The Lone Star Messenger

Transcription

1 The Lone Star Messenger Catholic Daughters of the Americas Fall 2018 Edition CDA State Board Reverend Gregory T. Labus State Chaplain 114 W. Fay St. Edinburg, TX Rosie Stockwell State Regent 315 Alamo Street Edinburg, TX Melodie Brunt First Vice State Regent 1243 N FM 2148 Texarkana, TX cdambrunt@gmail.com Rebecca Brown Second Vice State Regent P.O. Box 1478 Angleton, TX cdarebeccabrown@gmail.com Carolyn Ritchey State Secretary P.O. Box 1360 Sealy, TX musicaltunes4me@yahoo.com Mary Jane Albert State Treasurer Oak Park Dr. Houston, TX maryjalbert@sbcglobal.net Eve Trevino Immediate Past State Regent 1102 Delta Drive Corpus Christi, TX cdaevetrevino@gmail.com Newsletter Editor Veronica L. Esquivel PO. Box 3149 Edinburg, Texas veronical.esquivel@gmail.com State CDA Website: National CDA Website: Dear CDA sisters, I wish to thank the Officer Training presenters for the great cooperation in training the local courts officers. Together with the district deputies and the state officers, the monumental task of training the new officers Rosie Stockwell between June 23rd and September 8th, 2018 was a great success! The state officers this term chose a theme to guide us in preparing the newly elected local officers with the four (4) most important parts of the CDA Program of Work. Thus, #ConnecctwithCDA was born. This hash tag joined a picture of cogs to depict how smooth CDA officers could work together in achieving the goals set forth within their courts. The four topics that will dominate this first year of the term for local officers are: Protocol, Circle of Love, Ceremonials, and Spirituality/Service. Fr. Greg s spiritual guidance continues to sustain the State Board through the many projects that have been completed. Hope and love has inspired the board to continue with the good works of CDA throughout the state. We had a wonderful celebration for Olga Samaniego in San Antonio on September 15, The mass celebrated at St. Matthew s Catholic Church was inspirational and humbling. Olga s favorite music (mariachis) entertained all those attending the reception and the food was great. It was so nice to see so many of you (approximately 450) there as Olga begins her term as National Regent for CDA. State Regent s Message Rosie Stockwell, State Regent Early December of 2018 will mark the time for the 1st Call to the 2019 State CDA Convention. The committee has been meeting diligently and has prepared the forms, etc. needed for the package. Please read through them carefully and use the checklist to help you meet deadlines. I sincerely encourage you to participate and report your wonderful projects in the Circle of Love Program. In addition, there are other reporting forms and contests that you can participate in. Special thanks go out to the many chairmen (local & state), the judges, and the CDA members who contribute in some way or another. A 3rd new court was instituted in September. We wish them a great start and many successes! Another new court will be instituted in November 2018 in Brownsville. I wish you a lovely fall, filled with Harvest Moon evenings; spend time with your families and most important make time for yourself. Quiet time for prayer and meditation is good for the soul. Please review and share the information with the members in the Regent s Resource Packet with your members. I look forward to visiting with you in McAllen, TX for the 2019 State Convention. We ask the Holy Spirit to guide us spiritually as we continue with the 2nd year of the term. Be Not Afraid! St. John Paul the Great

2 F A L L A Message From The State Chaplain P A G E 2 Be Not Afraid! Fr. Gregory T. Labus Our culture in the United States operates on various calendars the civil calendar of January-December, the school calendar of August/ September-May/June, the fiscal calendar of July-June and various other calendars. Unfortunately, many Catholics forget about our calendar, the Liturgical calendar. Our liturgical calendar helps us remember, through the rich seasons and feasts of Our Lord s life, the mysteries of our salvation. As these mysteries are re-presented to us every year, we are given the opportunity to enter more deeply into our relationship with the Savior. In addition to Our Lord, various feasts of Our Blessed Mother and the saints help us to continue to strive to be the best disciples we can be by following their example. During the autumn months the school calendar seems to predominate. Families are busy with many things to help our children and young adults get started for a new school year. On the liturgical calendar it is just the opposite. The Church during this time is winding down her calendar. The last three months of Ordinary Time are beginning to point to the end times. It is a time that the Church invites us to reflect on the Last Things, that is death, judgment, heaven and hell. All of us need reminding that we are not destined to live in this world forever. Life here is temporary. Psalm 90 tells us that we live here for seventy or eighty years for those who are strong. (ps. 90 vs. 10) However, these days some people live to be a hundred years old but also many are called back to the Lord at a much younger age. In any event, this life is to be seen as a pilgrimage toward our true homeland which is in heaven with God, our Blessed Mother and all the angels and saints for eternity. In this light, knowing that heaven is our eternal destiny, the Church calls on all of us to strive to live the commandments now. We are exhorted to always be prepared spiritually for the moment God will call us back to himself. When death claims our mortal bodies, God will judge us according to our faithfulness in keeping his commandments, above all the great commandment of love. While our culture does not like to hear about judgment, we must be firmly grounded in the knowledge that God is a God of justice. He will judge each person at the moment of death and in the general judgment at the end of time when Christ comes in glory. Then all will inherit their eternal reward. The righteous will inherit eternal life in heaven and the unrighteous to eternal death in hell where we are reminded there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. (Mt.13:42) As we experience the temperatures begin to moderate and trees put on their autumn color preparing for winter, let us remember that the liturgy is mirroring this also. We are being called to prepare ourselves and to examine our lives. Have we fed the hungry, clothed the naked and visited the sick? The scriptures tell us to be vigilant and to beware that our hearts not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day not catch us by surprise like a trap. (Lk 21:34) For when He comes again in glory, He will separate the sheep from the goats. We want to be numbered among the sheep and hear the King say come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. (Mt. 25:34-36) Father Greg State Chaplain Unity and Charity I plead with you--never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be afraid. John Paul II, Pope John Paul II: In My Own Words

3 F A L L P A G E 3 National Office Messages Our Worthy National Regent Olga Samaniego has sent word that Vickie Fiest, newly elected First Vice National Regent at the 2018 National Convention has resigned due to health reasons. We thank Vickie for her years of service and wish her well. CDA Bylaws provide for a line of succession. Please welcome these ladies to their new offices. Worthy National Regent Olga Samaniego has made the following appointments: Emily Guilherme, 1st Vice National Regent Susan Mone, 2nd Vice National Regent Essie Walker, National Secretary-Treasurer Pamela J. Poland, National Director National Events Eve Trevino cdaevetrevino@gmail.com Congratulations Olga Samaniego! National Regent National Regent s Reception September 15, 2018 San Antonio, Texas

4 F A L L P A G E 4 Helene Shepard Message From Past National Regent Worthy State Regent, Officers and Members, misshelene2018@gmail.com Just getting all the names and addresses to write these thank-you notes was no little task. Thanks to Olga for giving me the list of all the generous donors. The list was as overwhelming, as was your generosity to me. After getting the list of names I turned to our Webmaster, Daniel Seyfried, who so graciously retrieved all the addresses from Net Suite. Thanks to both of you for helping to make this task become a reality. The thank you list is very long. I must start off by thanking our Clergy, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, our National Chaplain and Father Maurer our Clergy Consultant. I am grateful to Olga and the new National Board for their support. Special thanks to my secretary, Diane Meore for an outstanding job. I am grateful to my family and friends for their support. My sincere gratitude is extended to each officer and member for your kind words and good wishes. All the cards and greetings were put into a lovely album prepared by Olga. Your good wishes and lovely greetings will be read often and will fill many a day with joy. Thank you for all your kindness and support for so many years while I was on the National Board. I appreciated getting your newsletters and reading about your good works. It was a tremendous experience for me to meet and work with so many wonderful Catholic Daughters from so many parts of our Nation as your Supervisor and as your National Regent. So many local and state courts and individual Catholic Daughters have been so generous with lovely gifts, beautiful greetings and prayers. You can be certain that they will be a reminder of your expressions of love. Thirty days have passed, and my term as National Regent has officially ended. However, what will never end are the beautiful friendships that have developed. I am blessed to have each of you in my life. You will be remembered in my prayers at daily Mass as a sign of my sincere gratitude. God bless you as we continue to serve the Lord with joy in our hearts. Love, in Unity and Charity, Helene Shepard Immediate Past National Regent Unity & Charity

5 F A L L P A G E 5 State Officer Messages Melodie Brunt, First Vice State Regent Court Development and Membership cdambrunt@gmail.com Regents, you are beginning a new term. New Ideas! New projects! New beginnings! This is a great time to appoint a Membership Chairman and committee. A time to set goals for your court! Why do you need a Membership Goal? Retaining membership is of vital importance to all courts. Declining membership may be due to several factors, such as aging members and/or no growth within the court. Make this year different! Set your court a goal of 5% increase by March (100X5%=5) How do you achieve that goal? Goals are achievable when you plan. Write an article for your church bulletin every month. Announce your court meeting during announcements before or after Mass. Set up a table with CDA information after Mass or during Ministry Fairs. Hand out brochures inviting ladies to your meeting. Have incentives for the CDA member who brings in the most new members. What does a Membership Chairman do? Puts the plan into action. She takes all the ideas and makes them happen; coordinating all activities. Knows the history of your court and is familiar with membership requirements. Remember: Don t forget your current members! Although new members are needed, you don t want your current members to feel neglected or useless. A Membership Committee stays in contact with current members who do not attend meetings regularly, finding out if they are sick or need a ride to the meeting. New courts: Contact me if you have a lead for a new court, see my contact info above. A third court was instituted in Texas in September. Please send a note of welcome and encouragement to them & let them know they are a part of great organization. If possible, please have your court chaplain send a note of welcome to their court chaplain. Court St. Gabriel of the Annunciation #2746 Lillian Kish, Regent Red Oak Dr. Houston, TX A 4th court is on the horizon at St. Luke s Parish in Brownsville. We all know it takes a lot of work to get a new court off the ground, so please keep the organizer and all members who will help in your prayers and let me know if you will be able to help. Dates to remember: State Membership Contest Dates April 1, 2017 to March 31, st, 2 nd, and 3 rd Place in 4 categories Money Incentives National Membership Contest: Dates August 1, 2018 to June 1, st, 2 nd, and 3 rd Place in 3 categories Money Incentives View Membership Video: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad." Psalm 118:24

6 F A L L P A G E 6 Rebecca Brown, Second Vice State Regent Memorial Scholarship cdarebeccabrown@gmail.com Greetings and blessings to all my CDA sisters. Prayer is a wonderful gift to give and receive. Each month over 1,200 people are remembered during the intentions of the First Friday Mass celebrated by State Chaplain Father Greg Labus. Saint Mother Teresa said, If we pray, we will believe; If we believe, we will love; If we love, we will serve. We surely believe our prayers help those in need. Our belief leads us to love and in love we serve others across the state of Texas. We serve graduating high school seniors with donations to the MSF Fund. To determine the total dollars to award, the money donated from April 2018 to March 2019 will be added together. To date, the fund has accumulated $16, The goal is to have $50, donated by March 31, 2019 to award to the graduating seniors in May In order to reach the goal, I am asking each court to donate a minimum of $ by March Don t be afraid to send those Mass Cards each month because it is only with your generosity that we can accomplish much. Each Court Regent received or will be receiving 25 MSF Mass cards to be used for prayers across Texas. If your court receives a $2.50 donation, courts will be close to half of the $ needed to reach the $50, goal. Let me know when you need more Mass Cards and please let me know how many to send, where to send them, and the court name and number. Remember the following: Must be related to CDA member or be a JCDA member. The application is on the Texas CDA website; texascda.org. Sponsoring courts must contribute at least $50.00 to MSF. The deadline for the application is January 31, The cut-off date for donations to be included in the May 2019 scholarship money is March 31, The Memorial Scholarship Fund of the Texas State Court was established in June 1980, as a memorial to living/deceased Past State Regents and is funded from contributions made by local courts, individual members, businesses, or other individuals. It is a State Project that has three goals: Gives graduating seniors who are JCDA members and/or relatives of CDA members the opportunity to apply for an academic scholarship; Encourages CDA members, church parishioners, family members, and non-catholics to give the gift of prayer for the living or deceased; and Honors past State Regents Thank you for your invitations and your continued support. May you be blessed with God s peace. {In Christ We Live} Carolyn Ritchey, State Secretary musicaltune4me@yahoo.com Ah, Fall! What a beautiful time of the year! Crisp air, brilliant colors, getting an extra hour of sleep, Thanksgiving, etc. I m ready for it all, so bring it on! The summer has been quite busy for me with all the anniversaries, 2 court institutions, and officer training. It has been great getting out there seeing everyone and meeting new people plus reconnecting with old friends. The excitement in all of you about CDA is just fabulous! It makes me smile and gives me that warm fuzzy feeling. I wish to thank everyone for getting in their financial review forms and for paying their national & state dues. If your court is not upto-date on forms and dues, I will be contacting you soon. I would like to clear up everything before the next billing cycle as well as the next financial review period. So, if you need copies of invoices from either National or State, please let me know and I can them to you. Or if you just want to double check that your court is up-to-date, just drop me an , text or phone call. I will be happy to help! I hope you enjoyed your summer! And for those with kids, I hope their first day of school went well. May God bless them and keep them safe!

7 F A L L P A G E 7 Mary Jane Albert, State Treasurer maryjalbert@sbcglobal.net My dear Sisters in Christ, As I begin my 2nd year as State Treasurer, I am humbled by all the time, talent & treasure you have shared with the national, state and local charities and projects. You have all worked so hard to share the wealth with those who have little. The outpouring of help, both financial and physical, for the storm victims of last year makes me so proud to be a Catholic Daughter. I have definitely been keeping busy with numerous deposits and check vouchers. As a reminder, two signatures are required for every court check. The Treasurer and Financial Secretary must not both sign the same check. Verify that the written and numerical amounts on all checks are the same. If your court number is not printed on the check, please handwrite the number next to the court name. This will help State Secretary Carolyn Ritchey. Financial reviews for the period of April 1, 2018 to September 30 are quickly approaching. It is very important that you attend the financial review; questions may be asked about the treasurer records. Remember to promptly record all transactions in the Treasurer Ledger Book, keep an accurate record of receipts from the Financial Secretary, keep a copy of all paid invoices and reconcile the monthly bank statements. Treasurers, please bring a copy of the monthly Treasurer s Report to each meeting as well as a copy of the Standing Rules and Budget. This will ensure that all monies are properly recorded and paid from Court funds within the guidelines of your budget, standing rules and adopted motions. I have been privileged to be a part of many anniversary celebrations from 1 year to 100 years. What a testament to the many women who choose to be a Catholic Daughter! Let s keep all our courts growing and prospering for many years to come. A note to all Catholic Daughters: look into your heart and see how you can become more involved in your court. We each have many talents that we have been blessed by God to receive. Where can you use your special talents? Listen to what God is telling you. Always ask for His help and guidance. Don t hesitate to volunteer when you are called upon to serve. When we are called to do even the smallest project, it will benefit the many that need our help. Some are good with numbers volunteer to help the financial review team; some are good in the kitchen offer to bake or serve; and all are good with prayer don t hesitate to offer prayers for a successful project. Another great way to serve is to chair the Memorial Scholarship Fund. What a great way to help deserving graduating seniors with a scholarship to the school they will be attending. Texas State Court Calendar May God continue to bless your Court and bless you and your family. I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be always in my mouth. Psalm 34:2 September 15, 2018 September 22, 2018 October 5-7, 2018 October 6, 2018 October 20, 2018 October 21, 2018 October 27, 2018 Reception for National Regent Elect Olga Samaniego, San Antonio 100 th Anniversary - Court St. Michael #347, Cuero State Board Meeting, Houston Our Lady of Fatima Retreat, Ct. Daniel J. Tuohy #2215, Donna 95 th Anniversary - Court St. Rose of Lima #827, Mission National CDA Day Unveiling the Mysteries of the Rosary Retreat, Ofelia de los Santos, State Spiritual Enhancement Chairman, sponsored by Ct Sacred Heart of Mary #2448, Brownsville November 4, 2018 November 9-10, 2018 December 1, th Anniversary Court St. Bernadette #1108, East Bernard State Financial Review, Angleton Rio Grande Valley Multi-District Advent Retreat, Edinburg; Fr. Greg T. Labus

8 F A L L CDA Mission Statement of the National Order P A G E 8 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. CDA Texas State Court Goals Live in Unity & Charity through daily actions. Promote spiritual growth within the family unit. Promote Respect Life CDA projects, especially in the areas of life and death. Develop new courts at all levels (CDA, Campus Courts, and JCDA) and continue increasing membership within the local courts. Build a Habitat for Humanity home. Be courageous women of faith. Approach to Success Plan and/or participate in two (2) Respect Life activities per year. Plan and/or participate in Multi-District Meetings once per term. Research & study one saint per year and offer a day of reflection or a retreat on the life of that saint. Participate in adoration at local parish as a group during the year. Plan activities with the Knights of Columbus that promote family activities or Respect Life activities. Demonstrate Patriotism. Promote leadership within the court by planning activities in the Circle of Love components. Plan and provide at least one (1) educational program for the benefit of the CDA membership. Plan a Memorial Service for the deceased members of the court every year. Utilize media sources and website to promote local CDA in the area.

9 F A L L P A G E 9 State Parliamentarian Notes Carolyn Malik cdacarol@sbcglobal.net POINTS ON PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES for local court meetings Always rise when addressing the chair. Wait to be recognized Write your motions on forms provided & submit to the Regent. There can be no debate until the motion is moved and seconded. The motion is than considered and debated. Maker of the motion is the first to speak in debate. Amendments may be made to improve the motion. Keep debate germane to the motion. During debate direct your discussion to the chair, not to individuals nor personalities. Amendments to a main motion must be approved prior to voting on the main motion. Following all debate, the regent puts the question. Regent announces the result of the vote. EWTN Needs Rosaries and Rosary Makers Dory Birchfield, Director of Viewer Services 5817 Old Leeds Rd. Irondale, AL Elena Rodriguez, Northwest Regional Marketing Manager for EWTN Global Catholic Network, was at the National Convention held in July 2018 in Sioux Falls, SD. One of the things she had on hand to share with the convention attendees were rosaries. EWTN uses rosaries as a form of evangelization around the world. They distribute them at catholic conferences all over the country and to viewers/listeners who call EWTN wanting a rosary to pray along when they broadcast the Holy Rosary at different times during the day on radio or TV. The brochure How to Pray the Rosary, printed in Spanish and English, are sent out with the rosaries. Elena is requesting rosaries for distribution through EWTN. Please send rosaries to the above address so that they can distribute them as needed. Elena Rodriguez joins Theresa Tomeo and Janet Morana on the EWTN series titled The Catholic View for Women. This show focuses on reaching Catholic women who are cafeteria Catholics, fallen away women to show them the beauty of the faith, helping parents in their efforts to raise their daughters to be faith-filled Catholic women, and to offer a positive, relevant, and fun alternative to today s toxic TV shows targeting women. Please check your local TV listing for the series time.

10 F A L L P A G E 10 Bingo/Loteria Update 2018 Peggy Supak fayetteatty@hotmail.com The issue of conducting Bingo/Chalupas/Loteria by CDA courts been discussed many times over the years. The Bingo Enabling Act is set out in chapter 2001 of the Texas Occupations Code. In order to conduct a bingo, an organization must obtain a license, workers must be certified, reports must be provided along with much red tape that has to be followed. The issue for us is that the application for a license/temporary license used to require a signature by someone from the parent organization and although it no longer requires that signature on the application form, it now requires the completion of a verification form (Formid110) by the parent organization. That for us would be national. The matter has been discussed with national a number of times. National undertook a review of the law and consulted legal counsel about the matter back in At that time the National Board stated through Libby Ramirez, National Regent, that the National Office has not and would not agree to/approve a fundraiser that includes gambling which Bingo is considered just that. Nor would they be willing to accept the liabilities that may be involved. That ruling by national was forwarded to Sheila Martinka, State Regent in 2009, and sent out to membership. This national ruling has continued to date. I know it is difficult for courts and membership to understand when they see other organizations holding bingos and making money. There are many reasons that other entities may be conducting bingos they may be set up differently, they may not be aware of the law or they know the law and are just disregarding it. The thing for CDA courts and members to know is the National and State Boards have stated that Bingo as a fundraiser is not to be conducted by CDA. This is not to thwart anyone s fundraising efforts, but the directives handed down by our parent organization and must therefore be followed. To protect the Religious Charitable status of the Order, please do not have any bingos or loterias Wearing of the Veil Olga Samaniego, National Regent olgasamaniego@hotmail.com Robe protocol is decided by the national regent with input from the national board. I do not foresee it changing in the next two years. Officers may not use veils or any other head covering with robes. If an officer feels she cannot go to Mass without a covered head, she can remove her robe and be seated with the membership. There is no rule that says an officer must robe. the robe "rules" fall on the state. Enforcement of Thank you for relaying the information to the membership.

11 F A L L P A G E 11 Messages From State Chairmen Circle of Love Leadership Rebecca Brown, Second Vice State Regent cdarebeccabrown@gmail.com Greetings and blessings to all my CDA sisters. The State Officers, Past State Regents, District Deputies, and local Court Officers have had a very busy summer. We have been involved with Officer Training from June to September. All local court officers must have attended a training session. If you are an officer and did not attend a session, you will be contacted with a training date. Officers should be installed by September 1, You don t have to be installed to take your leadership position because your term started 30 days after the court s officer elections. The installation ceremony can be found in the Tools of the Trade Ceremonial Section. You can add a passing of the robes to show past officers your appreciation and current officers your support. One of Saint Mother Teresa s quotes on leadership and service is, I know God won t give me anything I can t handle. I just wish he didn t trust me so much. Remember, God won t give you more than you can handle, so don t be afraid to venture out of the norm for the court and try new ways and activities. You might feel or think you ll have much extra to do, but try anyway. A pleasant surprise might be waiting for you and the Holy Spirit will guide you. Watch for opportunities to learn from others, educate CDA members, appreciate everything around you, and develop a prayer life. Leadership is in each member. You only have to trust in the God and the Holy Spirit that they are not giving you more than you can handle. Let God trust you in everything he sends you. LEARN + EDUCATE + APPRECIATE + DEVELOP = LEAD Continue to follow God s will and pray for guidance in all you do. May God s peace be with you. {In Christ We Live} Circle of Love Education Iris Hinojosa Irishinojosa43@gmail.com A sincere thanks to all the courts that participated in the 2018 education contest. I do pray that this coming year more courts will participate in these contests. Competition increases selfesteem, creativity and responsibility; and, young students of today enjoy competition. The new school year has begun so, this is an appropriate time to begin promoting the education contests in our courts. Regents, please inform your courts about the education contests. All local courts have energetic and competitive students; so, encourage your students to participate in these events. The following are the six contests: art, essay, poetry, computer art, music and photography. Circle of Love Education must not be overlooked. Local courts work hard; so, recognize your achievements and send the reporting form to the state chairmen. All courts deserve recognition! I am looking forward to your participation. Best wishes in all your endeavors and may God Bless You. CDA ladies!! You can participate in the following events: art, computer art, poetry, and photography. There are many talented ladies in each Texas court; so take time to share your talents.

12 F A L L P A G E 12 Circle of Love Youth/JCDA Peggy Supak fayetteatty@hotmail.com Sheila Martinka smartinka@earthlink.net Every CDA court can fulfill the goals of the youth program by participating in and/or sponsoring at least one youth activity. One of the best ways to fulfill this goal is to sponsor a junior court. Why have a Junior Court? Why not? The juniors are the present and future of CDA. There is no better recruitment tool for CDA then JCDA. Think about it for almost every JCDA member, there is a potential CDA member in her mother. You also have a potential CDA member in the making, as she hopefully will become a CDA member when she graduates. Plan now for back to school activities and how you would want your court to participate. One big way to help with back to school is to volunteer to be a catechist. We encourage all CDA courts to consider sponsoring a JCDA court. We would be happy to attend your local meeting, if possible, to answer any questions and provide information on starting a court or keeping an existing court. For more information on how to start a JCDA court, about an existing JCDA court, the forms or other youth activity contact the Youth Co-Chairmen: Sheila Martinka 307 Spur Drive Victoria TX smartinka@earthlink.net Peggy Supak P. O. Box 518 La Grange, TX fayetteatty@hotmail.com Our future is NOW Tomorrow s harvest will reap today s plantings. Quoted in Tools of the Trade

13 F A L L P A G E 13 Circle of Love Family Judy Gutierrez anajudithgutierrez@gmail.com "Love must be the core of family life" Pope Francis Blessings Beautiful CDA Souls, I surmise you all had a wonderful summer which included prodigious quality time with family, friends, neighbors and new or rekindle acquaintances. Our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us abundantly, your reports reflect all the good works and acts of mercy towards your brothers and sisters. May we continue to be fruitful with the help of Our Blessed Mother to serve with love and joy. Sacrificing our time, talents, treasures and especially our prayers for our families, community, our shepherds and parish. We must not forget those less fortunate, ill, in nursing homes, hospitals with no family ties, homeless and the immigrants. They are all God's children. Our motto Unity and Charity is expressed through your actions of service. Matthew " Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many". May you all enjoy health of soul and body by the glorious intercession of Blessed Mary our Mother at all times. I'm looking forward to your 2019 reports and hope to visit with you at the State CDA 2019 Convention in McAllen, Texas. " Practicing charity is the best way to evangelize. Pope Francis Judy Evanicky Circle of Love Legislation devanicky@smithville.live.air.net CDA Legislation is a Two Fold Program Legislation & Patriotism As Catholic Daughters and as citizens, we have the obligation and the power to actively support patriotism. Individuals can fly the flag, take part in civic events or march in a parade. Promoting patriotism can be accomplished in many different ways such as: Saying the pledge of allegiance & Texas pledge at meetings and functions; Observe Flag day (it is in June); Refresh members to recite the Pledge of Allegiance properly by omitting the pause between one nation under God ; Displaying the flag proudly at meetings and at your residence during special holidays; With the general election coming up in November, exercise your right to vote; Promotion of proper flag etiquette; Support our veterans as well as our servicemen and women. The mission statement of the Operation Morning Star Legislative program is The empowerment of Catholic Womanhood to develop a Catholic Policy Agenda to reach out and speak out in the legislative arena for the advancement of human rights and human dignity for all mankind, in accordance of justice and peace. As they come to me from National and other informants, I still forward s of importance & to take action on. In Texas, the Legislature begins its session in January Contacting Legislators: To find your Legislator go to (if you don t know who your representative is); find by zip code. Texas Legislature Online- this is the General website-has a wealth of information on it. Federal-the website Federal website is

14 F A L L P A G E 14 Circle of Love Spiritual Enhancement Ofelia de los Santos delossantosofelia36@yahoo.com A FEW TRIED AND TRUE SUGGESTIONS 1. RCIA & SACRAMENT PREPARATION Assisting with celebration reception 2. CHARITABLE MINISTRIES: Bereavement Forming Funeral Rosary Guilds Catholic Charities Immigrant Respite Centers & Unwed Mother Baby Showers Catholic Relief Services Lenten Rice Bowls Breakfast with Police Dept. /Fire Department/EMS Thanksgiving Baskets for the Needy at Christmas Sponsor an Angel Tree for the needy during Christmas 3. CLERGY, RELIGIOUS, SEMINARIANS, DEACONS Organize a Pray time/rosary for increased vocations Adopt a Seminarian Observe Priest Appreciation Day/ Birthdays/Anniversaries 4. PERSONAL SANCTIFICATION OF MEMBERS Overnight retreat at local Retreat Center or Campsite Adult Catechesis - Offer 4-week Advent class or 7 week Lenten class Schedule Members for First Friday Adoration hour Prepare a teaching on Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy 5. MISCELLANEOUS Organize CDA presence at the National Day of Prayer in area Organize an America Needs Fatima Public Square Rosary i Organize a Recruitment Social for CDA after each mass Quarterly Prayer Intentions: Lord hear our prayer: That the Church be truly Catholic, without distinctions between races or classes of people. For our elected representatives, that they may respect the right to life of the unborn, the helpless, and the aged. For peace and harmony between those nations set against one another. For an end to jealousy and destructive competition among members of our families. For a recovery of the values of duty, integrity, and service among government workers. That the holy Church may grow in charity and unity. For a deeper devotion to Mary in our organization.. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20 Circle of Love Quality of Life Renee E. Garza rgarzacdatx@gmail.com Whoever confers benefits will be amply enriched, and whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25 Like the Proverbs verse, we should consider how generous we are to others, especially during the upcoming Advent season. We never know who it is that we re gathering clothing donations for or feeding at a homeless shelter. One day you, or a family member, might be the one who needs that kind of help. Be generous to others and refresh yourselves while doing so. I know we all would like to be recognized for the wonderful things that we do but remember that the recognition will be when we stand in front God and he tells us, Well done, good and faithful servant. So, let s contact other courts, even in other states, and share our ideas for being more generous to all those who are in need. Let s make the rest of this year a time for extra generosity to improve everyone s Quality of Life! May God bless you and all that you do.

15 F A L L P A G E 15 Ceremonials Duchess Collins duchess.drc@gmail.com Ceremonies emphasize the purpose of meetings, the duties of officers and the significance of recognition given to individuals. Ceremonies have always had a place of special importance in CDA. They are a celebration of special occasions that members feel are important. Let s ask ourselves, why have a ceremony? Ceremonies are used to highlight or recognize special accomplishments and goals attained. Ceremonies can be used to convey a message, to challenge and inspire all the members to reach greater heights in personal growth in CDA, and a ceremony must convey that you and this moment are special. Ceremonies can create a feeling of affiliation with and acceptance by an ever expanding circle of acquaintances. You may ask, When a ceremony should be used? Anytime a member has completed a goal, fulfilled a special accomplishment, or has been recognized for a noteworthy task. The accomplishments on the part of the court should also be recognized by ceremonies. New officers for the have been elected and began their duties in June. Invite your District Deputy to your meeting, wear your robes and have an Installation of Officers ceremony. This information can be found in the Tools of the Trade, Ceremonials, Section IV, Court Room Installation of Officers, which is also one of the best resources for ceremonies. As state chairman, I would like to encourage everyone to bring back some ceremonial activities that they may not be doing any more. You would begin by having the Regent appoint a ceremonial coordinator. Ceremonies can include; Installation of Court officers; Reception of New Members; Memorial Services gives us a wonderful opportunity to remember our deceased sisters. Ask your Financial Secretary to order the book, Memorial Services for Deceased Members from the national office. There is also a beautiful Resolution of Condolence you may order from the national office to present to the family during the funeral of a member. Each court should have a couple of these available for when needed. Ceremonies are about important occasions, so why are we not taking time for the ceremonies of our Order? If time is the element, most do not take more than fifteen minutes. Tools of the trade also have a Prayer Service section that has a lot of resources for many occasions. Inviting our state officers to attend special occasions of the court such as court anniversaries, holiday dinners, etc. adds to the celebration. If you would like to have state representation you should check the state calendar, posted on the state website at to see if there is anything the state board has anything scheduled for the day you would like to have your event. Then contact the state regent to see if arrangements can be made to have state representation. For example, it is not necessary to have your event on the exact date of the courts anniversary; an alternative date for your event may work out better. Please call me if you have any questions about ceremonies, flag etiquette, the planning of a ceremony, etc.. Remember in the planning of your next ceremonial presentation, keep it simple, impressive and enjoy the moment. Mary is the Patroness of our Order Unity & Charity

16 F A L L P A G E 16 Respect Life Mary Rose Barta mrbarta@flash.net Two-Fold Mission: 1) Respect Life from Womb to Tomb; 2) Respect all of God s Creations The keynote speaker at the National CDA Convention held July 19-23, 2018, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was Rev. Shenan J. Boquet. He is the President of Human Life International, the world s largest pro-life, pro-family organization. It is an organization that was founded fifty years ago and is active in 100 nations around the globe. In his message to the Catholic Daughters, Father Boquet stated, We are born with a dignity that is inherent and this gift cannot be taken away. In this gift God gives us a sharing in His own life. This dignity is a gift from the moment of conception until the day of our natural death. It is bestowed upon us by God himself. He reminded us that we are made in the likeness of God and therefore, we are all, each and everyone one of us, sacred persons. Father Bouquet elaborated on the mission statement of Human Life International, which states in part As followers of Jesus Christ and members of the Catholic Church, our goal is to build a Culture of Life and of Love around the world through education, outreach, and advocacy. In his motivational message, Father Bouquet urged the Catholic Daughters to help build this culture of life and love in our courts and among our members through prayer, action, and education. Father Bouquet travels around the world bringing the Gospel of Life and the pro-life and pro-family message to thousands of persons. He is available for speaking engagements, conferences as well as missions. The Human Life International website is It contains a wealth of information, including brochures, articles, newsletters and other educational resources. I urge you to peruse this website and from it glean useful information that may be shared with your courts.

17 F A L L Read Across America Anne Martin 361/ apmartin@suddenlink.net P A G E 17 Missions Of Mercy Cathy Bittner cbee1026@sbcglobal.net Benji Pardee pardeem@earthlink.net When I first started working with the Read Across America activity, I envisioned a state-wide network of courts helping courts participate. Well, this past year, with a little help from something named Harvey, that vision was realized. In September, 2017, District Deputy #6 Pat Smith encouraged her courts to have a book drive in memory of one of their members who was passionate about literacy. The recipients of the books would be courts who would distribute then to schools affected by the hurricane. In February 2018, Pat contacted me to organize the distribution of over 2,400 books!! Thanks to members from courts in Aransas Pass, Huntsville, and Victoria, these books are reaching people affected by the storm. This is truly Unity and Charity in action. Your court s activity does not have to be this wide -reaching. Perhaps you want to partner with one or more courts in your area for a book study. Your spiritual advisor can recommend books to help deepen your relationship with Jesus and His Blessed Mother. Perhaps your court can partner with a newer established court, or one that has never participated in Read Across America before. The possibilities are endless! If you have any questions or ideas to discuss, feel free to contact me. Our CDA Sisters in Action For quite a few years now, Ct. Our Lady of the Hills #2415, Round Rock,(& JCDA court) has held a back to school supplies drive at their local church. After all donations are accumulated, several members, families, & friends pack up vans, trailers, cars, etc. & make the 400+ mile drive to the Cameron Park Colonia After School Tutorial Project in Brownsville-one of the MOM projects for Texas CDA. This year was no exceptions & man, was their endeavors great! Some 300 students benefited from this project. Please go to our Texas CDA Facebook page & take a look at the pictures. Job well done ladies! This leads me to the question: what can your court, parish & community achieve when you all put your best foot forward? Imagine all the beautiful people that can use our help. A little effort can go a long way when we all work together. Remember the rich & the poor are all the same in Jesus' eyes. Consider this a challenge from the committee. Send us your pictures & post on facebook your activity. Thank you from all of us, keep up the good works! MOM Projects theme for the 2 year term is: Find Your Own Calcutta Important Items to Remember Fall 2018 Local Court Financial Reviews are Mandatory Order Bylaws from the National Office Amended July 2018 National & State Dues are due 30 days after invoices are sent. Please submit deletions and/or corrections to the State Secretary and to the National Office

18 F A L L P A G E 18 Local Court Scrapbook Contest Georgia Mikosh georgia43@cableone.net Local Court Scrapbook Report Is there anybody out there that wants to do a court scrapbook? It is fairly easy, and you can look up our scrapbook rules on the Texas CDA website at texascda.org. We ve made it easy for you. Start by taking pictures of your court s activities, and put them into your local newspaper. Organize each activity by date. Clearly identify each picture by event, date, and name. Then, pick a time where you and several members can get together and work on your scrapbook. It does not reflect the craftiness of one or more members it should be simple and precise. This is an archive of the history of your court and its events. You might be interested to know that we have had 3 to 4 CDA calls from different states: Arizona, Indiana, Colorado and New Mexico wanting to know about our Texas scrapbooks, and of course, we send them our Texas website. Looking forward to seeing all of you at the State Convention next spring May God bless and keep you. life is like a scrapbook, creative & unique. Author: scrapbookinllama State Newsletter Contest Esther Waters estherwaters4@yahoo.com Congratulations to all the 2018 Newsletter Contest winners! Thanks everyone for your amazing newsletters! It is not too early to begin planning for the 2019 contest. What an exciting project for both local and state courts. The court newsletter is just one way to communicate to the members of your courts current activities, upcoming events, and special projects. It is of special interest to those members who are unable to attend meetings due to illness, being homebound or because of family responsibilities. In addition to local court news, it a way to relay CDA information from the national and state levels. It serves as a means to follow up on special events in your church and community and can very easily be a recruiting tool. Remember that newsletters are judged specifically on content. What is important is the coverage of the local, state and national CDA news, and the interests of your court and community The deadline for all entries is March 1, 2019 National Education Contest Iris Hinojosa irishinojosa43@gmail.com Greetings to all CDA sisters! The education contests are very important mainly because our youth from the local parishes are involved. These contests will enhance creativity and responsibility. With school just around the corner, this seems to be an appropriate time to begin promoting the education contests. There are six contests: art, essay, computer art, music and photography. CDA ladies may also compete in some of these contests, so, participate. You are very talented, so take the time to share your talents. The themes for this year are: 1) Here I am Lord, I Come to do Your Will Ps 40 (religious) 2) Doing My Best to do Good (secular) District Deputies, your help is vitally important!!! Inform all the courts in your district about the topics and the different contests. Encourage participation. The deadline for all entries is March 1, State Forms are included in the Regent s Resource Packet. State Forms are in the Regent s Resource Packet

19 F A L L P A G E 19 Ways & Means Cynthia Novak cynovak@verizon.net There is a letter included in the Regent s Packet where you can get complete details about the convention raffle, silent auction, and lucky lotto. Donation forms are also included in the Regent s Packet for raffle prize and silent auction item donations. A completed form for each item donated will need to be submitted. Convention Raffle Prizes are needed for the convention raffle and now is the time for courts to make donations. The deadline to send raffle donations is Thursday, November 30, Silent Auction We are in need of items for the silent auction. The deadline to send silent auction items is Saturday, April 20, Darice Miksch 1154 Dee Allen Road Columbus, TX dtm54@hotmail.com Linsay Tomlinson 518 Meadowcreek Circle Round Rock, TX linsaytomlinson@austin.rr.com Delia Cardenas 805 Pearl Drive Donna, TX deliacardenas79@gmail.com State Website Contest Ita Pena itapena1950@gmail.com Hello everyone, This is the perfect time of the year for you to start thinking of opening a website for your court. A website can easily become a Go to for members of your court who want to be reminded and informed of meetings, functions, and even to reminisce with photos of yearly events. Here are some of things to consider: Plan in your budget at least $100 a year for a host like ecatholic.com Ask around for a member who can be the website administrator and others who can assist; Download the website contest rules from the CDA national website and use them as a guideline; Follow the national and state websites as a resource. Having a website is not as scary as it sounds anymore. I would even venture to say that you could even ask a relative in elementary through high school to help you. Let s make it our goal to dive into 21 st century technology as Catholic Daughters who work smart not hard by utilizing all this fun in the internet! Website Contest - Under Construction

20 F A L L P A G E 20 Financial Review Committee Janis Wright jj6874@earthlink.com Past Regent s Club Janie Corona janie.corona2017@gmail.com Hi ladies. I hope you had a relaxing summer and are ready to get back into the swing of things. New officers bring new ideas to the courts, please support them. I hope all the court officers have taken advantage of the officer training workshops. The state financial review committee met on June 8 & 9 in Shiner at the CDA house and reviewed the books for March through May The books were found to be in good order and we commend the State Board on their accurate recordkeeping. It is a monumental amount of paperwork that these ladies handle. Thanks to Gennie Loggins, Carol Snowbarger, Pat Rega, Cynthia Grigar, and Mary Rose Barta for their diligence in conducting the review. October is the month for mandatory court financial reviews so it s time for Regents to consult with District Deputies and set your dates. Hope you have a wonderful fall season! What a summer! Now are we ready to work? The board will be meeting soon to work on the annual appeal for our religious women and make preparations for the upcoming state convention. Current officers are: Janie Corona, President; Alicia Alvarado, 1 st Vice-President; Judy Evanicky, 2 nd Vice President; Dr. Mary Hawkins, Secretary; Marilyn Holster, Treasurer; and Darice Miksch, Parliamentarian. Local court regents that have served one year and one day are eligible to join. Dues are just $20.00 two year term. Call one of the officers or go to the state website for enrollment forms. If your area has not had a gathering, call one of the officers to set up one. These gatherings help to keep us updated and in contact with other members in your area. Thanks and God bless! 2019 State Convention Herminia Martinez hmartinez805@gmail.com Esther Waters estherwaters4@yahoo.com GET READY McALLEN HERE COMES CDA! Get ready to join in on the excitement, fellowship, spiritual renewal and fun at the 51 st Biennial CDA Texas State Convention. The convention center has been booked, hotel rooms reserved and plans are underway. Call to Convention will be sent out in December by mail and electronically. The host and overflow hotels will accept reservations beginning December 1 st. On the horizon are business sessions and workshops. Spiritual renewal encounter and masses. Lots of delicious foods. So, mark your calendars and wait for news from your planning committee. May 2 nd -5 th, 2019 in McAllen. See you there!

21 F A L L P A G E 21 I hope you ve joined the conversation and are enjoying our Texas CDA Facebook page. All the pictures from National Convention in South Dakota were beautiful, fun and let those of who stayed behind in Texas to participate in the event. We ve grown to over 500+ members and want to keep going! So as the new CDA year begins I ask that you continue to share information with your courts on how to join the Texas CDA page. Maybe take 5 minutes at the beginning or end of your meeting to pull out your cell phones, open the Facebook app and search for Texas CDA. Remember that the page is private so to join you will have to answer a few easy questions. If you re a part of our Facebook page did you know that you can contribute to the information that s appears on our Facebook page? In fact, I need you to share your CDA story to keep our page exciting and vibrant! Read below for more information on how to participate on our Texas CDA Facebook page. Facebook Post Ideas: Announcements Anniversaries Celebrations Court Activities Pictures Videos Songs Prayers Retreats Questions/Contact: Linsay Tomlinson State Public Relations Chairman Linsaytomlinson@ austin.rr.com Stay Connected: Texas CDA texasstatecda@gmail.com FAQ s for Posting on the Texas CDA Facebook Page I want to share pictures and information about my court and their activities. Can I post this to the Texas CDA page? Yes! We want you to post pictures and videos of your court s activities and events on the Texas FB Page so that all CDA sisters can be up to date on what is going on. Our FB page is used to share information, ideas and support one another. We can t do this without you! How do I post pics, videos and other messages on the Texas CDA page? Make sure you re on the Texas CDA FB page and just like on your own page create a post that includes a picture, emoji or video. Select POST at the bottom of the message window and voila - you re done! Commenting on a post does not require approval. When I submit a post to FB why doesn t it show up immediately on the Texas CDA FB page? Because our Texas CDA FB page is private any posts submitted must be approved by an administrator. That s me! I review the post requests on a frequent basis. Once the post is approved it will be visible on the Texas CDA FB page. I submitted a post and haven t seen it on the FB Page for several days? Part of making the FB experience fun and effective for everyone is ensuring information that is shared is relevant and beneficial to the entire group. If your post is not appearing on the FB page consider if there is similar information already posted. Perhaps it s not the right time to post the information. There is also such a thing as too much FB posting - less is more at times. Please be patient and feel free to contact me if you have questions regarding the posting of your submissions.

22 F A L L P A G E 22 Past State Regent s Corner Challenges and Successes Olga Samaniego El Paso, TX As I look back at the time I spent on the state board, I smile. It was a time filled with great joy and lots of hard work. My two years as State Regent went by in the blink of a eye. My focus then, as it is today, was Spiritual Enhancement. I believe with all my heart that life-long service to God s people comes out of a desire to do what He calls us to do. Our service is how we witness our faith in Him. Our spirituality is what sets us apart from other worthwhile organizations. That message, as well as encouraging courts actively step out in faith and to undertake new activities and projects, helped inspire the institution of many new courts that are still active and productive. My greatest sorrow was that there were courts we could not save, but we tried and never gave up. I was blessed to have a great board, and I still feel so close and so grateful for them all Carolyn Bachmann, Sheila Martinka, Carolyn Malik, and Peggy Rosales. I am so proud to have served with them. I am also proud of the way members of our state responded to our message of spirituality and service and of how they continue to respond today. We are women united in prayer and in work. I serve with the best women in the world!! Carolyn Bachmann Scotland, TX The position of State Regent in Texas is a very huge responsibility and commitment that requires personal sacrifices from family and hours of work. When considering the job of a State Office, be prepared to dedicate several years of your life to the CDA membership of Texas and the work of the National Order of CDA. Once you become State Regent your life is consumed by the work of your office. Working yourself up through the ranks of each office you further your leadership skills through each step and become more knowledgeable of the duties of all offices and CDA guidelines and rules. As State Regent you will undertake many challenging duties but the most challenging jobs are to come home from work or from an out of town function and have to answer telephone calls, respond to s, and the abundance of mail received each day. These tasks will overwhelm you in three days if you do not do them daily. It was also sad and emotional to have to disband courts that could no longer survive, especially when there were members who did not want to quit, but circumstances prevented their continued operation as a court. There were several courts that had struggled and not met for years when becoming State Regent. To prevent further cost to the membership of the State of Texas six (6) courts were disbanded during the term. Court Development & Membership were at the top of the agenda to keep Texas #1 in the Nation. Texas was recognized and received 1st place at the 2008 National Convention with ten (10) new CDA courts instituted, two (2) being Campus Courts, and five (5) JCDA courts were instituted. Texas also received awards in five (5) of the seven (7) Circle of Love contests, Education, Leadership, Quality of Life, Spiritual Enhancement, and Youth. The State Newsletter won 1st place at the 2008 National Convention and at the 2009 National Officers workshop in Belleville, IL. The 2nd Habitat for Humanity home in Texas was built in the Fall of 2007 in Wichita Falls, TX. It was the first shared build between two state regents, Olga Samaniego and Carolyn Bachmann. National CDA and Habitat International Mexico DF joined together in 2008 for the Lenten Habitat Build of 20 Homes in 20 Days. National donated $2,000.00, a state court would match the $2, and HFH International Mexico DF would match the amount of $4, to build homes in Paduacan and Ayapanga, Mexico, one hour south of Mexico City. The Texas State Court donated $4, along with HFH International Mexico DF.$4, to build a home. Ten homes were able to be built in the 40 days. Eighteen CDA members, husbands, and a son flew to Mexico City on March 15, 2008 to finish five of the ten homes by Easter. Five from Texas participated in this four day build. What an experience and memorable time this was for all of us. We were able to take families from dirt floors to concrete floors, curtain entries where the chicken welcomed themselves to the indoors to beautiful hard door entries, and from a one large room house to a five room home. At the 2008 Knights of Columbus Convention a challenge was made to the men. A Knight who brought in the most new Catholic Daughters members would win an award. At the 2009 CDA State Convention one Knight gentleman was given a plaque for bringing in a new court in Denton. The challenges, successes, memories, and love during the term will be forever cherished in my heart for what each CDA member contributed to make this term the best of the best. Ladies, we can accomplish any task set in front of us. Always remember as sisters in Christ Together we are strong Eccl. 4:9.

23 F A L L P A G E 23 Past State Regent s Corner Challenges & Successes Sheila Martinka Houston, TX In April of 2009 I became Texas youngest State Regent at the age of 45 years and 5 months. That in itself was a success but in many ways a challenge. I could feel the excitement around the state as well as the concern when I took office. Some were wondering who this youngster was and where would she lead us. I was determined to the best job I could do. I remembered one word that one of my professors in grad school told us perseverance. The word, defined by Webster as a continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition; the action or condition or an instance of persevering; steadfastness. With that in mind, and the words of the Blessed Mother, Do Whatever He Tells You, (also my theme) I reminded myself that I was not alone. I had the state board and all of the membership to help me out. Texas continued to grow in membership thanks to the strong leadership that came before me. One project in particular that I credit Carolyn Bachmann with was to have the courage to let me run with the First CDA Walk/Run Event to raise monies for our Texas Projects at the 2009 State Convention. It was a great success and continues today at every convention. What better way to promote fellowship, fun and of course exercise than to walk for a cause! Thank you Carolyn for letting me run with it! Success continued in Texas with our 3 rd Habitat for Humanity build in Eagle Lake. What an accomplishment it was thanks to all of our members and a surprise to the gentlemen on the HFH board when the home was completed 6 weeks ahead of schedule! Thank you Christine Moore for not sharing the gentlemen s thoughts with me until after we completed the build great these ladies will sign in and then run to Katy Mills mall to shop! Hardly! In between these two accomplishments, the everyday challenges and successes continued. I count every one of the court anniversaries that I was so privileged to attend a success as well as meeting all of the wonderful ladies across Texas (and other parts) that makes the CDA sisterhood so special! May we all continue to follow the words of our Blessed Mother, Do Whatever He Tells You. (John 2:5)

24 F A L L P A G E 24 57th Biennial National Convention Awards 2018 National Education COL State Awards 2018 Texas State Project: State Memorial Scholarship Fund National Family COL State Awards 2018 Texas State Project: CDA Day at the Park with the Astros National Legislation COL Awards 2018 Texas State Project: Texas Alliance for Life March in Austin, TX National Youth COL State Awards 2018 Texas State Project: Read Across America National JCDA COL State Awards 2018 Texas JCDA State Project: Cameron Park Colonia After School Tutorial Project National Education Contest Awards 2018 Art: Division I, 2nd Place Humberto Flores Ct. Bishop Adolph Marx #1988, Brownsville Art: Division 4, 2nd Place-Zaira Hester Ct. Our Mother of Unity #2487, Livingston National Newsletter Contest Awards 2018 Division I, Category I: Ct. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Living Rosary #2540, McAllen Division 1, Category III: Court St. Paul #1604, Shiner Division II, Category I: Ct. Christ the Good Shepherd #2731, Spring Division II, Category II: Court St. Jane Frances de Chantal #2699, The Woodlands Division II, Category III: Ct. Our Lady Queen of Peace #1374, El Campo Category IX JCDA: JCDA Court St. Paul #1606, Shiner National Youth Scholarship Awards 2018 Mason Joseph Leija Dallas $1, National Court Development & Membership Awards2018 Texas State Court: Thirteen (13) New Courts BOGO! - Bring One, Gain One Membership Contest Awards 2018 Texas State Court, 1st place $ Court Mother of Divine Grace #2727, Edinburg, 1st place $ Court St. Jude Thaddeus #1770, Alice, 2nd place $ Court Sacred Heart #829, West, 3rd place $100.00

25 F A L L P A G E 25 Congratulations Congratulations to Rebecca Brown, 2nd Vice State Regent (pictured left) National Nominating Committee 2020! Congratulations to Carolyn Malik, past state regent (pictured right) National Director ! Fr. Greg T. Labus, Texas State Chaplain (pictured center)

26 F A L L P A G E 26 CDA Sisters Working in Unity & Charity Be Not Afraid! St. John Paul the Great Court Marie #344 Texarkana, TX celebrated their 100th Anniversary on July 28, National Regent Helene Shepard, was present to present a plaque and greetings from the National Board; Rosie Stockwell, State Regent presented the court with a plaque and greetings from the State Board. Court Saint Bernadette #1108 East Bernard, TX held a Scholarship Dinner in June 2018; food was catered by Ben;s Chuck Wagon. Special welcome to Fr. Don Ruppert, chaplain and Cynthia Grigar, DD #28. Court Our Lady Queen of Peace #1374 El Campo, TX members helped at the Fort Bend Senior Care Center during the months of June-August 2018, serving refreshments and entertaining the residents. Court St. Elizabeth #1616 Sealy, TX sponsored a nursing home birthday party for the residents on September 15, Court Queen of Angels #1538 Wallis, TX is holding a raffle on February 10, 2019 and are collecting raffle donations. Court Immaculate Heart of Mary #1884 Conroe, TX had the District Attorney Brett Ligon speak on How does His Catholic Faith Affect his Work? They also had Sumi, a therapy dog come along with her trainer, Pam Traylor to speak on how the canines give confidence to the witness, especially young children. Court Our Lady of Mt. Carmel #1993-Edinburg, TX celebrated the blessing of the new KC-CDA building. Fr. Greg Labus, Texas State Chaplain, blessed the building. Court St. Joseph Honey Creek #2260 Bulverde, TX donated books via Read Across America to the children of CASA in New Braunfels. Dante, a canine, joined them for the reading of the books. Court St. Isadore, Patron of the Land #2340 Needville, TX are helping every Thursday and Sunday morning with the Nursing Home masses by transporting residents to the meeting room. Court Our Lady of Hyacinth #2361 Deer Park, TX participated in the parish Ministry Fair. The theme was Tailgate and the CDA joined the KC s by bringing desserts. Also, together they watched the Texan game. Court Immaculate Hear of Mary, Living Rosary #2540 McAllen, TX is sponsoring The Children s Rosary weekly between May 26, 2018 through December 8, 2018 before the 5:00 p.m. masses. Court Our Lady Queen of the Lake #2364 Lake Jackson, TX held a Summer Bunco fundraiser to benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Court Our Lady of Faith #2607 celebrated a 10th Anniversary on September 22, Court St. Ann Mother of Mary #2649 La Vernia, TX has been supporting the South Texas Pregnancy Center in La Vernia and Seguin. Court St. Jane Frances de Chantal #2699 The Woodlands, TX served at th Fellowship Information Booth and sold cookbooks. Court Mother of Divine Grace #2717 Edinburg, TX donated back packs to the school children during the 1st week of school. They also had a Tea Party theme for the Installation of Officers in June Court St. Martin de Porres #2719-Dripping Springs, TX is participating in the 40 Days for Life during September 26th through November 4th. State JCDA Officers had Summer Retreat on June 23, The theme was Love One Another and it was held at Hollman Hall near Weimar. Twenty-two (22) courts were in attendance. Daughter women enjoy each other s company at meetings and work hard for their parishes and communities. CDA National Website

27 F A L L P A G E 27 State Newsletter Editor Veronica L. Esquivel veronical.esquivel@gmail.com It is a pleasure and an honor to be the next editor of The Lone Star Newsletter. Important information to the CDA members throughout Texas and beyond will be relayed in an informative newsletter. Please continue to send the local court newsletters, either by or regular mail. Court newsletters are an excellent method to share ideas with sister CDA courts. Special activities and accolades such as special projects, unique fundraisers, anniversaries, court accomplishments, and other interesting information of the courts will be highlighted in the section titled: CDA Sisters Working in Unity and Charity. THE LONE STAR MESSENGER is the official publication of the Texas State Court - Catholic Daughters of the Americas. It is published quarterly; March, June, September, and December. Deadline for receiving articles: February 1st, May 1st, August 1st, November 1st. Submit all articles to: Rosie Stockwell, State Regent at rosiestockwell@gmail.com The Lone Star Messenger contains information about the CDA, Texas Local Courts, and issues important to the membership. It is posted on the website at and ed or mailed to State officers, State Chairmen, District Deputies, Bishops of Texas, and Court Regents. This newsletter may be sent to court regents and/or court chaplains electronically. Please the State Newsletter Editor: Veronica L. Esquivel at: veronical.esquivel@gmail.com Additional U.S. mail subscriptions may be purchased for $10.00 annually. Please contact Veronica L. Esquivel, State Newsletter Editor All free clip art graphics were selected for aesthetic purposes. No personal or professional monetary gain was made by the editor or any member of the CDA Texas State Court.