Growing in Faith, Growing in our Mission
Written by Katie Zulanas. Originally published in Family Foundations.
I had a good laugh the other day when I saw a meme that said, “I have a mustard seed and I’m not afraid to use it!” How hard it is sometimes for us to believe in that little mustard seed and see as God sees. There is so much potential in unassuming instruments when you have faith. CCL is a mustard-seed story of fruitfulness.
When we ponder the past fifty-two years and think of the hundreds of thousands of students that CCL volunteers have educated in NFP, we can see how the mustard seed of Humanae Vitae has grown into something so strong, with tremendous impact on so many lives through Couple to Couple League. CCL is a solid, reliable, and deeply-rooted source of NFP training for parishes, dioceses, couples, and families. This is because of the volunteers, teaching couples, promoters and staff.
From this strong base and heart of CCL, we see the growth of our outreach programs: the Fertility Science Institute and our CycleProGo update to the PeakDay app. While much of CCL’s education occurs as part of Pre-Cana preparation, we have always respected the fact that natural family planning is part of a holy, married lifestyle. We have grown over the past 50 years and we continue to grow because healthy missions bear fruit!
The Fertility Science Institute now provides fertility training and support through a lifetime of fertility—beyond Pre-Cana. The new PeakDay app is not only an excellent adjunct to our training but will also become an evangelical tool for CCL.
What is the potential of that mustard seed of Humanae Vitae? We see the increasing interest in natural fertility training and support, evidenced by hundreds of millions of downloads of fertility apps. We realize that in this post- Roe world the need and opportunity to share the gift of Humanae Vitae has never been greater!
We can teach God’s blueprint of our fertility – of how beautifully and wonderfully we are made! We can also witness how powerful the self-sacrifice– that is part of NFP– can be. How do we continue to respond to the demands of our continued growth and great mission? We don’t have to look far to find the way – it is the same way we got where we are today…wonderful teaching couples who are teaching other couples NFP and generous donors who make it all possible. You have made CCL what it is today. Your dedication and desire to share NFP has allowed the seed of Humanae Vitae to grow and blossom. We can only continue to grow and reach new challenges with your help.
We feel that we are truly at an amazing moment in history. This is CCL’s time to make a difference in a world that is confused and searching for order. Please prayerfully consider helping CCL by working alongside us as a teaching couple or promoter. Please consider contributing and supporting our mission as a donor. We see the potential of our mustard-seed story continue to grow and flourish for another 50 years. We can only imagine the impact and the lives we can touch through FSI, PeakDay, and of course, CCL.
The last paragraph of the encyclical Humanae Vitae reminds us of the greatness of the mission of CCL, and the faith that the Church has in us to make this mustard seed grow.
“We are convinced that this truly great work will bring blessings both on the world and on the Church. For man cannot attain that true happiness for which he yearns with all the strength of his spirit, unless he keeps the laws which the Most High God has engraved in his very nature. These laws must be wisely and lovingly observed. On this great work, on all of you and especially on married couples, we implore from the God of all holiness and pity an abundance of heavenly grace as a pledge of which we gladly bestow Our apostolic blessing.”
Humanae Vitae #31