Infertility and Reproductive Technologies: A Guide for Catholics Pamphlet

Infertility and Reproductive Technologies: A Guide for Catholics Pamphlet
by Steve Bozza

The discovery of infertility by a married couple can be a very trying and difficult experience. Most couples enter marriage with the dream of raising a family, and this hope can quickly turn into heartbreak. Modern science offers an array of options—some are morally acceptable, but others fail to preserve the dignity of the couple and the child. So, what are Catholic couples to do? If you or someone you know is struggling with infertility, this pamphlet is an indispensable resource. You will learn about the most common options, whether they are in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church, and why it matters. But this is much more than a mere checklist of options. This pamphlet offers every infertile couple grace for their journey, a renewed sense of hope about their marriage, and fresh optimism concerning the future of their family.This item usually leaves the warehouse within 3 business days. Click here for more information about shipping.

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Our God Is In Control

Every now and then a song shows up in my life and sweeps me off of my feet. It is as if the singer is singing straight to my heart. Rare is it that an entire album has this effect. But Steven Curtis Chapman's new album "Beauty Will Rise" has earned this rare honor. I downloaded it yesterday and listened to it on my iPod for the entire 8 hours I was cleaning the office out.

Beauty Will Rise is a collection of 12 new and profound songs from Steven Curtis Chapman. Created in the past 18 months in the walk through the darkness of the loss of his daughter Maria, and while God continues to meet him there on the journey. Part lament, part praise, part grief, part hope, part wrestling, part pondering; these tracks resonate as Steven’s personal Psalms. It is a desperately hopeful, raw, personal, and honest recording. And this is precisely the reason that I love it. In my own journey along this way of the cross, I too lament, praise, grieve, hope, wrestle & ponder. Steven's words and music are the cry of my own heart and I would think that of anyone else who suffers going through infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, the loss of a child, or any other cross. He truly has a God-given gift.

While each song is fantastic, one has, in my mind, become the Theme Song of our journey. The music is authentic, the words ring so true. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Our God Is In Control
By: Steven Curtis Chapman
(click here to listen)

This is not how it should be
This is not how it could be
But this is how it is
And our God is in control

This is not how it will be
When we finally will see
We'll see with our own eyes
He was always in control

And we'll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
And we will finally really understand what it means
So we'll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
While we're waiting for that day

This is not where we planned to be
When we started this journey
But this is where we are
And our God is in control

Though this first taste is bitter
There will be sweetness forever
When we finally taste and see
That our God is in control

And we'll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
And we will finally really understand what it means
So we'll sing holy, holy, holy is our God
While we're waiting for that day
We're waiting for that day
We'll keep on waiting for that day
And we will rise...

Our God is in control (Holy, holy, holy...Holy, holy, holy)
Our God is in control (Holy, holy, holy)
Our God is in control (Holy, holy, holy)

Repent and Turn Towards God

Lent is about turning one's self towards Christ...detaching from the world and cleaving to Christ. Detachment...ah yes...detachment. Today single-handedly showed me how much stuff I still need to detach from. I spent the entire day cleaning out our office, going through box after box of "stuff". This all-important, could-not-be-thrown-out "stuff" that we have moved with us (in the same un-gone-through boxes) from Indianapolis, to Pennsylvania, to Indiana and then into our new house. It's just sick. We are captive to our stuff. I never really realized how much it weighs us down until this week. I am again leading Women of Grace at our parish and there is a beautiful lesson this week on Addictions to Stuff. One passage really convicted me... "Many good Christian women have attics, closets, basements, and garages full of "treasures" they most likely will never use. If they gave their excess to the poor before moths and rust destroyed it, they would be storing treasure in heaven. As it is, they are storing up condemnation." Ouch.

So needless to say, after having read this and having been convicted...it has been a busy week. I have determined to tackle the house room by room with the focus of fostering a spirit of generosity and eliminate the vice of hording. I have already tackeled our bedroom and closets and came up with at least four bags of clothes to give away. And today, I spent close to 8 hours sorting in just the office...and I'm not even done yet! Yikes.

What is the point of me sharing this with all of you? Well, it's more than just a confession of a woman dealing with pleonexia and loving the comforts of the world. Rather, it's really to share the joy with you that I have found this Lent. I had not realized how much I had detached from God and attached to the world. Regaining the 30 pounds I had lost last year should have been my first indication right? But seriously, it has been only through this Lent and my commitment to drinking only water and eating a PCOS appropriate diet that I realized the extent of my inordinate attachment to food...how much I was seeking comfort not in God, but in food. And as I have cleaned and sorted out the rooms in my house this week, it has made me realize that I have sought so many comforts of the world...and that it's now high time to clean and sort the "rooms" of my spiritual house. It's time to return to the basics. To simplicity. To a Christ-centered and balanced life. And as I do, a spirit of joy and freedom is growing within me. It's time to detach from "stuff" and choose Christ.

How did it get this far? I'm like that proverbial frog in boiling water. Had the water been boiling when I was placed in, I would have immediately jumped out. But instead, the water has gradually heated to the boiling point and I, not noticing, have remained, not seeing the reality of the situation. I think the pain of this way of the cross just hurt too much. If I'm being honest, I know that I've turned to food and the comforts of "stuff" to dull the pain...to fill the void in my life and create that (even momentary) sense of happiness that I (pridefully) determined that God was not going to grant me. Lent has given me the opportunity to repent and turn towards Him...and in doing so, I have realized that I have been so focused on the one thing lacking, the hole in my life, that I have missed seeing He who makes me whole. The same thing goes for how I've related to my husband. I've been so consumed with pursuing the hole in my life, that I've missed cherishing the one on earth who makes me whole. As my attachment to food and "stuff" is waning, the joy of God in my heart and the joy of being with husband and cherishing him is increasing exponentially. Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus, for giving us Lent. A time of turning to you. Please give me the clarity to see the places in my life where I have substituted things and "stuff" where there should be only you. Give me the strength and the grace to turn these vices into virtue. Forgive me for reasons that I turned from you and chose them in the first place. May your grace enlighten and sustain me as I seek your holy face. Create in me a new heart...and let it be yours. Amen.

Creighton & NaPro Open House - March 21, 2010

Here's what I've been up to lately! If you're in the area or know people who are (especially Doctors and Medical Professionals) please spread the word! Thanks.

Marriage & Family Conference - March 20, 2010 - Notre Dame Conference Center

At long last, I have information that I am able to share regarding the Diocesean Marriage & Family Conference!!! I am so excited.

This is the conference that the Holy Spirit put on my heart last June. In August, the major pieces started falling into place. Originally I had thought it would be something done at the parish level. But as I prayed before the Blessed Sacrament, I realized it was much bigger than what I thought--it was meant to have the full support of the Bishop. In September, I spoke with Bishop D'Arcy for the first time at the Bioethics Conference and things started rolling. Then in November, we learned that we would be getting a new Bishop, and in my Nov 14th post, I asked that you all "please pray for our new Bishop, whoever he may be. That the Holy Spirit would inspire the selection and that he too would have a heart for fertility/infertility and be willing to work with me/us to make the conference and future plans a reality." God is faithful. Our new Bishop, Bishop Kevin Rhoades, is the Chair-elect of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth and as it turns out, seems to be knowledgable and supportive of NaPro Technology. The Diocesean Office of Family Life has been wonderful to work with and although they originally said that we wouldn't be able to do the conference this year due to budget concerns and the change of Bishops, I received an email on December 5 saying:

"...since we last spoke, Fred and I have decided that, despite having a new bishop and no money in the budget, we are going to plow ahead and host a diocesan marriage and family conference this Spring! It will take place at the Center for Continuing Education at Notre Dame on Saturday, March 20, and we booked Janet Smith for one of the main talks as well as the talk at the dinner banquet. In your honor, we have given Janet's main talk the title of "Life-Giving Love" which will present the Church's vision in this whole area and why NFP and NaPro is consistent with this vision and why contraception and IVF contradict it. Of course, we hope to have Bishop Rhoades give the other main talk, since he is not only our new ordinary but the chairman-elect of the USCCB Committee on Marriage and Family!"

Included in the email was the full schedule and list of workshop sessions including one workshop in each session geared for couples experiencing infertility. Dave and I were asked to conduct a morning workshop on dealing with infertility as a Catholic couple, including letting people know about concrete resources such as NaProTecnology and Hannah's Tears. There would also be an afternoon workshop on infertility featuring a basic introduction to NaProTechnology.

So in the end, things have turned out exactly as the Holy Spirit instructed me that they would. And things have far surpassed my imagination. It's amazing to see His provision through all of this. I am so excited and am very much looking forward to sharing the power, beauty and truth of Catholic teaching with those in attendance.

Please pray for us as we prepare and lead up to March 20th, that we all presenters would be able to present the teachings in such a way that, as Pope Benedict recently urged the Bishops, "they are recognized for the message of hope that they are". It is a true honor to be able to participate in this and we are looking forward to presenting with many others, among them Bishop Rhoades and Dr. Janet Smith. :)

Below is the Conference Description. I do hope you can make it!

Diocesean Marriage & Family Conference
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Click here to register!

Conference Description
It's easy to lose sight of the "big picture" in the day-to-day business of raising a family and making a marriage work. This inaugural diocesan conference aims to deepen the understanding of marriage and family life as a vocation from God and encourage an appreciation of its many dimensions. Through a combination of plenary sessions and workshops, this conference will explore the Church's rich vision of marriage and family life as it relates to topics such as the theology of the body, communication and intimacy, financial stewardship, responsible parenthood, dealing with infertility, and raising teens. A series of workshops also will be presented in Spanish. This conference is for adults of all ages and circumstances; married couples, couples preparing for marriage, single parents, college students, clergy, pastoral ministers and anyone else interested in enriching their understanding of the vocation of marriage and family life.

Schedule
9:00 AM Registration and Continental Breakfast

10:00 AM Welcome Fred & Lisa Everett

Plenary Session One: The Vocation of Marriage Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades

10:50 AM Break

11:15 AM Workshop Session One
* Introduction to the Theology of the Body Lisa Marino
* Dealing with Infertility in Marriage Dave & Suzy Younger
* Marriage & Finances: Setting a Solid Foundation Harry Verhiley
* Parenting Teenagers in the Virtues Cindy Black
* La Vocación al Matrimonio

12:05 PM Lunch

12:55 PM Plenary Session Two: Life-Giving Love Prof. Janet E. Smith

2:00 PM Break

2:25 PM Workshop Session Two
* Building a Culture of Life through the Theology of the Body Tom & Mary Akre
* NaProTechnology: New Hope for Couples with Infertility Brad Ferrari, MD & Mary Ramsey, PA
* Communication & Intimacy in Marriage Lisa Everett
* Challenges in the First Years of Marriage John & Monica Sikorski
* La Teología del Cuerpo Margarita Rodriguez

3:15 PM Break

3:40 PM Workshop Session Three
* Theology of the Body: What the Pope Couldn't Say Fr. Bob Lengerich
* Spiritual Parenthood Bill & Elizabeth Kirk
* Communication & Intimacy in Marriage Lisa Everett
* Pearls of Wisdom: What 46 Years of Marriage Have Taught Us Dan & Annette Stobierski
* Comunicación en el Matrimonio Fred Everett

4:30 PM Day Conference Concludes

5:00 PM Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart Bishop John M. D Arcy

6:15 PM Social with cash bar opens

7:00 PM Banquet & Talk by Prof. Smith: Seeking Holiness in Marriage & Family Life

Registration
You may register online or by mail or FAX. The registration fee of $35 per person for the day conference includes conference materials, continental breakfast, a boxed lunch and afternoon snacks. The evening banquet is an additional $25 per person. Please indicate your workshop preferences in order to assist in guaranteeing proper room space. College or graduate students are welcome to attend any of the plenary or workshop sessions at no cost.

Meal Preference & Dietary Restrictions
For the banquet, you have a choice of oven roasted garlic herb pork loin or Greek cheese and spinach stuffed chicken breast which should be indicated at registration. Also, please indicate if you have special dietary restrictions.

Payment Options
Registration and credit card information will be transmitted through secure and encrypted channels. For more information, you may call the center at (574) 631-6691.

About the Main Speakers
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed the Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend on November 14, 2009, by Pope Benedict XVI, and installed on January 13, 2010, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne. Bishop Rhoades serves as Chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Task Force on Health Care, and is the Chair-elect of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. He is a member of the USCCB Subcommittee on the Catechism, the Board of Trustees of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Board of Trustees of Mount Saint Mary s University, and the Episcopal Advisory Board of the Theology of the Body Institute.

Prof. Janet E. Smith holds the Father Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. She is the author of Humanae Vitae: A Generation Later and editor of Why Humanae Vitae Was Right: A Reader. She has two new books; Life Issues, Medical Choices, Questions and Answers for Catholics and The Right to Privacy. She speaks internationally on the Catholic teachings on sexuality and bioethics. She is serving a second term as a consultor to the Pontifical Council on the Family. Over a million copies of her talk, Contraception: Why Not have been distributed on tape or CD.

The Royal Road of the Cross

As many of you have noticed and reminded me, I haven't posted much lately--really, hardly at all since around the beginning of Advent. I guess you could say I've been "pondering all these things in my heart." God seemed to be calling me to a more contemplative life with less public announcemnts of my thoughts, experiences and spiritual musings. I'm not sure why, and to be honest, I'm still trying to make sense of it all. But in obedience I did what I felt I was called to do. But, having said that, I do feel that the time is coming when I will again be posting regularly (so get ready! :) )

Dave and I began to renew our Consecration to Mary on December 31st and thus, are closely approaching our Consecration day of February 2nd (the Feast of the Presentation). Tonight as we were praying, the reading jumped off the page at me and seemed to scream "post me! post me!". So I am. It's amazing how these words, written almost 600 years ago, are just as applicable now as they were then. God truly is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

The part included in Total Consecration to Mary is only a portion of what I have written here, but I found the entire passage so beautiful and powerful I couldn't resist. It's a fairly long read, I'll warn you, but I promise it will be worth it.

No matter what the cross is in your life, I pray that Our Lord and Lady will provide you the grace to carry it willingly, that it might lead you to the desired goal where indeed there shall be no more suffering, but only Jesus.

Bless you all!

From The Imitation of Christ
by Thomas à Kempis (ca. 1418)

To many the saying, "Deny thyself, take up thy cross and follow Me," [Matt. 16:24] seems hard, but it will be much harder to hear that final word: "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." [Matt. 25:41] Those who hear the word of the cross and follow it willingly now, need not fear that they will hear of eternal damnation on the day of judgment. This sign of the cross will be in the heavens when the Lord comes to judge. Then all the servants of the cross, who during life made themselves one with the Crucified, will draw near with great trust to Jesus Christ, the judge. Why, then, do you fear to take up the cross when through it you can win a kingdom? In the cross is salvation, in the cross is life, in the cross is protection from enemies, in the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the cross is strength of mind, in the cross is joy of spirit, in the cross is highest virtue, in the cross is perfect holiness. There is no salvation of soul nor hope of everlasting life but in the cross. Take up your cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and you shall enter eternal life. He Himself opened the way before you in carrying His cross, and upon it He died for you, that you, too, might take up your cross and long to die upon it. If you die with Him, you shall also live with Him, and if you share His suffering, you shall also share His glory. Behold, in the cross is everything, and upon your dying on the cross everything depends. There is no other way to life and to true inward peace than the way of the holy cross and daily mortification. Go where you will, seek what you will, you will not find a higher way, nor a less exalted but safer way, than the way of the holy cross. Arrange and order everything to suit your will and judgment, and still you will find that some suffering must always be borne, willingly or unwillingly, and thus you will always find the cross. Either you will experience bodily pain or you will undergo tribulation of spirit in your soul. At times you will be forsaken by God, at times troubled by those about you and, what is worse, you will often grow weary of yourself. You cannot escape, you cannot be relieved by any remedy or comfort but must bear with it as long as God wills. For He wishes you to learn to bear trial without consolation, to submit yourself wholly to Him that you may become more humble through suffering. No one understands the passion of Jesus Christ so thoroughly or heartily as the man whose lot it is to suffer the like himself. The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself. Turn where you will -- above, below, without, or within -- you will find a cross in everything, and everywhere you must have patience if you would have peace within and merit an eternal crown. If you carry the cross willingly, it will carry and lead you to the desired goal where indeed there shall be no more suffering, but here there shall be. If you carry it unwillingly, you create a burden for yourself and increase the load, though still you have to bear it. If you cast away one cross, you will find another and perhaps a heavier one. Do you expect to escape what no mortal man can ever avoid? Which of the saints was without a cross or trial on this earth? Not even Jesus Christ, our Lord, Whose every hour on earth knew the pain of His passion. "It behooveth Jesus Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, . . . and so enter into his glory." [Luke 24:46, 26] How is it that you look for another way than this, the royal way of the holy cross? The whole life of Jesus Christ was a cross and a martyrdom, and do you seek rest and enjoyment for yourself? You deceive yourself, you are mistaken if you seek anything but to suffer, for this mortal life is full of miseries and marked with crosses on all sides. Indeed, the more spiritual progress a person makes, so much heavier will he frequently find the cross, because as his love increases, the pain of his exile also increases. Yet such a man, though afflicted in many ways, is not without hope of consolation, because he knows that great reward is coming to him for bearing his cross. And when he carries it willingly, every pang of tribulation is changed into hope of solace from God. Besides, the more the flesh is distressed by affliction, so much the more is the spirit strengthened by inward grace. Not infrequently a man is so strengthened by his love of trials and hardship in his desire to conform to the cross of Jesus Christ, that he does not wish to be without sorrow or pain, since he believes he will be the more acceptable to God if he is able to endure more and more grievous things for His sake. It is the grace of Jesus Christ, and not the virtue of man, which can and does bring it about that through fervor of spirit frail flesh learns to love and to gain what it naturally hates and shuns. To carry the cross, to love the cross, to chastise the body and bring it to subjection, to flee honors, to endure contempt gladly, to despise self and wish to be despised, to suffer any adversity and loss, to desire no prosperous days on earth -- this is not man's way. If you rely upon yourself, you can do none of these things, but if you trust in the Lord, strength will be given you from heaven and the world and the flesh will be made subject to your word. You will not even fear your enemy, the devil, if you are armed with faith and signed with the cross of Jesus Christ. Set yourself, then, like a good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, to bear bravely the cross of your Lord, Who out of love was crucified for you. Be ready to suffer many adversities and many kinds of trouble in this miserable life, for troublesome and miserable life will always be, no matter where you are; and so you will find it wherever you may hide. Thus it must be; and there is no way to evade the trials and sorrows of life but to bear them. Drink the chalice of the Lord with affection it you wish to be His friend and to have part with Him. Leave consolation to God; let Him do as most pleases Him. On your part, be ready to bear sufferings and consider them the greatest consolation, for even though you alone were to undergo them all, the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come. When you shall have come to the point where suffering is sweet and acceptable for the sake of Jesus Christ, then consider yourself fortunate, for you have found paradise on earth. But as long as suffering irks you and you seek to escape, so long will you be unfortunate, and the tribulation you seek to evade will follow you everywhere. If you put your mind to the things you ought to consider, that is, to suffering and death, you would soon be in a better state and would find peace. Although you were taken to the third heaven with Paul, you were not thereby insured against suffering. Jesus said: "I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake." [Acts 9:16] To suffer, then, remains your lot, if you mean to love Jesus and serve Him forever. If you were but worthy to suffer something for the name of Jesus, what great glory would be in store for you, what great joy to all the saints of God, what great edification to those about you! For all men praise patience though there are few who wish to practice it. With good reason, then, ought you to be willing to suffer a little for Jesus Christ since many suffer much more for the world. Realize that you must lead a dying life; the more a man dies to himself, the more he begins to live unto God. No man is fit to enjoy heaven unless he has resigned himself to suffer hardship for Jesus Christ. Nothing is more acceptable to God, nothing more helpful for you on this earth than to suffer willingly for Jesus Christ. If you had to make a choice, you ought to wish rather to suffer for Jesus Christ than to enjoy many consolations, for thus you would be more like Jesus Christ and more like all the saints. Our merit and progress consist not in many pleasures and comforts but rather in enduring great afflictions and sufferings. If, indeed, there were anything better or more useful for man's salvation than suffering, Jesus Christ would have shown it by word and example. But He clearly exhorts the disciples who follow Him and all who wish to follow Him to carry the cross, saying: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." [Luke 9:23] When, therefore, we have read and searched all that has been written, let this be the final conclusion -- that through much suffering we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Become Humble in Order to Recognise the Greatness of God

Become Humble in Order to Recognise the Greatness of God

VATICAN CITY, 6 JAN 2010 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m. today, the Pope presided at Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

In his homily Benedict XVI commented on the readings from the Book of Isaiah and from the Gospel of St. Matthew, explaining that the Magi "were not the last but the first of the great procession of people who, through all ages of history, were able to recognise the message of the star, to follow the paths indicated by Sacred Scripture, and thus to find Him Who is apparently weak and fragile but Who, in fact, has the power to bring the greatest and most profound joy to the human heart".

"In Him", the Pope continued, "is the expression of the stupendous truth that God knows us and is close to us, that His greatness and power are not expressed in the logic of the world, but in the logic of a defenceless child Whose strength is only that of the love He gives us. In the course of history there are always people who are illuminated by the light of the star, who find the path and manage to encounter Him. All of them live, each in their own way, the same experience as the Magi".

"If, then, we read the promise of the prophet Isaiah and its fulfilment in the Gospel of Matthew within the great context of all history, it is evident that what we are told - and what we seek to reproduce in the nativity scene - is not a dream or a vain interplay of feelings and emotions devoid of strength or authenticity; rather, it is the Truth that irradiates around the world".
"Only in that Child is the power of God made manifest, the power which brings together men of all centuries so that, under His lordship, they may follow the path of love which transfigures the world. And yet, although the few of Bethlehem have become many, believers in Jesus Christ always seem to be few. Many have seen the star but only a few have understood its message".
"We can, then, ask ourselves", said the Holy Father, "why is it that some seek and find, while others do not? What is it that opens their eyes and hearts? What is lacking in those who remain indifferent, in those who show the way but do not move themselves? And we may answer that too much self- confidence, the belief they possess a perfect knowledge of reality, and the presumption of having already formulated a definitive judgement about things makes their hearts closed and insensitive to the novelty of God. They are sure of the idea they have of the world and do not allow themselves to be intimately moved by the adventure of a God Who wants to meet them. They place their trust more in themselves than in Him, and do not believe it possible that God is so great that He can become small, that he can truly draw close to us.
"In the end", he added, "what they lack is the authentic humility capable of submitting itself to that which is greater, but also the authentic courage which brings us to believe in that which is truly great, even if it shows itself in a defenceless Child. What they lack is the evangelical capacity to become children at heart, to be amazed and to abandon the self so as to start down the path indicated by the star, the path of God. Yet the Lord", the Pope concluded, "has the power to make us see and to save ourselves".