Winona Diocese Council of Catholic Women

Inside this Issue:

CONNECTING CATHOLIC WOMEN October 2016

From our President

Cindy Meling

Dear Christ Chosen Women: This is the last time I can pitch the WDCCW workshop to be held in Fairmont at St. John Vianney on October 8. We are calling it Women of Mercy. There will be three speakers to choose from in the morning. There is limited seating in each room. Pat Reymann will speak on Parliamentarian procedures as well as other items and will answer any questions that you may have. Scott Fischbach will speak on Abortion and other things as well as questions. Sacred Heart Haiti Mission will talk about their role in mission work. I hope you will bring 3 women with you so you will be able to bring all speakers information back to your parishes. There is limited seating in each room and I hope you spread yourselves around. The Mass will be celebrated by Reverend Monsignor Thomas Melvin, the new Vicar General of the Diocese, along with Monsignor Thomas Hergesheimer, WDCCW Spiritual Adviser and other Priests that maybe available. This is exciting for us since the Bishop was unavailable. The collection will be donated to local charities and will be announce at the workshop. There is a great lunch planned and will allow you to visit with your fellow sisters and the many booths that will be there for you to browse and collect additional information. There will be a book store, commission booths and a Province booth for you to talk to your Province Director from Brewster in the Worthington Area. They will all answer any questions you may have, and I will be around also for you. In the afternoon we have 2 speakers, Denise Haaland, past Province Director who will talk on leadership, membership and NCCW, explaining and answering any question you may have. Ann Full will be talking to all ages on Trusting God’s Plan for our Family in Suffering. Which talks about losing loved ones before or at birth and what God has planned for you while suffering. These two speakers will have information that will be informative and interesting. The last speaker will be in the Church itself and will be Fr. Paul Breza who will speak about the Polish Museum that houses relics of the Winona Diocese. It will be delightful and interesting. Some of the relics from parishes that are closing may find there way to the Museum. That is the line up with everything that I know. Please consider attending and bring all your mission items with you. The trucks will be in the parking lot waiting for you to fill them. Bring along a friend or 2. We are having a purse raffle

NCCW Pictures 2 Ruth Sonnek 3/4 Barb Hussong 5 Jacqueline Mickow 6 Katie Koziolek/ Kathy Wilmes 7 Workshop Flyer 8 Mission Info 9/10 Plastic Bag Mats 11 Dubuque Conf. 12

Mission Statement: The WDCCW acts to support, empower and educate at Catholic Women of the Diocese in spirituality, leadership and service. The Council unites Catholic organizations of women, diocesan areas and parish affiliates for the purpose of producing activities, providing service and education, fostering spirituality by responding with Gospel values to the needs of the Church and society in the modern world.

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and the money goes to help our Province Director reach her goal to the NCCW. There may be door prizes, but you will have to attend to find out what we all have in store for you. Don’t wait any longer, we have to plan for your attendance. We will love visiting with each of you and you in turn will enjoy visiting with fellow sisters. We are all shy, so start talking to each other and new friendships will follow. Ruth Sonnek has a great article on the NCCW Convention that 8 of us attended. I hope in the future that those who attended will talk about their experiences and how they feel about attending conventions and the information they get to bring back. You get overwhelmed with feelings of excitement that you want to bring all the information back home to everyone. If we get the 2020 Convention in Minnesota, I encourage everyone to attend and take in the atmosphere of sisterhood that helps you energize your life. It helps you to hear everyone's story from their area, that you share common problems and common goals. You find resources that you can pull in to help and to give you guidance in any aspects of your life. Young and old attend these meetings and they to give you hope and energy. The Spiritual Advisers that attend and take part in the Mass and give a sense of pride that they do care about CCW. Are we actually trying to help them in every way that we can. Do we ask what we can do for them, do we invite them to our homes, to our meetings and have them say Masses for our deceased members or invite them to lunch? Are we extending our hand to them? If yes, and they don’t respond keep on asking and do things for them without asking to let them know that you care for them and CCW. Sunday, October 9th is CCW Sunday. Have Father say the Mass in memory of deceased members, have a breakfast of rolls, muffins and cookies after Mass and invite everyone. In the hall exhibit what the CCW does for the poor, and helpless, what you do for your community and your church. Show what you spend your time and talents doing for others. There are many examples to show what CCW does. This might be a way to get the younger ones involved. If your parish doesn’t have an active CCW, start your CCW up again. Look at the NCCW website (nccw.org) for many programs and ideas. Not everything can be done, but find your fit. Talk about this to friends, neighbors and relatives get the buzz going to help yourself and others. To feel the joy that CCW can give you and others. GET YOUR REGISTRATIONS IN NOW !!!!! Kitty Kerrins is waiting for you!!!! I can’t wait to see you in Fairmont!!!! I AM EXCITED FOR ALL THE SPEAKERS AND THE SISTERHOOD THAT YOU WILL FIND!!!!

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN CONVENTION

Province Director Beverly McCavel and WDCCW President Cindy Meling

Back Row: L to R: Msgr. Tom Hargesheimer, Kathy Wilmes, Cindy Meling, Ruth Sonnek, Katie Koziolek Front Row: L to R: Nancy Back, Eleanore Jones, Teri Tosendahl

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National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) Convention-Indianapolis, Indiana September 7-10, 2016 By: Ruth Sonnek, Blue Earth Area CCW President ([email protected]) Welcomed, valued, fun, relaxing, educational, inspiring, sisters, loved, prayerful, humbled, amazed, entertaining, involved, moving, stimulating, cheered, embraced, and grateful. These are all words that come to mind when I think about the NCCW convention I attended in Indianapolis, ID from September 7-10, 2016. It was an honor to represent the Blue Earth Area CCW and my home parish of Our Lady of Mount Caramel in Easton, MN at this fantastic convention. Taking part in daily Masses with over 600 other faith-filled Catholic women celebrated by Bishops and 45 spiritual Advisors from across the country is an event I wish you all could have experienced. Women are the heart and soul of today’s Catholic Church. This was proven over and over throughout the convention. Sister Donna Markham, President and CED of Catholic Charities USA, started our convention by stating they have been resettling refugees for 105 years, and they are not going to stop now. God’s mercy is the beating heart of the Gospel. Be the Good Samaritan; go and do likewise. We listened to Maria Morera Johnson , author of “My Bad-Ass Book of Saints”, tell of how she has befriended the saints in her life, and how they have guided her choices resulting in obtaining the desires of her heart. I was inspired by Judy Hehr, Author of “A Slave in Her Kingdom to a Servant in His”, and Katarina Rosenblatt, author of “There is H.O.P.E. for Me”, who shared their personal life stories of drugs, prostitution, human trafficking and mercy. Judy spoke about looking for love in all the wrong places. She enlightened us on how God has changed her mess into her message and her test into her testimony. Everywhere she goes she looks to see why God wants her there, because it doesn’t matter if anyone else wants her there or not. Katarina shared how she was pressed into the human trafficking life at the age of 13 years old. Both beautiful young women had us in tears while they told us how they escaped their bondage and worked their way to become speakers of mercy for the voiceless still lost in the system. Katarina’s mission is to help people in similar situations, and she shares her book for free to any who need it as well as all law enforcement people. Human trafficking and prostitution are EVERYWHERE, not just in the big cities. These are OUR daughters and sons that need our help. Please look for more information on these women, and pray for God to show you how you are a part of their ministries. Our NCCW Board and Commission Chairs presented us with several new resources and materials available for our use. The Spirituality Commission presented us with copies of the new Vocational Prayer Service booklet, a sample of the new Retreat on Mercy, and we learned about the new Vocation Purse Club which will help Religious Life Candidates with expenses. The Leadership Commission has created a Power Point presentation (available on CD) on who the Sisterhood of NCCW is, and how our organization works. Our strength is our shared faith. We need to honor the legacy of all those who have come before us and carry on their mission. God’s only hands, feet, eyes and body here on earth are yours. They also have a Leadership Training Development team who will come to your local parishes to lead individualized training sessions on how to improve your CCW image and get all of your stars to shine. The Service Commission focused on Human Trafficking, Immigration and a new Respite (Renewal, Spiritual and Temporal) manual. They presented some very intimidating statistics on these topics. This is the Jubilee Year of Mercy. We must defend the hopeless, and remember that all people deserve dignity. We all have a voice; some of us just scream louder than others. For more information on these programs access “nccw.org”. It is membership dollars that allow them to provide us with these resources. Any lapsed members who want to renew their membership or if you are an interested in becoming a new member simply go to the nccw.org website to sign up. Membership dues have been reduced to $50 for 2017. This is an organization that has the same values you have. We need this organization, and it needs you.

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Minnesota has been a leader in NCCW since its beginning. The first NCCW president, Gertrude Gavin, was from Minnesota as well as the 35th president, Joan McGrath. Joan continues to be active on all levels of CCW and was the NCCW 2016 Our Lady of Good Counsel award winner. What a celebration that was for the St. Paul/Minneapolis Province attendees! In less than four years NCCW will be celebrating their 100 th anniversary, and there are hopes of bringing the 100th Convention back to Minnesota. Become a member now to help make this happen. I truly believe every single woman who attended the NCCW convention in Indianapolis came home inspired about our Catholic faith and NCCW. We do make a difference. Never underestimate the power of a group of women. You may only be one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person. Spread the love of our Catholic faith. We are Catholic Women, Instruments of Mercy.

AUSTIN AREA CHURCHES YEAR OF MERCY PILGRIMAGE CINDY HEIMER The Austin Area contains 2 churches of the Sacred Heart. Each Church is participating in the Year of Mercy Pilgrimage. Adams Sacred Heart State Hwy 56 is open from 8:00 am to 5 pm and Sacred Heart of Hayfield 150 2nd St NE is open 7:30 am to 7:30 pm. This fall spend a day traveling to see these churches, spending some reflective time in prayer and enjoying the changing colors of the landscape.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR OCTOBER

Universal: Journalists That journalists, in carrying out their work, may always be motivated by respect for truth and a strong sense of ethics. Evangelization: World Mission Day That World Mission Day may renew within all Christian communities the joy of the Gospel and the responsibility to announce it.

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Page 5 Barb Hussong Spotlight on Sacred Heart Heron Lake CCW - A“Holy Door”Parish O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary. Sacred Heart Church in Heron Lake has been honored in 2016 as being one of the Holy Doors and Pilgrimage Sites in the Diocese of Winona. Their Year of Mercy Mass is scheduled for Sunday, October 16th at 2:00 p.m. All are invited to attend. Sacred Heart Heron Lake Council of Catholic Women have been busy this past year making 250 quilts and 120 Ditty Bags for the needy. Along with that were 100 diapers for the Haiti missions and approximately $1000 collected through the baby bottle campaign. They are always looking for material, batting, notions, and thread to continue

their efforts. The very dedicated leader and role model for all the sewing volunteerism at Heron Lake Sacred Heart is Elaine Stenzel. She guides and directs the CCW ladies and always is on the search for more material. At our last Worthington Area CCW Meeting, we were all supposed to bring a memento that shaped our faith. Elaine brought her rosary and told us that she adopted the Virgin Mary as her mother, when her own mother passed away when she was 18. Elaine has prayed the rosary every day since then….approximately 70 years! What an amazing profession of faith that we can all strive to achieve!

Katie Koziolek, Parliamentarian St. Casimir's Wells CCW After reading the Courier and the article on action for Corporal works of Mercy in this year of Divine Mercy, we're reminded about how effective the Council of Catholic Women is. The article recommended doing something to help people in underdeveloped countries to get water for the work of mercy: "Give drink to the thirsty". Guess what? For decades the National Council of Catholic Women have financially supported the Water for Life program which helps villages drill and teach them to maintain community wells in poor countries. Every year it is one of the charities recommended for donations by individuals and parish CCW's. Over the years apathy is diminished the contributions but this would be a year to renew our involvement. There is already a marvelous program in place for this sort of evangelization and what more appropriate time to renew than during the year of Mercy. We don't need to create another program. During our diocesan workshop in October we are going to have a session on "Ask the Parliamentarian" from Pat Reymann who is the NCCW parliamentarian and a Minnesotan. Pat will help those who need to work on a parish council's by-laws and conducting meetings. Even Roberts' Rules of Order recommends they are guides to help smooth the pathway of organizations. We don't need to operate like Congress but a simple plan can help our organizations more helpful. Although this will be a practical session, encourage your friends to attend like it is retreat. I've heard mumblings about new evangelization groups and educational groups forming to answer spirituality concerns of the women of our diocese. The CCW has always had spirituality and educational components and yet we (all women of the diocese are known mostly for our service . This has been going on for over 95 years.

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Annual Diocesan Women’s Conference on October 15 at Lourdes High School in Rochester This year’s theme will be “Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy.” Joining us to lead the day is Grace Mazza Urbanski, author and former national director of children’s ministry with the Apostleship of Prayer. Other speakers for the event include Anne Marie Cosgrove, founder of Silent No More Minnesota, and Sister Paul Mary, RSM, our very own Director of Faith Forma- tion. This event will provide an opportunity to join women from throughout the Diocese for a day steeped in the beauty and mercy of the Queen of Heaven. To register for this exciting event, visit our website at http://www.dow.org/event-details/3. Register before October 3 to receive an early bird registration fee of $20! Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Jacqueline Mickow Rochester Area CCW President [email protected]

Service/Spirituality Hi. I’m Jacqueline Mickow, Rochester Area CCW President. Our Parishes have been working hard doing their summer and fall festivals at their Churches. Many have also been working hard collecting and making items for our missions as well as doing many Works of Mercy to add to the totals for our National Council’s goal of a Million Works of Mercy by November. Our ladies from Byron, Kasson, and Mantorville reported to me that they have collected 650 pairs of shoes for Soles for Souls, made 500 Diapers for our Sacred Heart Hati Mission, 75 Ditty Bags for Dorothy Day House, and collected sheets and blankets for our missions. They tell me they are continuing to make more and will have more totals soon. Our other Parish ladies are sending their counts in as well. May all our ladies keep up their good works!. Our Rochester Area is also changing, sooner than anticipated. Two of our Area churches, St. Vincent De Paul in West Concord and St. Frances de Sales in Claremont will officially be going to oratory status by this October 1st. They will be clustered with Dodge Center’s St. John Baptist De La Salle Church and be formed as one. A formal Mass of Transition will be on Tues. Sept. 27 at 7pm for West Concord at the Church, with a short ceremony afterward. Claremont will have their own transition plans soon. Do keep our wonderful ladies in our prayers as they come together. October is not only the month to celebrate CCW and spread our mission, but also the month of the Holy Rosary. Public rosaries are being asked for on October 15th by America Needs Fatima. Public prayer for our Nation is certainly needed. An end to abortions, violence, and preservation of our Christian nation and principals is still very much needed today. World Mission Sunday is also this month, on October 16th. This is a good month to do our collections for the missions!

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Also this year, since Pope John Paul 2nd was canonized, we have his Feast Day now on October 22nd, as Saint John Paul 2nd! - A special Novena to him begins on Oct 14 and concludes on Oct. 22nd. More information is available at www.jp2shrine.org, from the John Paul II Shrine, and Institute, Inc. in Washington D.C. Let us not forget his words on the day of his inauguration on Oct. 22nd, 1978. “Do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power. Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ!”- The New Evangelization was central to his pontificate. He serves as a great model for us all. Let us all be part of his mission!

Katie Koziolek Parliamentarian

“Ask the Parliamentarian” Are the parish CCW meetings boring and unorganized? Is your council stagnate and floundering? Part of the solution is to have an organized format in the form of by-laws and minutes. Pat Reymann, the NCCW Parliamentarian and member of the Leadership Development Team will share how to make meetings run smoothly. There will be aids for writing by-laws and minutes that can help organize your local CCWs so that members will want to come. With handouts, questions and answers you can learn how to make your CCW more effective. All will receive a copy of “Ask the Parliamentarian”. You can make a difference with the knowledge.

KATHY WILMES Secretary

These are exciting times for our Winona Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. We have a brand new member; St. Ann’s of Janesville is joining us- welcome to Patti Heitkamp and the great ladies of the parish! That makes two new member parishes since Spring-we are growing, more people to share our Catholic traditions and values. We just came home from Indianapolis and the National Convention. This is always such a great time for me, as I get to meet ladies from all over the country. One of the highlights of convention for me was the resolution inviting girls and young women of high school and college age to join us as Junior CCW members. What a great opportunity to share our Catholic Faith with those who have only recently been confirmed, as well as those preparing for this great sacrament. If you have young ladies of high school or college age, please ask them to join us! We have a great workshop coming up on October 8 in Fairmont. I am looking forward to seeing all the quilts as well as other items that we send to our brothers and sisters in need. We have great speakers; Ann Full, who will speak of her personal journey with The Lord, Sacred Heart Haiti Mission, who will explain their ministry as well as share with us the tremendous value of our yearly International efforts, Scott Fischbach, who will talk about the work of MCCL, Pat Reyman who will share her work as NCCW Parliamentarian, Denise Haaland, who is our past Province Director and will share her love of CCW, and Fr. Paul Breza, who I understand will give a very upbeat presentation about the Polish museum as well as the relics of the Winona diocese. Our own Vicar General, Msgr. Melvin, will preside at Mass, and there will be a purse auction, a delicious lunch and, of course, lots of comradery which is my favorite part of any gathering such as this. We are looking forward to seeing you there; if you have a high school or college-age daughter, please bring them along; the fee for students is reduced ($7 instead of $10), and we guarantee a day they won’t soon forget.

WDCCW WORKSHOP” Women of all ages invited! “Women of Mercy” SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2016 St. John Vianney 901 S Prairie Ave, Fairmont, MN

Fr. Paul Breza

Pat Reymann "Ask the Parliamentarian"

Registration Gathering

Polish museum and the Winona Diocese relics

8:00 9:15

Sacred Heart Haiti Mission 10:00 Pat Reymann 10:00 Scott Fischbach 10:00 Mass Lunch

Scott Fischbach Executive Director of MCCL

Ann Full Denise Haaland Fr. Paul Breza

11:15 12:15 1:00 1:00 2:00

Ann Full Finding Hope: Trusting God’s Plan for Our Family in Suffering

Trucks from Sacred Heart Haiti Mission and Rochester Medical Mission will be available to be loaded from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Denise Haaland

Sacred Heart Haiti Mission

Past Province Director _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Women of all Ages Invited! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (Cut and send this reservation and payment of $20 Registration fee – Checks payable to WDCCW

NAME:__________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________ City & PARISH: ___________________________________________________________ TELEPHONE: _____________________________________________________________ FRIST TIME ATTENDEE:____________________YEARS ATTENDED: _____ Reservations due by October 1, 2016 The Registration fee is $20.00 includes noon meal Free Registration for Junior High and High School Students Students -$7.00- for the noon meal Kitty Kerrins * P. O. Box 74 * Grand Meadow, MN 55936 __________________________________________________________________

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SACRED HEART HAITI MISSIONS Men’s Clothing

School Supplies

Shoes in good condition Long sleeve shirts Short sleeve shirts Dress shirts Hats & caps T-shirts Neck ties & belts Blue jeans Dress pants Lightweight suits (no polyester) Socks & underwear

Pens & pencils Crayons Backpacks Paper – notebook, colored paper, roll paper Any items needed for school No English books, the school uses French & Creole

Baby & Kids Clothing Most everything lightweight (no polyester) Shoes & socks Cloth Diapers – if you would like to make them; call for a pattern Baby seats Baby wipes Baby blankets Ladies Clothing Most anything lightweight (no polyester) Handbags Wedding dresses Underclothing Jewelry, scarves, shoes, socks No shorts Christmas Christmas trees Gift wrap & ribbon Tree decorations Nativity sets Medical Bandages Wheelchairs & crutches Walkers & canes Rubber gloves Pill bottles (please remove labels)

Toys Stuffed toys Wagons Bicycles & riding toys Dolls Crib toys Floor toys for handicap Trucks & cars Most simple toys that are not technical Beddings Sheets in all sizes Comforters & blankets Sponge pads Pillows & cases of all sizes Sleeping mats Craft & Sewing Treadle & electric sewing machines Fabric, thread, needles & pins Embroidery floss Lace & trim Zippers Scissors Tools All hand tools Nails Shovel & pick axes

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Household

Hygiene

Chest of drawers, not too large Tupperware or plastic food containers with lids Small tables & folding tables (no coffee tables) Chairs – folding, small wooden and outdoor plastic Bookcases Dishes – plates, cups, bowls, forks & spoons Twin beds & frames Cast iron pans (no Teflon pans)

Toothbrush & toothpaste Shampoo & conditioner Soap & lotion Baby powder & lotion Deodorant Religious Altar linens Vestments Rosaries Medals Holy pictures in frames Anything used for Mass

Miscellaneous Candles Kleenex & paper towels Music stands Musical instruments

ROCHESTER MEDICAL MISSIONS ITEMS NEEDED: · Monetary donations, which are used by the missions solely for transportation/shipping items to the areas in need. · Diapers, nursing aprons and fabric totes. · Pillowcase dresses, good work shoes and britches for boys. · Medical supplies such as crutches, walkers, rolled bandages, etc. · Skin lotions, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bar soap, etc. · Rubber back drapes, sheer curtains, clean sheets, quilts (no larger than twin size), new or gently used blankets, material one yard or larger, notions, buttons, etc. · Working sewing machines with or without cabinets; small mechanic or carpenter tools, scissors and other small tools.

_____COMING EVENTS_______ The Caledonia Area has Houston parish as host for the board meeting on Thursday October 27th.... bring some plastic bags for a fun project! Anyone is welcome to contribute articles to this E-news. Cutoff date for articles is the 26th of each month. Please send your submission to [email protected]. Our President reviews all items and reserves the right to decline them before they are printed. Fran Berreau Communications Committee for the WDCCW

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Page 11 Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Ladies Aberdeennews.com (Video Available)

Plastic Bag Mats Need:  Plastic grocery bags (no holes or tears)  Scissors or rotary cutter  Cutting mat  Size N9 crochet hook How To Make:  Flatten Bags  Fold in ½ and then ½ again.  Use rotary cutter or scissors (you can do two at a time), cut edge off and handles  Cut each strip 2” wide  When you count to 150 strips, start putting together by looping one bag through another and pull tight.  Try to make all the knots the same.  150 strips knotted together to form a ball.  5 balls of strips should equal one mat, single loose crochet stitch  80 stitches across – measure to get 36” or 3 feet.  If you do a long 96” strip crocheted, this makes a tie to keep the mat together.  Take the scraps to the recycling center.