What Will Your “55” Be?
Couple to Couple League is founded on the plan for “married couples themselves who become apostles and guides to other married couples.” (Humanae Vitae 26) Join us in celebrating faithfully carrying out this mission from its start with John and Sheila Kippley to this, our 55th year!
We dedicate our first CCL Mass of the year to ask for special blessings on our volunteers during the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In the Gospel, we hear, “John tried to prevent him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?’” (Matthew 3:14) It is both amazing and wonderful how God’s design is to include us in the unfolding of creation–to be an important part of it–to be of service to each other.
As an engineer, I am often focused on the “most efficient” way to proceed. “How can we teach better, more clearly, more precisely?” I am sure both our volunteers and our students appreciate our sincere efforts. However, we have to smile a bit as our efforts are periodically thwarted. Internet connections, slow USPS deliveries, and just plain mix-ups abound. We might even feel like John, asking: “Are you sure about this, Lord? You want us to teach?”
Witnesses
It turns out that Pope Paul VI was right. He says, “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers. If he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” The heroic shines through our human frailty, our mistakes, our doubts. We stand as witnesses to the truth and goodness of marriage and NFP. Not because we are perfect, but because we know God can use our imperfections to give others watching us strength. As a teaching couple, Tom and I always come away amazed at how much working with wonderful student couples just starting out encourages us in turn!
With St. Joseph’s patronage getting our banner year off to a great start, we are so delighted to see the increase in classes. We thank you for supporting the CCL mission through donating, teaching or promoting and invite you to join us if you are new to the CCL family!
In honor of this special year, we are announcing:
•A special $1M campaign to teach more couples and integrate Catholic AI into PeakDay
•Extraordinary workshops and teacher training opportunities throughout the year
•A celebration/learning event for all our CCL community in the Fall
Keep up with all our progress and our leader board at CCL55.org.
What Will It Be?
I will leave you with what I have been pondering: What will my “55” be in honor of CCL’s mission? 55 couples taught? A multiple of 55 in our donation? 55 people I shared the message with? Let us know what your 55 is–we’ll be sure to share the stories! May the Holy Family bless and keep you!!
Written by Katie Zulanas, CCL Executive Director. This article first appeared in Family Foundations magazine, a benefit for donors to the Couple to Couple League. For engaged couples, find CCL’s NFP for Marriage Prep here. Find CCL’s PeakDay STMethod for married couples here.