I Have A Say Thanks to My Mom and Dad!!!

Being the oldest of 11, I am so thankful, especially now, for my Mom and Dad saying "yes" to life! Growing up, we never had a ton of money. My Dad was a high school chemistry teacher and my parents decided from the beginning that they wanted to have one of them home with us. My mom gave up her teaching career, and raised me, followed by 10 others! My Mom also taught all 11 of us at home for part of our childhood before we would head off to Nativity Catholic Grade School. My Dad worked long hours, eventually earning other degrees so that he could first become dean, then principal, and finally, when I was a sophomore, he was named Roncalli High School's first president. My Dad and Mom both sacrificed SO MUCH for us.

I remember, even as a young person, getting stared at by people, and I remember the comments they would make. I can still hear a dental receptionist asking my Mom "Are these all yours? You know how children are made right?" followed by a real insidious but ditzy chuckle, followed by a secretarial gum crackle. My Mom and Dad were always tight budget wise, and I'm sure at times ached with a desire to not have to take bags of clothes from other families so that we could have clothes. I'm sure my Mom and Dad had desires to simply go to Nordstrom and buy us and give us all our own new clothes and Gameboys and Reebok Pumps etc. I'm sure they at times really wished they could just get a new car and not have to drive a fifteen passenger van around. I'm sure at times they wanted really badly to just go to a restaurant and sit back and enjoy a big expensive meal instead of having to cut coupons and craft together economic meals on the stove.

But they chose life for us, and they chose sacrifice for themselves.

I often think about that ditzy secretary now when our family gets together almost every weekend for dinner to laugh and hang out. Some of the siblings might be out of town or busy with other obligations, but inevitably, all weekend long, every weekend, our family gets together. Sometimes, when we're out at a restaraunt, I see the couples who are alone with each other. They hardly talk to each other and the loneliness is palpable. A part of me feels bad that we're having so much fun with our 8 tables shoved together, telling stories, laughing good hearty and healthy laughs. Sometimes I wonder if one of the couples sitting in the restaurant quietly and solemnly is that dental secretary - who now has piles of money and can eat wherever she wants, but doesn't have hardly anyone to share it with. My heart breaks for the people who are alone, especially the ones who are alone because, when they could have been having children, they instead bought into the contraception lie and lived for themselves only.

I have a say today, and so do my ten younger brothers and sisters, because my parents chose life. Mom and Dad - thanks a million!!!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Lucy LaPerna, Catholic School Contraceptor...Until Recently

we are the underdog. Unfortunately, the enemy has already taken hold of many of our own without them realizing it. I was one of them until about three years ago when I was led to St. Patrick's Church in Columbus Ohio. Now, I feel the battle...sometimes more, sometimes less but I know that I am in one.

I used contraception after having had 12 years of Catholic school education. In that 12 years, I either wasn't paying attention OR, I just never learned WHY contraception is an inherent evil. I don't think I was ever taught anything other than Catholic people didn't agree with it. It was as "light" as that. But in fact, the slap in our Creator's face is HARD and HEAVY....that we would take all the pleasure but say "no thank you" to the prize. Like the thrill of the game and the thrill of a big win but not wanting to take home the trophy because it is too heavy and will take up too much space in our living room.

I feel so sad about it. I feel helpless to teach others because of my own weak understanding. And, I know I am not alone. In fact, I am probably a representation of a vast majority of Catholic people. And that makes this battle a formidable one.

There is still big part of me that "gets it" about wanting to avoid "getting pregnant". I have done some reading about JPII's studies on NFP and although I am impressed by his knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, it is a tough sell.

We need to re-educate an entire generation about the inherent evils of contraception.

No comments:

Post a Comment