Katie Williams

In May, our family wanted to keep the age-old tradition of traveling to a Marian shrine during the month dedicated to Our Blessed Mother.  After reading Sheila Kippley’s book Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood [1] we knew just the place to travel to honor Mary since the book referred to a chapel dedicated to the Nursing Madonna.  It is a small Madonna Chapel located at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Annawan, Illinois that was created by Father Timothy Sauppé, S.T.L., S.T.D. candidate.  Little did we know the beauty that would touch our souls that day and stay as a warm memory in our hearts.
 
We arrived at the Madonna Chapel, hurried out of the car, and made our way into the beautiful chapel.  Upon dunking the little chubby fingers into the holy water and guiding their hands in making the sign of the cross we knew we were standing on holy ground.  Jesus was present in the Tabernacle, making this a sacred place; however, there was an elevated feeling of sanctity present in this chapel due to its shear focus on the Nursing Madonna.  As we genuflected toward the Tabernacle, I thanked the Lord for my motherhood and tears came to my eyes.  Here I was kneeling in a chapel that honored the vocation of motherhood, and I was surrounded by my husband, mother-in-law, two children, and five months pregnant with our third child.  I felt at home.  I had found refuge from the sinful world that promotes destructive lies to women and marriages.  Some of these lies include “Children are an economic liability and burden,” “Formula feeding is just as good as breastfeeding,” and “Contraception and sterilization are perfectly OK if your conscience says they are.”  These worldly deceptions were left behind as the chapel door shut and we were sitting in the rays of Truth and beauty.

What struck me the most is that as a mother who understands the overwhelming benefits of breastfeeding as opposed to formula feeding, I was in a place which supported the scientific data that the breast is best.  One may wonder what science, breastfeeding, motherhood, and this Madonna Chapel have in common.  Some may even think that these terms, particularly breastfeeding, are not an issue of concern to the Catholic Church.  In my study, I have come across some interesting facts and connections that are helpful in solidifying the relationship between these constructs and also in emphasizing the paramount role the Catholic Church must play in promoting the dignity of motherhood through natural family planning and breastfeeding.

First, the scientific benefits of breastfeeding have been concretized through various studies.  Some of these benefits include the fact that breast milk is a living food and changes hour by hour to meet the needs of the baby.  For example, if the mother has an infection she will immediately start producing specific antibodies in her milk so that her baby will be protected from this infection.  Likewise, if the baby has an infection, the mother produces antibodies to fight it.  Formula on the other hand does not have this capability.  The American Academy of Family Physicians [2], the American Academy of Pediatrics [3], and the United States Breastfeeding Committee [4] all promote breastfeeding over formula as it has many health benefits for children.  They have found that breastfeeding reduces the incidences of diarrhea, allergies, ear infections, respiratory-tract infections, urinary-tract infections, diabetes, asthma, eczema, bacterial meningitis, lymphomas, childhood leukemia, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, sudden infant death syndrome, botulism, necrotizing enterocolitis, gastroenteritis, Hodgkin’s disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, autoimmune thyroid disease, cavities and adolescent obesity.

Second, the benefits of breastfeeding for the mother are just as wonderful.  Sheila Kippley, a renowned promoter of breastfeeding and mother-child togetherness, states the benefits for mothers who breastfeed.  These include reducing the risk of developing osteoporosis later in life, the reduction in ovarian cancer rates for women who have breastfeed, and a greatly reduced risk of getting breast cancer for women who have breastfed their babies for an extended period of time have [1].  These mothers also have a lower rate of lupus, anemia, and thyroid and endometrial cancer [1].  Ecological breastfeeding, as outlined in Kippley’s book Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing [5], can also naturally space babies. Further, ecological breastfeeding is more beneficial to a mother’s body [6] and her soul [7] than the immoral use of artificial contraceptives. One cannot argue against the health and soul benefits to mother and baby gained through breastfeeding and, furthermore, the economic benefits stand alone.  Breast milk is free and I cannot begin to count the number of times I have heard women say, “Do you know how expensive formula is?” 

Unfortunately, in our society, there still tends to be a social stigma against breastfeeding usually promoted by a false sense of feminism and the cultural diffidence within the medical community.  However, it is scientifically accepted and undeniable that breast is best.  Through breastfeeding and mother-child togetherness, a mother learns to pay attention to the cues of her baby as she is the only one who can meet the basic need of nourishment.  What does this mean?  It means that the mother needs to be available and accessible to her child.  Through this gift of self, mothers can chip away at the selfish vices that are known in human nature. Succinctly, when a mother is constantly making sacrifices and giving of herself with her own physical body (e.g., breastfeeding) throughout the entire day for her family, it is not hard for her to recognize how irreplaceable and dignified her vocation is, and how the constant sense of self-denial increases in her the virtues of flexibility, fortitude, generosity, patience, and perseverance.

God has given mothers the opportunity to grow spiritually through the vocation of motherhood.  The Second Vatican Council proclaimed the truth of the universal call to holiness [8].  It is only through one’s particular vocation that one can reach sanctity.  As the Council Fathers have stated;  man “cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself” [9].

Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, saints and popes have not shied away from speaking on the issue of breastfeeding.  On Friday, May 12, 1995, Pope John Paul II met with the participants at an international conference on breast-feeding, science and society organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society of Great Britain.  He not only highlighted the nutritional value of breastfeeding, but also emphasized how invaluable it is to the child in helping him or her to develop feelings of security and worth.  “Moreover, in addition to these immunological and nutritional effects,” he said, “this natural way of feeding can create a bond of love and security between mother and child, and enable the child to assert its presence as a person through interaction with the mother”[10]. 

The Church through her saints and popes has spoken intrepidly on the role of breastfeeding for the vocation of motherhood and benefit of family life, and now my hope is that priests will continue this leadership and will encourage and endorse breastfeeding and mother-child togetherness.  As such, it is important for priests to promote breastfeeding as the ideal even though it may not be possible for every woman in every circumstance.

One such priest is Fr. Sauppé of Annawan, IL. and his new Madonna Chapel; a Holy place and space which “speaks” in a clear voice in declaring the dignity of motherhood through the beauty of breastfeeding.  Fr. Sauppé wanted this chapel to appeal to post-modern women (who have drunk deep of the dreadfulness of contraceptive and abortive mentalities) through beauty.  One might recall a highly quoted passage from Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar, “Before the beautiful—no, not really before but within the beautiful—the whole person quivers. He not only 'finds' the beautiful moving; rather, he experiences himself as being moved and possessed by it” [11].

In my interview with Father Sauppé he explained the reasons for building this chapel. “Most post-modern women do not want to study facts and sit down and read, but hopefully this chapel will introduce them to the science behind breastfeeding and the beauty of the mother/child bonding in breastfeeding.”  Father Sauppé understands that science has proven that mothers are able to space their births without the use of contraception through the use of ecological breastfeeding.   He points out, that “the greatest challenge we have as priests is contraception.  It is killing our parishes left and right.  As long as Bishops say nothing about contraception we will not grow as a Church or as a society.”
             
Father Sauppé shared with me some practical facts that may assist other parishes who may be interested in constructing a similar Madonna Chapel.  The chapel was originally a large office located off the rectory garage that was used for storage.  Father told four women from his parish about his plan, and they used their talents to help design the chapel.  Constructed slowing over six months the chapel was dedicated on May 31, 2004—the Feast of the Visitation of Mary.  The main costs were pews ($300 each) which came from a Catholic hospital and the reproduced paintings of various Masterpieces from Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and others at $300 each.  However, parishioners gave memorials towards the paintings.  The smaller costs (e.g., paint for walls and fabric for curtains) came from the parish budget, but parishioners donated their time and talents to paint and sew.  Daily Mass is offered in the chapel during July, August, and the winter months to help the parish save on the cost of utilities, and the First Saturday Mass is also offered in the chapel.  Eucharistic adoration is offered every Thursday from 4:00pm-7:00pm.  The chapel is accessible at any hour via a keyless entry code.   Father Sauppé stated that the chapel is semi-private since he wanted a place where women can come and breastfeed in private and feel secure.  The door is always locked, but the entry code is available to all parishioners.

Father Sauppé understands the intimate link between the mother-child togetherness found in breastfeeding, and how it can contribute to a woman’s understanding of the natural beauty of motherhood.  To this end, Fr. Sauppé had his bishop approve a new devotional chaplet entitled Theotόkos Chaplet.  This chaplet is recited on each bead of the rosary and the decades are the mysteries of the maternity of Mary.  See Table 1.

Through the paintings (see Table 2 and Picture 1) of the Nursing Madonna that adorn the walls of this chapel, one can easily see the magnificence and holiness of the act of a mother breastfeeding her child.  This chapel is not intended to force women into a particular way of thinking about motherhood, but instead its purpose is to help women naturally see the beauty of motherhood.  In turn, this realization of the glorious dignity of motherhood will help women to be more open to life (e.g., turning from the use of contraceptive behaviors to natural family planning) and to nurturing each particular life with nourishment from her own breasts. 

As my family and I left the Madonna Chapel that day I was struck with the belief that if we can get more women to fall in love with the splendor of motherhood, the blinders that society places over women’s eyes concerning children as burdens will fall and a new reverence for women and the value of motherhood will be born.  For more information regarding the Madonna Chapel or the Theotόkos Chaplet, email Father Timothy Sauppé at frsauppe@qconline.com.  For more information regarding breastfeeding and the Catholic Church, visit the Catholic Nursing Mothers League at http://www.catholicbreastfeeding.org and NFP International at www.NFPandmore.org.

Table 1.  The Theotόkos Chaplet: 
IMPRIMATUR ┼ Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C. Bishop of Peoria,
2 February 2006, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Five Divine Mysteries of the Maternity of Mary (using the five decades of the Rosary) Decade ends with a Glory Be & Our Father

First Mystery: The Quickening: The Blessed Mother feels Jesus’ first movements in her womb

Second Mystery: The First Nursing: The Blessed Mother gives her new infant His first nourishment

Third Mystery: The First Steps: Jesus takes His first steps toward His destiny- His Passion and Cross

Fourth Mystery: His First Spoken Words: Jesus speaks His first words

Fifth Mystery: Jesus is Weaned: The last breastfed bond between Mother and Child

Recited on each bead of the Rosary: “Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is With Thee.  Blessed Art Thou Among Women, And Blessed is the Fruit Of Thy Womb, Jesus.” (Luke 1:28, 42) Holy Mary, Mother of God [Theotόkos], “Blessed is the Womb that bore Jesus, and the Breasts that Nursed Him.  Blessed Are Those who Hear the Word of God, and Keep It.” (Luke 11:27-28)

Table 2.  Paintings and Pictures at the Madonna Chapel in Annawan, Illinois

Title	Artist	Painting/Picture
Nuestra Señora de Leche y Buen Parto (Our Lady of Milk and Good Birth). This statue, ca. A.D. 1600-1620, is kept in the shrine devoted to Nuestra Señora de Leche y Buen Parto in St. Augustine, Florida -- the first Marian shrine in the United States.	Unknown
Madonna and Child (Madonna Litta)	Leonardo da Vinci
Madonna of the Stairs	Michelangelo Buonarroti
Madonna of the Green Cushion	Andrea de Solario
Madonna with Child	Ferrari, DeFendente
Fragment of a fresco from the catacomb of Priscilla in Rome, dating from the beginning of the 3rd century A.D.  It is the most ancient image of the Blessed Virgin.	Unknown
Taken from  German Pugh Latin Tridentine Altar Missal dating around 1880’s-1890’s	Unknown

Picture 1.  Madonna Chapel in Annawan, Illinois, Sacred Heart Catholic Church

End notes

1.         Kippley, S., Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood: God's Plan for You and Your Baby. 2005, Manchester: Sophia Institute Press. 107.
2.         (AAFP), A.A.o.F.P., Breastfeeding (Position Paper). 2007.
3.         (AAP), A.A.o.P., Policy Statement on Breastfeeding "Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk". 2005. 115(2): p. 496-506.
4.         (USBC), U.S.B.C., Benefits of Breastfeeding [Issue paper]. 2002: Raleigh, NC. p. 4.
5.         Kippley, S., Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing: How Ecological Breastfeeding Spaces Babies. 1999, Cincinnati: The Couple to Couple League International, Inc.
6.         Kahlenborn, M., Chris and M. Moell, Ann, What a Women Should Know About Contraceptives, One More Soul. p. 2.
7.         Vaticana, L.E., Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2370. 1994: Liguiori Publications.
8.         II, V.C., Lumen Gentium, Sects. 39-42. 1964.
9.         II, V.C., Gaudium et Spes, Sect. 24. 1965.
10.       John Paul II, P. Breastfeeding: Science and Society. in Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society. 1995.
11.       Balthasar, H.U.V., Seeing the Form (The Glory of the Lord : A Theological Aesthetics), ed. J. Fessio and J. Riches. Vol. 1. 1982: Ignatius Press.

 

Katie Williams earned her B.A. degrees in music and psychology.  Upon completing four years of a five year doctoral program in Counseling Psychology at the University of Iowa, successfully passing all didactic coursework and comprehensive exams, Katie and her husband, Sean, discerned that completing her degree was not a serious reason to delay having children and their son Augustine was born nine months later.  Katie has enthusiastically embraced her vocation as a wife and a stay-at-home mother and her formal studies have been indefinitely postponed, although she continues to speak on topics concerning marriage/family and child-rearing.  Katie and Sean have been married for five years and have 3 sons- Augustine (4 years old), Anthony (2 years old), and Ambrose Michael (5 months old).