THE LONE STAR MESSENGER

Transcription

1 THE LONE STAR MESSENGER Newsletter of the Texas State Court Catholic Daughters of the Americas December 2010 Edition MESSAGE FROM THE STATE REGENT My Dear CDA Sisters, Each year at Christmas we gather at my parents, and my mom prepares the turkey, dressing, and a few other things. My aunts and uncles bring other side dishes and tasty desserts. Usually we are at Midnight Mass. Of course, when morning rolls around and we get up early to prepare for our guests, we are wondering why we did that. Oh yes, we went because Midnight Mass is so beautiful, and we have gone for years. I can recall when I was child, my grandparents lived just a few blocks from Our Lady of Victory (then church, now Cathedral) and we would walk, even on the coldest of Christmas Eves. It was much easier than trying to find a parking place. Cold outside, but we were so warm inside, especially with all of the bodies in church. Once up and moving around, the morning seems to fly by as my dad channel surfs all few hundred channels on TV with the sound blaring, yet managing to catch some of our conversation in the kitchen. My job is to iron the table cloths and cloth napkins that mom cross-stitched very simple yet elegant pattern of Christmas holly and berries. Then it is time to start bringing out the fine china. I say if you have it, may as well use it. It does make for a beautiful table setting. Probably not Martha Stewart approved, but hey, she is not coming to dinner! These are just a few memories/traditions I enjoy reflecting on as the hustle and bustle of the season is upon us. For some, they are already prepared. They have planned ahead and are ready for Christmas. These are the people that were out at 3 a.m. on Black Friday after Thanksgiving. These are the people that stood with the mobs waiting for the doors to open so they could get the best deals ever on merchandise and save, save, save. They have all of their shopping done and probably every gift wrapped. These same people already have the Christmas dinner planned most likely Martha Stewart style. Heaven forbid if there is one misplaced fork on the table. As prepared as we think we all are for Christmas in the commercial sense, are we truly prepared for what this time of year really brings? Have we taken time to prepare for the coming of the Christ child? Do we completely understand what God our Father gave us? We should be prepared to open our hearts each and every day but especially during this season of Advent and prepare for the greatest gift of all. Are you ready? Wishing each and every one of you a very Merry and Blessed Christmas. Happiness and good health to all in the New Year! Sheila Martinka 1 Texas State Officers Sheila Martinka State Regent Space Center Blvd Houston, TX smartinka@earthlink.net Carolyn Malik First Vice State Regent P.O. Box 243 Shiner, TX cdacarol@sbcglobal.net Peggy Rosales Second Vice State Regent 8003 Doe Meadow Dr. Austin, TX prosales@austin.rr.com Eve Trevino State Secretary 1102 Delta Drive Corpus Christi, TX evetrevino@yahoo.com Carolyn Rapsilver State Treasurer P.O. Box 281 San Felipe, TX (979) carolynrapsilver@yahoo.com Reverend Donald Ruppert State Chaplain P.O. Box 1325 East Bernard, TX FatherRuppertCDA@hughes.net Carolyn Bachmann Immediate Past State Regent FM 172 Scotland, TX carolyn1349@msn.com State Website

2 Catholic Daughters of the Americas Texas State Court Mission Statement Catholic Daughters of the Americas strive to embrace the principle of faith working through love in the promotion of justice, equality, and the advancement of human rights and human dignity for all. State Mission Statement The members of the Texas State Court love Christ and His Church and are dedicated to leading others to Christ and to His service through the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. Goals To continue to offer opportunities for spiritual growth for all Catholic women through The Catholic Daughters of the Americas through prayer services and retreats To introduce women s health issues and the importance to take care of ourselves and each other physically, mentally, and spiritually To assist/comfort our CDA sisters in their times of need, sickness, sorrow, and share in the laughter of their joy and happiness To encourage courts to seek out a variety of activities so that some will include family involvement and spark interest for ALL generations of Catholic Daughters To continue to increase in membership by retaining our current members and seek areas for new courts including the areas of campus courts To have the courage to recognize the leadership abilities in others and ourselves To work with our brother Knights of Columbus on a combined state project To initiate the process for a 3 rd Habitat Build in Texas Activities Offer the services of our State Spiritual Enhancement Chairman, State Chaplain, and JCDA State Chaplain for multi-district retreats and/or spiritual talks Introduce a new state chairman ship State Activities Chairman to help members coordinate events in their areas to promote health and family involvement Introduce a new state chairmanship State Chairman for Campus Courts to assist those DDs with campus courts and encourage involvement and interaction with local CDA courts and the campus courts Continue to offer court incentives for increasing membership Continue to recognize those members with the St. Bernadine of Siena Award for Court Development Continue to provide support through our CDA Out Reach Program for courts who are struggling and to offer structure for newly instituted courts Provide leadership workshops to develop and encourage our future CDA leaders Begin a 3 rd Habitat Build in Texas during this term Know that we are women of God and show our charity through our actions and our words as we are called to Do Whatever He Tells You John 2:5 THE LONE STAR MESSENGER is a quarterly publication of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Texas State Court. It is published in September, December, March, and June. It is also posted on our website. With each issue, several newsletters are returned as undeliverable. Please keep us up to date regarding your address. Courts or individuals may purchase a subscription to the newsletter for $10 annually. Teresa Maltbia, State Newsletter Editor 6723 Forest Mews Court Houston, TX webadmin@texascda.org 2

3 Father Don Ruppert State Chaplain My Dear Catholic Daughters, Advent and Christmas are my favorite seasons of the liturgical year. Short Days and long nights set the stage for reflection and meditation. The winter solstice is nature s turning point. It marks the beginning of longer days and more light. Advent invites us to come out of the darkness of sin and walk in the light of Christ. Whereas the winter solstice and Advent focus on a gradual journey toward the light, Christmas reveals the goal of our spiritual journey in an instantaneous explosion of light as God comes to us as a tiny baby born in Bethlehem. Commercialism can easily distort the true meaning of the season but only if we let it. Advent is to be a time of quiet and reflective preparation for the coming of the Christ child. Socially there is nothing quiet about the season. In our society, Christmas celebrations end when they should begin. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the party season and on the evening of December 25 th many Christmas trees and decorations are packed away or thrown out for trash pick-up. I remember when we didn t even see the Christmas tree until Christmas Eve night. After that, the lights burned daily until the Christmas season ended with the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6 th. We won t be able to change society, but maybe we can revamp some of the ways our CDA families celebrate the season. We can introduce children to new customs that reflect the true meaning of the Advent and Christmas seasons. I continue to be impressed by the dedicated service CDA officers and leaders provide for our order. The responsibilities of leadership are demanding and require sacrifices. The officers travel extensively and often miss family gatherings and events for the good of the order. The CDA fraternal year is well underway. My prayers are with you as you discern the needs of your membership and the communities you serve. The support you give to local and national CDA projects benefits many needy people within your communities and around the world. Never forget the motto of our order UNITY and CHARITY. The most effective recruiting tool we have is the example we give. Happily work and pray together treating each other with love and respect. We may think and act differently, but we are all important and have valuable gifts to give. This is the true spirit of Christmas. May God bless you and have a most blessed and happy Christmas Season. Sincerely yours in Christ, Father Don Ruppert 3

4 Texas National Director Olga Samaniego It is my honor to bring you Christmas greetings from the National Board and from our National Regent, Joanne Tomassi. I know that this time of year is especially busy and hectic for you as it is for me, but even amid all the activity, I want to make sure I take the time to say thank you for your support at the national convention and for placing your trust in me. The opportunity to serve as a national director is quite an honor and a responsibility that, I assure you, I will not take lightly. I also want to express my thanks to our National Regent for allowing me the opportunity to serve as the representative for Texas. It is a great experience, and I am truly happy about being able to work with Texas in this capacity. Time has flown by, and we are once again preparing for our state convention. Your court regent should have received a packet from the national office detailing the number of delegates to which your court is entitled and outlining the due dates and procedures for electing and mailing in the names of your delegates. If you have not received the packet, please contact the national office. Even if you are not sure at this time that anyone from your court will be able to attend, please elect your delegates and alternates anyway. You never know what situations will be resolved or what opportunities will present themselves in April, and you want to make sure that your court is represented at convention if at all possible. Remember that attending a convention is more than just another obligation or an opportunity for fun. It is an opportunity for learning and for bringing back new ideas to your membership as well as a way to remain connected to other courts and members throughout the state. Never underestimate God s gift of sisterhood or pass up the opportunity to be church to one another. Nothing helps strengthen the level of commitment of our members and the pride of membership in our great organization more than connecting with, learning from, and sharing our ideas and goals with all our wonderful sisters from across the state! During this special season of the year, I would like to express my thanks, on behalf of the national board, for all you do as Catholic Daughters of the Americas. Your dedication and commitment to service is how God s love is manifested to His people. What you do for others is your response to God s call and your expression of thanks for all He has done for you. It is your witness to others of God s everlasting mercy and compassion. You are the salt and light of the earth. I know that this Christmas season and throughout the coming year, you will continue to heed the words of Christ, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. Matt. 5:16 I wish you and yours joy and peace this Christmas season and always. 4

5 Court Development Carolyn Malik, First Vice State Regent State Court Development/Membership Chairman First of all, a thanks is extended to all you wonderful Catholic Daughters here in the State of Texas. Our family appreciates all your kind words of comfort, inquiries, expressions of sympathy and memorial scholarship enrollments we received upon the death of our beloved Margaret Malik. Margaret was not only my sister-in-law, but the sister I never had as well as a dear friend. God Bless all of you for your kindness. When I think of your friendship and your prayers, I reflect on the words of St. Teresa of Avila I would advise those who practice prayer; especially at first, to cultivate the friendship and company of others who are working in the same way. This is a most important thing, because we can help one another by our prayers, and all the more so because it may bring us even greater benefits. I am happy to report that we will be instituting two new courts here in Texas. November 14, 2010, a new court will be instituted at St. Leo the Great Parish, Houston, Texas, Court Sisters of the Little Flower #2641. District Deputy Becky Tobias is the organizer of this court. On November 28, 2010, we will celebrate Thanksgiving by instituting a new court in Monahans, Texas, Court St. John the Apostle and Evangelist #2642. Genevieve Bassham is the District Deputy responsible for the institution of this court. I have sent out many priest packets during the past few months and pray that these will materialize in the very near future. District Deputies and all Catholic Daughters, we need your help in promoting the growth of CDA in Texas. Our numbers have gone down some due to the desolution of several courts in the past months. So, let s get out and hustle up more new members and new courts to do God s work here on earth. Remember, Texas State Court will be recognizing the courts with the greatest increase in membership at the State Convention in April, 2011 in Houston. Advent is fast approaching and a new year will begin for our Church. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of preparing for our Christmas celebrations and family gatherings, let us also prepare for the coming of Our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Advent invites us to start over and leave behind the old and unknown. Include more prayer and the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy in your New Year s resolution this year. As Bl. Teresa of Calcutta stated, It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brothers and sisters and offer them your hand. My wish for you and your families is a Blessed and Holy Christmas season and much happiness in the New Year. Quarterly Prayer Intentions The following are the prayer intentions for the new quarter. Please share them with your courts. The intentions can be remembered in many ways such as in the opening or closing prayer of your meetings, at corporate communions, by your prayer ministry, and hopefully by each individual member in her daily prayers. Jesus tells us in Matthew 21:22 Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive. Let us place our trust in Him as we lift up the following intentions: That all who are experiencing sorrow and the pain of loss this Christmas will come to know how much they are loved by God and how tenderly He is providing for their healing. That the New Year will be the inspiration for renewed energy and vigor as we seek to obey the command of our patroness to Do whatever He tells you. 5

6 Leadership Peggy Rosales, Second Vice State Regent Congratulations to all officers of courts for saying yes to serve your court and its members for the next two years. Good news you only have 18 more months of your term! Just kidding! Seriously, remember to be looking for those members who possess the qualities of leadership. Nurture them along and talk to them so that they have the confidence to say yes to serving your court and its members next term. A few signs of a true leader: Seeks to serve others rather than dominate them Shows initiative when tempted to do nothing Respects the personality and freedom of others Has a desire to promote the interest of all Keeps officers up-to-date with information received from National and State Thank you to all the District Deputies for their time and efforts helping me schedule the officers trainings. It was a collaborative effort among the hosting courts, District Deputies, and the State. The approximate attendance this summer was 825; 15 scheduled trainings were held on 13 weekends. It was wonderful to see some of our young ladies from the Campus Courts taking time this summer to come to training as well. Unity and Charity were shown throughout the state this summer and early fall! Thank you, again, to all involved it could not have been done without you. With Pen in Hand Eve Trevino, State Secretary Merry Christmas! May the Lord bless you and your family during this joyful holiday season. God has promised strength for each day, rest from our labor, and light for our path. Let that light be the center of your Christmas activities. Lord, help us to find time to focus on You the reason for this wonderful season. Court Dues and Assessments: Statements for November State Dues were mailed around November 15, Regents, make sure that you give the invoice to your treasurer for immediate payment. The check must have two signatures, preferably the regent and treasurer. Does the number of members ever change on your statement? If you do not agree with the number of members for which you were billed, you will need to request an updated roster from National. Make sure that you send the corrections to the National office before March National and State dues must be current in order to be seated as a delegate at the State convention in April If you have any questions regarding your court s state dues please me at: evetrevino@yahoo.com. Happy New Year! May peace, joy and happiness be yours throughout the holidays and the New Year. Dollars and Cents Carolyn Rapsilver, State Treasurer Just a friendly reminder, please forward checks and court forms to the State Secretary, Eve Trevino, instead of the State Treasurer. It makes the processing time on the State level much more efficient. Thanks!! Christmas is upon us and I would like to send a loving reminder to "keep Christ in Christmas," for it is Christ that is the center of our being and of our world. Merry Christmas to all and may each and every one of you have a peaceful and blessed New Year. 6

7 Memorial Scholarship One Card at a Time Peggy Rosales, Chairman Thank you to all the courts and JCDA courts that participate in the Memorial Scholarship program. This program builds one card at a time! It is through generosity and prayer that we continue to support our young people in furthering their education. The deadline for those who have family members who are seniors in high school is fast approaching! Please be sure to follow the directions completely and make sure that the students are getting the most current scholarship forms. There is a new requirement this year: the sponsoring court must have $50.00 worth of enrollments by January 31, Essay Topic: Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you establish the earth, and it endures. PSALM 119:90 What traditions of faith has your family passed on to you, and how will you ensure those traditions survive through future generations? Deadline: Postmarked by January 31, 2011 The scholarship application is in the Regent s Packet and also available on the state website at Is your court looking for something to get its name out there and to promote CDA? If your court doesn t participate in the program now is the time to get it up and going! Remember the Mass cards are for good times, too, like new babies, new jobs, marriages, anniversaries, birthdays and graduations! The minimum donation is $2.50 per card and intention. Looking for a gift for the person who has everything a Memorial Mass card and a year s worth of prayer for as little as $.20 a month not even Wal-Mart has that deal! You may sell them to members of your parish and community as well as to your own members. May we all see Christmas through the eyes of a child and see the wonderment of the birth of our Lord. Court Out Reach Carolyn Bachmann, State Chairman The clocks have been turned back and Christmas is just around the corner. There were many things that we were going to get done this past year and here another year is about to come to an end. The things that we were going to do are still waiting to be done. Maybe we should just clear our desks and start the New Year with a positive commitment to set new goals and work at completing those goals one at a time. Work on some goals that will strengthen your court. Try to implement some excitement and energizing ideas to make the meetings more enjoyable and fun to attend. Each meeting has to conduct the business of the court, but go a step further to try new ways to get the members to want to attend. Each court is different; therefore, what works for one court may not work for another court. Take the time to reach out and get your members involved in the programs and projects of the court. Membership is the life of your court. I wish you and your family a blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with joy. Christmas means we never have to ask God how much He loves us. 7

8 State Financial Review Janis Wright, State Chairman Merry Christmas! I hope you have a very special holiday season and take time out from all the hustle and bustle to spend some quiet time in prayer and reflection and to give thanks to God for all your blessings. There are so many great CDA things going on. I hear the Habitat house in Eagle Lake is ahead of schedule thanks to the wonderful CDA hard working ladies. Plans are well under way for the 2011 state convention which will be in Houston. Working on activities like these with so many great women makes my heart warm. On a business note I hope all of you completed your financial reviews in October and that the forms were mailed to the state and national. The Regents package which was sent out recently is a great source of information as is our state website. God bless you and your family, and I look forward to seeing you in God never gives up on us and continues to present us with opportunities. So, what we missed in 2010, let s attend to in I challenge you to present the ladies of your parish and community the opportunity to see and know WHAT and WHO the Catholic Daughters of the Americas are. By using your church bulletin, media coverage in local papers, and diocesan publications, your courts have the potential to grow in membership and use the gifts and talents of those women in much needed service for God. Many local courts are having food drives; Giving Trees; gift packages for the poor, seaman, military, State Public Relations Chairman Terrie Vacek terriecda@cebridge.net and the imprisoned. Take advantage of this opportunity to publicize your events; it not only brings attention to your Court, it places an emphasis on Jesus as the true reason for the season. I close this year by expressing sincere gratitude to all my sisters in CDA for the wonderful opportunity to work side by side with you in service and unity. The tremendous progress on our State Habitat build in Eagle Lake is an awesome witness to the determination, cooperation, compassion and love that spiritual women of CDA share. May God bless you with every good gift from above. State Ways and Means Chairman Cynthia Novak cynovak@verizon.net Time is running out!!! It will soon be time to get the 2011 CDA State Convention Raffle tickets printed. We need your donations now. Remember several courts or districts may want to get together to donate an item. Cash donations are always accepted and will be used to purchase VISA check cards. Please let me know via or phone Checks may be made payable to Texas State CDA with a memo for State Raffle. Please mail all raffle donations to Cynthia Novak, 777 E. Eblin, La Grange, TX prior to January 15, All prizes must be in hand to be included on the printed ticket. Thank you to those courts that have already made their donation. Please note that laws which regulate raffles in the state of Texas allow for an organization to have two raffles per year, but not at the same time. Therefore, we will not have the Lucky Lotto drawings at the 2011 State Convention. It is for this reason, that we need many wonderful, eye-catching prizes, so that we can sell many, many tickets. With your help, I know we can have a successful raffle. Christmas Blessings to each of you and your families. 8

9 Is Your Scrapbook Shaping Up? Lisa Jewell, State Scrapbook Chairman, How is your court s scrapbook coming along? I hope you have all started at least thinking about your court s scrapbook and getting it ready for convention and the State Scrapbook Contest. The convention is only 5 months away! If you have any questions at all, please let me know. Scrapbook guidelines can be found on the website at I also need articles and pictures that you would like to include in the State Regent s Scrapbook. I know your court would not want to be left out of that book. Please send to me via US mail or . I want to take this time to wish you all a Blessed Christmas Season and thank you to those who have sent in items for the State Regent s Scrapbook. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Looking forward to seeing you all in Houston for the convention if not before. Court Newsletter Contest Alice Rodgers, State Court Newsletter Contest Chairman By now the Regents Resource Packet has arrived. Regents, please take a moment to identify the Newsletter Contest Guidelines under the General Information section. The first of five pages (page 3 front & back) that need your attention is dated September 2010, to State and Local Court Regents, regarding National Newsletter Contest. The last page is titled Catholic Daughters of the Americas, 2010 National Newsletter Contest, Local Scoring Sheet. Please make copies of these pages and pass them along to the newsletter editor. Please pay particular attention to page 3 (front & back). This page states important information regarding the requirements as well as suggestions for each newsletter, especially those entered into competition. Do not omit any of the requirements. Also, take a moment to look at page 5 and begin to familiarize yourself with how the judges will score your newsletter. You ll find the points allotted for each section in the judging of your newsletter. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me@ or by alicecdanewsletter@gmail.com. National Projects Texas State Court Ginger Shea, Chairman And the miracle is: The more we share, the more we have Leonard Nimoy. With this in mind, achieving a lot for God makes us feel worthy, but the most important feeling is how we allow God to work through us. Catholic Daughters have so many charities that desperately need our support. (Apostleship of the Sea; Catholic Relief Services; American College at Louvain; Covenant House; Mother Teresa; MIM; North American College; Project Handclasp; Tutwiler Clinic; - Disaster Relief Fund; SOAR; Father Peyton; Habitat & Smile Train.) With God s help, and donations from all of our wonderful CDA courts, we can reach the needy as each human being deserves an opportunity for a better life. It s so easy to give and so challenging to receive some time! Think big, and discover how you can make a difference to so many people that need our aid. You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you Anonymous. At this time of year many people feel more pressure than joy, so it helps to remember that the giving process is supposed to be about happiness generosity. The best changes often start as a single, simple act, like adding that extra charity to your court s list of charities and mail one check to Eve Trevino, State Secretary, 1102 Delta Drive, Corpus Christi, TX Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around - Leo Buscaglia. Thank you. God bless and Merry Christmas. 9

10 State Chairman, Spiritual Enhancement Olga Samaniego Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King This is indeed a joyous season. It is the season to celebrate God s most important gift to His people: the gift of His only begotten Son. So often we take His gift for granted, or, at least, we tend to overlook it as we unwrap all the other gifts given by family and friends. While their gifts are important tokens of affection and appreciation, God s gift is the ultimate gift of everlasting love. Through the gift of His son, we have salvation the opportunity to live in God s presence forever. As busy as this season will be, let s not forget our most important task. As the carol reminds us, Let every heart prepare Him room Let us all spend time preparing our hearts for Him this season we will have to make time, but that is where the true joy of the season is found: in spending more time with God in prayer and adoration, in reflection and in reconciliation with Him and with our fellow man. I pray that your Christmas will be the most wonderful one ever filled with family and friends, joy and laughter. I know, however, that even if it is absolutely perfect, it will not compare to what God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Cor 2:9. As we look forward in hope, I wish you joy this Christmas season and God s peace in the New Year. Missions of Mercy (MOMS) Cathy Bittner, Chairman Lillian Hansen, Vice-Chairman The last state-sponsored Mission of Mercy in this series of articles is my personal favorite Casa Juan Diego Mission located at 4818 Rose St. off of Washington Ave., in Houston. One cannot find better folks than Mark and Louise Zwick, directors of Casa Juan. The needs there are plentiful! Many immigrants pass through the facilities. The Zwicks have apartment units for families down on their luck. When the families get back on their feet, the entire furnishings, including dishes and such, go with the family. They also have doctors, dentists, and nurses that visit on a weekly basis, so supplies are needed. The most impressive, by far, to me, is the housing for battered women and their children. For them, Casa Juan is a safe haven! So how can your court help? As you can probably see, the Zwicks need just about anything including clothing, furniture, toiletries, and house wares, etc. Plan on having a drive and delivering your things to 4818 Rose St., Houston, TX When you visit, ask to see the beautiful chapel. At least once a week, a Mass is held at Casa Juan. If your court would like to make a monetary donation (which is always appreciated) send it in care of Mark Zwick, P.O. Box 70113, Houston, TX All donations are graciously accepted and appreciated State Activities Chairman Barbara Molloy, Chairman Fran Ewart, Vice Chairman bmolloy1@austin.rr.com franewart@earthlink.net IT IS TIME!!! Time for what? It is time to start thinking, planning, and training for the 2nd CDA WALK/RUN EVENT. The theme of this year's run/walk is "Choosing to Make a Difference." It will take place on Sunday, May 1, 2011, in Houston at our state convention. Those of you who attended the National Convention in Buffalo know that the first National Walk/Run for Love raised $16, In total, 120 Catholic Daughters took part in the event; twenty-eight were from Texas. I'm sure we can put more than 120 runners/walkers on the track in Houston. Start training, getting teams together, and getting fired up for our run/walk in Houston. Can we raise more than $18,000.00? Why not? We are Texas women. We can do anything we set our minds to. 10

11 State Legislative Report Peggy Supak, State Chairman Elections and Legislative Session--Now that elections are over, bills are being drafted, and before we know it, the 82nd Texas Legislative Session will be here. Those jurisdictions who have new elected officials on the State and National level should find out who the officials are, what their priorities are and how to effectively contact them for contacting them when it becomes necessary. The Texas Catholic Conference is a good resource for state legislation as it is proposed since the Conference staff read all legislation filed and monitor issues pertaining to Catholic moral and social teachings. The Conference encourages all Catholics to be faithful citizens and stewards by being informed of the Conference Legislative agenda and priorities. One way the conference encourages Catholics to participate and get involved as faithful citizens is by sponsoring an Advocacy Day on April 6, You can visit the Texas Catholic Conference web site at to learn more about Advocacy Day as well as the Conference s Legislative Agenda and policy papers. Merry Christmas let me take this opportunity to wish all a safe and Blessed Christmas. Remember we must keep Christ in Christmas and need to make sure all those we come into contact with do so also! Roe V. Wade activities January 22, 2011 marks the 38th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. CDA Courts should remember to pray that this terrible decision finally be overturned. Courts may also plan activities in their communities to raise awareness of the anniversary and the need to take action to stop the needless ending of life. Courts need to remember to check with city and county officials when planning events in their communities to get approval. Circle of Love contest courts need to begin thinking about the Legislative contest and activities to report. Last year the number of reports received was quite low which is unfortunate since I know that all courts are taking part in CDA Legislative Program, Operation Morningstar in one way or another. Taking part in pro-life activities, voting and just saying the pledges to our State and U. S. Flags are part of the Operation Morningstar program. So come on ladies let s make sure we toot our horns as to what we are doing by sending in your report. Campus Court Corner Barbara Britton, State Chairman Wow!! Tempus Fugit!! Time flies! Fall is in the air, the leaves turning, pumpkins everywhere, and sales and decorations appearing for Christmas. These are signs that get us motivated and excited about things to come. Too, at this time of the year I like to make special soups and stews and start seasonal baking.we have a couple of Campus Courts in Texas deserving recognition. Congratulations to Campus Court #2559 St.Clare of Assisi at Baylor University in Waco on their 5 year Anniversary. Liela Bayeh is the Regent there. Her e- mail address is Congratulations also go out to St. Mary s University Campus Court in San Antonio. The Belles of St. Mary s Court #2615 has grown to 56 members with at least 30 actively attending the meetings. How exciting to see such participation. How do they entice this? Will have to get some of their hints and ideas to pass on to the other Campus Courts. Remember the game we played at the Retreat at the Drury Inn last February when we came together? It was called LCR, the dice game. Last month the girls at UIW, Court Daughters of the Incarnate Word #2583, in San Antonio got together and played LCR. My grand-daughter (from our court) and I were invited. Everybody had loads of fun. Wal- Mart sells the game. Be sure to send me the happenings from your court so we can share it with others. Remember that song, This little light of my, I m going to let it shine... Matthew 5, Be sure and let your light shine and invite others into your court. Sometimes the ladies let their membership slip. Regardless of their reasons a court stagnates plus declines. I m so proud to be a part of the Campus Courts. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!! KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. God bless. 11

12 Ann Neslony Ct St. Theresa of Lisieux Texas CDA Builds with Habitat Christine Moore, State Habitat Chairman As we began planning for the Texas CDA Builds with Habitat project, we developed the construction schedule based on past build history, projecting that it would take three months (October December) to dry-in the house. Well, imagine our surprise and delight, when in eleven CDA-work days, it was dried-in. Yes, eleven days! We should have had a clue as to what was going to happen when over 80 CDA s showed up for the ground blessing on October 2. Father Donald Ruppert blessed the foundation and the workers, and then we quickly began to build the walls. By the end of the first day, all exterior walls plus a few interior walls were in place. In the following weeks, CDA ladies framed the house, built the ceiling joists, raised the roof rafters, and installed hurricane straps, windows, shingles, siding foam board and vinyl, interior insulation. They actively participated in all phases of the construction. There are only a few remaining dates to volunteer. If you or your court would like to spend a day at the job site, contact Nika Saenz at Our most pressing need is financial support. To date, only a third of the Texas Courts have made a donation to the project. It is important that all courts make a cash donation to the Texas CDA Builds with Habitat project. Checks can be sent to CCHFH at P.O. Box 1148, Columbus, Texas Convention Corner Carol Snowbarger, 2011 State Convention Chairman cjsnow@earthlink.net Ladies, the convention is just months away, and Houston is getting ready! The first call to convention will be coming out in December from our State Regent, and then, in January, I will be sending out the convention packet complete with hotel information, registration, etc. Regents, please open the packet as soon as you receive it and share it with your membership! Please pay attention to the due dates in the packet. Our last convention meeting was held on site at the Westchase Marriott on October 23, Sixty committee members were in attendance, and we are on track with everything beginning to fall into place! The next meeting will be January 15, 2011, 9:00am, at the Westchase Marriott. If you have any questions please call me at or at cjsnow@earthlink.net. Please wait until the Convention Packet comes out in January to book your reservations at the hotel! We look forward to seeing you all in April! The Legend of the Poinsettia The legend of the poinsettia comes from Mexico. It tells of a girl named Maria and her little brother Pablo. They were very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas festival. Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village church, and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. The two children loved Christmas, but were always saddened because they had no money to buy presents. They especially wished that they could give something to the church for the Baby Jesus. But they had nothing. One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo set out for church to attend the service. On their way they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene. Of course they were teased by other children when they arrived with their gift, but they said nothing for they knew they had given what they could. Maria and Pablo began placing the green plants around the manger and miraculously, the green top leaves turned into bright red petals, and soon the manger was surrounded by beautiful star-like flowers. 12

13 Message Service Community Youth/JCDA Reports Terri Beltran, State CDA Youth/JCDA Chairman By now, everyone is in full swing with the new JCDA year. Monthly meetings have resumed and projects are being worked on. I encourage you to include all your membership in your programs and make them feel welcome. It is very important to keep existing members as it is to gain new ones. It is important we make everyone feel that they are part of a family and not just a number. JCDA is growing, but there are still many CDA courts that do not sponsor JCDA. Why not consider sponsoring a court? One positive note is that you may get new CDA members from the JCDA moms. I am proud to announce that Mary Adamek, Court St. Paul #1604, Shiner, TX home of our CDA 1 st Vice State Regent Carolyn Malik has been appointed as the JCDA State Reporter, you may contact her at 930 CR 280 Shiner, TX 77984, mary_adamek@yahoo.com. We wish everyone a blessed Christmas Holiday. We have much to thank God for. Let us not forget to be grateful in good times and in sad times. Let us remember those that have lost a loved one; let us be that smile that keeps tears away. Thank you, District Deputies, for sending me the Financial Reviews; however there some still missing. Thank you, Chairmen, for sending me your new Officer s list; however there are still some missing. Thank you, regents, for sending me the names of the new JCDA chairmen. If you have a new one and haven t sent me the forms, please do. All JCDA forms may be downloaded from the Texas CDA website. Dates to remember: Dec 11 th Ct. Our Lady of the Assumption #1364, Slaton, Karen Hybner, Regent Jan 15 th - JCDA State Commission, La Grange, TX Feb 19 th Ct St. Jude Thaddeus #1770, Alice, Alicia Salinas, Regent Feb 20 th National JCDA Proclamation Day (forms will be on the Texas Website) June 24 26, 2011 JCDA State Convention, Double Tree Hotel Austin, TX (start making plans to attend and please remember that adults attending convention must have Safe Environment Training ) The theme is P.E.A.C.E. = People Experiencing the Awesomeness of Christ Everywhere. Cathy Zinglemann, La Grange is the 2011 JCDA State Convention Chairman Chairman. A Christmas Prayer Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus. That we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen. by Robert Louis Stevenson Jesus is the reason forthe Season Love, Father John, Maya, Kim, Sarah, Valerie, Mary & Terri 13 Terri Beltran, State JCDA Chairman Phone: (979) Mon-Fri 8-4 Cell (979) tabeltran@ecisd.org

14 STATE NEWS Habitat for Humanity Mark your calendars! The Habitat Home is 5 weeks ahead of schedule and will be dedicated on Sunday, January 16, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. Please encourage your membership to participate. If your court has not made a donation, please consider a donation so that we can continue to help families to home ownership. The State of Texas is happy to help support our National Regent, Joanne Tomassi as she participates in the 38 th Annual March for Life in Washington, DC on Monday, January 24, Please send your contributions to Eve Trevino, State Secretary. We will forward a check from the State of Texas to Joanne. To Run for State Office In accordance with the Bylaws of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Article XIII- State Courts, Section 7, Nominations, paragraphs F, G, and H, the task of the State Nominating Committee is to consider the qualifications of all candidates proposed by a Court for the State Board which shall consist of five (5) officers. Names submitted for consideration to the State Nominating Committee for a State Office must be accompanied by: (a) (b) (c) (d) Statement of Qualifications A current photograph A statement of endorsement by the candidate s court Candidate s consent to serve Five (5) copies of each of the required documents shall be postmarked no later than February 1, 2011, shall be sent to the State Nominating Committee Chairman: L. Cathy Ruiz Court Mother of Serenity # W. Anderson St., Apt. A Weatherford, Texas Other members of the State Nominating Committee are: Theresa Wagner, Mary Jane Albert, Christine Kuhn, and Jennie Kunkel. Although the bylaws do not require that any person running for any office be knowledgeable of the use of computers or the Quickbooks Program, it is helpful to be familiar with these and other programs. The following State Officers have declared that they will submit their packets to the nominating committee: Carolyn Malik for the office of State Regent Peggy Rosales for the office of 1 st Vice State Regent Eve Trevino for the office of 2 nd Vice State Regent In reviewing the information regarding candidates for State Office it has come to the attention of the National Regent, Joanne Tomassi that there may be some ambiguity in the issue of a recent photograph. The bylaw requirement of a recent photograph of the candidate may be fulfilled by either an actual photograph or a scanned image of a recent photograph. This image may appear as part of the resume or any other document presented by the candidate. Circle of Love forms and the First Call to Convention will be out in late December. Please open and review these packets when you review them and take them to your January meeting. Election of Delegates to the State Convention the list of delegates must be sent to the State Regent no later than February 15,

15 NATIONAL NEWS Effective today, I am taking a leave of absence as National Legislative Chair of the Catholic Daughters. As many of you know, I was recently elected to the North Dakota State Senate, and it will be impossible to handle both positions during the legislative session. Mary Ann Rowe will be Chair of the national legislative committee, with New York State Legislative Chair Marie Mawn, and Nebraska lawyer Michelle Oldham serving as other committee members. Mary Ann will be the major contact person, and her contact information follows. martardel@aol.com Phone: Address: st Road South, Arlington, VA I'm grateful for the many fine women I've met and the friendships I've made while serving as your legislative chair. Thank you for your many efforts to stand for God, family and country! In Unity and Charity, Margaret Sitte Tools of the Trade if you have not yet purchased your Tools of the Trade, it is available in Book form or CD form or both. This is a helpful tool for your courts. The cost is $35.00 for the book and bylaws; $35.00 for CD only; or $50.00 for the book, bylaws and CD. This DOES NOT include shipping and handling. 38 th Annual Walk for Life Monday, January 24, 2011 in Washington, DC. The theme for this year is: Thou Shalt Protect the Equal Right to Life of Each Innocent Born and Preborn Human in Existence at Fertilization. No Exception! No Compromise! Dues November dues were due to the National Office in November. If your court has not paid, please do so ASAP. Liability Insurance Your court s liability insurance will be mailed to you in March from the National Office. Please pay this upon receipt with a court check and two signatures. National JCDA Day The 3 rd Sunday in February is National JCDA Sunday. Celebrate with your JCDA courts on Sunday, February 20, National Projects and Charities Has your court made its annual donation to the 5 National Projects? If not consider at least $15.00 per project for a total of $ If your court has a favorite National Charity, consider a donation to 1 or more of these Such a big Miracle in such a little child. 15

16 Texas Catholic Daughters in Action Our Lady of Grace #1734 Conducting an Advent Project that involves all parishioners of St. Joseph. The "Baby Bottle Project" gives everyone the opportunity to give financially by filling empty baby bottles with loose change throughout the Advent Season. The proceeds benefit the Pregnancy Help Center of the Concho Valley located in San Angelo. Over $1,000 has been donated each year for the past two years. Send $50 per month to the San Angelo Diocesan Seminarians Education Fund. They also sponsor one of the seminarians studying by sending $30 per month as well as keeping him up to date on the news of the court. Donated over $300 for a new sanctuary chair for St. Joseph Church, to be used by the Mass celebrant during the liturgy. Our Lady of Mercy # 1968 Rio Grande City Increased their membership by bringing in 20 new members as of 8/5/10! District 23 September 2, 2010, District 23 officers were installed during a Eucharistic Mass celebration at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, Alice. Celebrants were Monsignor Leonard Pivonka, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Pastor and Father Ray Yrlas, Our Lady of Gudalupe, Pastor. Worthy District Deputy Dorothy Villarreal, District 23, assisted with the installation of Court 1770, St. Jude Thaddeus, Court 2426, Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, Court 2584, Daughters of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Alice and Court 2384, St. Theresa of the Little Way, Premont. We were blessed to have Worthy State Secretary Eve Trevino, Corpus Christi and District Deputies Elva Pena, District #48 and Frances Salazar, District #41, Corpus Christi, grace us with their presence. Also attending was District Deputy Iris Hinojosa, District #43, Benavides. The Knights of Columbus 4th Degree from the local Catholic Churches supported us with a "Fall Out." The St. Elizabeth School children's choir sang the liturgy. Saint Bernadette #1108 Collected over 300 canned items to donate to Wharton Crisis Center and CARE in East Bernard. During the November meeting they collected monies to help provide clients at Wharton Crisis Center with a nice Thanksgiving meal. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead 16

17 Texas State Calendar 2010 December 25, 2010 January 1, 2011 January14th -16 th, 2011 January 15, 2011 January 16, 2011 March 9, 2011 March 2011 April 22, 2011 April 24, 2011 April 8-10th, 2011 April 28 May 1, 2011 May th, 2011 June 3-4, 2011 June 5th 2011 June 11, 2011 June 24-26, 2011 August 12-14, 2011 Christmas Day New Year s Day Board Mtg/Convention Mtg Houston State Convention Mtg Habitat Dedication, 1:30 p.m. Eagle Lake Ash Wednesday Board Mtg. /Financial Review Houston Good Friday Easter Sunday Tentative date State Board Meeting 47th Biennial State Convention Houston K of C Convention Dallas Change of power board meeting-shiner State Regent Reception Shiner State Financial Review JCDA State Convention--Austin State Organizational Meeting Houston Sisters of the Little Flower #2641 St. John the Apostle and Evangelist #2642 Oralia Rendon, Regent Lori Asbury, Regent Greendale 709 S. Gary Houston, TX Monahans, TX Instituted on Sunday 11/14/2010 Instituted on Sunday 11/28/2010 Happy Anniversary! 5 years December 3 rd Reina De La Paz #2558, Houston 35 years December 11 th Our Lady of the Brazos #2130, Freeport 10 years January 15, 2011 Of the Holy Spirit #2468, Duncanville 5 years January 16, 2011 Daughters of the Holy Trinity #2548, Baytown 40 years January 18, 2011 Father Juan Zavala #2012, Benavides 15 years January 28, 2011 Our Lady of the Mystical Rose #2399, Corpus Christi 20 years February 4, 2011 St. Roch of Mentz #2328, Alleyton 40 years February 8, 2011 St. Thomas Aquinas #2013, Falfurrias 75 years February 10, 2011 St. Joan of Arc #1224, Del Rio 30 years February 17, 2011 St. Theresa of Lisieux #2211, Sugarland 5 years February 20, 2011 Daughters of St. Dominic #2549, Houston 25 years February 23, 2011 St. Bridget #2269, Longview 20 years February 25, 2011 St. Helen #2330, Pearland 40 years March 15, 2011 Padre Pedro Bard #2016, San Diego 40 years March 16, 2011 Father Joseph Kopp #2018, Moulton 17