Bishop Alfred Schlert celebrated Mass with families in the Diocese of Allentown on July 20 at St. Catharine of Siena, Reading to kick off National Natural Family Planning (NFP) Awareness Week. The Mass and picnic that followed were organized by the NFP Task Force from the Diocese of Allentown.
Kathleen Chovanes, chairperson, hopes events like this will drive “more conversation around NFP,” she said, and “increase the community” among people who are starting and growing their families.
Mass opened with the Entrance Hymn, “All People That on Earth Do Dwell.”
Bishop Schlert was the main celebrant, and Father Brian Miller, Pastor of St. Catharine, was the concelebrant. Father Allen Hoffa served as Master of Ceremonies, and assisting was Transitional Deacon Tyler Davis, who is serving at St. Catharine.
Karina Severino read the first reading (Genesis 18:1-10a) in Spanish. Severino and her husband Jessy are members of the task force. They attended the Mass with their two daughters, and are expecting a third child.
Chovanes read the second reading (Colossians 1:24-28). The Gospel of Luke (Luke 10:38-42) was proclaimed by Deacon Davis, in which Jesus visits the home of Martha and Mary.
Martha is preoccupied with preparing a meal for Jesus, while Mary sits at Jesus' feet, listening to His words. The passage highlights the importance of prioritizing spiritual growth and listening to God's word, even amid the busyness of daily tasks.
In his homily after the proclamation of the Gospel, Bishop Schlert spoke of the challenges of meeting the many commitments of family life. “We all know that there can be moments where family living can be difficult,” said the Bishop. He spoke of the commitments of school and church events, as well as obligations at work and at home.
“The challenge of family life is to be the Church at home,” he said, calling the family “the building block” of both our Church and society. He likened Catholic families to “the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth,” and stressed the importance of “accepting children if God so desires.”
The Bishop referenced the first reading in which Abraham and Sarah accept God’s gift of the child Issac, which was unexpected since the couple was well past childbearing years.
In closing, Bishop Schlert referred to our families as “schools of prayer,” saying that “families are where saints begin, at the dinner table, in the living room, and in the small daily acts of love.”
During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Sarah DeArment and her family brought gifts of bread and wine to the altar. DeArment is vice chair of the task force.
The closing hymn was “All Creators of Our God and King.” Organ music was provided throughout the Mass by David Kostival. Soprano Leah Rile and Alto Kim Kostival served as cantors.
After the Mass, Bishop Schlert spoke with the many families in attendance, including Rhady Tulloch, director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Allentown, who attended the event with husband David and their three children.
A picnic at the parish pavilion followed with hoagies, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and games for the children.
Chovanes says the NFP Task Force is committed to serving the Diocese of Allentown in raising fertility awareness and providing resources on how to best support couples and families. They organize and host special events year-round that provide education and conversation.
NFP Awareness Week, observed by the USCCB, highlights Catholic teachings on human sexuality, marriage, and responsible parenthood, specifically focusing on the Church's support for NFP methods. The week also coincides with the anniversary of the 1968 papal encyclical “Humanae Vitae,” written by Pope Paul VI, which addresses these themes.
For more information on the NFP Task Force in the Diocese of Allentown, visit www.allentowndiocese.org/nfp-task-force.
For more information on the National NFP Awareness Week, visit the USCCB website at www.usccb.org/topics/natural-family-planning/national-nfp-awareness-week.
Article and Photo by Gia Myers.
