Family: A NaPro Sequel by Franciscan Sister Renee Mirkes

Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Renee Mirkes serving at St. Paul VI Institute shares about a recent NaPro Presentation in the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina. Recently celebrating the feast of the Holy Family, we, who call our own Motherhouse Holy Family Convent, will share more thoughts on family in this new year. Family is important to us.

Some say that sequel movies/books are never as good as the original. The folks in North Carolina who planned an April event around my presentation of Humanae vitae, decided to test the veracity of that maxim. In October, they brought me back to the Raleigh diocese to present the Church’s teaching on sequel issues to contraception and family planning, (e.g., infertility and IVF as well as a myriad of other women’s health issues). I always view my presentations through the lens of participants. This comment convinced me that if the Light of the Holy Spirit thoroughly saturates speaker and participants, a second round can be as effective as the first.

One participant put it well:

“I know I represent the view of all the people around me at this event. Your service in catechizing us last April and again tonight on a virtue ethics perspective of marriage, sexuality and procreation and how that plays out within our family planning choices, lit a fire here in the Raleigh diocese that will continue to burn for a long while. I’m praying (hoping) that we will see you for round three SOON.”

P.S. There’s a cute story with the attached picture. These two women and I continued a conversation long after everyone had left the lectures. Finally, the hosts turned off the lights, inviting us to continue the discussion outside! They were just teasing, of course.