedience is a condition of intimacy with God. We obey God, not out of duty or fear, but because we love Him and trust that He knows what is best for us. We want to follow Christ out of gratitude for all He has done for us, and the closer we follow Him, the deeper our friendship becomes. We must choose to value what God values, this is what good friends do, they care about what is important to the other
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person. The more we become God’s friend, the more we will care about the things He cares about, grieve over the things He grieves over, and rejoice over the things that brings pleasure to Him.
So what does God care about most?
God cares about a lot of things, but first of all he cares about the redemption of His people. He wants all His lost children found! The second dearest thing is when His children share the news with others. To be a friend of God, we must care about all the people around us whom God cares about. Friends of God tell their friends about God. We must desire friendship with God more than anything else, God isn’t offended when we “wrestle” with Him, because wrestling requires personal contact and brings us close to Him. It is also a passionate activity, and God loves it when we are passionate with Him. There is nothing more important that developing a friendship with God, it’s a relationship that
will last forever. When you experience a rejection by someone close to you based on your relationship with God, they are not rejecting you, they are rejecting God in you. Learning to put God first in your life, will give you the strength to do the things that God has called you to do. When you do this you will find yourself longing to know more and be with God more everyday. He is truly your best friend and there is nobody out there that will ever take His place again. Have you heard the term “soulmate”, if God is not your soulmate you will never know what
a true soul-mate is. If you would like to make God your friend, the Cursillo Movement offers you a great opportunity to get close to Him through one of our weekend retreats at the Retreat Centre. The next weekend events will be held at the Retreat Centre from the 12th to the 15th October for women and from the 9th to the 12th November for men. Please contact us on 58008885 or send us an email on cursillogibraltar@ gmail.com and we shall send you an enrolment form, we look forward to seeing you there. God Bless Cursillo Team Leaders
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AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED APPEAL
Photos, Bishop’s Presentation©G.L.Tores & Sr. Demarjin©ACN
Thank You Bishop Carmel Zammit was overwhelmed by the response to his Lenten appeal to the people of Gibraltar asking for help for the persecuted Christians in Syria.
A
t 11am on the 23rd of June Bishop Carmel Zammit held a press conference at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned during which he presented a huge cheque to the chairman of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Mr Neville Kyrke Smith. Bishop Carmel admitted that he had not expected such a generous response to his appeal and was truly delighted to be able to hand over such a large donation. Mr Kyrke-Smith expressed his deep gratitude on behalf of the ACN and in particular Sister Demarjin, whose work the funds will go towards supporting, “The people of Aleppo, in Northern Syria have lived through years of war, a conflict so painful that it can only be described as an Armageddon. So THANK YOU, to Bishop Carmel Zammit, to the many people of Gibraltar who reached out in Faith and Hope to the persecuted and suffering people of Aleppo,
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where Aid to the Church in Need is providing emergency food, heating, fuel, electricity, medicine, and pastoral help to support thousands of Christian families. Sr. Annie Demarjin would also like to say thank you for providing a lifeline to our brothers and sisters in Christ.”
FACEBOOK VIDEO GETS OVER 3,000 DOWNLOADS
After the presentation a video was released via the Upon This Rock facebook account where Mr Kyrk-Smith further explained the situation in Aleppo and Sr. Demarjin gave a special message of gratitude too, with details of how the Christian families will benefit. Once again the response was tremendous with over 3,000 people in Gibraltar watching the ‘Thank You’ video.
FOOD FOR FAMILIES
Almost two thirds of families in Aleppo are surviving on less than £1.60 a day – and the other third are living in extreme poverty. Working with local Church leaders who have identified urgent needs for Christian families, the Sisters of Jesus and Mary, led by Sr. Annie Demerjian, are able to provide food aid for 2,200 displaced families in Hassake and Aleppo.
TRIDUUM
Friday 15th - Sunday 17th
SEPTEMBER
Friday & Saturday 7.30pm Sunday with procession & BLESSING OF THE SEA 8.30pm Sunday MASS 9.30am Upon This Rock thanks its readers for engaging with the special
Forthcoming Events
National Week Plans | Thanksgiving Mass | Blessing the Sea
NATIONAL DAY EVE MASS
NATIONAL WEEK BOAT
SEPTEMBER 6.00PM
SEPTEMBER 7.30PM
PROCESSION THURSDAY 7TH
SATURDAY 9TH Photos from previous years.
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BY SEA FROM Coaling Island to the statue of Our Lady of Europe on the South Mole, Gibraltar Harbour. The event is organised by The Self Determination for Gibraltar Group (SDGG) in liaison with Mgr. Azzopardi and will be part of the community celebrations in the days preceding National Day.
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Global Annual Rosary Relay 2017
Praying
for our
Priests O n Friday the 23rd of June, Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we celebrated the Annual Global Rosary Relay for priests at the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe.
The annual Global Rosary Relay for the sanctification of priests circled the world in prayer once again, in what is now recognised as a truly significant and powerful devotional initiative within the Catholic Church to recognise and bless the work of priests serving the faithful the world over. The allocated time for Gibraltar was 1.30pm which is a difficult time for many, especially those who are working, but I felt strongly that I needed to attend. Having been asked why this is so, and having reflected on it, I feel that the answer is simple: out of love and gratitude for what they mean in my life. It is no coincidence that the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the day chosen for this
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event, the Priesthood and the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, are inextricably linked. The Sacraments are the source of our spiritual life, where God comes to us and gives us the means to receive fully the fruits of His redemption and eternal life. The Eucharist, in particular, is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life’ as it is Christ himself body, blood, soul and divinity who is present. The Eucharist for me is the centre and driving force of my life and I could not imagine my life without it. Jesus in the Eucharist is the one who gives me peace, comfort, love, strength and meaning, and the one who sanctifies me and moulds me to his image. Without the priests, this wonderful mystery and gift would not be available. Priests ‘Our Lady’s beloved sons’, like her, have generously given their ‘Yes’ to God’s Call and Will in their lives. They have given up their lives for God and in service to us and accept what must often
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A testimony
This year’s Annual Rosary Relay was held at over 100 locations be a solitary and lonely life. They are often criticised and misunderstood.
“These are difficult times when a fierce spiritual battle is taking place, our Christian values and way of life are being greatly challenged.”
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I once read that ‘the enemy attacks the stronghold and not the desert waste’. This brings the priests to mind: Priests are humans like us, and like the rest of us, will fall and sin; but because of their role, will receive more frequent and stronger temptations than us. It is for this reason that I think we are obliged to pray for their protection and sanctification, and remember that even if
they fail in lots of other areas, the authenticity and value of the sacraments they dispense, remain the same. This year in particular, some of our local clergy have been asked to make big changes and may be required to make sacrifices in their lives in order to best meet the needs of our Diocese. Let us express our gratitude by commending them and all the other priests world-wide, to the
intercession of Our Lady who accompanied the apostles in prayer, waiting for the descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. Let us keep them constantly in our prayers and give them our love and support, show our solidarity with them. What better way to do this than to attend next year’s Rosary Relay? Author wishes to remain anonymous
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Searching for Peace Anne Mesilio writes...
“The saffron sun commands the day, casting aside dull clouds of grey” (Anon).
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T
Image credits Saffron Sun: Vincent Reed. Presentation at the Vatican: Reuters/Pool. Grasshopper Green: The Macmillan Company.
he prophet Job speaks of God’s omnipotence when he tells us, “It is He who makes the raindrops small and pulverises the rain into mist”(Job 36; 27). Ah, there you have it, sunshine one day, mist the next... Summer in Gibraltar!
Fr. Mark Miles assists at the exchange of gifts between the First Lady & President Trump and Pope Francis. busy warning of increased ‘Grasshopper Green’ days. threat of wildfires across Spain Anyone remember learning this and Portugal and sadly these delightful poem as a child? A predictions have come horribly comical chap we are told as true with lamentable loss of life. “out in the meadow he loves It is a bit scary of course, like to go, playing away in the sun, “Grandmother Spider, as still as It’s hopperty skipperty high a mouse, watches him over the and low, Summer’s the time for way”, the unpredictably of these fun”! Oh yes, days of winged occurrences, never knowing clouds, salad days, ice cream when they are going to pounce. days, street theatre, beach time, In media parlance Summer schools out, long lingering is often referred to as the ‘silly evenings to sit and relax, chat, season’, when real news is maybe hot moist nights when supposed to be scarce as holiday sleep becomes elusive, all adds mode takes over. up to Summer. It conjures a Ah, but remember back to picture of peace and tranquillity, May this year and the meeting and for those of us privileged between the Pope and President to live this short season of Trump? According to the green grasses, myriad flowers Independent Newspaper “Trump in bloom, picnics, parks and duly handed over a bunch of such, we must give thanks, “he books by Martin Luther King is calling the children I know, which he hoped Pope Francis out in the beautiful sun” because would enjoy ... and the Pope Summers the time for fun”. gave Trump some of his own There is a downside of course, writings on the environment.” weather forecasters have been
Upon This Rock thanks its readers for engaging with the special
in the ‘Silly Season’
One Minute of Peace: schoenstatt.org. St. M. Teresa: Prasad Photography. Einstein: Time Life Magazine. Émile Durkheim: Roger Artes
The greatest of minds have wrestled with the best way to bring peace to this world; clockwise on this page Nobel Prize Winners Saint Mother Teresa and Albert Einstein with the father of Sociology, Émile Durkheim. There has been a shift in at times come together and process, gradually changing media coverage which has even simultaneously communicate opinions, slowly eroding old seen the Holy Father as being the same thought and participate barriers, quietly building new hailed the new leader of the in the same action” structures.” (John F. Kennedy) secular world! Another quote, I have used “Peace cannot be kept by force; Take for example his meeting a few in this piece trying to it can only be achieved by with the late Israeli President clarify my thoughts. “Peace is understanding”(Einstein).. Peres, and Palestinian President a daily, a weekly, a monthly Sounds good to me. You? Abbas in the Vatican gardens on Thursday 8th June 2014 for his “One Minute for Peace” initiative, “in our days, there is a great need to pray, Christians, Jews and Muslims, for peace”. Recently in this troubled world of ours, there have been occasions to hold a minutes silence as a mark of respect for lives lost, maimed, wrecked forever after a horrendous act of terrorism. It has set me to wondering if these ever more recurring moments could become a monthly event. For instance, choose a day when all stop and stand in silence for one minute. One Minute for Peace. Surely this is ‘collective energy’. I had to look the term up, “Collective effervescence (CE) is a sociological concept introduced by Émile Durkheim. According to Durkheim, a community or society may
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Short term volunteering in Africa
Why Marie went
to Uganda
Marie Rice responded to a half-page ad in a diocesan newspaper.
I
t was as recently as December that Marie Rice was leafing through a diocesan publication and chanced upon an advert promoting volunteering opportunities with VMM International in Africa.
Fast-forward a couple of months and the retired teacher cum events specialist was already planning a month-long trip to Uganda with the help of the UK-based international development organisation. The advert that had caught Marie’s eye was publicising the short-term volunteer programme that VMM (originally known
as the Volunteer Missionary Movement) runs from its offices in Liverpool and Dublin – and it will be within this framework that she travels to Mbarara in western Uganda to work with local schoolchildren and orphans. “I spotted a half-page advertisement in Northern Cross – the independent monthly newspaper for people of Christian faith in north-east England and, in particular, the Catholic diocese of Hexham and Newcastle,” explains Marie. “And now I will be spending all August near Mbarara at a Catholic spiritual renewal centre called Yesu Ahuriire.” If the Catholic connection reflects VMM’s ethos as a lay Christian organisation – around 70% of its partners in Africa are faith-based or diocesan bodies – Marie’s own mission chimes both with her early career teaching in London and Canada, and with the evening classes she later gave back on her native Tyneside. Thus she will be assisting at Kichwamba primary school as well as helping out at the so-called ‘House of LoveAfrica’, which serves the poor and needy, including people
affected by HIV/AIDS and abandoned children. “Some members of Yesu Ahuriire, which teaches people how to live in the community as one family and one society, were inspired to create the House of Love-Africa in 2006. This supports abandoned HIV/AIDS orphans infected and affected by HIV/AIDS,” says Marie. “I am awaiting a full job description but I will be helping out in a school, in addition to fitting into the timetable of the House of Love with prayers, music and Eucharist celebrations.” The “64-years-young” Marie’s lifetime of experiences – including jobs in advertising, sales and, latterly, arranging continued professional development activities for the Institute of Chartered Accountants – makes her a strong and versatile candidate for any volunteering post. Yet she credits VMM with quickly and easily turning her initial interest into an exciting reality.
“The preparation has been straightforward,” she says. “I knew from the start that I wanted to go in August and so having a deadline helps with all the paperwork. The VMM staff are very approachable and totally encouraging – I had my initial interview within weeks of applying and this was followed two months later by two days’ training in Liverpool.” VMM tailors its three-tosix week placements to suit applicants of all ages and aptitudes, with opportunities ranging from teaching and community development to construction in countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Malawi and Ghana. Marie has been nothing but impressed, saying: “A big part of the appeal was that VMM works with partner organisations in Africa which enables the time spent there to be more fruitful with long-term results. Also, it is a faith and values-based operation with a strong history of sending lay volunteers.”
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Faith and Light
Now, this parishioner of Our Lady and Saint Columba in Wallsend, near Newcastle, hopes to “enter wholeheartedly into the spirit” of her Ugandan hosts’ life and work, adding: “It may just be four weeks but I know somehow that the experience will leave an indelible mark on me and that I will be both challenged and fulfilled. The House of Love also fits with the VMM tagline of ‘A world where we live in the shelter of one another’.”
House of Love - Africa, facility for HIV/AIDs orphans: Photo VMM
And she has the following advice for anybody else considering volunteering possibilities in Africa: “Listen to your heart and instincts and just go for it.”
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Marianne S. Dyogi, CFCP
Top 10 Reasons why I became a Creighton Model FertilityCare Practitioner Gary and Therese at their local retreat centre.
Marianne’s testimony about the many blessings she received from signing up for the FertilityCare Programme 1) MY HUSBAND MADE ME DO IT
When my CrMS Practitioner was temporarily out of commission due to health issues, the thought of going through the training myself became more and more appealing. With all the problems I was having with my chart, I needed help and I thought maybe I could meet someone through the Education Program (EP) who could figure out what was going on with me.
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But when I finally presented the idea to Gary, I figured I wouldn’t have the time or the money to go through with it. He responded with a very optimistic outlook (as he always does). “Babe, if you don’t do it now, you’ll never do it. You can help a lot of people.” And Gary backed me 150% of the way. From going with me to both EPs up in Three Rivers [their nearby town] to watching the kids while I met with clients and worked on my assignments, he was an incredible support. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him, especially because I was still teaching full-time at St. Jerome [the local school]. My husband continues to be my greatest supporter to this day, and I’m SO glad he talked me into signing up for the program.
2) OTHER PEOPLE NEEDED HELP
Apparently I wasn’t the only woman having problems with
my fertility cycle. I heard that there were others who couldn’t get pregnant, having recurrent miscarriages, or weren’t getting their periods regularly. Gary was right – I COULD help a lot of people this way. And by the grace of God, I have had the privilege of teaching women how to observe and chart so they could identify problems and truly monitor what was going on with their cycles. There have also been many opportunities to listen to their struggles, to the challenges they face in their marriages and families, to pray for them and offer support in their individual situations. I am
constantly left awestruck at the different ways I am able to give back to God the gifts He has so generously blessed me with.
3) MORE THAN A NETWORK, IT’S A FAMILY
The women I was trained with I know as my “sisterpractitioners”, and rightly so. Linda, Jennifer, Camille, and Marcy are an incredible group of women who played an integral role in my EP experiences, sharing their stories and encouraging me through their prayers. Our “mommaeducators”, Margaret Howard and Dr. Lynn Keenan, prepared us with the knowledge and counsel we would need to fight for authentic reproductive health… for the dignity of women…for love and life. Margaret is known as the “Itinerant Educator”, travelling all over the world to train Practitioners and Medical Consultants in the Creighton Model. Her story is amazing. My own practitioner and supervisor here in SoCal, Pat Poindexter, has also been a mother-figure to me, not only looking out for me during my internship but also for my family and personal well-being.
Marianne and her ‘sister Practitioners’ at a Refresher Course
FUNDING AVAILABLE
The Christian Mission Trust provides local Christians with donations for evangelistic initiatives and outreaches. The Trust is ecumenical and has provided money to many groups, individuals and churches during the last 12 years. It is run by a Board of Trustees.
We invite applications for funding from anyone who wishes to launch an evangelistic initiative or who needs support for an existing Christian missionary activity. Please write to: The Chairman, Christian Mission Trust, 4 South Pavilion Road, Gibraltar.
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Women’s Health
Gibraltar REPRESENTED AT
INTERNATIONAL
L
ast month Dr. Monique Risso headed West to attend the 36th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals.
The purpose of this education program is to enhance the knowledge of FertilityCare Practitioners, nurses, physicians, other healthcare professionals and clergy by addressing topics relevant to the CREIGHTON MODEL FertilityCare System, NaProTECHNOLOGY, natural methods Because of the common mission and purpose that binds us all together, every new intern is welcomed into the “family” with open arms and given support throughout their training program as well. If one of us needs something, there’s always another Practitioner willing to help because we know this work is too important to leave each other to go at it alone. Candice, Ann Marie, Peggy, Wendy, and Sarah – who all came into the program after I did – have become a wonderful presence in my life…even on Facebook!
4) ALIGNED WITH GOD’S PLAN FOR LIFE AND LOVE
There is wisdom in God’s laws, and He imparts this wisdom upon His Church through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the Magisterium – the teaching authority of the Catholic Church
of fertility regulation and allied fields. The program updates participants on current activities, research and trends and focuses on future goals of FertilityCare Professionals. Dr. Risso is Gibraltar’s NaPro Technology Physician as well as a Fertility Care Practitioner. If you would like further information about any of the issues covered on these pages please contact her at the Specialist Medical Clinic, Unit 7, First Floor, ICC Building, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 49999 www.ladyofeuropefertilitycare.com
led by the Pope – that prayerfully discerns various situations that may arise with societal changes and technological advances.
With such aggressive promotion of the Pill upon its distribution in the 1960s, a clear and immediate response came from the Church through Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae. This document thoroughly explained God’s plan for the vocation of marriage and the gift of the marital act that allows husband and wife to participate in the transmission of human life. It described in detail the prophetic consequences that would wreak havoc on a society that would adopt artificial contraception as the norm for family planning – painting a very vivid picture of the world we live in today. The entire
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document is worth reading, for a greater understanding of why NFP has been advocated and birth control rejected.
5) BLESSED BY THE CHURCH
Ever since I began teaching CrMS at St. Peter Chanel, the priests have been my biggest source of referrals. It is a requirement for the engaged couples who want to get married at the parish because they need to know that there are services readily available to them – a method of planning their families that is not only natural and safe, but morally acceptable and aligned with Church teaching as well. I have also had clients come to me as their penance after receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and these have been most inspiring because they are committed to changing their ways out of obedience to
MEETING OF
FERTILITY CARE PROFESSIONALS
IN TEXAS, USA
God and His good and holy will for their lives. Fr. Ed always greets me with enthusiasm and says, “I’ve got to be your #1 promoter! I’m sending as many couples as I can to you!” Fr. Larry reminds me how important and valued this work is, and I am so thankful for everything they are doing to provide a place for CrMS services at SPC.
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Marianne S. Dyogi, CFCP
SPONSORED BY
Jack & Katrina Crow and Mark Anthoney & Abby de Jesus
Top 10 Reasons continued
6) MEETING AMAZING COUPLES
I would like to introduce you to Jack & Katrina Crow and Mark Anthony & Abby de Jesus [above]. These are just two of the many incredible client couples I have worked with, as a Creighton Model Practitioner, who have not only strengthened my faith through the witness of their experiences, but have also become wonderful friends on this journey of life. Katrina has since joined the team and is currently one of our Practitioner Interns, and Jack also helps her do Introductory Sessions and informational talks about NFP awareness. Mark Anthony is the author of naprohusband.
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com, a heartwarming blog that shares the lessons learned as a Creighton Model husband who has lovingly supported Abby through her diagnosis and medical treatment. For her upcoming birthday, Abby has requested a donation to the Pope Paul VI Institute (CrMS/NaPro headquarters) in lieu of gifts – a humble gesture that totally made my heart smile. My clients always inspire me through their dedication to Christ and His Church, who I can and should be as wife and mother, leading me to a greater conviction and sense of purpose.
7) OUR CREIGHTON BABIES
When I was a brand new intern, Pat had shown me pictures in her binder of babies born to her clients who had difficulty conceiving. One by one, she told me their stories of hope and perseverance and spoke of the joy each mother felt when she finally gave birth to the child so desperately longed for. I wanted an album like that! Not that I could take full credit for the lives of these children, by any means – however, it would serve as a reminder of how good God is to those who are faithful.
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Women’s Health The experience of infertility is a painful one, as my clients have shared with me; and for a husband and wife to be blessed with a child after such waiting is a beautiful sight to see. So I present to you one of our Creighton babies, Ari Joseph Corral… His beautiful mother, AJ, was one of my classmates in my LMU CAST program back in 2006. At the time, she told me that she and her husband were trying to have a baby for 6 years and nothing
was happening. We reconnected in 2010 after I had begun my CrMS Practitioner Education Program, and I asked her if she might be interested in learning the Creighton Model. She said after 9 years she had accepted her infertility with peace but was open to meeting with me. I taught her, she charted and met with one of our Medical Consultants, used a fertile period while her husband was home for 2 weeks from Afghanistan, and in August 2011 little Ari was born!
8) WOMEN’S HEALTH AT ITS FINEST The following excerpt is straight from the NaProTechnology.com website (because I couldn’t have said it better myself): This is the first women’s health science to network family planning with reproductive health monitoring and maintenance. It is a fertility-care based medical approach rather than a fertility-control approach to family planning and gynecological health. NaProTECHNOLOGY uses the Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System biomarkers to monitor easily and objectively the occurrence of various hormonal events during the menstrual cycle. NaProtracking provides valid information that can be interpreted by a woman and by physicians who are specifically trained in this system. Unlike common suppressive or destructive approaches, NaProTECHNOLOGY works cooperatively with the procreative and gynecologic systems. When these systems function abnormally, NaProTECHNOLOGY identifies the problems and cooperates with the menstrual and fertility cycles that correct the condition, maintain the human ecology, and sustain the procreative potential.
Women now have an opportunity to know and understand the causes of the symptoms from which they suffer. THIS is preventative women’s health! If a woman wants to know whether she is healthy enough to conceive and maintain a pregnancy, she needs to chart. If she wants to understand why she has painful periods or cramping in the middle of her cycle, she can find answers with NaProTECHNOLOGY. If there are ANY menstrual irregularities, the birth control pill does NOT regulate anything. Women deserve answers and the kind of medical care that gets to the root of the problems, rather than the standard “band aid” protocol they often receive that does much more harm than good. Creighton Model and NaProTECHNOLOGY gives us the knowledge we need about our bodies and the leverage to advocate for quality reproductive health care.
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9) MY BACHELOR’S DEGREE IS BEING PUT TO GOOD USE (FINALLY!)
I graduated from Cal State University, Long Beach, USA in 2000 with a B.S. in Health Science: Community Health. After working for 3 years in the public health sector, I realized that I preferred to work directly with people as opposed to sitting behind a computer doing research. God answered my prayers and led me out of community health into elementary school teaching, and I have always enjoyed my career as a Catholic school teacher. A part of me felt guilty about not pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health, like I had wanted to years ago, but I found my niche and was having a blast despite the fact that I never before imagined I’d choose to surround myself with a classroom of junior high kids all day, every day. When the prospect of becoming a FertilityCare Practitioner arose, it dawned on me that I could as last use my health education background and training. I still work full-time with the school, and I meet clients in the evenings and on weekends – so it definitely is a lot at the moment. But I’m always amazed by how God gives me the energy for the client appointments after a full day of teaching. For that, I am so grateful!
10) WITNESSING GOD WORK IN PEOPLE’S LIVES
It is by no means a requirement to be Catholic to use the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. It can be taught in a completely secular setting without any mention of faith and Church teaching. This is important for people to know because ALL women – regardless of faith or religious affiliation – can benefit from learning how to identify biomarkers through charting their cycles. That being said, most of our couples do come to us already seeking to follow God’s will for their lives and their marriages. Some have passed the
childbearing years and simply want the information for their daughters and younger female relatives. It has been incredible to watch the different ways God speaks to those who come to us looking for alternatives to artificial birth control, sterilization, and IVF/IUI. Husbands and wives develop an increasingly stronger dynamic of communication, leading to prayerful discernment about many areas of their lives. Priorities shift and values become more important than temporary desires and ambitions. Catholics who want to educate themselves and others about natural family planning appreciate the tools they are given to explain how valuable Creighton Model is to a woman’s reproductive health. And engaged couples rise up to meet the challenges to remain chaste until marriage because they begin to understand the precious gift of the marital act reserved for their spouse alone. Believe me, this work is not easy. It moves FAR BEYOND simply teaching the method. Much prayer (and fasting) goes into each one of my client cases. Many a follow-up session has involved counselling through the woman’s personal issues when we discuss how stress is affecting her cycles. But the Holy Spirit equips the called, and He has never failed me. I don’t ever feel that I have all the answers, so I have surrendered each woman… each couple… to the Lord. At the end of the evening I can only lift them up to Jesus in the Eucharist and present their needs to Him. And He is the One who works the miracles… +AMDG+ Published by kind permission of Marianne S. Dyogi, CFCP who hopes it may bear fruit in our Diocese as it is ‘so important for all Catholics to know about.’ For more information about CrMS and NaProTechnology, please visit: www.creightonmodel.com www.naprotechnology.com Or Dr. Monique Risso, Specialist Medical Clinic, Unit 7, First Floor, ICC Building, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 49999 www. ladyofeuropefertilitycare.com
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