“The human body speaks a language of which it is not the author.”
- JPII, TOB 104:7
The Church's teaching on marriage and Natural Family Planning is beautiful... but demanding, and counter-cultural to say the least. In my years of teaching as an NFP instructor, it is clear that the vast majority of us were not taught about the rich Language of our Bodies when we were growing up, specifically as that language relates to the concept of body literacy. And most of us found little ongoing support for it when we did.
As girls, we weren't taught about the intricate process of the menstrual cycle, including:
When we finally we encounter body literacy through Natural Family Planning, we rush to learn everything we can in a protracted amount of time before our wedding. We try to become body-literate, but the simple fact of the matter is: literacy takes time.
We need a lifelong learning model for body literacy: something which introduces us to the Language of the Body from the very beginning, and empowers us to keep learning and find support for the rest of our lives!
As girls, we weren't taught about the intricate process of the menstrual cycle, including:
- how various hormones interact
- what changes to expect throughout your different cycle phases
- why we have period bleeds and what they consist of
- how to know if your cycles and bleeds were "normal"... and what to do if they weren't
When we finally we encounter body literacy through Natural Family Planning, we rush to learn everything we can in a protracted amount of time before our wedding. We try to become body-literate, but the simple fact of the matter is: literacy takes time.
We need a lifelong learning model for body literacy: something which introduces us to the Language of the Body from the very beginning, and empowers us to keep learning and find support for the rest of our lives!
At Pearl & Thistle, we empower Catholics to share the Language of the Body with their children, friends, spouses, and parish communities.
We believe that by creating a culture of lifelong learning, respect, and care for our bodies, we can all learn to "read" in our bodies the Truth of who God made us to be.
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Stage 1: CYCLE PREPCycle Prep was a 2021 OSV Challenge Finalist! Learn more here
Pearl & Thistle's Cycle Prep course enables parents to share the Language of the Body with their daughters through scientifically-accurate information that builds a positive narrative around cycles and periods. Self-paced videos and a library of resources enable parents and daughters to be prepared, together!
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Stage 2: Charting for GirlsIntroduce your daughter to cycle charting without specifically looking for indicators of fertility. This self-paced learning guide begins with the "Basic Guide" to charting (for girls within the first 3-4 years of cycling) and follows with the "Advanced Guide" to charting which will help girls identify ovulation as a sign of health!
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Stage 3: Charting for Single WomenSingle women, including those in religious life, are welcome to receive instruction in the Boston Cross Check method to learn how to identify fertility patterns for self-knowledge and health. Learn more about specific programming we offer for groups, to help young women share this knowledge with friends!
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And beyond!: NFP Ambassador Training Christina has a passion for equipping Catholic parishes to be their own source of community and resource support for NFP. Her unique NFP Ambassador Training program equips lay people with general resources and information to share about NFP, and guides them to craft their personal NFP ministry plan for their parish!
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