Workers in the vineyard

Transcription

1 Workers in the vineyard 2014 OLGC Award Recipient: Marylin Ericksen Marylin Ericksen is the recipient of the 2014 Our Lady of Good Counsel Award Volume 7, Issue 1 Marylin Ericksen, Grand Island Diocese (Nebraska), has been an active member of the Council of Catholic Women for over 40 years, serving as President of her parish, deanery and diocese as well as many other CCW positions and as the NCCW Province Director of Omaha ( ). She and her husband, Al Ericksen (44 years), live on a ranch raising Black Angus cattle. They have 4 children and 11 grandchildren. Marylin believes that CCW activities strengthen the family, improve morality and enhance spirituality, meeting the needs of Catholic women and are a great help to her. She finds CCW is the place to work with and to form lasting friendships with Catholic sisters devoted to their faith in God. Marylin with members of the Grand Island DCCW after she received her award. Through her leadership, ser- vice and support of others, Marylin lives the NCCW mission. She has worked tirelessly to revitalize her DCCW, mentored many women to step up to leadership positions, and developed a workshop and materials for spiritual advisors. She was instrumental in bringing the Leadership Training Development Program to her diocese. Marylin designed a fantastic tri-fold brochure explaining CCW council structure, commission work, membership and facts about who we are and what we do. Two (continued on page 3) President s Message Inside this issue: Spring Assembly Registration 2 United in Truth 4 Leadership Commission 5 Spirituality Commission 5 DCCW Spring Assembly 6 Janet Naughtin So far this year our journey has taken us to two Lenten retreats. One in St. Paul with Deacon Bill O'Donnell with his talk on" Praying backwards-examen," looking back at your day and seeing where God was. The second retreat was in Elm Creek with Fr. Sidney Bruggeman with his talk Becoming Catholic, Becoming a Priest". He has the unusual distinction of being married and a validly ordained Catholic priest. The third retreat was in Ogallala on March 15 th with Fr. Golka with his talk Smitten by his Love. During this talk we examined ways in which the cross of Christ challenges us to surrender to God s will. All 3 retreats were well attended. Our Spring Assembly will be held on April 24 th -25 th at Halsey. Our theme this year is Open the Door to Faith. Can you hear him knocking? This will be a very spiritual and fun filled week-end beginning on Friday with a mass with Bishop Dendinger and other priests. Our guest speaker for the evening will be Fr. Josh Brown speaking on Open the Door to Christ. Saturday morning begins with a 5K run or walk with Jesus (free will offering that will go to the Newman Center). Stations of the Cross in the forest will follow. Our guest speaker for the day will be Angela Copenhaver from Spirit Radio with her 2 talks Divine Appointments, and Stumbling Blocks. The day will end with a mass. If you would like your family to come, they could camp in the forest while you attend the talks, but join you with the 5K run and the mass. As our journey continues into the Summer/Fall we will be having our institutes on (continued on page 3)

2 Page 2 WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD Grand Island Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Open the Door to Faith Halsey Spring Assembly Registration April 24-25, 2015 Registration begins at 3:00 pm on Friday, April 24 th at the NE State 4H Camp Main Building. We have an exciting raffle planned with many prizes. This fundraiser helps fund our year s activities. The most excellent bonus is having a wonderfully amazing time growing in faith with our Catholic sisters and making new friends. A $80.00 B $35.00 C $45.00 Friday 5pm Sat. 4 pm: Complete Assembly includes ALL meals & overnight stay in cabin; Meditation Cabin available at all times, Commission tables: Service, Spirituality & Leadership available at all times. $20 discount if you choose to stay at a motel. (See information below) Friday 5:00-9 pm Opening Mass with Bishop Dendinger, Dinner, Speaker- Fr. Josh Brown- Open the Door to Christ, Skit, Wine and cheese Social Hour, followed by Sing-along and Card games Saturday includes 5K Run/Walk with Jesus, Breakfast, Stations of the Cross outdoors, Luncheon, Keynote Speaker-Angela Copenhaver (Development Director/Spirit Catholic Radio) Divine Appointments & Stumbling Blocks, Living Rosary, Meditation Cabin available at all times, Prayer partners, Raffle drawings; Closing Mass at 2:00 Buy one, get one half off the first 20 mother/daughter pairs to register receive half off on the daughter s registration fee Send reservations and payment to our Treasurer; Susan Johnson, PO Box 222, Cody, NE Reservation deadline - April 11, 2015 NOTE: Cabin housing is dorm style at the 4H camp, bring your own bedding, towels, pillow, etc. and be sure to bring a flashlight! Hotels in Thedford are offering a 20% discount rate if you mention DCCW, and we get 5 or more rooms booked at Roadside Inn Specials are $77.08 for two queens, $66.03 for one queen; otherwise it will be 10% discount on 1-5 rooms. The Arrow Motel is $44 for single bed & $54 for 2 double beds. The Halsey Frontier Inn is available with $46 for single & $56 for double. Prices include taxes. Reservations must be made prior to April 17 th & be sure to mention Grand Island Diocesan Council of Catholic Women or DCCW. Registration Spring Assembly held at Halsey NE State 4H Camp April 24 th -25 th, 2015 Name years attended Spring Assembly Address Town zip Phone Home Parish A $80 Friday and Saturday B $35 Friday only C $45 Saturday only Buy one, get one half off the first 20 mother/daughter pairs to register receive half off on the daughter s registration fee Send reservations and payment to our GIDCCW Treasurer; Susan Johnson, PO Box 222, Cody, NE Deadline for reservations April 11, 2015

3 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1 Page 3 Ericksen National Award (continued from page 1) thousand copies are being used throughout her diocese as a recruitment tool. Her focus in the coming months will be to implement the new NCCW program on evangelization, We Are Called to Witness, which was unveiled at the NCCW Convention, and to promote and pray for vocations. Our Lady of Good Counsel has served as Marylin s role model, because she answered yes when God called. When asked to do a job and wondering where to find the time, energy and fortitude to serve, Marylin says yes in the hope that God will work through her as she continues to serve others with the help of Our Lady of Good Counsel. Article courtesy of The National Council of Catholic Women. Marylin Ericksen and Fr. Dave Rykwalder Spring Assembly (continued from page 6) Masters in Counseling. She actively participates as an Endow facilitator, is a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Woman of Grace, and chairs the annual spaghetti feed for her parish bazaar. Her favorite saints are our Mary and St. Teresa of Avila. As an enthusiastic, new convert to the Catholic Faith, Ms. Copenhaver will speak on Divine Appointment, how God is calling us, and Stumbling Blocks. Other activities throughout the assembly include: *the commission chairs displays of many projects and works of mercy the DCCW performs through-out the world *a Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade sale, with handcrafted items made by artisans and farmers living in over 30 countries *raffle drawings for cash prizes and a Fair Trade item (Ticket sales for raffles are available by contacting your parish representative or may be printed off the website at Also, participants, perhaps your family wants to come camp at Halsey! This would be a great time to do so and the whole family could participate in our masses and 5K run! The assembly will close on Saturday, April 25, with a 2:00 Mass. Congratulations Marylin on your Our Lady of Good Counsel Award! Fall Institutes 2015: Getting Connected with Modern Technology President s Message (continued from page 1) Getting connected with modern technology. Future dates and places to be announced. No matter how many are gathered together Jesus is present. Hope to see you there. God Bless, Janet Naughtin DCCW President.

4 Page 4 WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pray for us! Catholic Women United in Truth Barabara Sack Janet Naughtin Grand Rapids Michigan hosted the National Council of Catholic Women's Convention on Sept , Twenty members from the Omaha Province were spiritually fed and inspired at the conference. Those attending from the Grand Island Diocesan Council of Catholic Women were: Spiritual Advisors, Rev. Stephen Deaver and Rev. David Rykwalder. Province Director, Darleen Schulte and Diocesan President, Janet Naughtin. Barbara Sack, Marjorie Manning, Loye Wolfe, Sherry Weatherly, and Marylin Ericksen. Some of the sessions attended involved cultural challenges, human trafficking, the influence of the media, healing the wounds of abortion and living as daughter's of God. In these troubled times, we can be the voice and the light in a dark society. The Council extends its heartfelt appreciation to Bishop William Dendinger for his generous financial and spiritual support. Special ceremonies included the installation of Officers. Barbara Vaughn of Bellevue, NE was installed as the new Province Director. The National honor of Our Lady of Good Council was bestowed upon Marylin Ericksen from St. Mary's Parish, Mullen, Ne. This is a very prestigious award that has never been given to a Nebraskan before. She received this award for her years of hard work, dedication and leadership in her family, parish and the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Marylin and her husband Al, live on a ranch near Seneca, NE. They have four children and eleven grandchildren. Marylin encourages every Catholic woman to join the Council and become a worker in God's vineyard. Grand Island Deanery Celebrates 80 Years Happy 95th Birthday NCCW! The National Council of Catholic Women was founded on March 4, 1920 to give all Catholic women a common voice and an instrument for unified action. Barbara Sack Nearly sixty people from thirteen parishes attended the Grand Island Deanery s Fall Day of Recollection at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in St. Paul. This was the deanery s 80th Anniversary. Father Matt Koperski, pastor at St. Michael s Church in Spalding was the guest speaker. His presentation entitled, Called to Holiness focused on the saints whose feast days are in October. Father Koperski also celebrated the mass followed by a lunch and 80th anniversary cake. After lunch, Father Koperski gave the closing remarks followed by the installation of the new officers. Deb Eschliman of Erickson was installed as the new deanery president and Pauline Marker as the deanery secretary/treasurer. President Eschliman conducted a brief business meeting. Sacred Heart Church in Shelton will host the Spring meeting on April 13th with Sister Rosmarie Maly 9An Overiview of the UNK Newman Center) and Anna Claire A.C. Codner (Poetry Modified) speaking. RSVP s are due to Sharon Kroll sbkroll@nctc.net or by April 8th. The cost is $8.

5 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1 Page 5 Leadership Commission Loye Wolfe I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church s energies to a new evangelization and to the mission. No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples. John Paul II, Redemptoriuis Missio EVALGELIZATION The National Council of Catholic Women has announced its Leadership Program for all Councils. The newly adopted program of 2014 is called: We Are Called To Witness. Every Council of Catholic Women, Parish, Director of Religious Education, and all Catholics can expand their personal strengths in becoming a Disciple. Direct access to the NCCW New Evangelization Program is available at the NCCW website, COMPONENTS Components of We Are Called To Witness Evangelization Program include; Spirituality Commision Marjorie Manning This past week and into this weekend we ve been remembering Christ coming into Jerusalem and how he was welcomed with leafy branches and garments being laid before Him as He came in on a colt. Hosanna in the highest was proclaimed. As we begin Holy Week, the week of His Passion, the scene intensifies, and now is our time to intensify our prayers 1. Finding the Joy of Jesus in Yourself 2. Sharing the Joy of the Gospel with other Catholics 3. Hospitality and Welcome 4. Hearts to Love and Hands to Serve 5. Holy Days 6. Reaching Out to Young Women in College and Beyond 7. Faith Sharing in Everyday Life 8. Social Justice Spreads God s Love 9. Learning Never Ends 10. UTILIZE: Utilize the National Council of Catholic Women s website, to download the Evangelization Program, We Are Called To Witness and to contemplate what Jesus did for our salvation. A good confession might be a great way to start the week off! Let s, also, make special efforts to attend Holy Thursday and Good Friday Services. These two and print exactly what us need to use for: * Prayer and Strengthening * Self Study * Group Meetings * Hospitality and Welcome Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on a street, in a city square, during work, on a journey. Pope Francis * Ideas for Families *Newsletter Articles Activities * Additional Resources for In- Depth-Study Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on a street, in a city square, during work, on a journey. Pope Francis 2013, Evangelii help to prepare us for Holy Saturday and our Lord s Glorious Resurrection on Easter Sunday. What a Wonderful and Loving God we have!! May we always recognize God s Blessings in our lives!!

6 Karen Benzel 5791 Knox Road Alliance, NE Workers in the Vineyard GIDCCW NEWSLETTER DCCW Spring Assembly 2015 Sherry Weatherly All of this is offered during our Grand Island Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Spring Assembly! The dates are April and all women of the diocese are invited to attend. The theme is Open the Door to Faith. Registration begins Friday, April 24 at 3 p.m. with a Mass celebrated at 5:00 p.m. Following Mass and the evening meal, Father Josh Brown will speak on Open the Door to Christ. Then there will be a social time with skits, singalong (with campfire - weather permitting), wine and cheese and card games. Saturday will begin with a 5K Walk/Run for those who would like to participate. Entry fee is a free-will donation, which will go to the UNK Newman Center building project. Following breakfast we will 2015 Spring Assembly Speaker Angela Copenhaver have an Outdoor Stations of the Cross. Our speaker, Angela Copenhaver, will talk twice on Saturday. She is the Lincoln Development Director for Spirit Catholic Radio, joining the staff in She is responsible for development within the Lincoln Diocese and works directly with donors to progress the mission of evangelization. She and her husband, Lowell, joined the Catholic Church in 2012, and are members of North American Martyrs Parish in Lincoln. They have two adult children and five grandchildren. Angela is a graduate of Doane College in Lincoln, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations and is currently completing a (continued on page 3) Join us at Halsey Spring Assembly April Send Registrations to DCCW Treasurer, Susan Johnson, P.O. Box 222, Cody, NE Registration form on page 2