 Help
Wanted -Part Time
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| Are you excited about NFP? There are plenty of ways to help spread the word, and you can start small. So, grab a shovel: |  |
Pray
for us.
That's what we need most. We have
powerful enemies.
Get
your guy involved.
Out there in our society,
"protection" is the woman's job. NFP is totally different: you work as
a
couple,
and share responsibility. Then you will be a good example for those
around
you. So get over the macho thing. (Read Ephesians 5 for advice.)
Be informed.
You've started that by perusing this
website and its links. Read one of the books on NFP and/or take a
class.
Check out the issues: abortifacients, effectiveness, health problems,
etc. Attend live presentations on the subject; come to the CCL convention. Hang around
with a support group, or join an e-mail list group.
Tell
somebody else.
Somebody you know needs to hear the
facts about NFP. The most effective
publicity
is word of mouth. Tell your friends, relatives, doctor, and pastor.
Pass
along our website URL too: cny.ccli.org.
Send money.
A
no-cost thing to do is stop supporting supporters of Planned Parenthood. When
you donate to big charity conglomerates like the United Way, PP gets a
cut to do their dirty work. How about your long distance phone and
credit card companies? Alternatives are Sienna for phone and Internet
(877-474-3662) and Vitae
credit cards, where all the profits go to fund NFP and marital chastity.
You're saving a lot using NFP, so
give something back. Most of the organizations listed on our Resources
page are non-profit charities that need donations to subsidize the cost
of teacher training, promotion, and teaching. Paying dues to CCL gets
you a useful magazine,
so it helps you too.
NFP is much cheaper than
contraceptives, so your money goes a long way. And the right way.
Be
a Promoter.
As far as we know, only CCL has
official
Promoters. They publicize classes in posters and bulletins, plus
talking
to clergy, doctors, and skeptics. This takes a higher level of
devotion,
commitment, persistence, and guts than just telling your friends (well,
maybe convincing strangers is easier than your friends?). It's best if
there's a teacher nearby, because Promoters are not trained to teach.
If not, you can refer people to the appropriate book or home study
course.
There's some training involved, but it takes mostly enthusiasm and some
spare time (a few hours a month). And, you have to agree with CCL's
ethics. As for other method teachers, well, I doubt they would turn
down the
same type of help.
Be
a teacher.
This, of course, is where you can
most directly help people learn NFP. We can certainly use the help,
because
there are many areas with no teachers. You could just hang out your
shingle
and start teaching, because there's no national "certification", but we
wouldn't recommend it. After learning it well yourself, it takes a
while
to learn it well enough to explain it to other people. It took us a
year
of correspondence and reading. To be part of a Catholic diocesan
program, you must meet certain standards.
Some teachers are paid; CCL's
Teaching
Couples are all volunteers. Some training is expensive; CCL's is free.
Creighton's NaProTech program incorporates NFP into medical treatment,
but all others steer clear of practicing medicine or spiritual
pastoring.
Some Catholic dioceses have their own programs and train their
teachers.
Of the programs we looked at, CCL was the best for us for several
reasons,
but you'll have to find what organization and method suits you best.
Read
our "NFP Primer" if you want info on different methods. Our "resource"
section has different books and organizations. Some can train you
on-line. For more words of wisdom on teaching, go to Ethics and Medics
magazine.
| Teaching
for CCL
CCL teacher training can take a year, because of mailing stuff back and forth; or, you can do it in a weekend crash course. There's a lot of biology, theology, and "people skills" to be learned, but giving classes is actually pretty easy. The material is all on slides and in the notes, so if you can read, you can teach. It's in answering the off-the-wall questions and counseling that you need some skill.  The other thing is that your spouse needs to be involved, just like in using NFP itself. That's the "Couple" in our name. A few single folks are teachers on their own, but they are rare. You DON'T have to be Catholic, but you must agree to present the Catholic principles right along with the Protestant viewpoint. And, you are NOT out to convert people to any religion.
Join CCL and read the magazine to see if you agree with our ideals. Check out the local chapter websites, linked from the CCL website. Get in touch with the teachers closest to you for their input and advice. Write us if you have any deeper concerns or questions. And let us know sometime how you're doing. |
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1/1/2004