Bishop to Natural Family Planning Families: “We are grateful to you!”
Green Lake, Wisconsin — (August 12, 2010) — Members and volunteers of the Couple to Couple League (CCL) were encouraged and inspired at their recent convention by Bishop Robert Molino of the Diocese of Madison, who told them, “All of us in the Church are so grateful to you NFP [Natural Family Planning] families. You step out in your openness to life and trust Providence to keep you safe and secure…and you teach others to do the same.”
Over 180 CCL families gathered at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, Wisconsin from August 8-12, 2010, and were re-energized in their dedication to the Natural Family Planning (NFP) lifestyle. The occasion was CCL’s biennial convention, hosted by one of the nation’s largest providers of NFP education. Attendees had traveled from 28 states, Canada, India, and the Vatican.
The convention, themed “Happy Marriages, Happy Families,” provided a combination of main talks and workshops that were inspiring and practical in their support of marriage, Church teaching on sexuality, parenting, nutrition and natural family planning.
CCL was honored to have a special guest from the Vatican, Bishop Jean Laffitte, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family. Bishop Laffitte addressed the attendees on the unique and universal apostolate of council in nurturing and protecting the mystery of conjugal love, and spent time interacting with many of the families and volunteers.
Nationally-known speakers included Bishop Robert Molino of the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin; Bishop Ronald Gainer of the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky; pro-life legislation expert Michael Schwartz; breastfeeding expert James McKenna, Ph.D.; Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, superior of the Sisters of Life; psychiatrist and pornography addiction specialist Joseph Corbo, M.D.; president of the American Chesterton Society, Dale Ahlquist; bioethics expert Fr. Tad Pacholczyk, Ph.D.; clinical psychologist and radio host Dr. Ray Guarendi; and CCL Executive Director Mike Manhart. Ph.D.
Most convention attendees were certified Teaching Couples, Promoters, or members of CCL. The Couple to Couple League has been providing instruction on the highly effective Sympto-Thermal Method of natural family planning (NFP), clarification on the moral issues surrounding the use of NFP, and support for breastfeeding since its founding in 1971. The convention is an opportunity for volunteers to recharge their batteries, sharpen their teaching skills, and share strategic ideas and successes with volunteers from other parts of the country, and for other attendees to fellowship with like-minded families.
A convention highlight was the second Volunteer Appreciation Banquet at which nearly 300 volunteer couples were honored for their years of service to CCL, including 16 couples who have given 30 years of service, and one couple who has reached 35 years of service. Other awards were bestowed for exceptional work in areas of advancing marital chastity and NFP, and promoting CCL and NFP.
“The CCL convention is always such an inspiring event for both the CCL staff and the attendees,” said CCL Executive Director Mike Manhart, “but the Appreciation Banquet provides us the wonderful opportunity as an organization to reflect on the many blessings we have within our family of volunteers. These couples are our hands-and-feet, bringing the NFP message to their communities, and in doing so, are helping build joyful marriages.”
