True Christian womanhood

One of the many challenges that parents face is equipping their children with the knowledge on a wide range of topics that will prepare them for adult life.

The true meaning of sexuality and what our faith teaches us about this aspect of life is one of those areas where parents might struggle to find resources. No doubt, it’s a sensitive subject for both parents and children to approach.

The diocesan Office of Family Ministry is offering guidance to parents with a program called “Cherry Blossom Buds.” The cycle awareness and charting system is designed for girls who have begun to show outward signs of puberty but have not yet begun to menstruate and continues as the girl matures into womanhood.  The program corresponds to the chastity education outlined in the Pontifical Council for the Family’s document, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality.

“One of the benefits of Cherry Blossom Buds is the education of God‘s gift of fertility, what true womanhood is, and the importance of chastity,” offered the diocesan Director of the Office of Family Ministry, Amanda Jensen. “The mother is supported in the immense and important task of educating and forming her daughter according to the beauty of God’s plan. Her daughter learns about her reproductive life, including more than charting the signs and symptoms of the menstrual cycle, to help her understand how her body works and assure her own reproductive health.”   

Three programs are offered, each designed for a unique stage in the development of the adolescent cycle. They include “Blossom” (for girls awaiting their first menstrual cycle), “Bloom” (for girls ages 11-15) and, currently in development, “Beauty Revealed” (for young women ages 16-22).

“Cherry Blossom Buds offers three age-appropriate programs for the daughter in her journey through adolescence to maturity, starting while she is awaiting her first menstrual cycle,” Jensen said. “The main teacher and guide of the program to the daughter is the mother, as the Cherry Blossom Buds instructor walks alongside her on educating her daughter. This allows the mother to introduce and teach the topics according to her daughter’s understanding and ability.”

Origin of the program

The Cherry Blossom Buds program was started by Kelly Donahue, an author, certified Natural Family Planning instructor since 2010 and holder of a bachelor’s degree in theology from Franciscan University. She’s also a certified health coach, wife and mother. The New Orleans resident was inspired to share the ministry aimed at helping girls discover the beauty of the feminine design as a gift from God.

More information

Mothers can teach aspects of the Cherry Blossom Buds program (depending on what program fits the stage of development) to their daughters at home or mothers and daughters can attend a seminar together, if available.

Currently, the Bismarck Diocese offers only the Bloom program, for girls ages 11-15, and their mothers. Bloom offers three options—home instruction ($75 per mother-daughter pair), in which the mother teaches her daughter in the privacy of their home after sessions with the instructor; cycle awareness seminar ($125 per mother-daughter pair), in which the instructor teaches a group in a classroom type setting; and private instruction ($200 per mother-daughter pair), which is taught privately by the instructor. Registration cost includes the sessions, consults and materials. To register for Bloom, visit bismarckdiocese.com/cbb.

To register for the Blossom or Beauty Revealed programs, visit cherryblossombuds.com.