An occasion of Grace
A black and white ad, 1” square, in our Diocesan newspaper—that was where my journey with CCL began as my future husband, Tom and I prepared for our wedding. Taking the “Home Study” class (with a chart review by mail!) was our first introduction to the Couple to Couple League community. Little did we know the path that would follow from that simple ad.
As Tom and I tackled the adventure of married life—balancing faith, work and family, we were challenging ourselves with the daily practice of NFP. Sometimes it seemed terribly difficult, other times, no problem at all. It demanded some discipline; we had to talk; we were rewarded when we practiced good nutrition. I am not sure we would always have been able to describe our experience as grace-filled when we were in the midst of it, but the grace of the sacrament of marriage both strengthened us to practice and grew from our practice of NFP. We were living out what Saint Pope John Paul II described in Theology of the Body. And all along, we were being encouraged by the other members of the CCL organization—given consistent lessons in faith and inspiration from Family Foundations, joining chapter members in outreach activities and get-togethers.
Tom and I were so inspired by the truth and beauty we found through the CCL community, that early on we became promoters and worked to share this gift that we were given. Through five different states, as promoter, board member and now, as I follow in the footsteps of exceptional Executive Directors, I am motivated by a deep sense of gratitude for the gift of this amazing community. Whether as teachers, promoters, staff, donors or volunteers, examples of a lifetime of love and support abound! It is a heritage that we are determined to expand and share with the newest members to our community.
The coming year holds such promise as we undertake more of our Live the Love initiatives! Pictured is Our Lady’s Garden seen from outside our office door—a great place to stop and pray. I invite you into the garden—even if just virtually—to join us in our upcoming prayer opportunities this year. Please picture us there, as Mary, the New Eve, leads us to her son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ and through Him we progress to our heavenly home. It is on this journey back to our Creator that our community shines in its gift of accompaniment. It is where your struggles and sacrifices in practicing and supporting NFP become occasions of grace for other couples.
We welcome our newly married, or soon-to-be married couples who are starting on their life together! I encourage you to reach out to your teaching couple with any questions and to check out opportunities available through our local Live the Love Teams and partners at https://LiveTheLove.org/community. We look forward to the unique gifts you will bring as you progress through your love story.
Katie Zulanas, Executive Director