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| Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW) President Rosa Ropers, left, is pictured at this year’s MDCCW convention held at St. Bernard Church in Middleton with new MDCCW Co-presidents-elect Ellen Martin and Sue Koch, far right. Koch and Martin will assume the presidency at next year’s convention. (Photo by Shine Photografx/www.shinephotografx.com) |
MIDDLETON — Just over 100 women representing 42 parishes attended the 61st annual Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW) convention held at St. Bernard Church June 16 and 17.
MDCCW President Rosa Ropers, Waunakee, said the theme, “Lighting the Way: Faith in Action,” was chosen to focus on the New Evangelization which “calls us to increase our relationship with Jesus through prayer, study, and our own spiritual growth.
“Once we have committed to this relationship with Jesus, we will be ready to share our faith and our core beliefs with others.”
Hosted by West Dane Vicariate
The West Dane Vicariate hosted the convention with the help of the following parishes: St. Francis Xavier, Cross Plains; St. Joseph, East Bristol; St. Martin, Martinsville; St. Michael, Mount Horeb; Holy Mother of Consolation, Oregon; St. Mary, Pine Bluff; Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Sun Prairie; and St. Christopher, Verona.
Linda Ripp of St. Martin Parish chaired the convention with Joan Pregler of St. Peter Parish, Ashton. Carol Statz of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Belleville, is vicariate president.
Embracing change
At the convention opening, Msgr. Duane Moellenberndt, Sun Prairie, co-spiritual advisor with Fr. Larry Bowens, LaValle, offered a reflection on embracing change and expecting the unexpected. He admitted, “God has tried to teach me to let Him be in control. I still resist.”
Telling about changes he experienced recently he said, “We have to let go of what we expect to happen. If you want God to laugh, tell him your plans.”
Instead, he said, we ought to “let the Holy Spirit lead us, be open to change, and ready to embrace what God is wanting us to do.”
Spiritual advice
The evening banquet featured spiritual advice and reflection, along with a history of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW).
Sr. Jude Seaman, religious education director for All Saints Parish, Berlin, told stories with humor about her love of the Catholic faith and her mission to convert anyone, anywhere, including the police officer who stopped her for speeding.
She distributed a pamphlet she wrote on the “Mysteries of Light of the Rosary.”
When she was confirmed, Sister Jude was grateful for the 15-decade Rosary she received as a gift.
When Pope John Paul II (now St. John Paul) added the Mysteries of Light in 2002, she wondered what she would do with her Rosary. Now, those mysteries are her favorite ones. They include the Baptism in the Jordan, the wedding feast at Cana, the proclamation of the kingdom of God, the Transfiguration, and the institution of the Holy Eucharist.
History of council
Coreen Marklein, Baraboo, past MDCCW president, presented the history of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) through the eyes of an elderly woman.
In 1920, the same year women received the right to vote in the United States, NCCW was established as a national service program that gave women a unified voice.
With its emphasis on service, NCCW was shaped by the National Catholic School of Social Work. The social work group trained women for welfare work at military camps and peacetime reconstruction work.
In the 1940s, NCCW added a foreign relief committee, which worked with the National Catholic War Council’s War Relief Services organization, which became Catholic Relief Services in 1955.
During the 1950s and ’60s, NCCW experienced its greatest growth and continued to work for international peace by joining the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations.
In 1964, NCCW past president Catherine McCarthy was invited to audit the final two sessions of the Second Vatican Council, becoming the only U.S. laywoman at the session.
In the 1970s, NCCW reached out to improve women’s health, including developing a breast cancer education program.
In the 1980s and 90s, NCCW programs continued to address the concerns of Catholic women with Mothers Outreach to Mothers; the Respite program; Right to Life from womb to tomb; and programs to address domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and human trafficking.
In 1988 NCCW changed its mission statement to “support, empower, and educate all Catholic women in spirituality, leadership, and service” and created three commissions to address those themes.
MDCCW followed NCCW’s lead to establish similar commissions. As Marklein concluded her history of NCCW, she encouraged the women to consider NCCW membership and to go to the website www.nccw.org for more information.
Focus on spirituality, leadership, service
The second day of the convention featured sessions on spirituality, leadership, and service. Keynote speaker Sheri Wohlfert, educator and motivational speaker from Westphalia, Mich., delighted and inspired the women with her stories and scriptural references to help them develop a closer relationship with God.
Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison presided at a Mass concelebrated by St. Bernard Pastor Msgr. Douglas Dushack, the MDCCW spiritual advisors, and other priests. The bishop thanked the MDCCW members for their faithful service to the Church.
In the afternoon, Wohlfert focused on the evangelization theme in her talk “Spreading the Faith to Those You Know.”
Two concurrent shareshops followed on leadership and service.
Past presidents Marklein and Carol Brennan, Berlin, gave suggestions to the women to help them “bring their gifts and a sense of direction to their parish.”
Jennifer Hansen, Holy Mother of Consolation Parish, Oregon, shared information on the diocesan-supported Donkey Project with the hope that more parishes will participate in the project that raises money to buy donkeys in the Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, Ghana. Money collected at Mass went to the project.
Open to all Catholic women
MDCCW is open to all Catholic women throughout the 11 counties of the Diocese of Madison. Women can join individually or through their parish’s Council of Catholic Women.
In the second year of her two-year presidency, Ropers said, “MDCCW will continue to focus on the theme of ‘Live, Learn, Love, and Share our Catholic Faith’. This message helps us to focus on our daily interactions with others as ambassadors for our God as we represent our faith.
“Therefore, it is up to each one of us to practice what we preach. I see this goal being achieved when I witness our MDCCW members working together showing kindness, hospitality, and prayer. It is an honor to be a member of an organization that continually works for the betterment of our world,” said Ropers.
For more information about the council, including membership, go to www.mdccw.com