Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas State Retreat. JCDA Spiritual Retreat "Love One Another" June 23, 2018

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1 Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas 2018 State Retreat JCDA Spiritual Retreat "Love One Another" June 23, 2018 Junior Catholic Daughters from across Texas gathered on Saturday, June 23, 2018, for a Spiritual Retreat. The one day retreat is held in the off convention year. Beginning in 2016, the JCDA State Retreat which was held at the family ranch of JCDA State Chaplain Monsignor John Peters in Weimar, was moved due to feared weather challenges. This year it was once again held at Hollman Hall near Weimar. Weather was not a concern this year, however the JCDA State Retreat has doubled in size (a good problem to have) and everyone settled in comfortably for the day's events. The state officers took time on Friday to set up the hall and plan their activities. A couple of the officers washed the grapes, blueberries and strawberries for all to enjoy for breakfast on Saturday morning. The state officers also helped set up the tables in the hall along with helping Mrs. Bethancourt set up her displays for the retreat.

2 The spiritual retreat was hosted by Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas State Co- Chairmen Sheila Martinka and Peggy Supak, State Chaplain Msgr. John Peters and the JCDA state officers Alyssa Ramirez, President, Jocilyn Rodriguez, 1 st Vice President, Claire Supak, 2 nd Vice President, Victoria Eastland, State Secretary, and Emily Cook, State Reporter. L-R Msgr. John Peters, Claire Supak, Peggy Supak, Emily Cook, Alyssa Ramirez, Victoria Eastland, Jocilyn Rodriguez, and Sheila Martinka Members from JCDA Courts attending were: Sacred Heart #797, Hallettsville; Ancillae Mariae #1886, Crosby; Annunciation #1962 La Grange; St. Bernadette #1616, Sealy; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Living Rosary #2540, McAllen; Mary Queen of the Snow #1588, Columbus; Mother of Love #2092, Houston; Lydia Miller #2187, Harlingen; Saint Maria Goretti #2380, Corpus Christi; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel #1993, Edinburg; Our Lady Star of the Sea # 2569, Port Isabel; Our Lady of Angels # 2505, Seguin; Our Lady of the Hills #2415, Round Rock; St. Martin de Porres #2719, Dripping Springs; Rev Daniel J. Touhy #2215, Donna; and Daughters of the Holy Family #2665, Victoria; St. Jane Frances de Chantal # 2699, The Woodlands St. Helen # 2330, Pearland, as well as ladies from CDA Ct. Guardian Angel # 739, Taylor and Ct. St. Joseph of Honey Creek # 2260, Bulverde who attended with interest in starting a JCDA court in their area.

3 The morning began with the officers welcoming the guests and providing a special journal made for members as they arrived. Donut holes, fruit, juice and coffee were served to all. JCDA Spiritual Retreat Holman Hall Holman, Texas June 23, 2018 Members were divided into 5 groups facilitated by the state officers as determined by the number in the journal they received. In the groups, members were put into pairs of two. Each member was given a pen and a sticky note to write their name and court number. The pairs were to discuss a number of questions to learn about the other. When told to do so, the pair exchanged sticky notes to write something good about the member newly introduced to them during the activity. The members were not able to see what was written. The exercise was repeated with each receiving a new partner. Each time the sticky notes were taken up by the state officer who facilitated the respective group to be used in an activity later in the day. Before beginning the mass, guitarists Ken Brothers and Wayne Beseda got the group ready by leading them in some upbeat spiritual songs. They also played for the Mass. Msgr. John celebrated the Mass with the state officers taking part in the Liturgy. State co-chairman Sheila Martinka served as Eucharistic Minister.

4 When Mass was over, a welcome to the Retreat was provided by State President Alyssa Ramirez followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States and Texas Flags along with the JCDA Pledge lead by State 1 st Vice President Jocilyn Rodriguez. The JCDA song, Let There Be Peace on Earth was lead by Ken Brothers and Wayne Beseda. JCDA PLEDGE I promise to be a faithful member of the Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas, to promote development of myself as a whole person, to promote service to others, and to encourage spiritual growth in our members. Second Vice President Claire Supak introduced the State JCDA officers, State Chaplain, State Youth/JCDA Co-Chairmen, Past JCDA State President Linsay Tomlinson, past State JCDA 1 st Vice President Rebecca Rodriguez and Immediate Past State JCDA Secretary Elyssa Wagner as well as State Missions of Mercy Co-Chairman, Cathy Bittner. L R: Elyssa Wagner, Rebecca Rodriguez Cathy Bittner, Linsay Tomlinson OUTSTANDING JUNIOR AWARD President Alyssa Ramire presented the Outstanding Junior of the Year Award. She introduced the top 3 applicants: Teresa Rodriguez,Ct. Lydia Miller # 2187, Harlingen, Allison Alaniz, Ct. Maria Goretti # 2380, Corpus Christi and Mia Solorzano, Ct. Annunciation # 1962, La Grange.

5 The Outstanding Junior Award winner is 17 year old Teresa Rodriguez from Court Lydia Miller # 2380, Harlingen. The Outstanding Junior awards were chosen by the State officers by judging the applications anonymously STATE PIN AWARDS L R: Teresa Rodriguez, Alyssa Ramirez The State officers presented the State JCDA Pin awards. Those members receiving the State Pin were Lani Pilat from Court Sacred Heart # 797, Hallettsville, Savannah Filip from Court Sacred Heart # 797, Hallettsville and Mia Solorzano from Court Annunciation # 1962, La Grange. L to R: President Alyssa Ramirez, Secretary Victoria Eastland, Reporter Emily Cook, 2 nd Vice President Claire Supak, Mia Solorzano, Savannah Filip, Lani Pilat, 1 st Vice President Jocilyn Rodriguez A break was taken with donut holes, fruit and juice again being served for all. During the break, the state officers collected puzzle pieces given to each court. The puzzle pieces were given with directions for the court to put their court number on. Each member in attendance from that respective court was asked to write something on the puzzle piece that they like about herself. The state officers took the pieces and put the puzzle together.

6 Once the break was over, State Secretary Victoria Eastland introduced guest speaker, Jan Bethancourt from Sugar Land. Mrs. Bethancourt explained that in order to love others we must first love ourselves. Mrs. Bethancourt spoke about her daughter and provided personal details of many of the struggles she has had to face. The story was very personal and provided insight on struggles many of us face while growing up. Mrs. Bethancourt stated that we are empowered by courage, confidence and compassion. She urged attendees to recognize and embrace their strengths and to believe in themselves. She shared ideas to ensure that each person knows that she is wonderfully, beautifully made. Mrs. Bethancourt discussed the issue of being bullied and shared that her daughter herself had been bullied which lead to a feeling of unworthiness. Mrs. Bethancourt, again shared that it takes courage, confidence and compassion to believe in one s self especially when they are bullied. Finding courage can make it possible for one to believe in one s self. Courage leads to confidence that allows one to embrace the knowledge that she is worthy of goodness. Confidence leads to believing in oneself and the ability to stand up for oneself. The presentation concluded with the state officers sharing the completed puzzle with the group. The puzzle had pieces with writing upside down, sideways and upright depending on how the court wrote on the puzzle piece. The message was to show how we are all different yet we all come together as children of God. Connecting the pieces shows how we fit together as one to form the Junior Catholic Daughters. The puzzle was then turned around to show that we must first love our self, in order for us to love one another as God commanded us to do.

7 It then came time for lunch and Msgr. John led the group in prayer. A Barbecue on the Bun meal was served with all the trimmings and peach cobbler for dessert. Mmmm, Good! During lunch courts took the opportunity to pose for a group photo. BIBLE BINGO After lunch court officers were divided into groups for the officer workshops while non-officer members played Bible bingo lead by State MOM s Co-Chairman, Cathy Bittner. Each member was asked to bring a role of pennies, (although they did not know the purpose), so that they could use the pennies to cover their bingo cards during Bible bingo. When bingo was over, members were asked if they wanted to donate their pennies to JCDA State projects.

8 Many, many pennies were raised for a good cause. OFFICER WORKSHOPS State President Alyssa Ramirez and 1 st Vice President Jocilyn Rodriguez led a workshop for local court presidents and 1 st vice presidents with help from immediate past JCDA state 1 st vice president Rebecca Rodriguez. State Second Vice President Claire Supak led a workshop for local court 2 nd vice presidents and stressed the importance of having spiritual meditations at meetings in keeping with our spiritual works as an organization of catholic girls. State Secretary Victoria Eastland and State Reporter Emily Cook led the workshop for secretaries and reporters. The workshop was designed to show the importance of note taking and proper preparation of minutes for the history of the court. The guidelines for scrapbooks were discussed along with the importance of scrapbooks as the history of the court. Helping with the workshop was immediate past JCDA state secretary, Elyssa Wagner.

9 When the workshops were over the girls came back together for the afternoon activity. Mrs. Jan Bethancourt provided a meditation to the group. Once the meditation was concluded she asked for a volunteer from each table to come forward and provided colored strips of paper to take back to their tables. Each member was given a piece of colored paper and was asked to write their goals in life. After this task was done, Mrs. Bethancourt showed the group a specially designed bookmark. The group was provided instructions on how the bookmark was made and led each to obtain the necessary materials to make their own bookmark. While the bookmarks were being made, the sticky notes from earlier in the day were placed on the right and left sides of a blue trifold board covering the entirety of the right and left sides.

10 The board was turned around with the sticky notes on the sides with a special mirror placed in the middle. The mirror was created by the residents of Annunciation Maternity Home in Georgetown and was placed for auction at their annual Gala in May. State Co-Chairmen, Sheila Martinka and Peggy Supak purchased the mirror specifically for use at the retreat. The sticky notes were taken off the board and given to the respective courts so that the members found what had been written about them during the morning activity. Once all the sticky notes were removed, the message I AM WONDERFULLY, BEAUTIFULLY MADE was displayed with the mirror in the middle for each to see herself with the message showing.

11 A group picture was taken of all members in attendance The girls were then divided into same groups as earlier in the day to participate in character building games such as the fruit basket game, untying a human knot and a blindfold maze. The games were facilitated by the state officers. An afternoon break was taken with cookies, lemonade and ice pops to cool down. A small package of M & M candies was passed out to everyone in attendance during the break. When the break was over 2 nd Vice President Claire Supak lead a prayer called the M & M prayer.

12 The lights were then dimmed and the group was led in the Divine Mercy Chaplet. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world The day ended with a farewell by State Reporter Emily Cook thanking everyone for coming, thanking God for the wonderful day that we all shared and a wish for all to make it home safely. Thank you to Linsay Tomlinson, Cathy Bittner, Rebecca Rodriguez and Elyssa Wagner for all their help during the retreat. A special thank you to Ken Brothers for sharing his wonderful musical talents and providing us with his equipment to use for the entire day and to Cynthia Novak for designing the puzzle for the retreat. John 13: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."