The Influence of One Priest

January 11th, 2015

Below is our priest friend’s homily for Christ the King feast day on November 23rd, 2014.
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In 1925, Pope Pius XI established this last Sunday of the liturgical year as the Solemnity of Christ the King.

And he did it to remind the world, particularly Europe, that Christ is the one to whom we owe our first allegiance — not a political party, not ideologies, not political leaders, particularly he meant people like Lenin, Stalin and things like communism and national socialism.

He did it to help save the world, if he could, from class envy, class warfare and warfare between nations that was being fomented by reckless ideologies and evil leaders of evil political movements.

He tried to recall people, to remind people that the claim of Christ — on our souls, on our consciences and on our obedience — comes first — before any allegiance to political structures or persons.

Our relationship to God takes precedence over every relationship.  The reason for this Solemnity then, is just as valid now.  God must be first in our hearts.  God’s commandments of love must reign in our hearts.  And then, God’s law and the natural law must reign over and throughout civil society if that civil society is to experience real peace, justice and good order.

But, we can see that God’s ways have been rejected; adultery, abandonment, rampant divorce, the destruction of the family, fatherless families, legalized abortion, state sponsored contraception, decades of disrespect in this country for proper parental authority, drug abuse, homosexual behavior, premarital sex, — living together.

These things cause great instability and chaos.  This chaos in our society is promoted by and used by socialists and progressives and anarchists and nihilists to gain power and control over people.  This is what big government is about.  Big government has nothing to do with real peace and real justice or freedom.

Today is Christ the King.  Let’s be firm in our resolve to live God’s commandments of love and true justice and that God may reign in our hearts.  Obedience to God’s way and His Church is what everyone really needs.  Now let’s be strengthened in our resolve as the Lord feeds and nourishes us with His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.
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Next Week: Some Thoughts on Confession
Sheila Kippley

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CNML supports Breastfeeding and Natural Family Planning

January 4th, 2015

Catholic Nursing Mothers League (CNML) is an excellent organization for supporting breastfeeding mothers.  I encourage priests and family life directors to consider having such a chapter in their parish.  All it takes is for one mother to come forward and have the desire to help mothers nurse their babies. The President of CNML, Gina Peterson, gives an example below as to what takes place at a CNML meeting.  She shows how a chapter can encourage and support breastfeeding and help families in the parish live the faith.
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A CNML Meeting by Gina Peterson

Have you ever thought of combining your passion for breastfeeding with your love of your Catholic faith? Here is a snapshot of what might happen at a CNML meeting.  It is a true account based on conversations at two CNML meetings:

The four or five mothers arrive and sign in.  Everyone chats a bit and then introduces themselves and their children.  The CNML leader reads the CNML disclaimer and official statement and begins with a discussion starter from the CNML Resource Guide or simply waits for the discussion to enfold.

One mom who is pregnant tells everyone that she just weaned her son a few weeks ago and feels sad knowing this is the end of their breastfeeding relationship.  The CNML leader offers ideas for ways to “snuggle” with him, empathizes with her, and comments that since her son weaned so easily – without tears – that he must have been ready.  Another mother cheerfully notes that soon she will have a new baby to nurse 🙂

One of the mothers mentions that her baby has been spitting up excessively and she believes it is due to a dairy allergy.  She changed her diet and the baby’s symptoms have improved.  Another mom asks what her baby’s symptoms are and the CNML leader agrees that those are possible signs of food allergy listed in The Baby Book by the Sears family.

A mother asks if she should be giving her baby a certain amount of liquids and possibly cow’s milk now that he is one year old and only nurses a few times per day.  The CNML leader lets her know that she will look it up and then sends her a link to an informative online article on the dietary needs of breastfeeding toddlers.

CNML leader and the mothers discuss how wonderful a king-sized bed is for co-sleeping and that it is a great in investment.

One mother, who has spaced her family primarily through breastfeeding, asks where she can learn NFP.  The CNML leader offers her a brochure for the parish NFP instructor and shows her NFP International’s manual.  Another mother says that her periods returned much sooner than expected even though she was exclusively breastfeeding.  However, her son did start sleeping through the night fairly early on.  The CNML leader describes the seven standards of ecological breastfeeding and gives her a copy of Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing.

A mother shares the story of losing her baby just an hour after birth.  She inspires all the mothers with her great faith in God and faith that her sweet baby is in Jesus’ loving arms right now.

One mother mentions how her friend would love to nurse her newborn baby but she has inverted nipples.  The CNML leader reads from a breastfeeding book about how pumping will help keep up her supply until she receives assistance from a lactation consultant.  Also the book describes how to make a homemade nipple everter.  The leader gives the mom her business card to give to her friend, because she is also a volunteer lactation consultant.

A mother asks if there is a certain style of parenting that is uniquely Catholic. The CNML leader recommends the book, Parenting with Grace, by the Popcaks.

At the close of the meeting, the CNML leader hands out gift bags with one decade rosaries and other items, and the mothers pray a decade of the rosary together.
(Gina Peterson, November 26, 2014; CNML website: www.catholicbreastfeeding.org; Gina is also author of Getting Started with Breastfeeding for Catholic Mothers.)

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NFP International Needs Help

December 28th, 2014

There’s no question: NFP International needs help. So if you think that NFP International is an organization that uniquely serves the Church and anyone who is interested, please read on….

First, in NFP International we are not just teaching cheap and natural birth control. Not at all. We are unique in teaching ecological breastfeeding, the kind of breastfeeding that maximizes all the dose-related benefits of breastfeeding and also provides, on average, 14 to 15 months of breastfeeding amenorrhea and infertility. Couples who adopt ecological breastfeeding will probably save at least $1,000 with each baby by not using formula and special baby foods, and their babies will most likely experience better health.

Second, we teach all the common signs of fertility and infertility so that user couples can decide which ones they want to use. We teach all of this in the context of the Catholic Tradition of Christian discipleship. We can’t force this on anyone, but we think it’s important to see the meaning that God has built into the marriage act—that it ought to be a renewal of your marriage covenant, and we are unique in that teaching. We may also be unique in allowing our manual to be downloaded for free for the poor. For others a $10 donation is requested.

Considering the contemporary culture, we think our effort to place the whole issue of birth control and sexuality in the context of religion and morality is very important for the welfare of Western culture. We think President George Washington was correct when he said in his 1796 Farewell Address, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

So I ask for your support. Please pray for the advancement of the NFPI mission. This effort is an apostolate, and it needs your prayers.

Please help us financially. Please realize that nothing is really cost-free. The only way we can keep offering free downloads for the poor is if the non-poor contribute to that effort. So, if you appreciate what NFP International is doing, please help us. We would not be asking for this support if we did not really need it. Anything and everything helps. No gift is too small. Gifts of $25 and $50 and $100 are very helpful, but so are gifts of $10 and $5 as well. Every gift carries the message, “Carry on!”

To support NFPI, please click here http://www.nfpandmore.org/missionhelp.shtml or go to www.nfpandmore.org and click on the PLEASE DONATE button in the left-hand column. Or send a check payable to NFPI to the address at “please donate.”

May God bless you and your loved ones in a special way this Christmas season,

John F. Kippley
President

NFP International is a 501-c-3 not-for-profit organization. All gifts are tax deductible.

 

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