Tonight I sat in front of a woman who was angry. She was deeply grieving the loss of her daughter who she carried only five months in the womb as well as the second child she lost in an early first trimester miscarriage, and she couldn’t understand why no one told her what she heard at this Introductory Session.

Unfortunately, her story wasn’t the first or only one I’ve come across in my work as a FertilityCare practitioner. And I’m sure it isn’t going to be the last.

Every woman deserves to know and understand how her body works. Our menstrual cycle and the beautifully orchestrated events that make it happen every month are incredibly amazing, to say the least. When we learn about its intricacies, we greatly appreciate our femininity and the miracle that each child truly is.

I’ve found, however, that many women who inquire about Creighton Model are looking for answers as to why their bodies are not functioning the way they are supposed to. Irregular cycles, abnormal bleeding, ovarian cysts, and endometriosis are conditions that must be thoroughly evaluated and effectively treated. Miscarriages and infertility are circumstances that should never be blown off, minimized, or dismissed. The broken spirits crying for help in our offices are but a fraction of the countless women out there who cannot understand what in the world is going on with them.

More often than not, their doctors don’t understand either.

What’s wrong with this picture?

The growing movement of CrMS and NaProTECHNOLOGY has picked up speed in recent years, thanks to Catholic media exposure and the internet. Testimonies are shared, infertility groups are spreading the word, and women are getting more savvy when it comes to their own personal healthcare. But there is still so much more work to be done.

I ask The Lord for more laborers in the fields. It’s difficult to launch an extensive marketing campaign when the task force is so few in numbers compared to the general population. There is a noble effort underway to at least solidify the culture of natural family planning in the Church and call women to join the ranks in all available NFP methods. A few souls are being stirred to action as they consider how they can contribute to promotion and active teaching.

I do feel a personal responsibility to the medical avenue through CrMS, especially after being reminded for a moment of the painful yearning for motherhood. None of my four children would be here were it not for the help I received from our NaPro medical consultants, and I’ve realized through my clients that the gift of my vocation is nothing to take for granted.

So what now?

We continue to serve at the front lines. We pray for strength and courage to testify to the fruit of this work. We pay careful attention to the marching orders telling us which steps to take next. 

And we pray…because God is faithful. Amen.