The Lone Star Messenger

Transcription

1 The Lone Star Messenger Newsletter of the Texas State Court Catholic Daughters of the Americas March 2014 Edition CDA 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. Message From The State Regent A lot of words from the State Regent This is a busy time of year in the life of a court! By now hopefully, your Court has filled out the Circle of Love forms in the areas that you participate, I know it s not an easy task, but it helps us with keeping our 501 (C) 3 status as a non-profit organization. It also allows us to see what wonderful activities you are participating in and the work you do for the good of mankind. The deadline for the Circle of Love forms was March 1, I appreciate getting the court newsletters that I get. I read every one of them. It is wonderful to see courts have fun with their hard at work activities and the fellowship that you have with one another. We are truly showing that Unity and Charity spirit with our communities and within our courts. This month, March, courts will be electing a Nominating Committee. Please follow the directions from the national office; should you have any questions, please follow the chain of command, i.e. District Deputy, State Regent, etc I ask this committee of ELECTED members of 3 or 5 to prayerfully and dutifully seek to find members to lead your court. If a position is VACANT, please report it to the court at the April meeting as VACANT. It s not about having a person for each position; it s about picking our leadership for our courts that will lead you in the next two years. We have amazing women in CDA; we are amazing! Remember, tell a woman, You can t do that, and then sit back and just watch her prove you wrong! Please remember to fill out the Officers List right after the election in May. This is an extremely important form. If this is not sent in to the national office and the state regent, the flow of information will stop or be delayed as it will continue to go to the previous court Regent. If you are a new court, or an existing court and your leadership does not change you must fill out an Officers List anyway. Our first Pray and Play Weekend was a great success! Thank you to Cathy Bittner, Benji Pardee, Lillian Hansen, the ladies of District 37, Suzanne Sykowski, District Deputy #37; Terri Beltran State PR Chairman, the CDA members of El Campo area for your hospitality. We raised some funds for our MOM projects which will help them greatly. There is a report on the weekend from our MOM chairman in the newsletter. (Continued on Page 3) Reverend Donald Ruppert State Chaplain P.0. Box 1325 East Bernard, TX donruppert@gmail.com Peggy Rosales State Regent P.O. Box Austin, TX prosales128@hotmail.com Eve Trevino First Vice State Regent 1102 Delta Drive Corpus Christi, TX cdaevetrevino@gmail.com Rosie Stockwell Second Vice State Regent 315 Alamo Street Edinburg, TX rosiestockwell@gmail.com Melodie Brunt State Secretary 1243 N FM 2148 Texarkana, TX cdambrunt@gmail.com Rebecca Brown State Treasurer 1013 San Felipe Angleton, TX Rebecca.rhea@hotmail.com Carolyn Malik Immediate Past State Regent P.O. Box 243 Shiner, TX cdacarol@sbcglobal.com State CDA Website: National CDA Website:

2 A Message From The State Chaplain My Dear Catholic Daughters, As winter turns to spring, we know that Lent is near. The green vestments of ordinary time give way to violet when our foreheads are signed with ashes, marking the beginning of a forty day season of prayer and fasting. Without fail, during RCIA classes the question is always asked, When does Lent end? There are several answers. I think we first have to clarify how the days of Lent are calculated. Starting with Ash Wednesday and ending with Easter Sunday there are 46 days. The six Sundays of Lent are not included in the count because every Sunday is a joyful celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus (a Little Easter), and Catholics have never been bound to fast on Sunday. Therefore, excluding Sundays, the Lenten fast begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night (6 weeks 6 Sundays = 36 days + Ash Wednesday, and the Thursday, Friday and Saturday after Ash Wednesday = 40 days). Liturgically, Lent ends before the Mass of the Lord s Supper on Holy Thursday, the beginning of the Easter Triduum. Catholics have so many beautiful traditions and customs that we perform without always knowing the reason. Familiarity with our Catholic heritage and culture may be considered Catholic Trivia by some, but I don t think it is trivial. I find that knowing why makes the action much more meaningful and spiritually beneficial. Today the internet is the door to unlimited resources. Just Google a topic to find a reliable source of information. Many books are also available explaining our Catholic customs and traditions. Unlike Christmas, Easter is a moveable feast and falls on a different day each year. Another question often asked is; How is the date for Easter calculated? To try and explain this requires more space than this article allows. Simply put, Easter is the Sunday after the Paschal full moon and can fall between March 22 and April 25. Once again, a more detailed explanation can be found using any internet search engine. The forty days of Lent are a special gift. It is a time for us to evaluate our spiritual journey and deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ. Through penance and fasting, we prepare to celebrate the Great Feast of the liturgical calendar, the Easter Triduum. Use the time wisely. Practicing the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy is a great place to begin. I pray that you have a fruitful Lent and a most blessed and Happy Easter. 2

3 Message From Second Vice National Regent, Olga Samaniego I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and that you are experiencing a peaceful and productive new year. It is certainly going to be a busy one! By now, you have elected delegates to the National Convention in Billings, and soon you will elect nominating committees and new court officers. It is an exciting time to be a member of CDA. It is also a crucial time. Our Church and our communities need vibrant women of faith who are willing to stand up for their beliefs and values. Don t forget to send in your Circle of Love forms to let us know what you have been doing. Outstanding projects will be highlighted at the convention, so make sure you write full descriptions of your activities and explain how your activities have impacted your parishes and communities. This is no time to be bashful. Let your light shine! Others will be inspired by your ideas, your service, and your love for God s people! I hope you are all making plans to attend the National Convention in Billings. Come even if you are not the elected delegate. Experience what is happening in CDA across the United States and in Puerto Rico, Guam, and Mexico. Meet new sisters in faith and touch base with old friends. A convention is always invigorating, and this one will be no exception. The speakers will be wonderful and the hospitality of the women of Montana will be as well! Check out the most recent issue of SHARE for tour information. If you like beautiful scenery and wide-open vistas, this is the convention for you! Thank you all you do and for serving as role models and teaching others, especially your own daughters and sons, what it means to live a life of service! I am very proud to be associated with Texas CDA! God s peace and joy be with you! Message From The State Regent Continued... March 22, 2014 will be the ground blessing and the raising of the walls on our 6 th Texas Habitat for Humanity House. It will be built in Sealy! They are currently choosing the family that will receive this house. You can support this state endeavor in several ways: read the article in the newsletter and order your t-shirt. The proceeds support the build. The forms have been loaded onto the state website. With hammer in hand and a willing heart see you in Sealy! It is the time during the liturgical year when we stop and reflect on our giving of ourselves. Can we do better; can we give more of ourselves to help those in need? Jesus died for us, the ultimate sacrifice. May you have a most reflective and joyous re-birth during the Easter season. 3

4 Catholic Daughters of the Americas ~ Texas State Court 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. GOALS To provide opportunities for members to continue their spiritual growth Encourage all District Deputies to organize at least one district or multi-district retreat this term Encourage District Deputies to utilize our Parish Priests, Sisters or Diocese as resources To empower members to serve in Leadership capacities The state will provide officers training for all incoming court officers. District Deputies to nurture those with an interest in leadership District Deputies to encourage positive flow of information from National and State To support our Campus Courts The state will host a Campus Court weekend to help members understand CDA and to give them an opportunity to bond as sisters in Christ. Local Courts to extend the opportunity to Campus Courts in their area to attend their activities, i.e. retreats, multi-district/ district meetings, socials to feel that they are part of a bigger organization of sisterhood To give the gift of a home to a deserving family working with Habitat for Humanity The state court will partner with Habitat for Humanity for another build with the support of the Texas CDA members. To increase membership and court development Continue court incentives for increasing membership & recognize members with the St. Bernadine of Siena award for Court Development. The state will introduce the Century Club for instituting new courts with membership of 100 or more To continue growth in technology across the state The state will encourage courts to write and share newsletters & participate in newsletter contests & a new court website contest. To raise awareness of our MOM projects and state projects The state will hold a mid-term activity that will be spiritual & fun to help raise funds District Deputies will educate the courts about the MOM projects and State projects To broaden our thinking on Pro-life issues To promote Respect Life awareness for members what can they do in their area of the state to help. The state will introduce a slogan of Don t just be a check writer be the helping hands! To continue our support of the Knights of Columbus Encourage participation with the Knights of Columbus in parish and family activities I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 4

5 Message from First Vice State Regent Court Development & Membership Eve Trevino The future of CDA depends on the increase of membership growth. A great way to accomplish this growth is through Court Development. Membership increases with each new court that is instituted. We are pleased to announce that since the start of this term, Texas has gained over 175 new members with the institution of five (5) new courts. We congratulate the following new courts: 1 st -St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross #2668, Denton, instituted on November 17, 2013; 20 members; 2 nd -St Theresa of the Child Jesus #2671, Campus Court, El Paso, instituted on December 15, 2013; 18 members; 3 rd -Our Lady of Schoenstatt #2672, Weslaco, instituted on January 19, 2014; 62 members; 4 th -Mary Queen of Angels #2673, Elmendorf, instituted on February 16, 2014; (25)members and 5 th -St. Angela of The Cross #2674, Houston, instituted on March 2, 2014; (55) members. Regents, please remind every CDA member that membership growth is the responsibility of all. Instill enthusiasm in the members so that they too will go out and spread the word about CDA. If each member invites one catholic woman to join, CDA s membership problem will be solved. Appoint a Membership Chairman if your court does not have one and set membership goals. (Refer to the Tools of the Trade, Section II-Membership/Extension, pages 1-19 for more ideas). Listed are some suggestions and/or ideas on how to gain and retain members: Place an invitation to join CDA periodically in the parish bulletin; Sponsor a Day of Recollection for CDA and invite women of the parish; Have a Membership Drive in your parish; Invite a friend to the meetings; Host a salad supper and/or tea party for prospective members; Develop incentives to encourage recruitment; Always have applications ready for new members; and Advertise CDA by wearing a CDA shirt. A ROSE THAT GOD CREATED God created the rose in the likeness of a woman. The rose represents her beauty, The stem represents her strength. The petals are soft as her delicate skin, the fragrance so pure and so sweet. The leaves represent her arms outstretched, always loving and giving, And for perfection...he made her heart pure gold. Thank you God for making me a woman. 5

6 Message from Second Vice State Regent Memorial Scholarship Rosie Stockwell Catholic Daughters Lent, the season of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, has begun. Let us follow the road to Calvary by doing good works as CDA members during the Easter Season. Memorial Scholarship Applications: The deadline for applications was January 31, 2014, and I extend a sincere thank you to all the courts who sponsored applicants. The applications were outstanding and the judges are now busy reading and scoring the essays. Congratulations to all the applicants who sent in their applications; it is indeed a process! Winners will be notified in April 2014 through the mail. Thank you for your continued participation in the Memorial Scholarship Fund--it is amazing how many mass enrollments I receive every month. Please continue to enroll your loved ones, living or deceased, in the Memorial Scholarship Program. Mass enrollments are $2.50 for the period of one (1) year with the celebration of the Mass by Reverend Donald Ruppert, Texas State CDA Chaplain, on the first Friday of each month. When you need Mass cards, please or phone me at the contact information listed above. Or, you may send a note to me at: 315 Alamo St., Edinburg, TX Court Memorial Scholarship Contest 2014 Local courts are eligible for this contest; criteria includes the total number of dollars contributed to the Memorial Scholarship Fund between the dates of April 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014; the contest categories are based on local court membership as of September 30, Award Certificates and a letter to the local court regent will be sent out in April Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will." St Pio of Pietrelcina Good leaders allow people to fail if it should come, because they realize that failure simply means that you re trying something new. They encourage members to remove obstacles to performance improvement and find new ways to do things better. Far too often, people use only a tiny part of their abilities, yet they can blossom and thrive when given the opportunity to take the initiative. From SHARE Magazine, Winter , Visionary Leadership, by Helene Shepard, First Vice National Regent, National Leadership Chairman 6

7 Message from State Secretary Melodie Brunt Winter is hard on a body, especially when you are stuck in a house with little to no sunshine during the day. What can a person do? Well, we as Catholic Daughters can work on our Works of Mercy. Visit someone in the nursing home or homebound. Don t say, I don t have time. Even if you work, you can take your lunch with you to visit someone for 30 minutes. You might be his or her only visitor that day or week. Ladies, do you read these articles? I am asking, because no one ed me or called me about my typo error in my last message. I stated that State dues in May included: JCDA 25 cents, Theological fund $1.00 and Campus Court 50 cents per member each. Well, that is incorrect! JCDA is 10 cents per member and Campus Court is 25 cents per member. The Theological fund was correct at $1.00 per member. I think I m going to start testing you each newsletter with a question for you to look up. It is time for your next Financial Review. District Deputies should be calling soon and setting a date in April for Financial Reviews. If you do not have a District Deputy, please contact our State Regent, Peggy Rosales, for directions on how to proceed without one. All courts are to have their books examined twice a year. Now, here s the question what months are reviewed in April? You can look up the answer in two different books. You will find the answer in the Bylaws under Duties of Local Court Officers and in Tools of the Trade under Local Court attachment nine (9). Look it up. I want to see how many s I receive with or without the correct answer. There are a handful of courts that have not paid their November 2013 State dues. I have contacted several District Deputies to help me in this endeavor; however, I should not have to send messages. According to our Bylaw, Article IV, Sec.2, The Local Court shall pay National and State dues payable within thirty (30) days. It is almost time for the 2014 National Convention in Billings, Montana. According to our Bylaws, Article VII, Sec.4, State and Local Courts shall be entitled to representation at the National Convention only after their National and State obligations prior to December 1 of the previous year have been paid. That means if your court has not paid their November 2013 dues to National they will not be seated at the National Convention. So check with your Treasurer to verify that your court s National and State dues have been paid for I had the pleasure of attending a new court institution in Weslaco this January. I want to thank all the ladies for their hospitality. It was a beautiful ceremony. And thank you all for the many invitations to court anniversaries and celebrations. I will keep you in my prayers for a blessed new year. "In the poor and outcast we see Christ's face; by loving and helping the poor, we love and serve Christ." Pope Francis Lenten Message, 2014 usccb.org 7

8 Message from State Treasurer Rebecca Brown Greetings and blessings to all my CDA sisters! As a treasurer, we are responsible for the monthly reports of our Court s income and expenses and budgets. We keep our member s aware of how much money we donate and to whom we are donating. Our local charities/projects usually get the majority of our donations. I d like to ask you to consider encouraging your courts to include donations to the five National Projects and/or the seven State Projects. The National Projects include Disaster Relief, Habitat for Humanity, Holy Cross Family Ministries, Smile Train, and SOAR. The State Projects are the Memorial Scholarship Fund, Theological Fund, Juarez Mission School, Habitat for Humanity, Disaster Relief Fund, American Wheelchair Mission, Coalition for Life (Blue Bus), and Missions of Mercy (MOMs). If your court donates $20.00 to each of the five National Projects for a total of $ and all 230+ courts do the same, the State of Texas would be donating over $23, to help meet the needs of others. Mother Teresa said; I cannot do things you can do. You cannot do things I can do. But together, we can do great things. So consider helping your neighbors and join together to do great things. A donation form is included in the Regents Packet sent during September, The form is an easy way to let us know what State and/or National Projects your Court is donating towards. When we receive a check with just State Projects in the memo area, we have a hard time deciding your court s intentions. If you haven't received the form from your Regent, please ask her and be sure to utilize the form when sending your Court s donations. All money is sent to Melodie Brunt, CDA State Secretary. The Theological Fund and Juarez Mission School are two of the State Projects. I ll be talking about them in the next newsletter article and the other State projects as well. As always, thank you for the invitations and newsletters. I enjoy meeting and reading about your courts. Don t forget to mail in your State dues to Melodie Brunt, CDA State Secretary. Have a blessed and wonderful year. In Christ We Live April 9 12, th Biennial Texas State Convention Renaissance Hotel on Arboretum Boulevard Austin, Texas 8

9 Spiritual Enhancement Carolyn Rapsilver, Chairman As we begin the Lenten season, I hope that all of you are preparing yourself spiritually for this solemn time in our Liturgical year. Remember that Lent is about fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Let s all do our part to make the necessary sacrifices to show our love for Jesus who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us. And as Easter rolls around, may we all share in the glory of His resurrection and be renewed in spirit. New things bud out in the spring as the seasons change. Why don t we bud out and make a few changes in our lives, too, so that we can become closer with the Risen Lord. Lenten Prayer for Spiritual Renewal God, heavenly Father, look upon me and hear my prayer during this holy Season of Lent. By the good works You inspire, help me to discipline my body and to be renewed in spirit. Without You I can do nothing. By Your Spirit help me to know what is right and to be eager in doing Your will. Teach me to find new life through penance. Keep me from sin, and help me live by Your commandment of love. God of love, bring me back to You. Send Your Spirit to make me strong in faith and active in good works. May my acts of penance bring me your forgiveness, open my heart to Your love, and prepare me for the coming feast of the Resurrection of Jesus. Lord during this Lenten Season, nourish me with Your Word of life and make me one with You in love and in prayer. Fill my heart with Your love and keep me faithful to the Gospel of Christ. Give me the grace to rise above my human weakness. Give me new life by Your Sacraments, especially the Mass. Father, source of life, I reach out with joy to grasp Your hand; let me walk more readily in Your ways. Guide me in Your gentle mercy, for left to myself I cannot do Your Will. Father of love, source of all blessings, help me to pass from my old life of sin to the new life of grace. Prepare me for the glory of Your Kingdom. I ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. AMEN! Quarterly Prayer Intentions: Let us remember to share our prayer intentions during our meetings opening and/or closing prayers, when praying the rosary, or in our daily prayers. As we gather in the name of our Lord & Savior, let us bring our petitions to Him: For the Holy Catholic Church, for Francis our Pope, for all bishops, priests, and deacons. For our president, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, that they govern wisely and justly. For the conversion of our hearts and minds during this Lenten season, and that we will strive to imitate our Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary. For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and the unemployed, for those suffering from depression or addiction, and for all those in any kind of danger. For our dearly departed, that they find comfort in the loving arms of our Lord and Savior. 9

10 CEREMONIALS Duchess Collins Ceremonies emphasize the purpose of meetings, the duties of officers, and the significance of recognition given to individuals. Ceremonies have always had a place of special importance in CDA. They are a celebration of special occasions that members feel are important. Let s ask ourselves, why use a ceremony? Ceremonies are used to highlight or recognize special accomplishments and goals attained. Ceremonies can be used to convey a message, to challenge and inspire all the members to reach greater heights in personal growth in CDA, and a ceremony must convey that you and this moment are special. Ceremonies can create a feeling of affiliation with and acceptance by an ever expanding circle of acquaintances. You may ask, When a ceremony should be used? Anytime a member has completed a goal, fulfilled a special accomplishment, or has been recognized for a noteworthy task. The accomplishments on the part of the court should also be recognized by ceremonies. As state chairman, I would like to encourage everyone to bring back some ceremonial activities that they may not be doing any more. You would begin by having the Regent appoint a ceremonial coordinator. Ceremonies can include Installation of Court officers and Reception of New Members. Memorial Services give us wonderful opportunities to remember our deceased sisters. Ask your Financial Secretary to order the book Memorial Services for Deceased Members from the national office. There is also a beautiful Resolution of Condolence you may order from the national office to present to the family during the funeral of a member. Each court should have a couple of these available for when they are needed. Ceremonies are about important occasions, so why are we not taking time for the ceremonies of our Order? If time is the element, most do not take more than fifteen minutes. Additionally, The Tools of the Trade has a Prayer Service section that has a lot of resources for many occasions. Inviting our state officers to attend special occasions of the court such as court anniversaries, holiday dinners, etc. adds to the celebration. If you would like to have state representation, you should check the state calendar posted on the state website at to see if there is anything the state board has scheduled for the day you would like to have your event. Then contact the state regent to see if arrangements can be made to have state representation. For example, it is not necessary to have your event on the exact date of the court s anniversary; an alternative date for your event may work out better. Remember in the planning of your next ceremonial presentation, keep it simple, impressive, and enjoy the moment. GRATITUDE: If the only prayer you say in your whole life is thank you, that would suffice. Meister Eckhart 10

11 Carolyn Rapsilver By now, all of you should have received your packets with the Habitat for Humanity information on our next State build in Sealy. We are all very excited about the project and look forward to seeing everyone in the big town of Sealy! I want to thank the courts that have already sent donations and have already volunteered to participate in other ways. Every little bit will go a long way in building another home. It is your generosity and many talents that make what we do such a success. Please be sure that you complete the volunteer paperwork and bring that along with you on the day(s) you wish to help out. If you are purchasing a T-shirt, please get those orders in as soon as you can. Feel free to contact our chairmen should you have any questions about the build or want to schedule a time to volunteer. We will be waiting for your s and phone calls. As information is provided to me from the Austin County Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors, it will be passed on to all of you. So, please check your s on a regular basis so that you don t miss out on any important information. Gas up the cars and trucks! It s almost time to make a road trip! TEXAS WAYS & MEANS Cynthia Novak cynvak@verizon.net Darice Miksch dtm54@hotmail.com LOCAL COURT SCRAPBOOK Georgia Mikosh 361/ georgia43@cableone.net The 2015 State Convention is slightly over a year away; however, it is not too early to start thinking about what your court will donate for the raffle. Hand-made items are always special but can take time to make. So now is the time to begin. Several courts or districts may want to combine their efforts for a really nice prize. If you re not crafty and don t know what to donate, cash is always a welcome option. It will be used to purchase gift cards. Happy New Year everyone. We hope all is well with you and yours. We also hope that you are taking the time to work on your court s scrapbook so that it will be ready by the next State Convention in Remember the rules have changed slightly from the last contest, and if you do not have a copy of the revised rules, or if you have any questions, please let us know. May God abundantly bless you and your families in the coming year. 11

12 Leadership: Rosie Stockwell, Second Vice State Regent Catholic Daughters Let s thank Jesus this Easter for giving us life and for giving us the Holy Spirit as our comforter before He ascended back to Heaven. District Deputies: Scheduling the New Officer trainings that will begin in June, 2014 and end in September, 2014 has been finalized. I will be communicating with you before May 2014 to furnish you with checklists, agendas, and the topics that will be covered. Regents: Thank you for sending the Circle of Love Reporting Forms on Leadership! Reporting on court activities helps the State Board to see where emphasis is needed in the local courts and also to utilize the many ideas and projects to plan for future leadership projects. District Deputies and Regents: One of the most important responsibilities for district deputies and regents is to encourage leadership within the membership. It is nearing the end of the year and the beginning of a new term for local officers. Please plan and schedule a Multi-District Meeting with the State Regent soon. This is a great opportunity to find local court leaders--many members have the skills listed below to successfully carry out the components of such a meeting. Leadership Skills include a positive attitude, communication, planning, goal setting, empowerment, motivation, and problem solving. Leadership Development: Refer to Tools of the Trade 2nd Ed., July 2010; Circle of Love Section, pp Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will. St. Pio of Pietrelcina Public Relations Terri Beltran tbeltran@ecisd.org Promoting CDA and Your Court We need to share what we are doing with our community. Utilize your church bulletin, local newspapers, the state newsletter, your diocesan newsletter and even SHARE magazine. How would your outgoing officers feel to see their names in the church bulletin on Sunday with a note from the court on a job well done? How would your incoming officers feel to see their names in writing with a note of congratulations from the court? I can see the smiles on their faces! Just imagine tooting your horn with the other forms of PR. We need to share what we do with the rest of the world. If we keep CDA a secret how are we going to grow? How are we going to advertise that all Catholic women are welcome to come and share their time, talents with us if there is no mention of us! Write small articles about what you are doing. Remember to tell who, what and why. Your court could be the very answer to where women can use their talents! 12

13 National Projects Carolyn Richbourg By this time I ve received and reviewed all your reports. You are to be commended for all the wonderful work you do for National Projects and Charities. If your court has not budgeted for national projects or charities, you may still do so. It s never too late! Your budget should include $20.00 for each of the 5 National Projects. They are SOAR, Holy Cross Family Ministries, The Smile Train, Habitat for Humanity, and Disaster Relief Fund. Hopefully, your budgets did or will include one or more of the following charities that the National office supports, and they are Morality in Media, Catholic Relief Services, Apostleship of the Sea, Covenant House, Missionaries of Charity, Tutwiler Clinic, and Project Handclasp, Misericordia, North American College and The Labouré Society. Please make all checks payable to the CDA State Court of Texas and in the memo area or on a piece of paper breakdown where your donation is to be applied. Please send it to Melodie Brunt, State Secretary. State Regent s Scrapbook Lisa Jewell tors-mom@sbcglobal.net District Deputies, Regents, Court Photographers and CDA Members, Has your Court celebrated an anniversary, a special event, District Meeting or Officers Training in the past year? If so, have you sent pictures or articles to the Scrapbook Chairman? If you have not sent your pictures or articles to be included in the State Regent s scrapbook, please do so! Send items to me by or US Mail. My address is torsmom@sbcglobal.net or to my home address at 1018 Cragmore Drive, Seabrook, TX If you have any questions, you can me or call me at Thank you so much in advance for sending me items to include! Quality of Life Barbara Clevenger We must keep in mind what measurements we use for a good quality of life. Below are some formulas that one can use in the various parts of our lives: our physical health, psychological health, and level of independence as we grow older. These formulas also show us the areas on which we can focus to be assured of a balanced life in each category. Measuring Quality of Life Physical Health = Energy & Fatigue; Pain & Discomfort; Sleep & Rest Psychological = Body Image & Appearance; Negative & Positive Feelings; Self esteem; Thinking, Learning, Memory & Concentration Level of Independence = Mobility; Activities of daily living; Dependence on medical substances & Medical aids; Work capacity I wish each of you a wonderful Lenten Season and a Glorious Easter. God bless each of you, and thank you for all that you do. 13

14 Respect Life Mary Rose Barta In January, 2014, there were numerous activities on the national, state, and local levels to draw attention to life as the infamous anniversary of Roe v Wade was observed. On behalf of all who are pro-life, thank you for whatever you did in your court or community not only to save the baby in the womb but also to also promote a greater respect for all life from conception to natural death. It was encouraging to hear the numerous speakers at the National March for Life who promoted the topic of adoption. People of all ages shared their life experiences of adoption. One can t help but wonder how many more babies could be saved if this topic received more attention. If you know of anyone considering adoption, let them know there are numerous resources available to help, and above all, be sure to give them your love and support. Even if you did not have an opportunity to participate in a march, I hope your court used this time to be prayer warriors in this fight against abortion and to work for a greater respect for life for people of all ages. If you did not, here is a prayer that is appropriate to use in your courts all year long that addresses all aspects of the Respect Life cause. A Respect for Life Prayer Almighty God, Author of all life, you created us in your image and sent your Son to bring us life. Instill in us a respect for all life, from conception to natural death. Inspire us to cherish the fragile life of the unborn. Empower us to work for justice for the poor. Nourish us that we may bring food to the hungry. Strengthen us to bring comfort to those who are abused, neglected or chronically ill. Teach us to treat the aging with dignity and respect. Motivate us to a more devout prayer along with acts of service and charity that will lead to a greater respect for all life. Bring us one day into the glory of everlasting life. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen. You might think that now that you have prayed, you have done your part to Respect Life. Nothing could be further from the truth. We will soon be in the seasons of Lent and Easter. I urge you to use these times to seek out those in your area who may need a little more love and attention. Don t wait for next Christmas to roll around before you reach out and help those who may be abused, neglected, or in need of a little more love and respect. Remember, let s not just be check writers let s be the helping hands that make a difference! TIME Whether it s the best of times or the worst of times, it s the only time we ve got. ART BUCHWALD Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin. MOTHER TERESA Time does not change us. It just unfolds us. MAX FRISCH Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. ANONYMOUS 14

15 State Youth/JCDA Peggy Supak Sheila Martinka Sheila and I thank those courts, CDA and JCDA, that participated in the statewide Coins for Computers project. It was a huge success due to the generous donations from all of the courts. The State officers traveled to Cameron Park on Saturday, December 14 th and were able to provide the afterschool program with 2 color printers, 20 lbs. of paper, ink cartridges and a router to make them wireless along with filling their bare cupboards with snacks and drinks for weeks to come. On top of that, due to the tireless efforts of MOMs chairman Cathy Bittner and her co-chair Benji Pardee, 6 refurbished laptops and a desktop computer were secured and delivered along with over $2500 in cash from your generous donations for virus protection, supplies and continued computer maintenance. The looks of total jubilation and gratitude by those involved with the school told it all. Remember to SAVE THE DATE - June 21 st is the summer State Retreat at Msgr. John s farm in Weimar. A registration form will be forwarded to the JCDA courts soon. It will also be available on the CDA website. The theme is The Living Water. We look forward to seeing all of you there! It is the spring and many of our parish youth will be celebrating the Sacraments of First Penance, First Communion and/or Confirmation. This provides courts with opportunities to help the youth of their parish in celebrating these milestones in their faith. For example, sponsoring a social or providing a gift of some sort CDA Memorial Mass Enrollment is one idea. Graduation is approaching fast. It is the perfect time to plant the seed of joining CDA or the Knights of Columbus in these graduates minds as they move into the next phase of their lives. Don t forget about the opportunities for those college bound females to join or even start a CDA campus court. For help or information contact one of us. State Legislative Report Judy Evanicky, devanicky@austin.rr.com Texas Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, This event marked Texas independence from Mexico. Sixty delegates from all over Texas signed the declaration. With that being said, we as CDA members honor this special day by saying the Texas pledge at our local meeting and should continue to do so. This week the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Tuesday, January 28, or Wednesday, January 29, on the No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act (H.R. 7). This legislation is urgently needed because the Affordable Care Act authorized massive federal subsidies for health plans that will pay for abortion on demand. If passed, this bill s provisions could save lives, said Rep. Vicky Hartzler, Republican of Missouri. Studies have shown that if tax dollars are removed from subsidizing abortion, abortions are reduced by 25 percent, she also told the annual Pro-Life Con, sponsored by the Family Research Council. As CDA members, we need to continue to pray that this bill will pass. 15

16 ~ Texas Courts in Action ~ Lake Jackson, #2364 Our Lady of the Lake volunteered with other courts of District 35 to ring bells at the Salvation Army kettle station at Kroger s during the holiday season. Houston, #1750 Christ the King holds Pro-Life Rosaries at the KC Hall and encourages those at home to participate. Angleton, #2134 Immaculate Mary has a Share Your Ride Committee that coordinates and brings ladies to the monthly meetings. Chairman, Rebecca Mireles, goes beyond the call on Sundays, stopping at nursing homes to pick up those who wish to attend Mass. Dallas, #1719 Mary Immaculate serves lunch to the homeless at the Dallas Life Foundation each month. ( Pearland, #2330 St. Helen has a Rosary Making Committee that meets on Wednesdays from 1pm to 5 pm. In 2013 they produced 600 rosaries for First Communicants, graduates, Veteran s Hospital and missions. Austin, #2391 Our Lady Queen of Apostles collects monthly donations for designated charities (Annunciation Home, Frontline Faith, South Austin Caregivers, St. Vincent de Paul, etc.) as a special project for their 20th Anniversary year. El Campo, #1374 Our Lady Queen of Peace has a Crafters & Quilters Committee. Crafters meet twice a month to make items for local nursing homes and quilters meet as needed for charity projects. Fremont, #2384 St. Theresa of the Little Way implemented Project Love One Another, in which each court member drew a name of another and prayed for her as often as possible for a month until the February Valentine meeting at which prayer names were revealed. Wallis, #1538 Queen of Angels supports St. Jude s Ranch for Children ( by collecting the fronts of greeting cards. The recycled cards, made by the residents, fund outings and provide spending money/savings. Dallas, #2337 Our Lady hosted guest speaker Liz Mullen who heads Trinitarian Auxiliary for the Seminarians. (holytrinityseminary.org) Houston, #234 Our Lady of Victory will celebrate their 100th Anniversary on May 10, 2014, with Mass and a reception. Shiner, #1604 St. Paul assists the Shiner Nursing & Rehabilitation Center at weekly Bingo, helping residents and providing small prizes. ( McAllen, #2540 Immaculate Heart of Mary sponsored a Marketplace Extravaganza fundraiser at which parishioners could Christmas shop from local vendors, munch on concessions provided by the court and visit with St. Nicholas. Houston, #2474 Our Lady of La Salette spearheaded the Seafarer s parish project. They collected items from the parish, and joined the Girl Scouts and Altar Society, to pack & wrap 100 boxes for delivery to the Port of Houston. Rosenberg, #1476 Holy Rosary presents an annual CDA of the Year plaque to a court member for dedication and volunteerism. The 2013 winner is Janice Rejsek. Deer Park, #2361 Our Lady of St. Hyacinth rewards longtime participants by paying the dues of those members over 80 years old. Needville, #2340 St Isidore, Patron of the Land displays and hands out their court newsletter in the foyer of their parish churches making them available to both members and nonmembers. Columbus, #1588 Mary Queen of the Snows and Alleyton #2328 St. Roch of Mentz partnered to host a Confirmation Luncheon Reception for approximately 300 guests. Galveston, #228 Star of the Sea packed, wrapped and delivered boxes to the Seafarer s Center. They celebrated their 100th Anniversary on February 16, 2014, with Mass and a dinner. Weimer, #559, St. Michael join with their local KC s by providing desserts and helping with a Fish Fry, held on each Friday of Lent. Odem, #2422, Sacred Heart of Jesus continues to grow their court through a January Membership Drive. The member who recruits the most new members, gets her annual dues paid. (Continued on page 17) Please continue to send me your court newsletters. It s a great way to share CDA sisterhood. Send them by regular mail or to Margie Holland, 2404 Arpdale St., Austin, TX, or margieholland21@gmail.com. I will include as many courts as possible in this section of our newsletter. REMINDER: Please refer to the Texas CDA website often for the latest information on CDA news: 16

17 PRAY & PLAY WEEKEND What an exciting and inspirational weekend we just had in El Campo, Texas! Our Pray & Play event to benefit MOMS is now one for the books. To the 59 participants, thank you for your generosity. To those who could not make it, you missed out! We started the afternoon with a retreat based on State Regent Peggy Rosales theme "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13) lead by Mrs. Pat Hoelsher, an excellent retreat master from the El Campo area. After celebrating the 5:00 Mass with Fr. Albert, we returned to the Fellowship Hall for a delicious fried chicken supper. Ask any attendee about that green rice! Upon retiring to the hotel, many joined forces invading the foyer for refreshments and a sing-along hosted by Ct. Immaculate Mary #2134. Who knew our state secretary had such a lovely voice! The following morning we gathered at a small Mexican restaurant for breakfast (thank you Terri Beltran for coordinating this) and then proceeded to the El Campo Bowling Center for a bowl-a-thon. Melodie Brunt, state secretary started things off by leading all in the" Star Spangled Banner." What fun it was to watch the 40+ CDA members and guests trying to keep their balls out of the gutter! Throughout the day, Benji Pardee, co-chairman, announced different bowling situations where ladies were awarded prizes donated by Lillian Hansen, event chairman, for bowling whatever she called. Those ladies who were not up to bowling, enjoyed several games of "Flags Up," a backwards type of Bingo, trying to win prizes provided by District 35. During the course of the day, we held a jumble raffle with 35 prizes provided by Ct. San Roberto #2275. This alone netted the MOMS project $686.00! Our sincere thanks to the ladies who donated towards the Pray & Play Weekend and a special thanks to the Past Regents Club of Texas for their sponsorship. When all was said and done, $ will be divided between the 4 Missions of Mercy projects. We can call this a huge success with all involved looking forward to our next Pray & Play Retreat and Holy Rolling Bowling! Cathy Bittner, MOMS chairman Benji Pardee, MOMS co-chairman Lillian Hansen, Event Coordinator ~ Texas Courts in Action ~ (Continued) Crosby #1886, Ancillae Mariae uses the newsletter to inform on Quality of Life as in the February report by chairman Deborah Hines on Quick Bites: Ideas for Healthy Eating on the Go, by Michelle May, MD. Frydek # 2607, Our Lady of Faith celebrates Read Across America each year by volunteering to read to classes at Selman Elementary in Sealy. They also donate books to the school library. Houston #1844, Queen of Heaven collects Box Tops for Education, found on General Mills products, which help support Resurrection Catholic School an inner-city school serving some of Houston s poorest families. East Bernard # 1108, St. Bernadette used 215 pounds of homemade noodles, made from 180 pounds of flour and 560 jumbo eggs, during their annual Chicken Noodle Soup and Sandwich Supper in January. Robstown #2290, St. Thomas the Apostle collected coats and blankets, gloves, knit caps and other winter wear for the homeless who frequent the Mother Teresa House Day Shelter (motherteresashelter.org) in Corpus Christi, delivering them just prior to the recent very cold spells in the area. 17

18 Past Regents Club of Texas Patricia Carr, President Spring should be right around the corner and with spring this year comes the Election of Court Officers. The Past Regents Club of Texas would like to invite all current Regents to come and join the Past Regents Club. Dues for women joining at this time are only $ Simply send your name, address, telephone #, Court # and address along with your $10.00 check made payable to PRC of Texas to Darice Miksch at 1154 Dee Allen Rd., Columbus, TX or contact Darice at or at dtm54@hotmail.com for a membership registration form. The Welcome mat is out! PRC of TX has helped welcome four new CDA Courts so far this year by presenting each court with a check for $ and by reimbursing the State Court for the cost of the Court Charters. Congratulations! 2014 will see the PRC again hosting gatherings in the different Diocese of Texas. These gatherings are a way for the general membership to come together in fellowship. If you are interested in hosting a gathering, please contact Patricia Carr at or carrvince@aol.com May your Lenten journey be a holy one, and may Easter Sunday shower you with abundant New Courts: ADDITIONS AND CHANGES March 2014 El Paso #2671 St. Theresa of the Child Jesus CC Tanya Sue Maestas, Regent 2231 Oceanside Dr. El Paso, TX tsmaestas@miners.utep.edu Weslaco #2672 Our Lady of Schoenstatt Mary Ann Perez, Regent 910 W. 5th St. Weslaco, TX andrew25@live.com Elmendorf #2673 Mary Queen of Angels Teresa De Los Santos, Regent 168 CR 163 Floresville, TX teresadls@hotmail.com Houston #2674 St. Angela of the Cross Dela Garza, Regent 8118 Debbie Gay Houston, TX garzaadela1965@yahoo.com Changes: Marlene Peters, DD # Vista Parkway New Braunfels, TX Tempe Gerngros, DD #3 ftgerngross@gmail.com Delma Cantu,DD #47 Delma.Cantu@prosperitybankusa.com THE LONE STAR MESSENGER is the official publication of the Texas State Court - Catholic Daughters of the Americas. It is published quarterly (March, June, September, and December). Deadline for receiving articles: February 1st, May 1st, August 1st, November 1st. It contains information about the Organization, its courts and issues important to CDA members. It is ed or mailed to State officers and Chairpersons, Bishops of Texas, District Deputies and Court Regents. If you would like the newsletter sent to you electronically, please me at the address below. Additional subscriptions may be purchased for $10.00 annually. Newsletter is posted on the website: Margie Holland, State Newsletter Editor 2404 Arpdale Street, Austin, TX margieholland21@gmail.com 18