Renata Sedmakova/shutterstock.com We wish you a blessed ......his joy will touch us and will make...
Transcript of Renata Sedmakova/shutterstock.com We wish you a blessed ......his joy will touch us and will make...
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We wish you a blessed Christmas and a peaceful and productive New Year! May the joy of Christmas remain
in your hearts this season and always!
A triduum of Masses will be offered for the intentions of CDA members by National Clergy Consultant Father
Edward Lamp on December 23, 24, and 25, at St. Mark's Church in Tampa, Florida.
National Chaplain National Clergy Consultant Most Reverend Brendan J. Cahill, S.T.D. Reverend Edward Lamp
National National First Vice Second Vice National Regent Regent-Elect National Regent National Regent Secretary-Treasurer Olga Samaniego Sherry Nilles Emily Guilherme Susan Moné Essie Walker
National Directors
Carol Bogacz M. Susan Champion Hicks Carolyn Malik Connie Dronette Rose Holschlag Pamela J. Poland Peggy Guckin Debbie Lattus Marialice Sagan
National Office Manager National Office Staff National Public Relations Martha Hamboussi Gigi Barecca Tom Panas Alyssa Brady Joe Delgado Secretary to National Regent Gloria Linley Rosie Rodriguez Thelma A. Smith
Renata Sedmakova/shutterstock.com
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My Dear Catholic
Daughters,
We are beginning the
beautiful season of Advent,
and I cannot imagine a more
perfect time of year! The
world is twinkling.
Together we are anticipating
a glorious event—the birth of Our Lord! It is a time
of joy—of rebirth and renewal! It is also a hectic
time of year. There is so much to do! We have our
jobs, paid and unpaid, we are shopping, baking, and
decorating, and caring for children and grandchildren
in addition to working on our court activities and
service projects. We are doing all that we can do to
ensure that everyone has a Merry Christmas. In
addition to all the people your gift list , don’t forget to
give yourself a gift—the gift of spending time with
God.
In this time of rebirth and renewal, let the Lord renew
you! Let Him fill you with His spirit and His joy; let
Him fill you to overflowing with His love. Then we
can ensure that those around us will have a joy-filled
Christmas because they will experience the joy of
Christmas through you! So, light your advent wreath,
read the Scriptures, participate in Eucharistic
Adoration, and receive the Eucharist as often as
possible. Let the Lord love you this Christmas
season, and let Him help you grow in love with Him.
Finally, I ask you to give one more gift to a very
important person in your life—your parish priest/
court chaplain. This is a very difficult time for our
Church, and our priests are bearing the brunt of the
backlash over what is occurring. Many are nervous
and feel like they are walking on eggshells. We
know, however, that for every priest who may be
guilty of impropriety, there are many others who
work faithfully every day to bring us comfort, to
bring us the sacraments, to officiate at our weddings
and funerals, and who continue to minister faithfully
to their flocks. In this issue you will find a prayer
for priests. This prayer allows you to insert the
names of your priests as you pray for them. I ask you
please to say the prayer at every meeting for the next
term. Copy the prayer and give it to your
membership so that they can share it with others and
pray it at home with their families.
When we pray for renewal-when we ask God to renew us in His image, He is faithful to answer that prayer. A renewed membership following God and
God-filled priests Can Do Anything!
December 2018
Newsletter Highlights National Clergy Messages ………….. Pages 4 & 5 Quality of Life Article …………………. Page 6 Habitat for Humanity Article …………. Page 7 Youth/JCDA Article …………………… Page 8 New Membership Competition…..…... Page 9
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A Prayer for
Priests
O Jesus, our great High Priest,
Hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priest, Father [N].
Give him a deep faith a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase
in the course of his priestly life.
In his loneliness, comfort him
In his sorrows, strengthen him
In his frustrations, point out to him that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and
show him that he is needed by the Church, he is needed by souls, he is needed for the work
of redemption.
O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your son who is close to you
because of his priestly ordination, and because of the power which he has received to carry
on the work of Christ in a world which needs him so much.
Be his comfort, be his joy, be his strength, and especially help him to live and to defend the
ideals of consecrated celibacy. Amen.
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A Message from Our National Chaplain
Most Reverend Brendan J. Cahill, S.T.D.
National Chaplain
The Geography of the Heart
As I’m wishing you and your families a blessed and happy Christmas season, I want to share with you some words that come from the Christmas homily of Pope Benedict in 2007: “In the stable at Bethlehem, Heaven and Earth meet. Heaven has come down to Earth. For this reason, a light shines from the stable for all times; for this reason joy is enkindled there; for this reason song is born there. At the end of our Christmas meditation I should like to quote a remarkable passage from Saint Augustine. Interpreting the invocation in the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father who art in Heaven”, he asks: what is this – Heaven? And where is Heaven? Then comes a surprising response: “… who art in Heaven – that means: in the saints and in the just. Yes, the heavens are the highest bodies in the universe, but they are still bodies, which cannot exist except in a given location. Yet if we believe that God is located in the heavens, meaning in the highest parts of the world, then the birds would be more fortunate than we, since they would live closer to God. Yet it is not written: ‘The Lord is close to those who dwell on the heights or on the mountains’, but rather: ‘the Lord is close to the brokenhearted’ (Ps 34:18[33:19]), an expression which refers to humility. Just as the sinner is called ‘Earth’, so by contrast the just man can be called ‘Heaven’” (Sermo in monte II 5, 17). Heaven does not belong to the geography of space, but to the geography of the heart. And the heart of God, during the Holy Night, stooped down to the stable: the humility of God is Heaven. And if we approach this humility, then we touch Heaven. Then the Earth too is made new. With the humility of the shepherds, let us set out, during this Holy Night, towards the Child in the stable! Let us touch God’s humility, God’s heart! Then his joy will touch us and will make the world more radiant. Amen.” What a beautiful image – heaven belongs to “the geography of the heart.” Heaven doesn’t exist far away in a distant future, but in the heart that opens up to the simple love of God revealed in the stable at Bethlehem. No wonder the angels sing, earth rejoices and Christmas seems to bring out the best in us. As we look at the manger scene with Mary, Joseph and the Child Jesus each of us receives the special invitation - to bring Heaven to Earth. You have been a light bringing Heaven to Earth in many ways not only during the Christmas season, but throughout the year. May the Lord bless each of you and your families, let’s keep each other in prayer with confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit, +Brendan
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A Message from Our National Clergy Consultant
Father Edward Lamp
National Clergy Consultant
Live In the Spirit of Christmas
Dear CDA and friends,
On that first Christmas, the angels praised God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of good will.” The shepherds came and adored the newborn Savior. St. Luke wrote, “And Mary treasured all of these things and reflected on them in her heart.” We too need to pause and treasure the gift of Christmas in our hearts. And that gift is simply Jesus, true God who became true man, who came to reveal perfectly God’s truth and love to us, who died and rose for our salvation, and who founded a Church – a family – where His presence continues in both Word and Sacrament. Treasure and reflect on the gift of Jesus and the faith you share in Him as a member of the Catholic Church.
Moreover, we must not let Christmas just be a passing day. Live in the spirit of Christmas each day. Reflect upon how to better treasure this gift each day by making prayer a critical part of your day, by continuing to read Sacred Scripture and the teachings of our Church, by having a stronger devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Mass, by regularly making a self-examination of conscience and going to Confession, and doing those good works for those entrusted to our care and for those in need. May such reflection of the gift of Christmas, move us by God’s grace to an even more intimate relationship with our Lord this year. May our souls be like the stable in Bethlehem where Christ first made His dwelling among us.
Lastly as your National Clergy Consultant, I treasure the gift of you and the dedication, sacrifices, and hard work you have shown to make The Catholic Daughters a beacon of Christ’s love. In particular, I thank those who serve in the various leadership positions of Catholic Daughters. On behalf of our National Board and all of the Staff at National Headquarters in New York City, I wish each of you a blessed and joyous Christmas and New Year! Please be assured of my prayers for your intentions and a remembrance at Holy Mass. May the
peace, joy, and love of the Holy Family be present in your lives each day of the New Year.
May God bless you,
Fr. Edward Lamp
When They Saw The Star They
Rejoiced Matthew 2:10
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Carol Bogacz
National Chairman, Quality of Life
Wow…what can we do to help
the poor?
Let’s be honest; not one of us
has a firm grip on reality as to
the world of poverty. Millions
go to sleep each night unaware
if they’re going to eat the next
day while others have an
abundance beyond what they need in a lifetime.
This seems off…something is wrong in this
equation. Here lies the problem. We know things
are wrong, but we don’t know how or what we can
do as a group to change the world. When we look
at the suffering and injustice in the world, in our
states, our cities, communities and among the
elderly, it is just too overwhelming to comprehend.
Stop and think for a second. We, the Catholic
Daughters can do something. We can make an
impact worldwide; we can help the poor, the
impoverished, and the disenfranchised. We have a
powerful dimension about us that is 65,000
members strong—it is our power of prayer. The
Catholic Daughters have one extraordinary gift…
the gift of prayer. We can impact the world,
“Speak, Lord, for Your Servant is Listening.”
We must always listen for God’s unique messages
to all of us his CDA servants. God may ask us to
step outside our comfort zone to walk in someone
else’s shoes once in a while.
How we see and care for the poor remind us that
the poor are not a target to meet, percentages, or
projects. They are real people, made in the
likeness and image of God. They are people like
us who need to experience God’s grace. The grace
God poured out on us is what we have to offer.
This is what we share the love of God when we
invest in the lives of the poor.
(more to come in the next Share magazine)
And they shall call His Name Immanuel,
Which translated means “God With Us.” Matthew 1:23
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Rose Holschlag
National Chairman, Habitat for Humanity
“Speak, Lord, for your servant
is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:9). Is
He calling your state to do a
Habitat build? Habitat is one of
the projects of our Catholic
Daughters of the Americas. It
would really be nice if every
state in our organization could
boast of building a Habitat Home. In the last
quarterly, you received a form to start the
application process for financial help from national
for a build. The guidelines on that form making it
much easier to get the ball rolling.
In addition to building new homes, Habitat also
refurbishes existing homes in many communities.
They help people repair and improve their own
homes and neighborhoods. This may be a good
option if funds are short for building a new home.
There is much information on the web regarding
the locations of the Habitat for Humanity sites.
Another option being considered by the national
board is the possibility of working with GoServe
Global to provide homes for our families in third
world countries. GoServe Global has set up SafeT
Homes in the countries of Haiti, Guatemala, Peru,
Kenya, and more. Now, we need to realize that
folks in these third world countries do not use their
homes like we do here in the United States. Their
homes are used only to store what few clothes they
have and to sleep in safely. They do all of their
cooking, washing, and living outdoors. Homes that
were setup in Haiti withstood the 145 mile an hour
winds of Hurricane Matthew in 2016 with minimal
damage. There were many folks that found shelter
and safety in these homes while other homes were
badly destroyed. Each SafeT Home sheltered at
least 100 people during this storm. These folks are
so grateful for their shelters/homes. Contact me if
you would like more information about undertaking
a Habitat build in your state.
Flyers included with this Newsletter:
New National Board 2018-2020 Directory
“Let’s March for Life” Prayer Service
National Projects and Charities
National Disaster Application
2019 JCDA Day Proclamation
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As I began to think about writing
this article on Junior Catholic
Daughters of the Americas
several questions popped into my
mind about the beginning of
JCDA and the progress we have
made through the decades.
In 1919 the National Board of
Directors sanctioned JCDA. On February 22, 1926 the
first appointed National Director for JCDA began
traveling across the country to encourage Catholic
Daughter Courts to initiate small groups of young
women. The focus of these groups, which would
gather in private homes, would be prayer, developing
their faith; and the organization of charity projects
while enjoying fellowship with other young Catholic
girls.
Today, 93 years later, the motto of “Be Useful” and
the goals of “Love God, Serve Others, and Live
Nobly” remain unchanged. The Threefold Program of
Involvement still focuses on “Message – possessing an
active faith in God, Service – doing good for the
benefit of others and Community – the heart of JCDA,
with love for their JCDA court, families, community
and the world.”
History shows JCDA began under the jurisdiction of
National CDA until 1988 when it was transferred to
the individual states. Each state having a JCDA
program, established a program designed for their
specific state. Now back under the umbrella of
National CDA statistics are being gathered to assess
the number of JCDA courts along with a current
membership count. The JCDA Tools of the Trade and
the National JCDA brochure are being updated by an
appointed National JCDA Advisory Board. These
items will be available on the National CDA website
upon completion. Currently available are the recently
approved new Membership Application and Medical
Release form which can be found on the National
CDA home page under JCDA.
Since the inception of JCDA, the Juniors are
sponsored by a local Catholic Daughter Court. Upon
graduation from high school it is hoped these young
ladies will transition into a Campus Court if one is
available or into a local Catholic Daughter Court.
These young ladies want to be part of something that
makes a difference in the world, to develop a deeper
relationship with God – welcome and nurture them.
Our deepest gratitude to the Catholic Daughter Courts
who saw the importance of the JCDA program and
offer this opportunity to young Catholic girls within
their parish community. If your Catholic Daughter
Court is interested in beginning a JCDA program you
may contact Debbie Lattus, National Youth and JCDA
Chairman at [email protected].
Information was obtained from past Share articles and
the book on CDA History: A Century in Review.
National Junior
Catholic Daughters
of the Americas Day
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Look for the 2019 JCDA Day
Proclamation
Flyer included with this issue.
Debbie Lattus
National Chairman, Youth & JCDA
Lovethewind/shutterstock.com
Junior Catholic Daughters
of the Americas
A Jewel for the Future of CDA
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Catholic Daughters of the Americas
Committee Assignments
Circle of Love
Spiritual Enhancement Connie Dronette
Pamela Poland
Quality of Life Carol Bogacz
Family Essie Walker
Leadership Sherry Nilles
Education Marialice Sagan
Youth/JCDA Debbie Lattus
Susan Hicks
Legislation Margaret Sitte
Committees
Campus Courts Peggy Guckin
Susan Hicks
Membership and Court Dev. Emily Guilherme
Susan Moné
Projects and Charities Emily Guilherme
Habitat for Humanity Rose Holschlag
Website Pamela Poland
Ceremonials Susan Moné
Standing Rules Peggy Guckin
Resolutions Susan Hicks
Rose Holschlag
Grants/Proposals Susan Hicks
Newsletter Susan Moné
Tools of the Trade National Officers
Bylaws Susan Hicks
Carolyn Malik
Sherry Nilles
1903 Sherry Nilles
2020 Convention Carolyn Malik Chair
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Let Us Pray For … Our thoughts and prayers are with these CDA sisters in Christ and their families at this difficult time:
Prayers for the passing of Ruth Guidry, Past National Director and Past State Regent from Louisiana.
Prayers for Gwen Hammond who passed away recently. She was a State Regent from the Oklahoma State Court.
Prayers for Luke and Noah, grandsons of Past National Regent Shirley Seyfried.
Prayers for Shirley Seyfried's sister-in-law Marge Halpin who passed away recently. Cards may be sent to Shirley at this address: 38482 N. Shore Drive Battle Lake, MN 56515
Semi-Annual Dues
Semi-annual dues have been sent to your court. Please pay this invoice promptly after you have received it. It does not require a court vote to do so. Make court checks payable to: Catholic Daughters of he Americas and write the invoice number on the memo line.
New Officers Form
Please remember to send in your New Officers form to state and national headquarters if you have not already done so. Important information needs to get into the proper hands of your court.
State Convention Delegate Count
Court Regents, be on the lookout for a letter that will let you know how many delegates you are allowed at state conventions.
Application For Disaster Funds
State Regents, when asking for disaster funds, please remember to attach the application form to your letter. This form, included as a flyer with this newsletter issue, will help the national Regent when she writes a letter to accompany the check.
Welcome New CDA Courts!
Court Sister Emmanuel Cardinale #2745 Jacqueline Garcia, Regent 6733 Ebensburg Ln Dublin, California 94568 Court St. Gianna Beretta Molla #2746 Deborah Lusch, Regent 2030 Benson Ave Prosser, Washington 99350 Court St. Gabriel of the Annunciation #2747 Lillian Kish, Regent 17639 Red Oak Drive Houston, Texas 77090 Court St. Christopher #2748 Peggy H. Rosales, Regent 281 Scott Dr Englewood, Ohio 45322
¡ En Español ! The Spanish By-Laws, revised 2018, are now ready and available for purchase at the National CDA Store at catholicdaughters.org
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Volume X, No. 2 December 2018
Health and Human Services stops buying aborted baby body parts for research
Human Life Action, an affiliate of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), reported that in September Health and Human Services (HHS) ended a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) contract to purchase aborted baby body parts for research. The contract was with Advanced Bioscience Resources, ABR, a fetal tissue procurement company that had contracted with multiple Planned Parenthood abortion facilities to harvest aborted fetal body parts and then sell them to researchers. Congress referred ABR for criminal prosecution after a thorough investigation into illegal fetal tissue trafficking in the United States.
In addition, HHS began a comprehensive review of
all research involving fetal tissue to determine
whether alternatives exist to the use of human fetal
tissue in research.
In response to this announcement, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement applauding “Secretary Azar and the Administration for cutting off ties to a company whose business is to procure aborted baby parts for research.”
Cardinal Dolan urged the Administration to “act quickly to cease all funding for research involving body parts from aborted babies.”
Cardinal Dolan said, “For the federal government to create a demand for abortion and use these
children’s body parts for research is wrong. …Under a pro-life Administration, there is simply no room for callously using aborted children to further a research goal.”
Human Life Action urges citizens to email Secretary Azar ([email protected]) thanking him for these initial actions and urging him to act quickly to cease all funding for research involving body parts from aborted babies. Taxpayer dollars should only be used for ethical research. Here is the suggested email wording:
Stop funding research that uses aborted baby
body parts. Thank you for terminating the contract
between the FDA and Advanced Bioscience
Resources to purchase tissues and body parts from
babies killed by induced abortions. That, and the
other actions you announced, are a good first step
toward ending this unethical collaboration with the
abortion industry. But you must do more by
immediately ending the use of my tax dollars for
research that callously exploits aborted children.
Especially under a pro-life Administration, I expect
and urge the Department of Health and Human
Services to use our tax dollars only for funding ethical
research that respects all human life from conception
to natural death.
World Medical Association members reject euthanasia resolution
According to an article by Michael Cook in Merca-torNet, the Dutch and Canadian Medical Associations prepared a pro-euthanasia resolution for this year’s World Medical Association (WMA) meeting in Reykja-vik, Iceland, but withdrew it for lack of support.
The August issue of the WMA’s World Medical Jour-nal contained reports from several regions where doctors had debated end-of-life care. In Brazil the local association declared that “if the doctor is pre-pared not only to cure but also to kill, the ethics of medical practice and the trust that the patient must have in his doctor will be very battered.”
All of the medical associations in the Asia-Pacific and
Israel (including Australia and New Zealand, Japan and China) were opposed to euthanasia. African medical associations were “unanimously opposed to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in any form.”
The German Medical Association, the WMA and the Vatican also organized a symposium at which a ma-jority of participants rejected euthanasia “as being diametrically opposed to the ethical principles of medicine and expressed concern that they could lead to misuse or abuse.”
Approved: Olga Samaniego, National Regent