Nurse practitioner with St. Paul VI Institute speaks at diocesan high schools

AURORA—Teresa Kenney, a nurse practitioner with St. Paul VI Institute in Omaha will give a presentation, “Discover the Truth About Life,” Nov. 9 at the Aurora Schools Theatre and Commons in Aurora, preceding a showing of the movie ‘Unplanned.’ The event, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a chili-and-cinnamon-roll supper, is sponsored by Loving Life Coalition. Kenney will speak at 5:50 p.m. followed by the movie beginning at 6:30 p.m. A panel discussion and question and answer session with other guest speakers will follow the movie. A native of Omaha, Kenney, has been practicing for 18 years and is a certified medical consultant for the reproductive health science developed by Dr. Thomas Hilgers, Napro Technology. With the support of Bishop Joseph Hanefeldt, Mike Kube, pro-life director for the Diocese of Grand Island, arranged a two-day speaking tour in the Grand Island diocese at three diocesan schools (Grand Island Central Catholic, North Platte St. Patrick’s and Kearney Catholic) in October. She also spoke at the UNK Newman Center and at the Chocolate Bar in Grand Island. Kenney discussed “The Culture of Life” in presentations, one geared toward boys and one toward girls. She said it was a great experience for her and she was able to address all students with her talk to “engage, empower and educate.” “What is my purpose?” she said. “If I come from a loving creator, what does that mean?” Cathy Howard, who teaches English at Grand Island Central Catholic, said she was impressed by the way Kenney spoke to the kids in an “informative fashion about their bodies and fertility.” “Yet, she did so with the idea that, as Catholic Christians, we are to treat our bodies with great dignity and respect,” she said. Howard said Kenney even used an online game to involve the kids and thought many of the kids were surprised to have such a “forthright discussion about fertility and reproduction.” “She taught the kids, especially the girls, about how to be in tune with their bodies,” Howard said, “and all the outward changes that occur during the female cycle.” She added that Kenney later met with junior and senior girls. “Some of the kids told me Teresa provided a great environment in which they could ask honest questions without feeling intimidated or embarrassed,” Howard said. “All our kids left with the idea that not only do we consider the unborn life to be sacred but all our lives as well.” Kenney said most children will move into adulthood with the vocation of marriage. Educating young men and women about the gift of their fertility, their origin, their purpose and their destiny is the most important gift we can give to them, she said. She spoke to students separately and gave a “Fertility 101” quiz, “to know what they don’t know” she said, then followed with a presentation on the science and biology and “beauty of their bodies.” In the end, she said, if that’s done correctly, students should have developed a self possession or self integration of body and spirit. “Once you understand that human sexuality is tied to the deepest parts of who we are, we understand the deepest part of who God is.” For more information on the “Discover the Truth About Life” event in Aurora email [email protected].