THE LONE STAR MESSENGER Texas State Court

Transcription

1 DECEMBER 2006 THE LONE STAR MESSENGER Texas State Court We must not only give what we have; we must also give what we are. Joseph Cardinal Mercier Olga Samaniego State Regent 1801 Billy Casper El Paso, TX Carolyn Bachmann First Vice State Regent FM 172 Scotland, TX Sheila Martinka Second Vice State Regent 2401 Primrose Pasadena, TX Carolyn Malik State Secretary P.O. Box 243 Shiner, TX Peggy Rosales State Treasurer 8003 Doe Meadow Dr. Austin, TX Loraine Hilscher State Parliamentarian 2404 San Medina Dallas, TX Most Rev. Armando Ochoa State Chaplain Office of the Bishop 499 Saint Matthews St. El Paso, TX Rev. Donald Ruppert State Clergy Consultant P.O. Box 1325 East Bernard, TX 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. My Dear Sisters in Christ, MESSAGE FROM THE STATE REGENT What an important time of year! In spite of knowing that God s love is with us always, this is the time of year when I think we can truly feel His presence. It is the season of miracles and the miracle of miracles is that God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten son that we might have life. The real gift of this holy season is that we have the time to reflect on our response to God s gift. Have we been truly grateful, as much as human beings can be at least, for God s awesome gift? Have we allowed the teachings and sacrifice of His Son to take root and bear fruit in us? Have we loved as we have been commanded to love? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then we need to take advantage of this season. Even though this is the time of year when the grass and trees become dormant and the leaves fall, for Christians, it is not the dying time of year. It is the time of expectation; it is the time of waiting on the Lord and the time of sitting at His feet so that we can bloom with great joy and abandon in the spring and share His love and what we have learned from Him with others. It is the time of remembering the loved ones who have gone to God before us, the time of truly treasuring and enjoying those whom we have with us today, and the time of learning to love unselfishly and unconditionally for the sake of loving. As Catholic Daughters, it is the time of asking for and being open to receiving those gifts that will help us to serve the Body of Christ. It is the time of saying, Yes, Lord, to whatever ministry He has in mind for us. Will our lives change dramatically after this time of preparation? Maybe, but more likely the changes will be subtle laughing more often, serving with more joy, trying something new, living with faith rather than in fear, living with hope and trust in God s providence rather than with wariness. Dramatic or not, the changes will always be gentle, for, above all things, God is good! I expect that 2007 will be a banner year for CDA. As we listen to the Lord together, I know that He will put us all to work, and we will be busier than ever. Whatever tasks we are given, as we offer our hearts and hands to him, He will unite us and make us strong in Him and in Him, we can do all things! May Christ s peace be with you this holy season, and may you be secure and joyful in the knowledge that God loves you! Olga Samaniego

2 Catholic Daughters of the Americas Texas State Court 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 Catholic Daughters of the Americas. Goals 1. To be women of faith and prayer 2. To bear witness to our faith through our actions and interactions 3. To support our clergy and women religious and to foster vocations 4. To promote the fact that CDA is a relevant, vibrant organization for today s church 5. To increase membership Activities Emphasize that all courts are to implement the Spiritual Enhancement portion of the Circle of Love Program. Encourage courts to undertake all other aspects of the Circle of Love prayerfully. Provide two state-wide retreats to foster a deeper understanding of the Eucharist. Be highly visible in the state to encourage prayer and service. Encourage and suggest new area of service that are relevant to today s women and that meet the needs of a changing world. Institute more Missions of Mercy projects in different parts of the state. Provide more training and time for discussion at district and multi-district meetings. Provide more support for courts that are struggling through the Court Outreach Program. Encourage the study of the bylaws, parliamentary procedure, and protocol. Develop more women to undertake leadership roles in their courts. Encourage more courts to become more actively involved with our youth. Encourage more participation in our Circle of Love, newsletter, scrapbook, and membership contests. Encourage courts to become more visible and active in their churches and communities and to publicize their activities. Develop innovative ways to encourage women to join us in our work. Develop court incentives for increasing membership. Continue to work with technology so that it enhances the efficiency of each officer. THE LONE STAR MESSENGER is a publication of the CDA Texas State Court and is published four times a year, in September, December, March, and June. It is mailed to State Officers, National Officers, District Deputies, State Chairmen, and Court Regents. If one of the listed above is not receiving her newsletter, please send in the form on the last page of this newsletter with her name and address. With each issue, several newsletters are returned as undeliverable, so please keep us up to date regarding this matter. If there are other court members who would like to receive the newsletter in the mail, the member subscription price is $7.00 per year; make the check payable to CDA. If, you already have a paid subscription, your expiration date is on the mailing label. Rosemary Olson, State Newsletter Editor Kathleen Taylor, Co-Editor Newton Houston, TX RLO05@aol.com As a Catholic Daughter, does your light shine? You are the light of the world Let your light shine before everyone that they may see your good works, and glorify your Creator which is in Heaven. Matthew 5:14, 16 2

3 A Message from Father Don Ruppert State Clergy Consultant My Dear Catholic Daughters, This is my favorite time of the year. The dawn of Advent alerts us to the fact that we are about to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. The season calls us to a time of quiet reflection; calmly making preparations for the celebration of Christmas. I remember going to the woods with my dad to cut down the cedar tree that would become our Christmas tree. Catholic schools never had classes on December 8 th, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. This was our day to decorate the tree. Once the tree was decorated, we closed off the living room and didn t light the heater in the room until Christmas. Several times a week we d put on a sweater and go into the living room to talk on the telephone. Yes, we had only one telephone and only used it for business and to check on grandma and aunt Hertha. By six o clock each evening dad was finished milking the cows, supper was ready, and we were settled in for the night. Later we all sat around the radio listening to our favorite programs. Dad would smoke his pipe and mom would do needlework while my brother and I worked on homework or played checkers. We now have faster cars, microwave ovens, cell phones galore, and seem to have less time than ever. Advent is spent battling crowds at the mall, putting up our (not so real) Christmas tree before we re finished eating the turkey on Thanksgiving, and dreading that we may get stuck talking with a least-favorite cousin at grandma s on Christmas Eve. Calm down! Enjoy the Season! Like everything else in life, Advent will be what you make it. Advent wreaths and calendars, family prayer, reading the REAL Christmas story to the children, and making decorating the house a family tradition are ways that may help us realize what the Season is all about. As CDA moms, grandmas, aunts and cousins, you have the power to make changes. Don t replace Advent with Christmas and pack away (or throw out) the tree the day after Christmas. According to the Church liturgical calendar, Christmas begins with evening prayer on Christmas Eve and ends with evening prayer on the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord (in 2007 this feast is on January 8 th ). Let s not only sing about the twelve days of Christmas, let s celebrate them. Why not have an Epiphany party? I wish you and your family a most blessed and happy Christmas season and a Happy New Year. 3

4 Libby Ramirez National Regent Elect My Dear Sisters in Christ, The time just seems to be flying by. It is hard to believe that the Christmas season is right around the corner. Going into the stores right before Halloween, I saw that all the Christmas decorations were already up. What happened to Thanksgiving? I guess time is just moving too quickly. On November 11, 2006 I was privileged to attend the Mass on the Occasion of the Re-consecration of the United States of America to the Immaculate Conception at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC. His Excellency the Most Reverend Pietro Sambi, S.T.D., C.D. Apostolic Nuncio to the United States was the principal Celebrant. Reverend Andrew Apostoli C.F.R. was the Homilist and The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, DD, JCL, Bishop of Cheyenne, Wyoming read the consecration prayer. Through the act of consecration we give our country and ourselves to the blessed Mother s Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. The Catholic Daughters of the Americas were asked to participate by inviting us to bring up the gifts; and I, with the other members of the Executive Committee, was honored to represent you at this marvelous occasion. The prayer of Consecration was composed by our bishops in 1959 at the dedication ceremony of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception whereby the country was consecrated to Our Patroness, the Immaculate Conception. Let us continue to work for the spiritual renewal of the United States. Once again, I was pleased to work with Texas to establish a Campus Court. This one was instituted on November 20, 2006, in San Antonio, at the University of the Incarnate Word. Barbara Britton DD #40 and I met with a group of young women there, and they are excited to be members of CDA! Congratulations to Court Daughters of the Incarnate Word #2583 and the Texas State Court. Catholic Daughters of the Americas offers membership for women 18 years of age or older; they offer Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas for young girls ages 6 to 18 years; but we have often neglected to offer programs for young women who leave for college and are away from home. Now at the National Headquarters we are making a concerted effort to answer the call of these young women. These young women are ready to start working with other young women who share their faith. Carolyn Bachmann, State Membership Chairman, will work closely with the National Campus Court Committee on the campus courts. We look forward to many more Campus Courts in Texas. On January 22, 2007, I will be taking part in the 34 th March for Life in Washington, DC. I will be taking pledges for the walk. Half of the money stays with the Education & Defense Fund in Washington, DC, and the other half comes back to the Texas State Court. In 2006 you sent in $ in pledges, and $ came back to the Texas State Court. State Regent Olga Samaniego has chosen Our Lady of Guadalupe Maternity Shelter for Homeless Women of the Dallas area, the newest Missions of Mercy project in Texas, as the recipient of the funds coming back to Texas. I will be taking pledges until February 15, If you or your court wishes to pledge to the walk, please send me a check made payable to me, and I will send the Education & Defense Fund one check. You will get a thank you letter from Nellie Gray for your contribution. Alfred and I wish you and your families a very Blessed Christmas and a very prosperous and Happy New Year. God bless you all as you continue to do the work of CDA for the glory and honor of Jesus. 4

5 MESSAGES FROM YOUR TEXAS STATE OFFICERS Court Development/Membership Carolyn Bachmann- First Vice State Regent As we prepare for the holiday season let us not forget the true meaning of Christmas. We are preparing for the birth of Jesus and what this brings to each of us as a Christian woman. It s a time of giving and receiving and what better way for us to do this than by inviting a new member into our organization. Let us share the sisterhood of CDA with all Catholic women. We must recruit more women to help with the growing demands of so many service needs in our society today. Spread the WORD that CDA wants you. Congratulations to the courts who are working hard on recruiting new members. The courts have three more months to work on winning the Membership Contest that the State is sponsoring. It is not too late to go all out to have the biggest membership drive in history. All of the courts could use a little extra money in their bank accounts. I am so happy to announce that Court Development is moving along. We have had the institution of five courts since our last newsletter in September. We instituted our second Campus Court at the University of the Incarnate Word. Do you know of anyone who has expressed an interest in forming a CDA court? Do you have daughters, nieces, or granddaughters who want to join a service club while attending college? CDA would be an excellent Catholic organization for our young ladies in college to belong to. The Campus Court offers a service organization for our women working with women of their faith. If you hear of any leads or interest in wanting to know more about Catholic Daughters, contact me, (carolyn1349@msn.com or ) and I will get the information out to them. ************************************ Officer Training/Leadership Workshops Sheila Martinka, Second Vice State Regent Wow, here we are and it is already the Christmas season. Officer training is completed with 53 out of 54 districts in the Great State of Texas participating!! The final training wrapped up in El Paso with a guest court from New Mexico also participating. Great job ladies!! Thanks to all of you and your hard work for making this possible and so much fun along the way!! If you ever feel you need a refresher course or have any questions that you have thought of since training, contact any of the state officers. We are here to serve you and lend a helping hand or two. Have a very Merry Christmas and be safe. *************************************** Dues and Assessments Carolyn Malik, State Secretary What a busy year it has been! Soon we will begin a new year and be heading to Dallas for the State CDA convention. Hope you are making plans to attend. Dues statements for November 2006 are in the mail. Please pay this invoice promptly. Remember it is not necessary for the membership to vote to pay your National and State dues. Thanks are extended to the courts that always take care of this responsibility immediately. To the few courts that have dues in arrears Please bring your dues payments up to date. REMEMBER Any court whose dues are in arrears and not current will not have their delegates seated during the upcoming State Convention. If your records do not agree with the records of the State office, please contact me either by telephone or to resolve the situation. We will need copies of your cancelled checks, both front and back. 5

6 Carolyn Malik, State Secretary (Cont d) I wish CDA members and their families a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. Don t forget to give thanks to God during the holiday season for all the blessings He has bestowed on you. Remember to Keep Christ in Christmas. Please meditate on the following quotation from Mother M. Angelica If you just take a few minutes every day to stop and listen to the silence, you will begin to be more aware of God s Presence. As Scripture says: Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). If you make it your business to listen to Him, you will become keenly aware that He is there. All you really have to do is stay quiet long enough to hear Him speak within the silence of your heart. *************************************** ANYWAY (Reprint from newsletter of Ct. St. Theresa of Lisieux #2211, Sugar Land) The good you do today, people often forget tomorrow. DO GOOD ANYWAY! If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. SUCCEED ANYWAY! If you are kind, people may accuse you of being selfish and having ulterior motives. BE KIND ANYWAY! What you spend years building, someone may try to destroy overnight. BUILD ANYWAY! If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY! Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU HAVE ANYWAY! If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous. BE HAPPY ANYWAY! Dollars and Cents Peggy Rosales, State Treasurer Seasons Greetings! This time of year I find that I look back over the past year and count the many blessings that have come my way. I see by the many newsletters that I receive how amazing our organization is and that we are blessed with women of many talents. It has been a pleasure to meet so many of you at various functions in the past year. Keep up the good work and may the season give you many blessings. Quarterly tips: PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL COURT CHECKS MUST HAVE TWO SIGNATURES ON THEM. We are still receiving checks with one signature. If you have been blessed with a great many new members request an updated roster of your court from the National Office and reconcile it to your court s records. Spend those funds they are a gift to be passed on. Pay it forward! Remember we are a, not-for-profit organization with a 501 (c) (3) designation. I would like to share part of a poem by Helen Steiner Rice. That men may come and men may go, But none will ever find a way to banish Christ from Christmas Day ****************************************************** FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. IT WAS NEVER BETWEEN YOU AND THEM ANYWAY! 6

7 MESSAGES FROM YOUR STATE CHAIRMEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP CHAIRMAN Sheila Martinka Congratulations, ladies!! You continue to do an outstanding job and keep me running to the post office with all of your mass card requests!! By now, your Regent has received her Regent s packet and included in the packet are the rules and theme for the next essay for scholarship awards. All entries must be postmarked by January 31, Please note that there are a few changes this year. Essays must be at least one full page and not more than two pages, double spaced. Please submit three (3) copies of the essay for the judges to read. The essay question/theme is: Romans, ch. 12 verse 6 says, We have gifts that differ according to the favor bestowed on each of us. So what gifts do you have that God has given you and how do you use them now and how do you plan to use them in the future to serve God and his people? Ladies, thank you for your continuing to offer such wonderful gifts and support of this awesome project! STATE FINANCIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Janis Wright Dear Ladies, I guess the saying that the older you get the faster time flies is true. This year just got started and now it s almost over. I hope you ve had a wonderful year and that your court has been successful in its endeavors. READ ACROSS AMERICA CHAIRMAN Cynthia Novak The National Education Association s annual Read Across America event will take place again on March 2, Catholic Daughters have promoted and participated in this event for the past several years, and 2007 will be no exception. Let s do our best to make it bigger and better. This will be no easy task to accomplish, but it can be done if we have 100% participation from the Texas CDA Courts. That s right; it can be as simple as one member from each Court reading with a child. Read a favorite book and then donate it to the school. The children will love reading the book again and will always remember that special day. Court Regents, please remind your Chairman and Court members that it is time to start making arrangements for this event. It is supported by teachers, teenagers, librarians, politicians, actors, athletes, parents, grandparents and others; so don t be left out. Organize a reading event at a local school or library; and if this isn t possible, you may purchase and donate books to schools, libraries, churches, etc. For more ideas and information about this project, check out NEA s website at or you may contact me. When you ve completed the event, remember to fill out and mail the report form to me by the deadline. Please fill out and mail the report form even if your Court was unable to participate. 777 E. Eblin La Grange, TX cynovak@verizon.net I hope your holiday season is full of love and laughter. While you re out shopping, maybe you could find something special for someone less fortunate. I look forward to seeing you in 2007, and hope you re making plans to go to Dallas for the State Convention. May God bless you and your family at this time. 7

8 LOCAL COURT NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN Charlene Gwosdz It is time to start thinking about sending the last three (3) issues of your newsletter that you will be sending in for the Local State Newsletter contest. The deadline is midnight, March 1. If it comes in after the deadline, you will be disqualified. You must send me three (3) packets and a cover sheet supplied by National. For example, send three (3) sets of Dec-Jan-Feb newsletters plus a cover sheet for each set. It must be the identical newsletter you sent to your membership each month. If you have any questions, call me at (281) (home), (281) (cell), or send me an at coconut51@juno.com. Thanks and I ll be waiting to hear from you. QUALITY OF LIFE CHAIRMAN Linda Dierschke Chairmen: Deadlines will be here soon for our Quality of Life contest. This is such a large section in the Circle of Love that it takes time to tally hours and dollars in the different categories. Encourage members to record time spent doing good deeds, either individually or as a court. I look forward to receiving entries from all of you. Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or ldierschke@yahoo.com Until the end of the world, I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth. -St. Therese of the Child Jesus- STATE PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIRMAN Henriette Jalowy Seminar #6 at the National CDA Convention in Minneapolis in July was Public Relations, Making it Happen. The presenter was Tom Panas, National Public Relations Chairman. He introduced Joe Towalski, Editor of the Catholic Spirit for the archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Mr. Towalski presented this 6-point plan for good public relations: 1. Know what makes a good story 2. Planning ahead 3. Know whom to contact 4. Provide complete information 5. Follow up 6. What to do when you aren t successful. I will elaborate a bit on the first three points of the plan and will conclude in the following State newsletter. 1. What makes a good story a new project, new officers, etc. Make the story surprising, entertaining. How will it change one s perspective of something? Could the project or activity be labeled an extreme like the first or the biggest? Have it draw human interest. The story may be able to serve as an example to other parishes; for example, legislation. Put yourself in the place of the reader. Do you enjoy reading the article? 2. Planning ahead. Know the deadline for submitting news. Mr. Towalski said two weeks ahead is great. Talk to the editor about what you are envisioning. Many editors want information before the event. An example would be a story about a festival in conjunction with an anniversary so that people can attend. 3. Who to contact? Call the newspaper and ask to whom to send the story. It may not always be the Editor. It might be the News Editor, Church News, etc. One can even ask their format and how they like to receive the story. Most like e- mail. 8

9 STATE WAYS & MEANS CHAIRMAN Cathy Bittner Plans for the fundraisers that will take place at the State Convention in Dallas are well underway. To those district deputies and courts that have graciously donated to the State Raffle, many thanks. It's not too late to jump on the bandwagon. If your court still wants to donate a homemade item or much needed funds for the raffle, please contact me before December 20th. Whatever you do, don t miss out on your chance to buy tickets for this exciting raffle. First prize is a trip to Rome for two!! Start planning now to participate in the Jumble Ticket Pull to be held during the convention. Instead of a silent auction, we will be selling chances on each item. The winner will be the owner of the lucky ticket pulled. If you really like the prize, stuff the ticket container, and you might be the winner!! We still need items for the ticket pull. Please notify me by March 15 if you can donate a prize to the Ticket Pull. As you did for the silent auction, please bring your Jumble Ticket Pull prize with you to the convention. Also at the convention, we will hold a special raffle for a few great items. Ct. Our Lady Queen of Peace in El Campo has made a quilt using all the t-shirt designs sold at past conventions (picture below). It's quite eye catching! Another prize in this special raffle will be a basket full of all the latest & greatest "Spread the Word" products offered to the Catholic Daughters. Finally, the cookbook basket that we have been talking about will be raffled off in this special raffle. We still need those court or church cookbooks for the raffle. Many courts have responded by mailing their books, but I know there are still cookbooks to be collected. Please consider sending yours today! Thanks to all members for their participation in our biennial FUN- draiser!! Cathy Bittner, 3307 Pecha Ln. Rosenberg, TX (H) (W) (toll free) cathybittner@sbcglobal.net MISSIONS OF MERCY Lillian Hansen Joyce Berkovsky (left) and Renee Berry, Regent, (right) of Ct. Our Lady Queen of Peace #1374, El Campo The holidays are here and we will be busy with family and friends. Christmas parties will be attended, as well as hosted. This would be a good time to remember those who don t have what we are blessed to have. Maybe at your court s Christmas party you could have a money tree for guests to decorate with $$$ bills. Perhaps the cost of admission could be a gift to the homeless which could consist of soaps, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, etc. Just think cleanliness and the list would be easy. Some courts are already doing something like this, and we would love to hear your story so that we can pass it on to others. Our experiences with the Missions of Mercy have shown just how generous Catholic Daughters throughout the state of Texas can be. Our Christmas Card to each of you is these Words to Live By from Mother Theresa: At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. At the end of life we will be judged by I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in. Hungry not only for bread, but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing, but naked of human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks, but homeless because of rejection. This is Christ in disguise. 9

10 STATE HABITAT CHAIRMAN Susan R. Walton Well, Christmas is just around the corner, and we are blessed to be spending it in our own homes. Think about the ones who for some reason don t have a home in which to celebrate Christmas. Believe it or not, now is the time to start planning so that a family will have a home for next Christmas. The Second Texas Habitat House will be built in October 2007 in Wichita Falls, Texas. We are hoping for a donation from each court; and we hope, as well, that you will plan on sending someone to help build the home that one lucky family will get. We will be selling t-shirts at the 2007 State Convention, and a work sheet will be available to sign up to help on the work-site. Let s all support this worthwhile project. Talk and pray with your court members and send in your donations. We don t all have to do the same thing, but let s all do something. Send your checks to Susan Walton, 305 Galleon Drive, Lakeside City, TX 76308; and remember to make your check out to the Texas State Court. Please write For Habitat Build on the notation line in the lower, left-hand corner. Thank you so much for your help and support. STATE NOMINATING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Gerry Jones NOMINATIONS 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 5 (five) Officers. Nominations are to be received for: Office of State Regent Office of 1 st Vice State Regent Office of 2 nd Vice State Regent Office of State Secretary Office of State Treasurer Five (5) copies of each of the required documents (as listed in paragraph G referenced above), postmarked no later than February 1, 2007, shall be sent to the State Nominating Committee Chairman: Gerry Jones Ct. Our Lady of the Lakes # Scofield Farms Dr. Austin, TX Members of the State Nominating Committee are: Rose Patek, Eunice Perusic, and Francis Salazar, with Mary Parker as the alternate. HOLY INNOCENTS - DECEMBER 28 With all the joy and hope that the Christmas season brings, we sometimes forget that this is also the season that the Holy Innocents became holy martyrs. King Herod feared the Holy Birth. In order to insure the death of the Christ Child he ordered all infant boys under the age of two years to be put to death. The best documented account of this story is in the Gospel of Matthew: After the Magi had left, the angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph with the command: Get up, take the Child and His Mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you otherwise. Herod is searching for the Child to destroy Him. Joseph got up and took the Child and His Mother and left that night for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, to fulfill what the Lord had said about the prophet: Out of Egypt I have called My Son. Once Herod realized that he had been deceived by the astrologers, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the baby boys, two years old and under in Bethlehem and its environs, making his calculations on the basis of the date he had learned from the astrologers. What was said through Jeremiah the prophet was then fulfilled: A cry was heard at Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation: Rachael bewailing her children; no comfort for her, since they are no more. 10

11 Catholic Daughters of the Americas State Legislative Report December 2006 Immigration Reform The U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops has urged President Bush to veto the Secure Fence Act which calls for the construction of a 700 mile fence along our southern border of Mexico. The Council urges that such a fence will do nothing to enforce immigration laws, but will call for more barbaric forms of smuggling efforts. The Council urges that such action would force migrants, desperate to find employment to support their families to seek alternative and more dangerous ways of entering the country. The act is House Bill 6061 and we need to talk with legislators to fight against this act and hold out for immigration reform measures that support the dignity of human life. Elections Now that elections are over it is important to learn who our legislators are after the elections. Some districts will have new legislators and others will remain the same. It is important that we make contact with these legislators (new or old) to let them know that the Catholic Daughters in their jurisdiction follow legislation and are concerned about issues that promote human life, promote family life, and pursue social justice. It is just a good way to let them know the Catholic Daughters make up a concerned part of their constituency and that the CDA is watching what he or she is doing. If you need help learning who your legislators are contact me or for those with availability to the internet go to Texas Legislature Online and you can go to the appropriate site, House or Senate to obtain your legislature. Patriotism We should all be participating in patriotism as the 2nd prong of Operation Morning Star of the State CDA Legislative program. Participation is easy with activities such as honoring veterans on Veteran s Day, sending things to our service men and women or praying for them, and simply posting the American flag and the Texas flag and saying the pledge to them. Roe v. Wade January 22, 2007 will mark the 34 anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. Courts should take some action during this time to seek the overturn of this terrible decision. Sending members to the March in Washington, D. C., sending a monetary donation to send state members to the March, prayer services, local marches, rosaries, are just a few of the activities courts have participated in the past. Make sure that you clear any activity that you intend to engage in with your parish priest and local city or county officials as appropriate. Peggy Supak, CDA State Legislative Chairman 11

12 National Charitable Projects Rosalinda Gutierrez, State Chairman Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward man The Christmas season is so inspirational. Christ was born to fill the world with Light. May this light warm everyone s heart and fill us with many blessings and much love. One way to spread peace and good will toward man is through the CDA National Charitable Projects. Our National Charitable Projects are part of our state program. Through these charities we help our priests, religious, seminarians, youth and elderly. A bill will not be sent to the courts. It is recommended that each CDA court send a $10 offering per charity. At our last national convention, a new charity was adopted. It is called the Smile Train. The resolution reads as follows: WHEREAS, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, RESOLVED NATIONAL NEWS throughout the world thousands of children are born with cleft lip and cleft palate anomalies, and the repair and restoration of these anomalies can change the life of that person forever, the surgical repair takes approximately 45 minutes to complete and currently costs about $250 U.S. dollars, and there is a national organization named The Smile Train that is dedicated to restoring smiles on these faces everywhere, and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas is a charitable organization committed to helping others in need, now therefore, be it that the Catholic Daughters of the Americas adopt The Smile Train as as a national charity. Therefore, we now have nine (9) national charitable projects. We now have another opportunity to practice good works. Please write a court check in the amount of $90 with the Regent s and Treasurer s signatures and make it out to the Texas State Court. The check should be sent to the State Secretary, Carolyn Malik, P.O. Box 243, Shiner, TX We want to keep a record of the contributions for Texas, and the only way to do it is to send it to the State Secretary. May you and yours have a warm and joyous Christmas filled with many Blessings Rosalinda Gutierrez - State Chairman for National Projects 600 E. Richard Kingsville, TX Rosagutierrez600@yahoo.com Christmas Cards Have you ever thought that sending Christmas cards is also a work of mercy? One can bring such joy to shut-ins, loved ones, and friends by the simple gesture of remembering them with a Christmas card or greeting. The national office suggests that you celebrate the birth of our Lord by sending religious cards and using the 2006 Blessed Mother stamp. National JCDA Day February 11, 2007 Do something special to celebrate and honor the JCDA courts n your area. Consider hosting an event for the young women of your parish to see if there is an interest in having a JCDA court in your parish. Remember that girls who are taught to be giving, caring, and involved, grow up to be giving, caring, and involved women. You will find a wonderful article on JCDA in the winter edition of SHARE Magazine. 12 RKI Insurance By the time this newsletter reaches you, you should have received a letter from William Robinson of RKI, advising of the new billing process for your court liability insurance. All payments will be sent directly to Marsh Affinity Insurance Company rather than RKI Group Plans. If you have any questions regarding your court liability insurance, you may contact Marsh Affinity at

13 TEXAS STATE NEWS 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 prayers 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: For all who believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary, that they will experience true peace and joy this holy season. For the vigorous preaching of the Gospel that the tidings of great joy will be shared among all people. C CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST TEXAS COURTS! JASPER OUR MOTHER OF MERCY - #2578 DECATUR POPE JOHN PAUL II - #2580 Rose Throckmorton, Regent Patricia Privitt, Regent Rt. 3 Box CR 4790 Jasper, TX Boyd, TX (409) (817) DENTON DAUGHTERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO DAUGHTERS OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION - #2581 INCARNATE WORD - #2583 Alaina Blend, Regent Christina Mondini, Regent 3204 Juneau Dr. Elizabeth Villarreal, Adult Advisor Corinth, TX Regiment Drive (940) San Antonio, TX (210) Most Merciful Father, we commend our departed into Your hands.. Frances Cerny Evelyn Richter Laura M. Worthy Ct. Queen of Angels #1538, Wallis Ct. Mother of Charity #1713, Houston Ct. Queen of all Apostles #2258, Houston Gina Duffy Ethel Monroe Irene Mayo Sally Tiddlie Ct. Christ the King #1750, Houston Ct. Prince of the Apostles #1787, San Antonio Joyce Reedy Lillie Wagenhauser Mary S. Berry Gertrude Kaiser Annie Sofka Ct. St. John the Baptist #2073, Ct. St. Ann #369, Victoria Ct. Ave Maria #2001, Houston Manvel Joyce Holster Rosalie DeLaro Ct. Holy Family #2060, Sugar Land Tillie Dusek Joyce Kahanek Ct. Our Lady Queen of Peace #1374, El Campo 13

14 As you are making your annual Christmas donations, please don t forget the State Projects. The power of combined giving is awesome, and all of the projects are counting on you for your support. The state projects include the Missions of Mercy Projects (listed below), Habitat for Humanity, and The Juarez Mission School. Our biennial donation to The Juarez Mission School is usually made around the time of the State Convention; and, so far, we have very few contributions to pass along. You can send contributions for most state projects directly to the organization/charity. Send your contributions for The Juarez Mission School to Carolyn Malik, State Secretary. OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE WOMEN S SHELTER DALLAS 2727 Harlandale Ave Dallas, Texas Convent: 2704 Harlandale Ave, Dallas, Texas ( ) Shelter: 2727 Harlandale Ave, Dallas, Texas ( ) Before making a delivery or visit, and for more information about what is most needed, please contact: PLEASE KEEP THIS INFORMATION HANDY Cleo Smith: smithcleo@hotmail.com (cell: ) Randa Gonzales: Randag13@hotmail.com (cell: ) CAMERON COLONIA - BROWNSVILLE Send Parcels by UPS to: San Felipe de Jesus Catholic Church 2515 Rancho Viejo Brownsville, Texas Mail checks payable to San Felipe De Jesus Charity Account to Father Mike Seifert San Felipe de Jesus Catholic Church P. O. Box 8093 Brownsville, Texas Before making a delivery or visit, and for more information about what is needed most, please contact: Alicia Gomez: amibarra@aol.com (958) CASA JUAN DIEGO HOUSTON Parcels can be sent by UPS or delivered to: Casa Juan Diego 4818 Rose St Houston, Texas (exit I-10 on Shepard/Durham towards downtown, Left on Rose. Cash donations can be mailed to: Casa Juan Diego P. O. Box Houston, Texas Before making a delivery or visit, and for more information about what is most needed, please contact: Mark or Louise Zwick (713) Heavenly Father, You embrace us all with the gift of Your everlasting Love. Yet, this life is not without pain, suffering and injustices. Help me to accept adversity when it comes my way. Give me the courage to overcome evil. Hear my prayers for those less fortunate than myself. Grant us peace in the name of Your Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Circle of Love Forms I know all of you are hard at work using your gifts in the Lord s service. Don t forget to record your hours - not just for recognition, but so that your members and all who read your reports will know how effectively and faithfully you are living the gospel and putting into practice the principals of our organization. Your work is how you witness your faith! Regents will receive the Circle of Love forms in January. Please send them to the Chairman listed on each form by March 31, Courts will be recognized at the 2007 State Convention in Dallas. Olga Samaniego 14

15 Can you believe that the state convention is almost upon us? Don t forget to elect your court s delegates and alternates to the convention in time to send the names in to me by February 15. Regents should have received a mailing from National containing delegate/alternate forms and information on the number of delegates to which each court is entitled. If you have not received it, notify the national office immediately. Additionally, look for the First Call to the Convention to reach courts by the end of December. The official convention packet should reach you in early January. Both the first call and the convention packet are filled with all the details you will need to register your members and take advantage of all the happenings at the convention. If you miss either of these important mailings, contact me as soon as possible. I look forward to seeing you in Dallas!! It will be a great experience for us all. Olga Samaniego, State Regent STATE OFFICE If you are considering running for state office, it is important to know some of the duties currently performed by the state officers of Texas. For other duties, consult the Tools of the Trade and the CDA Bylaws. Texas State Board Responsibilities State Regent Olga Samaniego District Deputies State Chairmen Administrative Duties Appointments Duties Vouchers Budget Board Meetings District Meetings Anniversaries Court Outreach Questions Problems Assignments Presentations First Vice State Regent Second Vice State Regent State Secretary State Treasurer Membership Memorial Scholarship Billing/Collecting Dues Receiving Monies and writing checks Court Development Leadership and Outreach Workshops Approving Vouchers Making Deposits New Court Training Officers' Training Taking Minutes Preparing Financial Reports State Organizational Meeting District Deputy Training at Organizational Meeting Receiving Monies Assisting with Training 15

16 November 5, 2006 November 11, 2006 November 11, 2006 November 12, 2006 November 20, 2006 December 2, 2006 December 3, 2006 December 9, 2006 December 13, 2006 December 10, 2006 Institution of CDA Court in Denton Galveston/Houston Memorial Mass Archbishop Flores Dance, Galveston/Houston JCDA Commission Meeting Institution of Campus Court at Incarnate Word University in San Antonio 10 th Anniv. Ct. Our Lady of the Blessed Trinity #2437, Pecos 60 th Anniv. Ct. Mother Cabrini #1422, El Paso Institution of JCDA Court in McAllen 90 th Anniv. Ct. Our Lady of Perpetual Help #296, Windthorst Institution of CDA Court in Alice January 12-13, 2007 Board Meeting in Dallas January 16, th Anniversary, Ct. Christ the King #1750 January 20, 2007 Multi-District Meeting in Alvin, Districts 17, 24, 38 January 20, th Anniversary, Court St. Clare #1966, Hebbronville January 25, 2007 Multi-District Reception of New Members, 9 and 53 January 27, 2007 Multi-District Meeting in McAllen January 28, 2007 Meeting, District 27 in Hillsboro February 10, 2007 Site Meeting, MCDA Convention February 17, 2007 Multi-District Retreat in Rosenberg February 24, 2007 Multi-District Meeting in Gregory, 16, 36, 41, 47 March 4, 2007 Bi-District Meeting, 12 and 30 March 10-11, 2007 State Board Meeting March 11, 2007 District Meeting, Hostyn-La Grange March 30, 2007 Financial Review in Houston April 26-29, 2007 CDA State Convention, Dallas May 4-6, 2007 May 2007 K of C State Convention Interim and Convention Financial Review ROSTER UPDATES FREEPORT OUR LADY ON THE BRAZOS #2130 FRIONA DAUGHTERS OF HOPE #2567 Rebecca Pena, Regent Manuela (Nellie) Aronce, Regent 419 W. 9 th St. Freeport, TX P. O. Box 794 Friona, TX (797) (806) WALLIS QUEEN OF ANGELS #1538 FLORESVILLE MARY QUEEN OF PEACE #2497 Dorothy Bodle, Regent Elva Chavez, Regent P. O. Box 243 Fulshear, TX FM 1303 Floresville, TX (281) (210) (830) addobodle@msn.com norbertchavez@ .msn.com Juanita Ruiz, DD #18 SAN ANTONIO ARCHBISHOP DROSSAERTS #1813 (210) Ann Smith, Regent 758 Utopia San Antonio, TX Duchess Collins, National Director (210) DuchessCDA@houston.rr.com Libby Ramirez, National Regent Elect 16 libby59@suddenlink.net

17 DEADLINES Notify chairman of donation to State Raffle December 20 Memorial Scholarship Applications January 31 Packets to run for State Office February 1 Resolutions to State Regent February 1 Election of Delegates/Alternates Before February 15 Delegates/Alternates to State Regent February 15 Education Contest entries to local chairman February 15 Ad for Convention Program February 15 Contributions to March for Life February 15 Newsletter Contest Entries March 1 List of deceased members March 1 NCEA-CDA Special Education Scholarship March 1 Education Contest Entries to State Chairman March 15 Notify chairman of donation to Jumble Auction March 15 Circle of Love Forms March 31 Registration for State Convention April 1 Reports of State Chairmen to State Regent April 10 Father Leonard Bachmann Scholarship May 1 STATE NEWSLETTER EDITOR Rosemary Olson Take Time, Take Three, has appeared in just about every newsletter that I have read this quarter. Yes, I really do read every newsletter, , and snail mail that I receive. I do know that many of you are reading my articles. I have had a lot of positive feedback on the Walking Rosary. I wanted to share with you part of a letter I received from Pat Vancil, Regent of Our Lady of Grace #1734, Rowena.. We have such a rosary at our church. We call it The Stepping Stone Rosary. Our Court had it placed right outside the side entrance of our church, St. Joseph. Our Court furnished the materials while the parish Youth Group did the actual placing of the stones. We used round garden stepping-stones for the Hail Mary s and square stones for the Glory Be s. The Rosary has been in place a little over 3 years. The annual Rosary for Farmers during the planting season is said there. Our court uses it especially during October, the month of the Holy Rosary. And yes, it is wonderful to see the little ones skip from stone to stone. We continue to encourage our CCD teachers and all parishioners to make use of this very special Rosary. Our court is currently preparing to participate in our parish s annual Living Rosary. Representatives of each parish organization, as well as CCD students, senior citizens, RCIA candidates, Parish Council, etc., make up the decades of the Rosary.It s quite impressive! Little six-year olds climb up on a stool to reach the microphone at the pulpit to say the Hail Mary and older parishioners (my mother for one) who never before had the nerve to stand in front of a church full of people, stand confidently at the microphone and lead the Hail Mary. How powerful these prayers are and how inspiring it is to see so many taking part. In the Court Mary, Mother of God #2084, Hockley, newsletter I read: When I (Cheryl Thomas) mentioned the story about the Walking Rosary to Father James, he was very enthusiastic about getting something of this nature started on the church property. His suggestion was to start with a part of it and gradually build on it. So give the idea of a Mary s Garden and Walking Rosary some thought; and we will be discussing your ideas at a future meeting. A Mary s Garden? Read all about it in the March issue of the LONE STAR MESSENGER. 17

18 C D Angels can be anyone and anyone can nominate an angel. Angels are women who are doing their regular jobs in an extraordinary manner, women who have gone above and beyond and have given special service to a court, or women who have been quietly reliable and trustworthy whom you would like to recognize for their faithfulness. Be creative, and let s recognize the Caring, Devoted, Absolutely terrific women of Texas. Send your nominees to State Regent, Olga Samaniego, at olgasamaniego@hotmail.com or call (915) Chris Dumanski and Anna Smiley were incorrectly identified in the C D Angels column in the last newsletter. Both Chris and Anna are from Court St. Monica, Patroness of Women #2477, in Plano. Reverend Don Ruppert would need an entire newsletter to highlight his accomplishments and participation with CDA! Father has been the Chaplain of St. Bernadette Court #1108, East Bernard, since he came to Holy Cross and is serving his eighth (8 th ) year as State Clergy Consultant. He s been around CDA for many years assisting in various capacities. Fr. Don attends several CDA St. Bernadette Court #1108 meetings despite them being held on Mondays (his day off), when he faithfully attends to his mother. Father s prayer and support for our 110 service/support projects is greatly appreciated by all 216 members. He s always ready to listen, give input, and adds his own personal touch to whatever he does. He s truly an angel and a blessing to our local, state and national courts! Mary K. Cervenka is a 20-year member of St. Bernadette Court #1108, East Bernard. Mary K served as the Newsletter Editor for five (5) years and brought our court news to the highest level of awareness possible. For BOTH the 2004 and the 2006 State and National Newsletter Contests, St. Bernadette was awarded first place in our division. As a full-time employee of the County Library, she made time to use scriptures, clip art and captions to enhance each issue as a creative display of past and upcoming news. Mary K gave 100% to the publication of the Court Newsletter. Within those pages was her love of CDA and her desire to use the talents God gave her as she presented our membership with an award-winning newsletter. She is a faithful member of our court, attending State and National conventions whenever possible. Janelle Barta is a 39-year member of St. Bernadette Court #1108, East Bernard. Janelle s faithfulness is most evident by the decades she has chaired the phone committee. Without her efforts, the success of our prayer needs and the Lenten 7-week Bake Sale would not have the success they reached, nor would they have her personal touch with detailed efficiency. Her efforts are also very valuable with the many other various times throughout the year membership calls are necessary. Dressed in her kitchen apron with the trimmings, she joined delegates at the State Convention to sell our Court cookbook. Year after year and project after project she has minimized her health limitations and maximized her ability to serve whenever called upon. Her faithfulness is greatly appreciated. Trish Pena has been the Treasurer of Ct. St. Monica Patroness of Women #2477, Plano, for three years. She stepped up when our previous treasurer moved to California. For the last four years, Trish has chaired our White Ribbon Project. She co-chairs our Mardi Gras game booth every year. Though she s moving back to Arizona to be with her family, she is coming back in April because she is making the table decorations for our State Convention. Rene Bonomi of Ct. St. Monica Patroness of Women #2477, Plano, served as Nominating Committee Chairman, our bake sale chairman and is currently our Pie fundraising Chairman and our Quality of Life Chairman. She leads a prayer group, serves as a lector and Eucharistic Minister. Rene does a great job at getting people to volunteer to do things. Jeanne Sokolowsky is the Financial Secretary of Ct. St. Monica Patroness of Women #2477, Plano. She stepped up when our Financial Secretary took a job in another state. She delivers our baked goods to the seminary every month. She helps coordinate our activities at Our Lady of Guadalupe Maternity Home. 18

19 Continued Carme Mascitti is one of the rocks of Ct. St. Monica Patroness of Women #2477, Plano. She opens her home to us for our Christmas Party and June potluck every year. Carme serves on our parish Outreach Committee. She coordinates our Court s Mass Card sale. She is our Parkland coordinator, taking our quilts and donations to the hospital. She volunteers for most of our projects, as well as projects with the K of C Council. Margaret Myers of Ct. Maria Galante #115, Austin, is not only a loving and devoted spouse of 50 years, mother of 4 sons, and grandmother of 5, but has been a dedicated Catholic Daughter for 18 years. During her years of service, she has held the office of Treasurer and chaired many committees. She is currently the Chairman of the Circle of Love and Youth and Education. Margaret is always the first to volunteer for our many functions including our religious appreciation dinner and our fundraisers. She is passionate about her service. Margaret is truly an angel on earth. Randa Gonzales, Jeanne Sokolowsky, Chris Dumanski and Mary Watkins of Ct. St. Monica, Patroness of Women #2477, Plano, are C D Angels for helping out with the following: We delivered turkeys to the maternity shelter and helped distribute turkeys to many families! We purchased 1,347 POUNDS of turkey! Thank you Randa for coordinating this event and thank you to Randa, Jeanne, Chris and her husband, Chet, and to Mary Watkins and her family for helping in the distribution. Blanca Nunez of Ct. Mother of Grace #1906, Pasadena, is a true C D Angel. She has been a Catholic Daughter since May For the past five years, she has come to church every morning to set up the altar for Mass at St. Pius V. Church. She washes all the linens, serves as a Eucharistic Minister at every Mass, prepared the altar flowers every other week, and greets everyone with a smile and a warm hug. Blanca is fluent in English and Spanish and is a big help to the priests. For the Catholic Daughters, she is also doing an excellent job of keeping our scrapbook current. Blanca is always ready to give whatever service is required to make our projects successful. She inspires all of us to give our best in everything we do. Frances Lisso is currently serving as Vice-Regent of Ct. Our Lady of Grace #1734, Rowena. She is everything a Vice-Regent should be and that a Regent could ask for. Not only does she step up to the plate when the need arises, she also serves as Chairman for the Memorial Scholarship Fund for the Court. Among her other duties is scheduling programs for each monthly meeting. As a result, we have interesting subjects brought before the group, ranging from women s health, youth concerns, how-to and self improvement. Frances does all this with a wonderful can do attitude and is a true inspiration for the whole Court. Ct. St. Helen #2330, Pearland, nominates Pauline Roark for a C D Angel. Pauline co-chaired our rummage sale, which was a huge success. She is also the Refreshment Chairman for the Court. Dorothy Muehr of Ct. Mother of Grace #1906, Pasadena, is the glue that holds our court together. We had a hard time getting members to run for office this year. We had ONE candidate for Regent; but she couldn t take office as her husband, who was terminal and under hospice care at home, required her full time. Dorothy stepped forward and offered to be Regent until such time that the elected Regent could take office. Dorothy did her usual fantastic job as Acting Regent for four months. Dorothy has held every office in our Court and has chaired most of our fundraising activities. She is a most dedicated, hard-working, loving and loyal Catholic Daughter. Kathy Ryan of Ct. Mother Seton #2513, Keller, is a new member and hasn t hesitated to respond to our call for help. She has graciously volunteered to lead several efforts and projects for our Court including co-chairing the Community Services/Outreach Committee. A thoughtful plan was created for our charitable-giving efforts this year. Kathy and her husband, Ken (who was recently released from the hospital) also led the way to raise over $700 for our Pro-Life efforts through a parish Pancake Breakfast. Ken was in the kitchen for several hours turning pancakes. Kathy has been a true inspiration and blessing to our court. She steps right up to the plate and gets things done. Thanks, Kathy! Sonia Taborsky, a new member of Ct. Mother Seton #2513, Keller, has been a true blessing and active participant in our Court. She willing serves on various committees to help raise visibility for CDA and witness the love of Christ to others. Sonia has placed great confidence and trust in our mission. Through her Foundation, she recently allocated $2500 to our charitable-giving efforts in Tarrant County. We are blessed to have such a generous and giving heart among our members. Thanks, Sonia! 19

20 Continued Hillarie Van Zanten and Jane Hoffrogge of Ct. Mother Seton #2513, Keller, are new members who graciously accepted the Chairmanship of the Unity/Social Committee. They recently coordinated a beautiful Day of Reflection for our Court and parish. Hillarie and Jane worked tirelessly and devotedly to ensure all details for this special morning were accomplished. All enjoyed a Mass, spiritual talks and time for reflection. It was definitely a refreshing time for all who attended. We thank both Hillarie and Jane for making it possible and for their selfless service. Susan Euler and Cheryl Eberle are new members of Ct. Mother Seton #2513, Keller, who enthusiastically accepted the challenge of Co-Chairs for our annual fundraiser. They exceeded all goals previously set for this effort and worked countless hours meeting, organizing and selling our fall festival t-shirts. They both did so with an attitude of giving and service and always kept our Lord in mind. They began each day with a prayer for guidance and help from the Holy Spirit. They are precious gifts to our Court and we are grateful for their tremendous efforts that will allow us to positively impact so many people in our community. Thank you, Susan and Cheryl, so much! Margaret Pelletier and Jeannette Mason of Ct. Our Lady of the Mystical Rose #2399, Corpus, are special C D Angels. They do many multi-tasks in the parish. They wash the purificators; help with the funeral meals, and the ALPHA preparation dinners. During our Halloween Carnival, they took on the project of doing their own booth and buying their own prizes. Margaret has been ill and in and out of the hospital. Jeannette has had her husband in and out of the hospital; however, they still help out wherever needed. An angel flew in with torn and dirty wings. She was hungry and thirsty. The Lord reached out and nestled her in his arms, giving her hope and love. She was nourished under the Lord s grace and now stands tall with wide beautiful wings. In return for His love, she reaches out to others and gives them the nourishment they need. Carol Knoeber of Ct. St. Anthony of Padua #2486, Wylie, is that angel. She began helping a couple who were in poor health, driving back and forth many miles a day. Now, as their health has deteriorated, Carol stays with them night and day, giving up her own privacy of her home to care for them as long as they need her. Carol receives no money for this deed. She gives from her heart. Carol Knoeber is our Court #2486 Angel of the month. Flo Iremia of Ct. Our Lady of the Desert #2236, El Paso, has been a member for six years. She is the mother of six girls and four of them are JCDA members. She helped organize our First Annual Luau for our Court. Thank you, Flo, for all your hard work and devotion to the Catholic Daughters. Congratulations on being our September C D Angel. Nellie Holguin is the newest member to our Ct. Our Lady of the Desert #2236, El Paso. She is the Chairperson for our JCDA Court at St. Raphael Parish. As of September, we have 12 members. Thank you, Nellie, for helping our young girls grow spiritually and congratulations on being our September C D Angel. Ct. Padre Isidoro Cavazos #2019, Kingsville, has a member who is truly a C D Angel. She is Rosalinda Gutierrez. Rosie joined our Court in 1976 and has served four terms as Regent. She has also served as Vice Regent and Recording Secretary. At the present time, she is the Spiritual Enhancement Chairman for the Circle of Love. She has also been involved at the State level being a District Deputy and as Chairman of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for Habitat for Humanity Build in Corpus Christi. At present, she is State Chairman for National Projects. Rosie s ability to serve her faith, CDA and her parish is extraordinary. She always goes above and beyond in whatever endeavor comes before her. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CT. IMMACULATE MARY #2134, ANGLETON 30 YEARS 20

21 Courts In Action SPIRITUAL ENHANCEMENT Ct. Louise #209, Fort Worth, celebrated CDA Sunday. Ct. St. Michael #559, Weimar, held a Corporate Communion on CDA Sunday. Ct. St. Bernadette #1108, East Bernard, celebrated CDA Sunday. Ct. Holy Rosary #1476, Richmond, donated items for Mother Theresa s Nuns. Ct. Our Blessed Mother #1731, El Paso, celebrated CDA Sunday. Ct. Our Lady of Grace #1734, Rowena, participated in the 23 rd Annual Living Rosary. Ct. Christ the King #1750, Houston, held a Mass on CDA Sunday. They also held a Pro-Life Mass. Ct. Mater Christi #1891, Highlands, collected religious items for missions. Ct. Mother of Grace #1906, Pasadena, takes Communion to seventeen homes for shut-ins. Ct. Regina Coeli #1959, Houston, is still making rosaries. Ct. Annunciation #1962, La Grange, held a Candlelight Rosary. Ct. Mary, Mother of God #2084, Hockley, held a Mass for CDA Sunday. Ct. Mother of Unity #2292, Houston, celebrated CDA Sunday with a Corporate Communion. Ct. Our Lady #2337, Farmers Branch, held a Corporate Communion on CDA Sunday. Ct. Our Lady of St. Hyacinth #2361, Deer Park, held a reception for Father Ken and Father Ralph. Ct. Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles #2391, Austin, held a special Mass with the KCs for deceased members. EDUCATION Ct. Ancillae Mariae #1886, Crosby, donated $150 to Highlands Elementary School. Ct. Mater Christi #1894, Highlands, made a $100 donation to Highlands Elementary School. Ct. Regina Coeli #1959, Houston, had their annual Archbishop Flores Dinner and Dance to benefit Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Grade School. Ct. Mother of Mercy #2407, Tomball, made a donation to St. Anne s School and Youth Group. YOUTH Ct. St. Ann #369, Victoria, held a shower to benefit the Perpetual Help Home. Ct. Prince of the Apostles #1787, San Antonio, supported St. Peter s Capital Campaign to build an early childhood development center. Ct. Queen of All Apostles #2258, Houston, made up kits for needy girls and collected toys for needy children. Ct. St. Helen #2330, Pearland, donated stuffed animals to the Police Department. They also collected boxes of books for the children living at The Bridge. Ct. Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles #2391, Austin, hosted a Children s Booth. QUALITY OF LIFE/FELLOWSHIP Ct. St. Bernadette #1108, East Bernard, gave 47 blood donations and donated $100 to Holsters for Heroes. Ct. Our Lady Queen of Peace #1374, El Campo, hosted a Life Chain. They also donated $200 to T. K. Krpec Fund. The Court also had a summer social. Ct. St. Paul #1604, Shiner, made contributions to the Perpetual Help Home. They also filled the needs list for the Shiner Nursing Home. Ct. Christ the King #1750, Houston, held a Pro-Life Mass. Ct. Immaculate Heart of Mary #1884, Conroe, presented a plaque to Raffaella Viotto for 77 years of service to CDA. Ct. Holy Family #2060, Sugar Land, adopted a family for Thanksgiving. Ct. Our Lady #2337, Dallas, was on page 9 of SHARE magazine presenting a check to the Scottish Rite Hospital. Ct. St. Isidore, Patron of the Land #2340, Needville, gave $100 to the Needville Food Bank. Ct. Our Lady of St. Hyacinth #2361, Deer Park, hosted a Life Chain and an Officer s Workshop. 21

22 Courts In Action - Continued PROJECTS Ct. Maria Galante #115, Austin, baked birthday cupcakes for Austin State Hospital. Ct. St. Michael #559, Weimar, took the time to do birthdays and bingo at Parkview. Ct. St. Bernadette #1108, East Bernard, hosted a multi-service Project Activity Day. Ct. Our Lady Queen of Peace #1374, El Campo, honored fifteen birthday residents of Garden Villas. Ct. Mother of Charity #1713, Houston, made up food baskets for the needy. Ct. Our Lady of Grace #1734, Rowena, is in charge of the monthly senior citizens gathering. Ct. Immaculate Heart of Mary #1884, Conroe, calls Bingo at the Woodlands Manor Nursing Home. Ct. Ancillae Maria #1886, Crosby, filled Seamen s boxes. Ct. Mother of Grace #1906, Pasadena, worked on their Seamen s boxes. Ct. Annunciation #1962, La Grange, provided refreshments for Care Inn. Ct. Ave Maria #2001, Houston, worked on their Seamen s boxes. Ct. Padre Isidoro Cavazos #2019, Kingsville, and JCDA members joined forces with St. Martin s parishioners to Make a Difference on Saturday, October 28. A cleanup of St. Martin s Church, grounds, and CCD classrooms was a great success. CDA served hot dogs, chips, and soft drinks to everyone who participated in the event. Ct. St. John the Baptist #2073, Manvel, helped with Bingo in September and October. Ct. Mary Mother of God #2084, Hockley, called Bingo. Ct. St. Theresa of Lisieux #2211, Sugar Land, did Bingo at the local rest home. Ct. Mother of Unity #2292, Houston, put Holy Cards into Christmas cards for servicepersons. Ct. St. Helen #2330, Pearland, filled Seamen s boxes. Ct. Mother of Mercy #2407, Tomball, hosted their November Social Game Night. FUNDRAISERS Ct. Maria Galante #115, Austin, had a Taco Dinner and Bake Sale. They also sold wreaths. Ct. St. Michael #559, Weimar, sold olivewood religious articles. Ct. Queen of Angels #1538, Wallis, holds a second Friday bake sale. Ct. St. Paul #1604, Shiner, held summer Bake Sales. Ct. Mother of Charity #1713, Houston, had a successful Fiesta Dinner. Ct. Mary Immaculate #1719, Dallas, had a Lasagna/Spaghetti Dinner. Ct. Our Blessed Mother #1731, El Paso, sold tickets to a play at the El Paso Playhouse. Ct. Ancillae Mariae #1886, Crosby, sold rosaries after Masses. Ct. Mother of Grace #1906, Pasadena, held a Dessert Sale. Ct. Holy Family #2060, Sugar Land, sold pecans. Ct. Madre De Dios #2068, Channelview, donated a large gift basket to St. Andrews Catholic Church Annual Bazaar that was auctioned for $400. The bid was made by Gil Tristan s son, Joseph. Ct. Mary, Mother of God #2084, Hockley, had a Style Show and Dinner. Ct. Immaculate Mary #2134, Angleton, had the Dessert Booth at the parish Bazaar. Ct. St. Theresa of Lisieux #2211, Sugar Land, had a Dinner and Style Show. Ct. Mother of Unity #2292, Houston, held their annual Craft Fair. Ct. St. Helen #2330, Pearland, had a Rummage Sale. Ct. Our Lady #2337, Dallas, held a Craft Show. Ct. Our Lady of St. Hyacinth #2361, Deer Park, had a Bake Sale. Ct. Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles #2391, Austin, held a Family Affair fundraiser. They also had a Craft Sale. Ct. Mother of Mercy #2407, Tomball, had their Bake Sale and Gift in a Jar Sale. Ct. Sacred Heart of Divine Mercy #2469, Pattison, hosted a Fall Dinner and Auction. Ct. Mother of the Americas #2506, Fort Worth, had a Ready to Bake Sale. 22

23 Junior Jazz Winter 2006 FUND RAISERS: Bake Sale (22 November) Raffle (December) Bazaar Toy Booth (September) made over $300! Silent auction, yard sale, and baked potato dinner dates are pending Court St. Elizabeth # 1616 Calendar Fundraiser (November) Court Mary St. John #2197 Carnation sale for Mother s Day (May) St. Jude Bike-a-Thon, totaling $420! (May) Court St. Bernadette HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADIES! Christine Kalinec, Valerie Alvarez - August Amy Martinez September Alicia, Julisa, and Ashley Svoboda - October Court St. Elizabeth #1616 Kandace Krenek, Kara Morse - May Hallye Mica - June Kelly Kubena, Catie Dusek July Courtney Krenek, Tara and Sara Kubena, Kristen Morse, Davida Osuna, Danielle Stavinoha - August Court St. Bernadette Patricia Elles, Deborah Hines, Margaret Cutbirth, Willie Pye, Madelyn Dusek - September Court Ancillae Mariae #1886 Madeleine Sladek Court St. Faustina Happy Halloween Happy Thanksgiving Merry Christmas A MESSAGE FROM ME : I am so impressed by the hard work and dedication shown by all of you girls! It is truly amazing to see every one of your projects, fun activities, and religious growth through your newsletters! Make sure to continue sending them! Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 - Katherine Dronka - GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS Send a special prayer or letter to members of our armed forces to show our support! Two day Bake-a-thon (13-14 August) Court Prince of the Apostles #1787 Raffle, yogurt tops for breast cancer research drive pending dates Court St. Faustina Rosary and religious article sale (weekends in October) Car Wash benefiting St. Vincent Food Pantry (15 October) Bake sale after all masses (18-19 November) Court Ancillae Mariae #1886 FUN STUFF: Pro-Life rally (1 October) Girls Night Out (August) Epiphany party, bread factory tour, ice skating pending dates Court St. Elizabeth #1616 JCDA Court meeting/halloween Party (1 October) CDA Pancake Breakfast (15 October) JCDA Court meeting/christmas Party (9 December) End of year sleepover (30 December) Court Mary St. John #2197 Ladies Bunco Night (27 August) Circle Lake Woman at the Well (8-10 September) KC CDA Christmas Party (December) Court Ancillae Mariae #1886 Pizza Party at Double Daves (June) Unity Mass at St. Peter s (October) Court Prince of the Apostles #1787 Summer secret pals Court St. Faustina Sharing JCDA through their website: Court Isabella #683 Convent Tour EDUCATIONAL: Court St. Elizabeth #

24 SERVICE: Vacation Bible School Soup kitchen and winter coat donation (11 November) Cemetery clean up Bingo for the elderly Mother s Day carnations Court St. Elizabeth #1616 School Supplies Service Project (10 September) Food drive for Bay Area Homeless Shelter (1 October) Distribute ribbons for white ribbon morality week October) Baby food/diaper drive for Crisis Pregnancy Center Thank you service project for USS Kennedy Service Wrap boxes for Seaman (18 November) Work Knights of Columbus tree lot (2 December) Nursing home caroling (16 December) Court Mary St. John #2197 Leading the Rosary at the nursing home (30 September) Court St. Paul #1604 Building literacy one community at a time (16-18 June) Sr. citizen bingo dinner (September- December) Card ministry (September-December) Court Ancillae Mariae #1886 Bracelets for Scottish Rite/Officers and 8 th graders 8 th Grade service hours Court St. Faustina Helping with the Vendor Show for the senior court and thanksgiving month (November) Court Prince of the Apostles#1787 A Warm Welcome to: All the new courts that have been instituted and all new members! Congratulations and welcome to our growing family! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love and His kindness go on forever... THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY CONGRATULATIONS: Congratulations to all newly elected officers; you will do wonderfully serving your court and parish! Vanessa Snodgrass received the CDA s JCDA College Scholarship as well as one from the local CDA court! Court Mary St. John #2197 Congratulations to JCDA Court Prince of the Apostles #1787 for being instituted and welcomed into our family on April 29, Thirteen members were installed. Keep up the good work Anna Beausoleil as the new chairman! Kelly Hernandez was the first recipient of the Msgr. Charles Pugh Scholarship award a full year s tuition to St. Peter s School! Court Prince of the Apostles #1962 Congratulations to Madeleine Ackels for receiving the Outstanding Religion Achievement Award from SMS! Court St. Faustina Congratulations to Sharon Cotton, Missy Price, Patti Elles, and Virginia Cowen for being June s Progressive Dinner hostesses and also Virginia Cowen and Missy Price for being September s Ordinary Heroes! Court Ancillae Mariae #1886 Congratulations to everyone who received a metal or award at Shiner s JCDA Awards Banquet & Parent s Brunch on Sunday September 17, 2006! Court St. Paul #1604 All Saints Day (November 1 st ) A day in which we celebrate all the saints known and unknown on earth or in heaven. All Souls Day (November 2 nd ) A day in which we pray for those who have no yet been purified and are awaiting their entry into heaven Let us remember all those who have gone before us. Let us pray for those who still remain outside of heaven s glorious gates. 24 Question, Comments, Issues? Please feel free to contact: NATIONAL CDA NEWS STATE CDA NEWS Catie Wicke JCDA State President (979) barrelracer_07@hotmail.com Katherine Dronka JCDA 1 st State Vice President (832) xxswabbettexx@yahoo.com Jamie Pilat JCDA State 2 nd Vice President (361) leftygal_007@yahoo.com Krystal Smesny JCDA State Secretary (281) relbandbabe07@yahoo.com Karen Nors JCDA State Reporter (254) westchick2807@wmconnect.com Olga Samaniego State CDA Regent (915) olgasamaniego@hotmail.com Carolyn Bauchmann 1 st Vice State CDA Regent (940) carolyn1349@msn.com Tearsa Smesny CDA State Youth/JCDA Chairman (281) tsmesny@yahoo.com Linsay Kolar CDA State Youth/JCDA Co-Chair (512) linsaykolar@mail.utexas.edu REMEMBER: It is convention time again in the spring! All of you should consider running for an office, it s a very rewarding and exciting experience! DECEMBER 8 (BOOK OF THE SAINTS)

25 THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION DECEMBER 8 (BOOK of SAINTS) The solemn feast of Mary s Immaculate Conception, celebrated nine months before the feast of her birth, recalls the Christian belief that Mary was preserved free from all stain of original sin from the moment of her conception by her mother, Ann. Because of her unique role as the Mother of Jesus Christ, God endowed Mary with special graces and gifts. Like a new Eve, she brought new life to the world through her Divine Son. The feast is also a reminder that the whole Church shares in Mary s privileges in some way. For this reason the feast day prayer asks God to trace in our actions the lines of her love and in our hearts her readiness of faith. The bishops of the United States, with firm belief in Mary s intercession, confided their new nation to her care under the title of her IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. MARY IMMACULATE, STAR OF THE MORNING, chosen before creation began, chosen to bring, for thy bridal adoring, woe to the serpent and rescue to man. Bend from Thy throne at the voice of our crying, Bend to this earth which Thy footsteps have trod; Stretch out Thy arms to us, living and dying, MARY IMMACULATE, MOTHER OF GOD. -F.W. Weatherell- PRAYER TO RE-CONSECRATE THE UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CHURCH TO ITS PATRONESS, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Most Holy Trinity: Our Father in Heaven, who chose Mary as the fairest of your daughters; Holy Spirit, who chose Mary as Your spouse; God the Son, who chose Mary as Your Mother; in union with Mary, we adore your majesty and acknowledge Your supreme, eternal dominion and authority. Most Holy Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immaculate in order that she may present the country to you. Through her we wish to thank you for the great resources of this land and for the freedom, which has been its heritage. Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our president and on all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the poor, the tempted, sinners on all who are in need. Mary, Immaculate Virgin, Our Mother, Patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give our country and ourselves to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pierced by the sword of sorrow prophesized by Simeon, save us from degeneration, disaster and war. Protect us from all harm. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, you who bore the sufferings of your Son in the depths of your heart, be our advocate. Pray for us, that acting always according to your will and the will of your Divine Son, we may live and die pleasing to God. 25