Catholic Daughter Happenings

Transcription

1 2015 CDA Mission Statement Catholic Daughter Happenings Catholic Daughter Court St. Charles #1791 March, April, May The purpose of the organization is to participate in the religious, charitable and educational Apostolate of the Church. Catholic Daughters of the Americas engages in creative and spiritual programs which provide its members with the opportunity to develop their special God-given talents in a meaningful way to positively influence the welfare of the church and all peoples throughout the world. Catholic Daughters of the Americas strives to embrace the principle of faith working through love in the promotion of justice, equality and the advancement of human rights and human dignity of all. Court St. Charles officers Regent Marlys Hinckley Hwy 74 SE, Chatfield, MN Vice Regent Deb Rowekamp 2332 Timberwood Lane SW, Rochester, MN Treasurer Maureen Doffing 444 Whispering Hills, St. Charles, MN Financial Secretary Phyllis Ruzek 261 Richland Avenue, St. Charles, MN Recording Secretary Cathy Schleck Fairwater Road, Altura, MN Chaplain: Rev. Kurt P. Farrell District Deputy: Denise Sackreiter Newsletter Editor: Becky Storey Hunder St. Charles Court Website: MN CDA Website: National Website:

2 From Your Regent: Marlys Hinckley I attended a funeral in February, and it was heartbreaking to see the grandchildren dealing with grief at such a young age. It was also a happy celebration of the life of the deceased. The deceased man's younger brother eulogized his big brother, and spoke of how he had always looked up to him as a boy, and as a teenager he always wanted to be included in whatever big brother was doing; fishing, hiking, swimming, baling hay, and jeep rides in the country. He then spoke of their young adult lives and how they had a disagreement, a silly sibling rivalry, that wasn't resolved for years. Although they patched things up after many years, he stated that he would regret those missed years and missed opportunities for a close relationship with his brother for the rest of his life. As I sat in that church, I wondered how many of us he had struck a chord with. Forgiveness can be a difficult thing, and sometimes the hardest part is forgiving ourselves. As we journey through lent we look to the crucifix and are reminded of how Jesus forgave the two men who were crucified next to him, all those who spit upon Him, betrayed Him, and those who beat Him and nailed Him to the cross (all of us through our sins). If he can forgive all of that and more, what about our ability to forgive? As we remember the prayer that Our Lord gave us, we ask Him to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive... My mind wanders from forgiveness to gratitude, and learning to be more patient and appreciative; all things I need to work on. Therefore if you would allow me the opportunity to express myself: I feel so blessed to serve with such a fine group of women. Our officers are dedicated and hard working ladies who truly believe in every service project that we do. Our court members are always willing to go the extra mile to help others and ensure the success of every project that we undertake, all while fulfilling our daily roles as wives, mothers, grandmothers, employees and employers. For all of this I am very grateful, Thank you CDA sisters. Wishing all of you growth in your lenten journey, and a very blessed and joyful Easter. Sincerely, In Unity and Charity, Marlys Meet our Seminarian: We continue to Support our Seminarian, Matthew Wagner, who is a senior at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona. His home is in Stillwater, MN, and we have been praying for him and letting him know that we appreciate his commitment to answer Our Lord's call. He has been very gracious in corresponding with our members. If you would like to add your name, and send a card or note to Mr. Wagner please contact Maureen Doffing. If you have a few extra moments and would like to pray for him, there is a Seminarian specific prayer in the Minnesota Cahloic Daughters Book Of Prayers, page 66 Father s Day Sunday, June 14 CDA St. Charles cda1791@yahoo.com CDA St. Charles Mailing Address: P.O. Box 343, St. Charles, MN Page 2

3 Message from our Chaplin, Fr. Kurt Farrell Renewed and ready to serve What is a sabbatical? The term sabbatical actually is derived from the biblical Sabbath which serves an ancient human need to build periods of rest and rejuvenation into a lifetime. Traditionally you ll find sabbaticals in academic careers, but the concept is important in all walks of life. We as priests are eligible for a sabbatical every seven years; however, we know that this is not possible with the shortage of priests and the busy world that we live now. So I feel very blessed to be granted a sabbatical after my fifteenth year of Priesthood. I understand that a sabbatical is both to be a time of rest and an educational experience, which will enhance my ministry as a priest. This past December I had the opportunity to travel to Israel and retrace the footsteps of Christ. The trip has enhanced my understanding of the Gospel exponentially. For the first time in my life I now have a firsthand visual image to go with Gospel stories that I proclaim and preach. In January I was blest with the opportunity to travel to Guatemala, with the intention of studying Spanish, and fully immersing myself in the culture and the people. It was a great experience, which both renewed my spirit and my Spanish speaking ability. The missionary call has always been a part of my vocation as a priest, and being able to serve the poor in a third world country has given my priestly vocation a renewed sense of mission. I can also use what I learned in Guatemala to be a better priest here. I find myself less impatient and more willing to spent time with others, and less preoccupied with the next task at hand, and getting things resolved or accomplished. Although I feel that these two experiences have been super rewarding and fulfilling in and of themselves, I believe they have prepared me for what lies ahead. In July I will spend thirty days in silence with the Lord, seeking his direction and guidance for my life and my priestly calling. I truly believe that the Lord is calling me to take this time to spend with him, so that I can better serve the needs of others. We all have such busy lives that sometimes the activity takes on a life of its own, and no longer serves the overall purpose of our lives, which is to love God and our neighbor. Let us all be willing to listen to Jesus s gentle voice calling our name to come and spend some time with him. Fr. Kurt Farrell When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love then make that day count. CDA 500 Card Parties Hey everyone!! Card Parties are completed for another year!! Our Last Sunday had 12 tables of card players!! Wonderfully great - praise the Lord!! Great fellowship!! and wonderful food!! Thank you ladies for all your wonderful help in food, serving, and prayers!! We didn't have to cancel any this year, and the seniors have decided to do 2 more weeks on their own to continue the fun!! Page 3

4 Membership Catholic Daughters has motivated thousands to meet new challenges and respond to the teachings of the Faith. Our motto, Unity and Charity inspires us to work together for those less fortunate. What do Catholic Daughters do? We: feed the hungry clothe the naked care for abused children and battered women combat the evils of abortion and euthanasia help the homeless get involved with legislators to bring about change where needed support priests and seminarians provide aid to disaster stricken areas care for the aged and disabled help alcohol and drug abuse victims provide care for AID patients support youth in our communities... And So Much More! Right now someone you know would be delighted if you extended a Catholic Daughter invitation to them. Encourage your friend, co-worker, neighbor, mother, daughter, daughter-in-law, or sister to attend a meeting with you. Let them see first hand what joy there is in serving Jesus through Catholic Daughters. (taken from the Catholic Daughters cookbook) Our Membership chair, Deb Rowekamp, has challenged us to increase our membership by 3% as per the recommendations of the State CDA board. The theme this year is Bring One, Gain One. Meeting Recap Notes: January 2015 We participated in Respect Life Masses the weekend of January 24 th & 25 th by leading the rosary prior to the Masses. Thank you Darlene McGuire, Fran Goodrich, Jan Hansgen, Marilyn Shea, and Denise Sackreiter for leading us in prayer. Community Card Parties began on the last Sunday in January with nine tables of players participating. Everyone seems to enjoy the afternoon which concludes with a nice afternoon lunch. The Sunday card parties will continue through March 1 st as a CDA event. Our Secret Sisters event has begun, with reveal to be at our February meeting. February 2015 Our last Cinnamon Roll weekend for the year was over Valentines Day. We hope everyone has had a chance to enjoy them, and look forward to their return next Fall. Kathy Schumann spoke to us about Family Promise, formerly known as Interfaith Hospitality Network, and how we might become ionvolved. Jan Hansgen shared an article from Operation Morning Star entitled Children as Commodities. Forty Days for Life begins February 18 th, and we are encouraged to pray the Rosary daily throughout the forty days. Secret Sisters were revealed at our meeting, hopefully it helped to chase the winter blues away.

5 Meeting Recap Notes Continued: March 2015 Plans are underway for our annual Womens' Lenten Retreat to be held on Saturday, March 21 st in the Fireside room at St. Charles Borromeo. Our State chaplain, Deacon Paul Tschann, will present for us Whatsoever you do For the Least of My Brethren, You Do For Me. The time for the event is 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Flyers were posted, and many area courts were personally invited as were all State officers. All information is available on our court website. We are blessed to have Sister Anne Walch speak to us at our March meeting on Human Trafficking. It is a very timely topic that she is passionate about. It is sad that we should even have to have this conversation in our world today. We welcome Sister Anne, and contemplate how we can make a difference. National Projects In addition to work completed on the local level by Court St. Charles Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the court also provides financial support to each of the following National Projects. Through combined giving, each court and its members have an opportunity to support these worthwhile programs. Per the Standing Motions of Court St. Charles, the court contributes $20 to each national project per year. The Disaster Relief The Catholic Daughters maintain a Disaster Fund to which our members contribute. At the request of the State Regent where a disaster occurs, monetary assistance is forwarded to the Bishop of that diocese for distribution. Habitat for Humanity The Catholic Daughters in partnership with Habitat for Humanity work to build simple, decent, affordable homes for economically disadvantaged people so they can have a better environment in which to raise their families. We provide the finances for the house and also help to build these homes. We, as Catholic Daughters, may leave the site of the build bumped, bruised, and tired but it is very rewarding for all involved. CDA was one of the first women s organizations to complete a house in Habitat s seven day Blitz Build. Beginning in 1995 in Oklahoma City, the Catholic Daughters have built homes in Albany, NY; Riverside, CA; Baton Rouge, LA; Lakewood, NJ; Dilworth, MN; Port Jervis, NY; Corpus Christi, TX; Weston WV; Brockton, MA; Williamsburg, VA; Owatonna, MN; Wichita Falls, TX and Lake Charles, LA. Holy Cross Family Rosary The family that prays together stays together is the motto of the Holy Cross Family Ministries. Faithful to Mary, the Mother of God, The Family Rosary encourages family prayer, especially the Rosary. Founded by Servant of God, Father Patrick Peyton, CSC, Family Rosary seeks not only to fulfill the need to share the message of prayer with those who are unfamiliar with the Rosary but also to strengthen the prayer life of the devout. Since Catholic Daughters has the Blessed Mother as our Patroness and we have a strong devotion to her, we have supported this worthy cause since Smile Train The Smile Train is an international charity dedicated to helping the millions of children in the world who suffer from cleft lip and palate through free surgery for children, free training for doctors, and research to find a cure. This life-changing surgery is truly a modern day miracle. It gives these children a new smile and a second chance in life. 100 % of the donations goes for the program and 0% to overhead. The average cost per surgery is presently $250 and takes about 45 minutes. SOAR (Support Our Aging Religious) SOAR was founded in 1986 with $25,000 seed money received from Catholic Daughters. Augmenting the efforts of the institutional Church, SOAR! is a non-profit organization of persons who are committed to assuring financially stable and personally secure futures for elderly and frail members of Catholic religious congregations. The above information was extracted from the Catholic Daughters of the Americas website. Submitted by Sandy Larson

6 Up Coming Events Lent & Easter in the Tri Parishes: Palm Sunday: Sunday, March 29 at all regular weekend Masses. Holy (Maundy) Thursday: April 2; 7: 00pm at St. Charles Borromeo. Good Friday: April 3; 1 : 00 pm at St. Aloysius, Elba; 3:00pm at St. Charles Borromeo; 4:30pm at St. Charles Borromeo, Hispanic 7:00pm at Holy Redeemer, Eyota Easter Vigil: Saturday, April 4, 8: 00pm at St. Charles Borromeo Easter Sunday: April 5; 8: 30am Holy Redeemer, Eyota 9:00am St. Aloysius, Elba 10:00am St. Charles Borromeo April Meeting: Our meetings return to the 2nd Monday of the month, April 13, 2015; 7:00pm at St. Charles Borromeo. 47 th Biennial Minnesota State Convention will be held April 16-18, 2015 in Worthington, MN. If you are interested in experiencing sisterhood in CDA beyond our local court, this is a great opportunity and is fairly close to home-right on I-90. Watch the State newsletter and/or MN CDA State website for more details as they become available. First Holy Communion: 2nd Grade students from the Tri Parishes will celebrate 1st Communion on the following dates: Sunday, April 26 at 8:30am at Holy Redeemer; Sunday, May 3 at 10:00am at St. Charles Borromeo; and Sunday, May 3 at 11:30am during the Hispanic Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Confirmation: 10th Grade Confirmation Students from the Tri Parishes will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday, May 20th at 7:00 pm at St. Charles Borromeo. Bishop John Quinn will celebrate the Mass with Fr. Kurt. CDA Dotty Jones Scholarship: Applications are available in the kiosk at St. Charles Borromeo or by contacting Kris Jones at All Graduating Seniors from the Tri Parishes are encouraged to apply. May Meeting: Monday, May 11, 2015; 6:30pm at St. Charles Borromeo. This meeting is a pot luck for all of the members and their families. A meeting will follow after the meal is completed. We hope that you and your families are able to join us! Mother s Day Sunday, May 10 We will once again have flowers available after the Masses

7 Up Coming Events Continued Priest Appreciation: On Sunday, June 7, 2015 is our annual Priest Appreciation Day. Take a moment to thank your Priest this day with a note or kind word, it will be appreciated! Reminders and Happenings Offer a CDA sister a ride to the meetings If you misplace or throw away your newsletter, you can find it on our website. All our events are listed on the calendar, too. Check it out: Please visit our website often, you never know when something vital may appear. If any of your contact information changes, such as address, phone number, or if you drop your land line phone, please let Vicki Gathje or any officer know so that you and we are always updated. Thank You. Dues are Due! Renewal of the annual dues of $26 is in progress for the 2015 year. Please, contact Phyllis Ruzek for payment or any officer for questions. You may mail your dues to: Court St. Charles, P.O. Box 343, St. Charles JCDA Daddy Daughter Dance It was a magical evening for Dads and Daughters as St. Kateri Tekakwitha court JCDA of St. Charles hosted their 2 nd Daddy & Daughter Dance. There were over 50 participants who enjoyed the special evening together. The JCDA court decorated, made appetizers and had fun photo props for pictures. It was a true red carpet event evident when they posed for photos under the arbor and the girls were escorted arm and arm by their father, brother and even grandfather. Good Times DJ Entertainment from Elgin was a fantastic DJ who knew how to keep everyone on the dance floor. During the evening, we had a touching ceremony when Dads kneeled down and recited their commitment to their daughters. After the dance, each family received photos and a bookmark with a poem as a keepsake. This was a fantastic event that will be remembered for years to come.

8 2015 MN Convention Proposed Resolutions : #1 WHEREAS, placing the resolutions on the MN Catholic Daughters web site will allow more members to have the opportunity to view them and become more aware of what the Convention Delegates have supported. WHEREAS, if all resolutions are posted on the MN Catholic Daughters web site ( they would be more available to keep officers and members in touch with what they are. They can then seek to follow them more closely. WHEREAS, the MN Catholic Daughters web site would allow all resolutions available to be previewed and reviewed so future resolutions or amendments could be made on the basis of existing resolutions. Therefore: Be it resolved that all previous resolutions be retired and all future resolutions be maintained on the MN Catholic Daughters web site and removed when considered no longer appropriate by the Resolutions Committee. #2 Submitted by the MN State Board WHEREAS, since the Pope has declared this the year of the Consecrated Life we need to participate in promoting vocations through prayer and encouragement to Seminarians and aspiring women religious. WHEREAS, we can each be a part in assisting in the increase in the number of individuals who may dedicate their lives to Christ, through our prayers and words of encouragement. WHEREAS, this special Year of Consecrated Life can be an occasion for spiritual growth for each of us to confess humbly, with immense confidence in the God who is Love, for grace and peace for all who have dedicated their lives to Christ and all of those discerning to do so. WHEREAS, the opportunity to participate is open to all. Encouragement can be given to the many diverse forms of consecrated life which includes: Monastic Life, the Orders of Virgins, Hermits, and institutes completely devoted to contemplation, Apostolic Religious Life, Secular Institutes, Societies of Apostolic Life, and new or renewed forms of the consecrated life (cf. Vita Consecrata, 6-12). Each form is described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Therefore : Be it resolved that since Pope Francis has declared this The year of the Consecrated Life all Courts in Minnesota carry out one or more activities celebrating those who have dedicated their lives to Christ and promoting vocations so others will do so. #3 Therefore: Submitted by the MN State Board WHEREAS, the door to the consecrated life is open to many and the process of discernment calls for many prayers. WHEREAS, we have young girls as well as young men who are in the process of dedicating their lives to Christ who may need us to help them recognize their calling. WHEREAS, we are a women s organization, we need to encourage those of our own gender in their striving to become Nuns. Novices may well need the encouragement our concern and prayers will bring them. Be it resolved that we pray and support the women religious in addition to the Seminarians. Submitted by the MN State Board

9 Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we flipped through it several time a day? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to Kids as gifts? What if we used it when we traveled? What if we used it in case of emergency? This is something to make you go...hmm...where is my Bible? Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being Disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill. Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls! 1st Communion Prayer Partners Hello Everyone! Our Court still has 14 1st Communion students available for our Prayer Partner Project. For those not familiar with this Program, it involves sending notes to a student and not letting them know who you are until the day of First Communion Mass. The notes are for encouragement and to let them know someone is praying for them as they prepare for their sacrament. We have 28 students receiving first communion this year! Please consider taking a name, praying for them and then surprising them with a small gift. Please contact Pam Persons at or her at: pmp12345@aol.com Thank you to those who have already selected a student. Note: If you need to put a return address on your notes/cards, you can use the CDA Mailing address: CDA, P.O. Box 343, St. Charles, MN Thank you for your consideration! Pam Persons

10 Friendship's Prayer: Lord, thank You for loyal, loving friends who are there in winter or springtime fair. New acquaintances are easy to come by, But true freindship is extremely rare. A friend always sees the best in you, although they've known you at your worst. They laugh with you in the good times, when storms threaten, they'll be there first. They'll offer a shoulder to rest your head when tears are welling in your eyes, Take a walk down friendships path with you, And help chase away those stormy skies. CDA Motto: Unity and Charity Lord, thank You for all the gifts you give; Each one makes our life seem more worthwhile. But one of the finest gifts you've given us is the warmth of friendship's loving smile. (author unknown) Becky Storey Hunder 655 Whitewater Ave. St. Charles, MN Address Service Requested