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Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor: Fr. Stuart Chipolina: [email protected] Production Editor: A. Sargent [email protected]: Concert at Sacred Heart celebrating 100 Years devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. Photo: Brian GomilaUpon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is run in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar by EuropeAxess Media Ltd. as a not-for-profit project. For Advertisers: This magazine is hand-delivered to homes, churches, hospitals and many businesses around Gibraltar every month. To discuss your advertising requirements, or promote your church group or charity, call Tel: 200 79335 email: [email protected]

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So much has been saidin the media, about the Holy Father’s

announcement that stunned many into disbelief. As we found confirmation of the decision in the top story on TV news, the front page of the newspapers, tweeted and re-tweeted around the globe, every aspect, every angle of this historic event was covered.Now it is really time to ‘..get back to the prayer’ as the Holy Father said, curtailing the long applause he received towards the end of the last public Mass he celebrated on Ash Wednesday. The faithful are now looking back on Benedict XVI’s short papacy, and find so much to give thanks for. It is time to join him in prayer as the members of the conclave choose a successor this month.

Thank You.

On the Feast, of the Presentation

of our Lord, at the end of a special Saturday mid-day Mass held to inau-gurate the 100th Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes, His Lord-ship Bishop Ralph announced the launch of the new mobile-device friendly, Diocesan Website. There is provision for each parish, prayer group, secular order, society and movement to have its own page. http://www.catholicdiocese.gi. The Diocesan Event Calendar was specifically designed to make it easier to plan diocesan activities throughout the year.

To add details of your group or event to the website contact the Bishop’s office at [email protected].

Need a New Website?Replace your outdated website with a new mobile device-friendly Wordpress

site that is easy to update yourself. • Training if required.

• Professional design support.

Text ‘Click’ to Mob: 56000766 to arrange a chat about your new website.

www.europeaxess.com/control-clickControl-Click is a Brand Name of EuropeAxess Media Ltd. Suite 8, First Floor, Leon House, 1 Secretary’s Lane, Gibraltar. T:20079335

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The event was held at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. The service of Choral Evensong was conducted by the Very Reverend Dr John Paddock (Dean of Gibraltar). the Dean’s Chaplain, the Reverend Canon Jim Sutton, and the Church of Scotland Minister, the Reverend Ewen Maclean also took part. The Organist was Mr David Gilson.

Those of us who are familiar with this annual event know that each year since its founding in 1908 a different

ecumenical group in a different country has been entrusted to offer a theme that comes out of their own experience and that in some way also speaks to their own experience. This year the Student Christian Movement of India has been entrusted with the task of offering the Christian Churches throughout the world a theme for this year’s Week of Prayer. They chose the Scripture passage from Micah 6.6-8 because it highlights for them the plight of the Dalit communities in India. These are people who, because of the rigid caste system in India find themselves on the margins of society often living in poverty without a representative voice to speak on their behalf. Micah, himself is an interesting character. He is the last of the four prophets of the eighth century B.C. He exercised his ministry of prophecy at a very difficult time. There were external threats from the Assyrians who conquered Damascus in 732 B.C. and Samaria on 722 B.C. And there were threats from within, too..... Prophets, priests and judges accepted bribes, merchants cheated, pagan cults existed alongside the religion of Yahweh. Micah, seeking to be faithful to his prophetic vocation doesn’t pull any punches and harshly criticises those in authority both political and religious for abusing their power and stealing from the poor. He compares their unjust behaviour ‘to tearing skin off people’, ‘eating their flesh and crushing their bones’. For Micah this strong call to justice and peace only makes sense in the context of the people’s relationship with God. So we find the Lord reminding the people that he has saved them from the slavery of Egypt: “My people what have I done to you? Answer me. I have brought you out of the land of Egypt, I rescued you from the house of slavery; I sent Moses to lead you with Aaron and Miriam.”Furthermore, he reminds them that they are called through this covenant relationship to live in a society built on mutual respect, the dignity of every human person, on equality and justice.

“The voice of Yahweh. He is calling to the city. Listen, tribe, and assembly of the city whose rich men are crammed with violence, whose citizens are liars. Must I put up with fraudulent measure or that abomination the short weight bushel? Must I hold the man honest who measures with false scales and a bag of faked weights?”No trying to dress anything up there!The prophet makes it clear that true religion is inseparable from personal holiness and the search for social justice. Faith is only credible when linked to justice, and worship has no meaning unless it leads us to treat others with kindness and compassion.“This is what Yahweh asks of you: only this: To act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.”The Student Christian Movement of India chose this text as the major theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity because in some way it shed light on the Dalit communities of India and indeed their plight sheds light on the scripture text. The Movement compares the situation facing the people at the time of the Prophet Micah with the situation of the Dalits who face oppression and injustice from those who today wish to deny them their rights and dignity. And of

Bishop Ralph’s homily for the Week of prayer for Christian UNITY


course, the text sheds perhaps even more light on what should be the response of the whole Christian community -and not just the Church in India- and the different Churches to what it sees and hears. If we are to give effective common Christian witness others have to see more than our coming together for prayer and worship – however important and valuable that maybe. They must see us walk together, the path of justice and mercy and to give a voice to those who have none or whose voice cannot be heard. This will mean on occasions simply having to endure the hardship of the struggle, living with the misunderstanding and isolation that protest brings, knowing that we have the support of one another and the prayers of those to whom we give a voice.“God of Compassion, send us your spirit to breathe life and healing into our brokenness, that we may witness together the justice and the love of God. Walk with us towards the day when we can share the one bread and the one cup at the common table. Amen” +Ralph Heskett C.Ss.R, Bishop of Gibraltar

WOMENFind your purposeFEEd YOUr SOUl

Forthcoming Events

At last, a powerful Catholic study for

the imperfect woman seeking holiness in an imperfect world!In the Women of Grace Foundational Study, you will embark upon a journey of discovery and transformation as you explore the great call and gift of your femininity. Along the way each week you will meet two great women saints, receive wisdom from Holy Mother Church, unpack the life-changing wisdom of the Holy Scripture, and discover the Blessed Virgin Mary is the exemplar of discipleship and the pathway to Jesus her Son. Join us at the Catholic Community Centre on Wednesday 6th March 2013 at 8pm for an Information Session


Blessed Pope John XXIII was elected in1958 as what conventional media ‘wisdom’ called a ‘caretaker Pope’. At that time the Church faced tremendous

challenges and upheavals driven by political, social, economic, and technological change. However, less than three months after his election in October, he gave notice of his intention to convene a Council on 25 January 1959, an announcement which caught even the Curia by surprise. The Second Vatican Council was formally summoned on the 25th December 1961 and formally opened on the 11th October 1962. Pope John often said that it was time to open the windows of the Church to let in some fresh air. He invited other Christians outside of the Catholic Church to send observers to the

Council. This Council addressed relations between the Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held in the Vatican. The Council (known informally as Vatican II) closed under Pope Paul VI on 8 December 1965.

Vatican II was the most significant event in the modern era of the Catholic Church. The Council was instrumental for

renewal in the self-understanding of the Church, its inner life and its relationship to other Christian traditions, other religions and the world. Those participating in or who lived through the time of the Council felt a profound, exhilarating sense of renewal and virtually experienced a new Pentecost. In opening the Council,

Blessed Pope John XXIII stated: “What is needed at the present time is a new enthusiasm, a new joy and serenity of mind in the unreserved acceptance by all of the entire Christian faith... that this doctrine shall be more widely known, more deeply understood, and more penetrating in its effects on men’s moral lives.” Setting the tone for what was to come, he said: “The Church should never depart from the sacred treasure of truth inherited from the Fathers. But at the same time she must ever look to the present, to the new conditions and the new forms of life introduced into the modern world.” Of those who took part in the Council’s opening session, four have since been elected Pope: Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, who took the name of Paul VI; Bishop Albino Luciani, Pope John Paul I; Bishop Karol Wojtyła, who became Pope John Paul II; and Father Joseph Ratzinger, then a theological consultant, now Pope Benedict XVI. An ecumenical council is automatically suspended upon the death of the Pope who

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithfuland...

KINdlE IN THEM ...the fire of your love.

A BACKGROUND TOVatican II COMPILED BY JULIO ALCANTARA


Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithfuland...

KINdlE IN THEM ...the fire of your love.

convened it, until the next Pope instructs that it be continued or dissolved. Pope Paul VI immediately announced that the Council would continue upon his election, 21st June 1963. In his opening address on 29 September 1963, he stressed the pastoral nature of the Council, and set out four ‘markers’ for its deliberations: 1) to define more fully the nature of the Church and, particularly, the role of the bishop;

2) to renew the Church;

3) to restore unity among all Christians, including seeking pardon for Catholic contributions to separation; and

4) to start a dialogue with the contemporary world.

One of the first issues considered by the Council, and the matter that had the most immediate and visible effect on our lives as Catholics, was the revision of the liturgy. The central idea was that there ought to be greater lay participation in the liturgy. In the mid-1960s, permissions were granted to celebrate most of the Mass in vernacular languages, English and Spanish for us. But, neither the Council nor

the subsequent revision of the Roman Missal abolished Latin as the liturgical language of the Roman Rite: the official text

of the Roman Missal. The Celebrant now facing the congregation at Holy Mass symbolised the new perception of the People of God. The Council also sought to revive the central role of Scripture in the theological and devotional life of the Church, “building upon the work of earlier popes in crafting a modern approach to Scriptural analysis and interpretation.”A total of sixteen major documents were produced by Vatican II, and perhaps the most famous and most influential is the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “Lumen Gentium”. In its first chapter, titled “The Mystery of the Church,” is the famous statement that “the sole Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic, which our Saviour, after His Resurrection, commissioned Peter to shepherd, and him and the other apostles to extend and direct with authority, which He erected for all ages as ‘the pillar and mainstay of the truth.’ This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him” (Lumen Gentium, 8). But we also note that the document immediately adds: “Nevertheless, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside its visible confines.”

The Renewal retreat with Padre Chus

Chus Villarroel OP is well-known for his special gift of preaching which has developed over more than 35 years in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. The message Padre

Chus had to bring to the Community here in Gibraltar during the

last weekend in January was one that was fresh and contemporary, touching on the latest advances in quantum mechanics and the economic crisis, and mental health issues but with a simple message, that, as Christians, we are already saved. In the Mass at

1962


Another was the “DECLARATION ON NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS” : recognising the activity of God in all religions

notwithstanding the conviction that the Church was given the fullness of truth by and in Christ. All therefore deserve understanding and esteem. Perhaps the biggest of these changes came in the Church’s approach to Judaism. Before Vatican 2, Jews were stigmatized as the people who ‘killed’ Jesus Christ. The Church now acknowledged its Jewish roots and the Jews’ covenant with God. In the words of an American Rabbi, “It had the effect that the sun has when it comes up and interrupts the night.” In a sense, the ‘DECREE ON THE LAY APOSTOLATE’ had a similar effect. Where the clerical view had been dominant, meaning the laity were there to accept and obey in a passive role; they were now recognized as fully responsible members of the People of God, with a much larger share in the universal priesthood and in the gifts of the Holy Spirit - “who works where He pleases”. “That is why the hierarchy is to regard the lay person with great trust, and his advice must be valued and sought.”In the excitement and flurry of activities that followed the “opening of the windows”, the spirit of Vatican II was invoked for a great variety of ideas and attitudes, leading to tensions some of which are still with us today. In the words of an American philosopher and journalist, Michael Novak, “it was as though the world (or at least the history of the Church) were now to be divided into only two periods, pre-Vatican II and post-Vatican II. Everything ‘pre’ was then pretty much dismissed. For the most extreme, to be a Catholic now meant to believe more or less anything one wished to believe, or at least in the sense in which one personally interpreted it. One could be a Catholic ‘in spirit’. “The reaction to this, at its most extreme in the opposite traditionalist direction, came in the person of Lefebvre. As Baglow, a Catholic theologian, put it: “Vatican II isn’t about replacing what the Church is,” he said. “It’s about helping it be more vitally what God intended it to be in the first place.” Vatican II did not deny previous Councils’ correctness. As ‘Dei Verbum’ reads, “Therefore, following in the footsteps of the Council of Trent and

SPONSORS OF UPON THIS ROCK


2012 ...and KINdlE IN THEM the fire of your love.

The fifth Holy Hour in the series will be a

meditation on the document ‘Ad Gentes: the Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity’. The Holy Hour will be held at the Cathedral of St. Mary the

Crowned on Wednesday 20th March, at 7.00pm. ‘Ad Gentes’ is available to read on the www.vatican.va website.

March 20th: Missionary Activity

YeaR of faiTh: 12 holY houRs



of the First Vatican Council, this present council wishes to set forth authentic doctrine on divine revelation and how it is handed on…”. Speaking to the Roman Curia in 1966, Pope Paul V1 stated: “The Council was something very new: not all were prepared to understand and accept it. But now the conciliar doctrine must be seen as belonging to the magisterium of the Church and, indeed, be attributed to the breath of the Holy Spirit.”

Fifty years later, Pope Benedict said from the steps of St. Peter’s: “The council did not formulate anything new in matters of faith, nor did it wish to replace what was ancient, rather, it concerned itself with seeing that the same faith might continue to be lived in the present day, that it might remain a living faith in a world of change.” “What is needed is that this certain and immutable doctrine, to which the faithful owe obedience, be studied afresh and reformulated in contemporary terms.”

To mark this fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of Vatican II, the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict XVI, had

made the period from October 2012 to the end of November 2013 “Year Of Faith” in a solemn declaration, and ordered all parishes and religious institutions to find some manner during that Year of celebrating and reaffirming the Creed.In the words of Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio, “Sixteen ecclesiastical documents, written by a team of several thousand bishops and theologians, based on three years of preparation and four years of prayer and discussion. It should be no surprise that most people would leave the reading of these documents to theexperts, assuming that only the learned could make any sense of them.” But that was precisely what the Popes and fathers of the council did not want. Yet it must be remembered that first and foremost this was a pastoral Council and its documents are written to encourage, nourish, and enlighten the ‘sheep’. Nevertheless, the thick volume of Council documents is, at first glance, forbidding. Where to begin ?The Church has given everyone an accessible and well-organized collection of Council texts in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, by far the easiest place to make a start. This Catechism is surely one of the great achievements of the Pontificate of Pope John Paul II. It is not simply an anthology of Vatican II texts. It draws from all the Councils of the Church as well as from the entire Catholic tradition, citing Church Fathers, Doctors, and Saints, and is thoroughly imbued with the “true spirit of Vatican II. ” In the closing words of Pope Paul Vl, “Whatever were our opinions about the Council’s various doctrines before its conclusions were promulgated, today our adherence to the decisions of the Council must be whole hearted and without reserve; it must be willing and prepared to give them the service of our thought, action and conduct.”

...and KINdlE IN THEM the fire of your love. a Joy-filled Padre ChusRetreat

the conclusion of the weekend retreat Fr. Chus confided in us that it was only one month ago that he fully understood the message: he felt he always preached the same and people carried on in their same ways. But he felt certain that the Lord insisted, hearing His words: ‘I have the right that they hear this message.’ and Fr. Chus was equally certain that ‘Woe is me, should I be disobedient!’ The all-important message is the message of the FREE GIFT of the Holy Spirit, that the Spirit will convince us of our sin, and

when we allow Him to work in us we will feel compunction and we will sin no more. Jesus died that we might understand and be whole, knowing that nothing can separate us from the Father. And that we are already put right, we are already healed. Of course it is good too, to confess our human frailties and we have the Rite of Reconciliation for confirmation and celebration of our relationship with the Holy Spirit. But Fr. Chus reminded us that the Prince of the World has been overcome. This good news is for every person, including you as you read this page.


100 Years devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes at the Sacred Heart Church in images from the Concert, the Diocesan Mass, and the Torch-Light Procession on the final day.

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100 Years devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes at the Sacred Heart Church in images from the Concert, the Diocesan Mass, and the Torch-Light Procession on the final day.

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“Years I spent in vanity and prideCaring not my lord was crucified,Knowing not it was for me He diedOn Calvary”.

William R. Newall. 1868-1956

The first Good Friday was D-Day for the human race. A day that now has historical meaning because of the cataclys-

mic events which still reverberate over two thousand years later. The Cross is both a symbol of suffering and defeat but also of triumph and salvation. Since the days of Adam, pride has led mankind down the road to destruction. It has its roots in contempt of God, it is the sin for which Lucifer was thrown out of Heaven, the sin which led Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit, pride formed the foundation of the infamous Tower of Babel, pride brought the apostle Peter low. After Jesus had warmed him that he would trice deny Him, Peter rather arrogantly answered, “Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble”. (Matt. 26; 33) Famous last words? We are all familiar with the adage that pride comes before a fall and Peter’s answer exemplifies “that frame of mind in which a person, through love of his own worth, aims to withdraw himself from subjection to God”. Pride is ugly. Deep in man’s heart there lurks the evil of this ungodly pride. It leads to ignorance and fear, individualism and failure to work together, as well as disobedience and self love. “Proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord”, (Proverbs, 16; 5) As we prepare to commemorate the Passion of Christ and celebrate the Resurrection let us reflect on the Cross as a symbol of salvation. “It is now the sixth hour and the sun’s light faded so that dark-

PrIdE & Humility

Book reviewThe Madness of St. Paul

In this book, Richard Dormandy charts with compassion the journey of St Paul through the ‘madness’ of fear and self-loathing to a profound dependence on God’s grace and love. This unusual and perceptive reading of St Paul will be of interest to all students of the New Testament. But it will also be profoundly liberating to all Christians who have faced challenge, criticism and burnout in their ministry. As St Paul discovers the love of God in Christ Jesus, he offers his own hard-won insights to all who struggle to trust in hard times. St Paul can rightly be regarded as one of the founding fathers of

our faith. A determined, hard willed and cocksure individual, who after experiencing that famous conversion, set in motion the mission of God with unparalleled vigour in the face of unimaginable hostility. Given his success under such

Members of the Emmaus Youth Prayer Group pray before the Cross on a recent retreat.


PrIdE & Humility

Anne Mesilio

ness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the sanctuary was rent in two and Jesus cried in a loud voice, Father into your hands I com-mend my spirit, and he breathed his last. (Luke; 44; 46) The Cross is an ancient symbol and appears in pagan history prior to Christ. It is a historical fact that crucifixion was a method of execution. The Good Friday Cross of Christ crucified on that lonely hill speaks of a deep sad-ness in the soul. It is filled with pain; pain born out of brutality, the pain of torture and suffer-ing, the pain of being alone and forsaken, pain that goes beyond the heart’s understanding. This is the Cross of Christ and pride cannot exist beneath it. We are urged by St. Augustine to “nail all feelings of pride to the Cross”. We must lose our diso-bedience, self-love, haughtiness, in the agony of Chris’s passion. This is the lesson of Calvary, God redeemed sin, yours and mine, but pride keeps us from seeing and remembering this.

It is not easy in a society that sees pride as a virtue. Psychologists teach that lack of self-esteem is seen as the root cause of most mental dysfunctions. We are made to feel ‘inferior’ in the outpouring of adulation and worship accorded to movie stars, models, the rich and successful above and beyond what calls for simple admiration. Their ‘vir-tues’ are extolled and examples followed as we rush into tempta-tion we are not able to handle. We become brash, reckless and proud of ourselves in this pursuit into what will end in failure and spiritual disillusion. There is a ‘me’ mentality which has caught Christians in its snare, but this is easily done. It is easy to forget that we are, at God’s behest, asked to live our lives in the service of our fellow man.Is pride ever justified? This may seem a strange question when considering the ‘sin of sins’. Well on the 7th February I had occasion to ponder this. Welcoming Special Olympics Gibraltar home from their par-

ticipation in the World Winter Games in S. Korea where they had won a silver medal and two bronze and were proudly, yes proudly, showing off this won-derful achievement. Family and friends were overjoyed and loud-ly proclaimed their appreciation. As I was tussling with this piece on pride at the time it became clear to me that this outpouring was of joy and delight, sheer genuine heartfelt justified pride. Indeed proud was a word being used but as far as I could see it was not the puffed up sin of preoccupation with self. This was celebratory and thankful and filled with love for others. All accomplishments are pos-sible because God gives us the health and strength needed to carry them out. Those minutes at the airport were for me, a re-affirmation of this truth and I was humbled by it. Humility is a gift which restores what pride wants to rob. It is the key element to loving God to whom I must give “the sinful body of my pride”. It is ok to

love your country as long as this does not become fanatical and blind. It is better to let this love be grateful and thankful as every gift is from God, even those of our own accomplishments. Humility is the key element for being at peace. This does not come easy and we must be on constant guard lest our humility itself becomes a source of pride. There is a strong link between humility and respect for human life and the dignity of the human being. Be quiet in your heart and expect nothing. Look at the grandeur of nature, a flower, a sunset, a running stream and see the everlasting glory of God given freely to us. We need to model our lives on the humility of the Cross of Calvary. “As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are look-ing down you cannot see some-thing that is above you.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

Book reviewharsh conditions it is no wonder that St Paul is ranked amongst the highest of saints. No doubt this may inspire great admiration for the Saint, however, it may also cause us folk to feel that such levels of surrender to God are completely unattainable. Richard Dormandy delivers a clear and captivating portrait of the Saint. He becomes someone to which we can easily relate and inspires a commitment within that may otherwise have laid dormant under the deception of ineptness. Dormandy makes Paul more readily accessible without diminishing his awesomeness. Regardless of ones level of engagement with the faith I strongly recommend this short and simple commentary to everyone. -Ronnie Alecio

This book can be found in the ‘Theology’ section of The Cornerstone Bookshop.


You have probably heard the term Na-ProTechnology but we are pleased to present part

two of an informative question and an-swer article, continued from last month.What is the difference be-tween using NaProTECH-NOLOGY (NPT) for infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), including In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), In-tracytoplasmic Sperm Injec-tion (ICSI)?There is a fundamental differ-ence in approach. NPT identifies what is not working and fixes it, so that conception and pregnan-cy can occur naturally in vivo [in the body]. ART and related approaches bypass the problem and make a baby in vitro [out-side the body]. Many of the is-sues (cost, side effects, ethical concerns) raised by ART are not a problem with NPT.Does NPT use Artificial In-semination?No. NPT supports and optimises natural reproductive function, so that pregnancy can result from natural sexual intercourse.Can NaProTECHNOLOGY help with male factor infertility?Yes. If the primary diagnosis is a male factor, couples have had

successful pregnancies using NaProTECHNOLOGY. Men with very low sperm counts or anti-sperm antibodies can be treated. Often, improvements in semen quality can be made by healthy lifestyle changes. A number of medical and surgical treatments can also improve se-men quality and sperm function. Even if the sperm function is not ideal, evaluating and maximiz-ing the woman’s fertility cycle, together with ideal timing of intercourse will often result in pregnancy. The overall success rate for male factor infertility is around 40%.Can NaProTECHNOLOGY help prevent miscarriage?NPT identifies miscarriage as an abnormality rather than a com-mon normal reproductive event. Furthermore it recognises that there are underlying causes to each miscarriage, even though the causes may not always be identifiable. NPT fully evaluates the possible causes of even one miscarriage and in fact prefers to identify and correct abnormali-

ties before any miscarriage oc-curs.Clinical signs [biomarkers] from the couple’s fertility chart sug-gest possible reasons for mis-carriage. Hormonal evaluation guided by the couple’s charting allows the NPT-trained physi-cian to identify and treat hor-monal deficiencies to reduce the risk of even one miscarriage oc-curring, or in the case of women who have suffered recurrent mis-carriages, reducing the risk of another miscarriage.Can NaProTECHNOLOGY help with premenstrual syndrome [PMS], menstrual cycle or women’s health problems?Yes. The woman’s charting of her clinical signs [biomarkers] of the fertility cycle (menstrual cycle), gives great insight into menstrual cycle disorders. The underlying causes of many of these problems can be the same. Hormonal evaluation guided by the charting allows the NPT-trained physician to identify abnormalities in the menstrual cycle and correct them. This can

improve or resolve the problem.Problems that can be helped with NaProTECHNOLOGY include:· Infertility· Miscarriage· Premature Birth· Ovarian Cysts· Premenstrual Syndrome· Postpartum Depression· Irregular Cycles· Premenopausal Symptoms· Irregular Vaginal Bleeding· Family PlanningIs NPT experimental?No. Most of the treatments used in NPT, both medical and surgi-cal, have a long history of use in medicine. All of the medica-tions used have been found to be safe and are on the market in virtually all countries. What is unique about NPT is the use of these therapies with the patient’s charting of the clinical signs [bi-omarkers] of the fertility cycle. This provides a powerful frame-work for effective therapy.Who provides NaProTECH-NOLOGY?Effective NPT is a team effort with three partners: the woman or couple, the Fertility Care Practitioner (teacher), and the NPT physician. Each partner has an essential role.What is my role in NPT?Your observation and charting of the clinical signs [biomarkers] of the fertility [menstrual] cycles forms the basis for all evaluation and treatment with NPT. It al-lows for proper timing of medi-cal tests (such as blood tests and

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rt Tw

o

ICC, Unit S3F, 2nd Floor, Tel: 200 655 77 www.ghc.gi, email: [email protected]

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ultrasound) and interpretation of the results.What is the role of the Fertil-ity Care Practitioner (teach-er) in NPT?The Fertility Care Practitioner (FCP) will teach you the Creight-on Model Fertility Care system, which allows you to ‘NaPro-Track’ your fertility cycles. You will see your FertilityCare prac-titioner regularly during your NaProTechnology treatment to help you keep track of changes in your cycle and progress in your fertility management.

What is the published evidence for restorative reproductive medicine and NaProTECHNOLOGY?A comprehensive summary of published research and specific research in NPT up to and in-cluding early 2004 is published in the textbook, “The Medical and Surgical Practice of NaPro-TECHNOLOGY” , by Dr Tho-mas Hilgers. Additional refer-ences to published information and updates on more recent studies are available from www.iirrm.org

for further information on NaProTechnology or to book an introductory session: Dr Monique Risso MB ChB MRCGP [email protected] General Practitioner and NaPro Technology Physician Specialist Medical Clinic, Unit 7, 1st Floor, ICC Building, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 49999 www.ladyofeuropefertilitycare.com

Pregnant? Difficult Circumstances? Problems?Contact Clare on: [email protected]

or Call +44 20 7723 1740

Dr. Monique RissoNaPro TECHNOLOGY?

“It’s the new Woman’s Health

science.”


16 Share the magazine with friends all round the world this Christmas at www.uponthisrock.eu

mar 2013 141

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catholic diocese of

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