St. Cloud Diocesan Council of Catholic Women at 25008 Mary St., Paynesville, MN 56362 US

MELROSE/SAUK CENTRE Deanery Newsletter

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UPCOMING EVENTS
June 17 , 2010	Fun, Food and Fund Day— St. Augustine’s Church, St. Cloud
June 24-25, 2010	Province Conference; St. Mary’s Church, Alexandria, MN
Sept. 11, 2010	Melrose/Sauk Centre Deanery Fall Board Mtg.—St. Mary’s Church, Holdingford
Sept. 18, 2010	St. Cloud DCCW Annual Fall Convention—Sacred Heart Church, Freeport
Oct. 30, 2010	Melrose/Sauk Centre Deanery Fall General Mtg.—St. Mary of Mount Carmel, Long Prairie
Nov. 10-13, 2010	NCCW Convention, Washington D.C.
Websites you should check out	www.stclouddccw.org

MELROSE/SAUK CENTRE DEANERY

Council of Catholic Women

Linda Raeker—Newsletter

36253 Roanoke Lane

Melrose, MN 56352

Please Share with

Women of your Parish

MELROSE/SAUK CENTRE DEANERY

COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN

Spring of 2010

NO. 3

To act through its affiliated organizations and individual members to support, empower and educate Catholic women, in spirituality, leadership, and service. CCW programs respond with Gospel values to the needs of the Church and society in the modern world.

Listed below are the various events our deanery has been involved in since our last meeting in November.

Men’s Conference: At the Men’s Conference in February Rosie and Tama Spanier, Irene Schmidt, Arleen Roelike, and I volunteered our time to help serve beverages and food. We helped as confession ushers and guided the attendees to their workshops. It’s always so encouraging to see so many men attending to gain more spirituality.

“40 Days for Life”: During Lent, several of our members participated in the “40 Days for Life” vigil. Some went with the deanery as a group and I know of several that went on their own while others organized a group from their area.

Spring Retreat: Quite a few of our members attended the “Spring Retreat” at St. Louis Church in Paynesville. What a wonderful talk Fr. Greg Paffel gave about his journey to the priesthood! Of course, the refreshments and meal were great. We all appreciated the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists during the afternoon session.

Deanery Spring Board Meeting: Our Deanery Spring Board Meeting was held on March 27^th, at St. Joseph Church in Grey Eagle. They did a fine job of juggling space for our meeting, while also serving for a funeral in their dining room that day. We thanked them for hosting us and for their scrumptious rolls! At the meeting, we discussed choosing a recipient for the collection at Mass at the Spring General meeting, and briefly touched on hosting the DCCW Fall Convention on September 18^th at Sacred Heart Church in Freeport.

Spring General Meeting: Our Spring General Meeting was held on Saturday, April 24^th, hosted by St. Hedwig parish in Holdingford. Father Greg Ombok gave a talk on his life experiences in Africa, and how it came to be that he is in Stearns County, Minnesota to help out in our churches here. Fr. Bob Landsberger, a retired priest living in St. Wendel, helped us out by presiding at the Mass, since Fr. Ombok had a funeral Mass that day. During the meeting, the parishes present took the opportunity to sign up for the various committees necessary for hosting the DCCW Annual Convention. The remainder of the parishes will be contacted to fill out the committee assignments. The parishes present submitted their activity reports and volunteer hour totals. We thank St. Hedwig Christian Women for hosting the meeting and for the great rolls and lunch.

After our tour last summer of the Diocesan churches dedicated to St. Paul, a suggestion was made to have another tour this summer. So, a committee was formed to plan a tour of some of the churches in our deanery. We will meet sometime in May to decide which churches to tour and all the other issues to be settled.

Our Nominating Committee is still looking for someone to come forward or accept the invitation to fill the up-coming vacancy for Vice-President. We are also looking for women to fill the Commission Co-Chair positions for: Church, Community, Legislative and Rural Concerns. If anyone has someone in mind to fill these positions, please let me know as soon as possible, and I will contact them to see if they will accept a position.

Praying and trusting in the Lord that He will guide us in finding the right women to come forward or accept the positions if asked. I am asking others to join in prayer, not only for our deanery, but for all the deaneries who still have unfulfilled positions. Thanks, and may God bless you all for all the many hours you volunteer in service to your churches and your God. As one Group said—“Only God knows how many hours we volunteer”—but we still do need to submit them, so keep up the good work.

Respectfully submitted by Jean Hopfer, Melrose/Sauk Centre Deanery President

Dear DCCW officers and members;

No Greater Unconditional Love

Mother’s Day: A day….that commemorates mothers all over the world. A day…that brings fond memories to mind of my childhood and my own mother. I remember how proud I was to bring home flowers that we made in school, flowers made of paper and Mother’s Day cards hand-made signed with our love.

As I sit at my desk on this day before Mother’s Day, my thoughts drift back to the “Good Old Days” and it doesn’t take long before my curiosity gets the best of me and I’m wondering how Mother’s Day came about? This is what I found out with a little research and Google.

The history of Mother’s Day is controversial to say the least. Mother’s Day is centuries old and goes back to the times of ancient Greece, who held festivals to honor Rhea, the mother of gods. The early Christians celebrated the Mother’s festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent to honor Mary, the mother of Christ. Later, a religious order stretched the holiday to include all mothers naming it Mothering Sunday.

The history of the modern day Mother’s Day is relatively new; however, the first attempt at celebrating Mother’s Day was made by Julia Ward Howe (the author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic) in 1870. Ms. Howe intended that an international day celebrating peace and motherhood should be recognized as a way to help heal the wounds of the civil war. In 1873, eighteen cities across the United States held official Mother’s day celebrations, all were funded by Ms. Howe. All cities ceased to recognize Mother’s Day when she no longer paid the bill, with the exception of Boston, who continued the tradition for ten more years.

The second attempt to establish Mother’s Day occurred in 1907 is credited to Anna Jarvis when she sent five hundred white carnations to her mother’s church to commemorate the passing of her mother.

Anna Jarvis was inspired by her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, who organized “Mothers’ Work Day Clubs” in the 1850’s. The clubs provided medicines for the poor, inspected milk for children, provided nursing care for the sick and shelters for children with tuberculosis.

When the Civil war broke out she called together four of her clubs and asked them to make a pledge that friendship and good would not be a casualty of the war. In a remarkable display of courage and compassion the women nursed soldiers from both sides and saved many lives. After the war Anna Reeves Jarvis helped to ease the wounds and the animosity between the families who fought on either side.

Seven years later on May 8, 1914, after Anna Reeves passed out the 500 carnations in her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia, congress passed a law designating the second Sunday of May as the official Mother’s Day.

At first, people observed Mother’s Day by attending church, writing letters and eventually sending cards, presents and flowers. With the increased gift-giving activity associated with Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis became enraged. She believed that the day’s sentiment was being sacrificed at the greed of consumerism.

I found it very fascinating exploring the origins of Mother’s Day…to which I have come to the conclusion that we often forget our roots and become engulfed in the great wave of impersonal technology.

I found this poem which brings back tearful and very joyful memories of my own Mother.

A Mother’s Love

There are times when only a Mother’s Love

Can understand our tears,

Can soothe our disappointments

And calm all of our fears.

There are times when only a Mother’s love

Can share the joy we feel

When something we dream about

Quite suddenly is real.

There are times when only a Mother’s faith

Can help us on life’s way

And inspire in us the confidence

We need from day to day.

For a Mother’s heart and a Mother’s faith

And a Mother’s steadfast love

Were fashioned by the Angels

And sent from God above.

(Author unknown)

Today, as in ancient times, there is no greater love than that of a mother, which comes from the warmth of a loving and compassionate heart instilled with the faithful love of God. A love for a mother should not be for one day, but for every day. Happy Mother’s Day!

Deacon Rick Scherping

St. Andrew’s Church

Greenwald, MN

April 24, 2010

Officers meet March, April and May for Barley Day Packets which we put together for each parishioner.
Meeting with the chairpersons of the different Barley Day stands.
Order flowers for in church at Christmas, Easter and other special occasions.
Contact donors for the Christian Women’s Barley Day raffle.
Get events like spring and fall school and church cleaning; bake sales, breakfast’s etc. into the bulletin.
Make new Funeral Group lists to update.
Our “Steak and Wine” benefit for the school has lots of volunteers, plus many donate for the auction. There are just too many items to list. Thank you to all who help make our fundraiser such a success.

Submitted by Lori Thull, President 2009/2010

St. Mary’s Church

Melrose, MN

We have four meetings per year: October, January, February, and April. The April meeting is a pot-luck supper, Rosary, Mass, and meeting.

We do have bake sales, with a bake sale cash collection in June.

We have one major “Fund Raiser” for our Catholic School in March-“St Pat’s Chicken Dinner” with all the trimmings and home made desserts. We also have a craft sale, bake sale, and country store for the adults and youth.

We attend CCW meetings/workshops and deanery meetings.

We pray for more members to join our Christian Mother’s/Women’s Group.

Submitted by: Caroline Jacobs, Pres.

Immaculate Conception Church

St. Anna, MN

Some of the many things we do as Christian Mothers:

Sponsor the rosary on KASM for a week a year
Pray the Rosary at the wake of all parishioners and also pray the Rosary on the day of the funeral of a member
Make quilts for the church bazaars
Hold bake sales
Participate in the “Adopt a Birth” program for Mary Mother of God Mission Society in Vladivostok, Russia. $20.00 saves a child from being aborted!
Re-upholster chairs and kneelers used for weddings and confessions.
Clean Church
Have masses said for living members and for deceased members
Send cards to parish members in the nursing home.
Donate toward church painting (some years ago)
Donate for youth group retreat, Poor Clare’s, and Crosier Apostolate
Help at socials, funeral lunches, and bazaar
Pro-life flower sale on Mother’s Day
Some of your members are Eucharistic ministers, sacristans, and cantor/choir members

Submitted by Bernadette Larkey

Our Lady of the Angels Church

Sauk Centre, MN.

2009-2010

Lorraine Peschel-President

Claudette Jennissen, Vice-President

Kathy Adams, Secretary

Alice Peters, Treasurer

Here are some of the events we have worked with this past few months

· Pray and lead the rosary at the funeral home for deceased Christian Mothers and pray the rosary at church before the funeral mass.

· Prepare and serve funeral lunches for a Christian Mother. The lunch is served free. If the family prefers to have a second meet (ham) the family pays for that.

· Fundraisers: St Patrick’s Day Bake Sale on the weekend closest to St. Patrick’s Day.

· Prepare and serve a Knights of Columbus dinner usually on a Saturday night after the 5:00 p.m. Mass

· Every other year serve the Confirmation Reception—each of the three parishes OLA, St. Paul’s, and St. Alexius donates bars

· Pay for medals for the children in the First Communion Class

· Serve and furnish entertainment and lunch at the Nursing Home birthday party in August

· Serve and furnish entertainment of the Christmas Party in December.

· We have a Christian Mothers Communion and Breakfast prepared and served by men of the parish.

We furnish the kitchen with supplies that are needed. This year we purchased new kettles ($500.40) and new filters for the stove fans at ($500.00).

St. Joseph’s Church

Grey Eagle

April 24^th

The St. Joseph’s CW meets as a group 4 times during the year; May, September, November, and December.

We hold 2 events:

September 30^th, 2009 – Family Fun Day,

Family Fun Night and Faith Formation registration,

We incorporated the fun night with the registration open house night. We served a child friendly menu of Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Jell-o (in small cups), and ants on a log (celery), carrots, M&M cookies, Rice Krispie Bars, and Ice Cream. We created a game room where the kids could play games such as bean bag toss, ring toss on bottles of pop and pin the tail on the donkey. We awarded prizes. This was a new way to get families to come and register, meet the teachers and have fun. We had approximately 110 attendees.

April 17, 2009 – Mother/ Daughter Brunch

The theme for our Brunch this year was “Garden party.” We served orange juice and sparkling grape juice in wine glasses, egg bakes, quiche, fruit, turkey and cheese croissants, caramel rolls, and miniature cup cakes. We had a speaker who spoke about relationships and living life to the fullest. We played Garden Bingo. We served 62 people at this event.

We hold two bake sales each year, one on Memorial Day weekend and the other on Labor Day weekend. The weekends were chosen because we have a lot of summer residents in our parish. We have created a guideline price sheet. This has increased our revenue.

November – Mass of Remembrance.

Program – Silent Auction – Proceeds donated to the Madonna Plan (International Concerns Commission)

December – Christmas party – We pack Holiday Pails for the needy in our parish. We hold a Baby Jesus Shower and bring baby gifts that are donated to New Beginnings.

Our Project for 2010 is to create a parish cookbook.

Submitted by

Marilynn Blommel

St. Mary’s Church

Long Prairie, MN

September 20, 2009-March 2010

Since September of 2009, we have done many projects, actions of love and prayers. Coffee and rolls are served after our 8:30 mass on Sundays from fall till summer. Bunco is played at the nursing home every month with two of our ladies managing this activity. We also did the Stations of the Cross four times during Lent at the nursing home. St. Anne’s Mission Group has made ten quilts, 15 dental bags, 17 layettes, and miscellaneous children’s clothing. We had the Kid’s Korner at our Christmas Fair. We served 19 funeral lunches and said 18 funeral rosaries for our parish families. We did three activities; music or game night at the nursing home; gave donations to Doug Liebsch, who joined the seminary this year and is from our parish; and put on Women’s Retreat and had 42 women attend to strengthen their relationship with God. In November, we had our annual Christmas Fair. We served a lunch, held a raffle, bake sale, and craft show. Such booths as Kid’s Korner and local crafters attended also. This is our annual fund raiser.

In December, our committee had found us a new convection oven which we paid for. Our funeral lunches fund and a matching improvement fund help us pay for the oven. We also purchased some new silverware, cutting boards and trays for our kitchen. In October and March we gave donations to our Catholic School for the marathon and dinner/auction. Christmas gifts were given to our pastor and parish nurse. Our parish mission was in January and we provided donations, food and served lunch for one evening. Another group of our ladies made 80 shawls and prayer quilts for the sick. We now begin our plans for our next retreat. We cleaned the church this past month. I am thankful to all the women who gave so generously of their time and talents for the entire parish. It not only gave us a beautiful place to worship but it also created a place to nurture our spiritual life.

Found this and it is appropriate for us Minnesotans: The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.

God bless you on your journey.

Submitted by: Bonnie Clasemann-President

St. Paul’s Catholic Church

Sauk Centre, MN

September 2009

On the 13^th we attended a Mass, which was offered for the intention of our Organization; 55 ladies joined us for breakfast served by men of our parish. Mary Jo Ruhland from 40 Days for Life spoke. Many of our organization prayed at Planned Parenthood and continued to pray for an end to abortion. We also honored all the past presidents of our organization and had them share memories of their time in office.

On the 29^th, we had a meeting and commission reports were about Community Concerns. The report was on 40 Days for Life and Suicide awareness. Our rosary intention was for 40 Days of Life. Reports were given on our providing Bingo in the park for Sinclair Lewis Days and on the Life Care Center’s Banquet Fundraiser to which our organization contributes.

October 2009 Family Concerns

On the 27^th our meeting consisted of 12 ladies touring the St. Cloud Catholic Charities Emergency Services and Children’s Home. It was an informative and inspiring field trip. We had dinner and our meeting in their facility.

November 2009

On the 9^th, we held our birthday party for the residents of the Nursing Home.

On the 17, we held a meeting and it focused on Legislative and Rural Concerns. Our rosary was prayed for our Country and we said a prayer of Thanksgiving.

December 2009:

November 28 through December 20, we held a shower for Baby Jesus. Purchased gifts and presented them to our Priest and Deacons of our church. We paid for our Advent Booklets for the Parish and for the Church Basement Cleaning.

On the 12/13th, we held a bake sale.

January 2010:

On the 27^th, on this Wednesday after Mass, ten ladies gathered to make Prayer Blankets. 14 Prayer Blankets were given to the CCW organizations in our Sister Parish in Migori, Kenya. Prayer Blankets have been given to those suffering from cancer, having surgeries, and other long-term illnesses.

February 2010:

On the 13-14^th, we held a bake sale for Lent. We paid for Lenten Booklets for the Parish

On the 23rd, we held a daytime meeting at the Sr. Dining site because many of the ladies do not like going out in the evenings in the winter but do go to the dining site for lunch. International Concerns presentation was on Human Trafficking. Deacon Tom blessed our Prayer Blankets. He also blessed the Statue of Our Lady of Grace that we purchased to bring to the widows in our Community. Reports were given on serving for funeral dinners, praying the rosary at wake services. Contributions were given to the Youth group and Holy Family School.

March 2010:

We held a meeting on Sunday afternoon and evening. Then on the 17^th,we had an evening meeting. This was an Interactive Lenten Mini-Retreat on God’s Promises. We combined our parish CCW with the family- oriented Religious Ed program. We had a good turn out for all three services.

April 2010:

On the 27, we had a meeting with information given about Church Concerns. The meeting started about 5 p.m. with the rosary being said with many handouts for the ladies to take home. Our group carpooled rides so we could go see the drama “Vianney” held at the St. Cloud Cathedral.

On the 29^th, we held our Spring Salad Luncheon. Groups 4, 5, 6 made phone calls, prepared the food, served and cleaned up after the luncheon.

May 25, 2010—Meeting—Organization Concerns///we will serve for Graduation Mass

June 2010—Bowling party fundraiser///bake sale///Nursing Home Birthday Party

July 2010—Bingo in the Park for Sinclair Lewis Days

August 14/15, 2010—Produce Bake Sale

September 26, 2010—Mass/Breakfast

We have five Masses said for the women of our Parish through the year. We are updating our list of women and how they are divided for funeral groups. We continue to support our Godchild in Guatemala and support our sister parish in Migori.

Submitted by: Kathy McFadden, President

St. John the Baptist Church

Swanville, MN

Ongoing events: We send greeting cards to parishioners.—Get Well, New Baby and Sympathy

February:

Donated an item (floral arrangement with a vase) to be auctioned at the Parish Dinner/Auction Fundraiser.

April:

Purchased gifts and had them wrapped for St. Otto’s Nursing Home residents for those celebrating a birthday that month.

Found Co-Chairs to begin making plans for the senior graduation mass and breakfast to be held in May. The junior class mom’s helped make this breakfast possible.

May:

Speaker regarding her experience on trip taken to Israel and Egypt last fall. Parishioners were invited to attend.

Mother’s Day—we selected a poem to be read at mass. We ordered carnations to be given out at the Saturday evening and Sunday morning masses to all Mothers present.

June:

Selected a poem to be read at Mass honoring our Fathers on Father’s Day.

July: Volunteers work at the Bingo party at St. Otto’s Nursing home.

Christian Women sponsored a Parish Bake sale one weekend in July after the two masses.

August: Weekend Mass intention to end abortion said at all masses.

September: Mass intentions are said for deceased members of the Christian Women.

October: We will work at the Annual Parish Craft Fair.

December: Purchase gifts for St. Otto’s Nursing Home resident’s Christmas Party. We place the announcement in our bulletin to encourage parishioners to purchase gifts and to wrap and label gift for a man or women.

Mass on December 6^th is a reception for all new members to the Christian Women’s Group. We had one lady join.

We also do numerous routine church ministries, church care activities and prepare and serve lunches for all funerals at our church. We say the rosary at wakes for our members and help with mission work.

We are making plans to sponsor the Rosary for one wee in 2010 to be aired on KASM radio station.

Submitted by Mary Hollenkamp--President

Community Concerns Commission

There are many specific Community Concerns issues. For Catholic-- the bishops of the United States Catholic Conference have stated them in their Catholic Social Justice Teachings of which there are the following Seven Key Themes.

1. The Right to Life and the Dignity of the Human Person

2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation

3. Rights and Responsibilities—Human rights protected and basic responsibilities met

4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable.

5. Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

6. Solidarity—we are all one human family

7. Caring for God’s Creation

Jesus taught the apostles the importance of living in a community and worshiping in a community. As the Catholic Church, we are all part of the Mystical Body of Christ by virtue of our Baptism. We are all part of the same family. Too often I forget about this. I fail to remember that we are all created in the image of God as it states in Genesis. In God’s eyes, I am not better or worse then anyone else and that God love us all the same. In Luke 11, Jesus is asked what we must do to gain eternal life. Jesus then gives the two great commandments: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with your entire mind and your neighbor as yourself.” Then Jesus reminded them, “do this and you will live”.

Jesus was teaching them how to live in a community. In order to follow those commandments we must first have faith. We must know Christ and His love. The only way to know God’s love is through faith. St. Paul says that Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not.

Jesus also tells us that “As long as you did it to one of these the least of my brethren, you did it for me”. Therefore, in all things that we do, we must consider, who are we doing this for? Are we living for Christ or for ourselves? What we do, or who we serve, or who we injure in the person of our neighbor, it is just Christ we are doing it to. Fraternal charity, if it is Christian, must be done for the love of Christ. If it is not done for the love of Christ, then it is just humanitarian—the love of man or the love of management. We are not called to like our neighbors, but to love them as Christ loves us. We are all sinners and Christ loves us no matter what we do, but loves us for who we are.

We must go out and tell all we encounter about the Love of Christ, of all that Christ has done for them, and that Christ is the only one who can bring true happiness. God’s promises are always with us when we do this. He says: John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Mother Teresa says, “ In loving and serving, w prove that we have been created in the likeness of God, For God is love and when we love we are like God. This is what Jesus meant when he said, “Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect”. May we all serve Christ in our Community!

Submitted by Linda Christen,

Community Concerns Commission Chair

FAMILY CONCERNS Commission

Safeguarding Your Children Online

While online computer exploration opens a world of possibilities for young people, expanding their horizons and exposing them to different cultures and ways of life, they explore the information highway. There are individuals who attempt to sexually exploit children through the use of online services and the Internet.

The entertainment industry and many educational institutions are at odds with parents who embrace spiritual truths. Making these parental challenges worse is the development of advanced technologies which along with benefits, increase potential threats faced by our children.

Pornographers have learned how to redirect children from good websites to pornographic sites. Research has revealed that 90% of young people’s first exposure to pornography on the internet is unintentional; the second rarely is.

There is only one solution for our families. It is dedicated parents or caring adults constantly giving themselves in wholesome and growing relationships with their children. The following list of helpful tips to protect your family is taken for icarecoalition.org.

· Develop a trusting relationship with your child early

· Keep the door of communication open

· If you have reason to suspect your child is viewing inappropriate sites, do not overact-approach your son or daughter with respect

· Add to online profiles that you monitor your child’s use of the Internet

· Keep your computers in heavy traffic areas in your home

· Know your children’s online friends

· Use a pre-filtered Internet Service Provider (ISP)

· Check CD’s floppy and zip disks

· Check history files often

· Spend time with your child as they surf the Internet

· Ask your child to show you what IM (Instant messaging) looks like

· Spend time with your child on-line, and have them teach you about their favorite on-line destinations.

· Get to know and use the “Parental Controls” provided by your Internet Service Provider and /or blocking software

· Always maintain access to your child’s on-line account, and randomly check his or her account.

· Teach your child about responsible use of the resources on the Internet

· Find out what safeguards are used at your child’s school, the public library and at the homes of your child’s friends. These are all places, outside your supervision, where a child could encounter an on-line predator.

· Instruct your child NEVER to arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone that they met on-line and NOT to respond to messages or bulletin board posting that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent or harassing

· Tell your child to NEVER give out identifying information such as name, address, school name or telephone number to people they don’t know

· Explain to your child to NEVER post pictures of them self on the Internet and let them know this has seriously harmed other children.

· Teach your child to come and get you when they accessed something on the Internet that makes them feel uncomfortable, no matter what it is.

· Teach your child that the Internet is a good source for educational, recreation and creative searches, but has intentional landmines placed that could hurt them.

*Sex and Cell phones: Protect Your Children by Religious Alliance against Pornography and National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families.

Submitted by: Ann Cremers

Family Concerns Commission Co-chair

INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS

COMMISSION

Our coffee is poured; the food is on the table. I grab the morning paper, skim through the first few pages, but stop when I come across the article “Emaciated Children Signal Crisis in Southern Sudan”, another story, another group of children suffering…and dying. My first reaction: My God, why these children!

Nearly every day our newspapers and TV news tell a similar story- so many women and children in our world are hurting. We can offer our prayers for them and we can also give of ourselves whenever we can. The National Council of Catholic Women and Catholic Relief Services provide us with an avenue to help the hungry the homeless and the hurting.

We know that he parishes in our deanery are raising money to help through NCCW programs: the Madonna Plan, Help–a-Child, Water–of-Life, and the Refugee Women Emergency Fund. Our call as Christians is to share our gifts. We want to hear your stories of how you raise monies for your special project/s. In order to make a composite list, we are requesting the each parish send us that information.

Just before the Christmas holidays the International Concerns chairpersons sold Fair Trade products to help alleviate some of the problems the farmers have in securing a fair price for their products. Nearly $500.00 in purchases was made by persons in our deanery. We hope each parish will continue to promote the sales of Fair Trade products.

Be cognizant of God’s people all over the world, including the starving people in Sudan, the orphaned children in Kenya, the earth-quake stricken in Haiti and Chile, the flood-survivors in the Philippines and the poor all around us. Read about their suffering then warm your hearts and thank God for the blessings you received so that you can give to others. “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Mt 25:40

Submitted by: Lorrayne Traut and Marilynn Blommel

Chairpersons of International Concerns Commission

ORGANIZATIONAL CONCERNS

COMMISSION

WAITING: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

We wait for something to happen. We wait for people to come. We wait for so many things in our lives.

As I wait for my daughter to give birth to a new grandchild I have also learned patience and prayers are very important. Two years ago, my daughter gave birth to a still birth little boy who was near full term. After his death there was such emptiness, but now after prayers and waiting, my daughter gave birth to a new granddaughter. Our prayers and waiting for new life were answered.

Sometimes things happen that we do not always understand, as we see the way the economy is. We also see people losing their jobs, others losing their homes and their wages not being increased. Many of us have lost loved ones in our life. As we wait for the economy to change, we also pray that jobs will soon pick up and that the loss of homes and wages will change and people will be able to stay in their homes.

This lent has been a waiting process for all of us to see the risen Savior and new life in Christ. Now that Easter has come, may the new life that we have found give us new hope in the Risen Savior and his love for each and everyone of us. May God blessings be with you always.

Submitted by: Gloria Roelike, Organization Commission Chair and Deanery Vice President

RURAL LIFE COMMISSION

Eating Ethically

I agree with the National Catholic Rural Life Conference’s opinion that eating is a moral act. The food choices we make are not only about nourishing our bodies; they are also about preserving the human dignity of others. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pastoral letter “Everyday Christianity: To Hunger and Thirst for Justice” is as fitting today as it was when it was written. It is our obligation to educate ourselves and our families about the sources of food and how that food gets to us.

That is not as easy as it was a few generations ago when almost everyone produced their own food. Today, we are bombarded with food choices, many of which are processed for our convenience, with little or no regard for the human dignity of those who process that food; it is very easy to pick up the pre-cut meat at the grocery store without thinking about the inhumane working conditions in meat packing plants, or to grab take-out at the fast food restaurant without thinking about the unnatural ingredients or the obesity epidemic or the impact that industry has on other lives.

Joanne Lahr, our DCCW Rural Life Commission Chair, suggests we check out a website called ilovefarmers.org. It is a group of young people making it their mission to educate their generation about the importance of knowing where their food is coming from and who is producing it. Our wise choices about food today can prevent us from becoming dependent on foreign food sources tomorrow.

Here are some things we can do:

Buy food from companies that defend human life and treat workers fairly
Support local farmers’ markets and buy produce in season
Seek out fair-trade products such as coffee or cocoa.

These things might require some changes in our lifestyle. We need to plan ahead because making a purchase of fair trade food may not be as handy as the nearest convenience store. We need to make some sacrifices because if we are going to “eat in season” we will not have strawberries in January. If we are going on a trip, we may need to pack a lunch. In keeping with instruction in Micah 6:8, we have been told what is good and what the Lord requires of us to do right and love, goodness, and to walk humbly with our God. Let that include eating ethically.

Submitted by Mary Rademacher

LEGISLATIVE CONCERNS

COMMISSION

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” –The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

There are a couple of issues I would like to talk about. Some of these issues will shock you. However, there is a need to know because it will affect your children, grandchildren and the future of the family.

In February, I attended a Legislative Day in the Twin Cities sponsored by the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women. We were introduced to many pro-family organizations who lobby the House and Senate to pass laws protecting the family. One such organization is the Minnesota Family Council. It is a non-denominational organization. I like their organization because they stay on top of all the issues. Their website publishes how each House member and Senator votes. We can check their records. We can e-mail our own concerns to them.

One topic is legalizing homosexual marriage in Minnesota. Currently, there are five bills legalizing homosexual marriage. Senator John Marty, an author of the Senate bill, said “he thinks homosexual marriage would be legalized in Minnesota by 2011”. According to Minnesota Family Council, Senator John Marty has a 14% pro-family voting record.

Minnesota Family Council is sponsoring a Marriage and Family Lobby Day at the Minnesota State Capitol, Thursday May 6^th, 2010 from 2 until 4 p.m. Speakers during the Lobby Day gathering will discuss marriage, as well as the threats to parental rights, the family, domestic partnerships, surrogacy, and comprehensive sex education.

The 29^th Annual Minnesota School Health Education Conference was held at the Minneapolis Airport Marriot in Bloomington.

The Birds and Bees project was promoted as a comprehensive sex education class taught to students K-12. The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States would like to see legislation mandating comprehensive sex education throughout schools in every state. In Minnesota, right now fortunately, we have a governor who is not allowing this to happen.

On the www.mfc.org website you can read the conference report. It is very graphic. I have included a few items. According to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States guidelines,

· Students age nine and up should begin learning about abortion and its safety,

· Teens in Minnesota have the right to obtain emergency contraception without parental consent.

Parents should read this report to know what is coming into their children’s schools. Over 9,000 students in the metro area are learning about comprehensive sex education. (Information from Minnesota Family Council found at www.mfc.org.)

(I checked the information out on

www.mfc.org and found it to be very disturbing especially when it targets kids as young as 5. Linda Raeker)

On a happier note, Tuesday, April 13, Nebraska Legislature passed the “Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.” The new law prohibits abortions in Nebraska after the unborn child can feel pain, which was determined to be at twenty weeks. This law will protect the twenty-week and older unborn children in the womb from the pain and horror of abortion. Abortion is legal up to the moment of delivery which is 36 weeks. This law is the first of its kind. It is the beginning of the realization that unborn children can feel pain. As Catholics, we believe at the moment of conception is a child and all children feel pain. This is a step and a beginning of the chipping away of Roe vs. Wade. (Taken from National Rights to Life, April 24, 2010)

Submitted by JoAnne Lahr,

Legislative Concerns Commissions Chair

Help Wanted

Our deanery is in need of women who will serve in the following positions:

VICE PRESIDENT: Term is 2 years, then move to president for 2 years. Term goes by quickly. It is a very rewarding position because you get to meet so many lovely women committed to their faith. Plus there is an opportunity to travel.
COMMISIONS CO-CHAIRS: Term is 2 years and then move up to chair. You may serve as many years as you would like.

PURPOSE OF COMMISSIONS:Commission chairs and co-chairs are responsible for collecting pertinent information and materials from various sources respective to her commission to share with women in all levels of the Council of Catholic Women—parish, deanery, diocesan and national. Reports are prepared and provided at the spring and fall general meetings of the Deanery. Co-chair collaborates with the chairs of the committees to choose topics of interest. Those reports will then be published in the Newsletter.

Church Commission: Concerned with prayer and activities that re-enforce faith, provide resources for spiritual nourishment of the church, assist in development of the faith community, promote the call to discipleship and holiness and respond with personal witness and service to the church and to the world.

Community Concerns: Relates to needs and concerns of individual communities; focuses on actions that affect life, growth, productivity and well-being of all people, especially women and children, the communities they live in, housing, urban development, safety, health and welfare, transportation, economic policies, education and government.

Rural Concerns: Concerned with stewardship/ environmental, recycling/conservation, and bio-technology issues.

Legislation Concerns: Encourages legislative advocacy among all members while being guided by Catholic Social Teaching. Assists women in understanding the legislative process, provides skill to analyze current and proposed laws, and promotes activities that will bring about greater social and economic justice in our society at the local, state, and national level.

If any of you ladies would like to volunteer to serve for any of these positions, know of anyone who would be willing to serve or if you need more information—please contact me.

Thank you for your consideration. Jean Hopfer

Upcoming Events

FUN – FOOD –FUND DAY- June 17^th, 2010

The 19^th annual Fun Food and Fund Day is scheduled for Thursday, June 17, at St. Augustine Catholic Church in St. Cloud starting at 8:30. The theme for this year is “Bienvenue (Welcome) St. Cloud, France to St. Cloud, MN” and will be hosted by the St. Cloud Deanery.

1. An information packet was given to each parish president

2. Each packets included:

o 10 tickets at $12.00 each parish, after June 7 they will be $17.00 per ticket

o A sample bulletin announcement

o 1 Poster

o Parish registration form

3. Checks should be made payable to St. Cloud Deanery.

4. Payment for tickets should be sent to Marlyee Plante, 2293 Pine Cone Road, Sartell, MN 56377 by June 7^th, 2010. Marlyee’s phone number is 320-252-6158.

5. Each deanery is asked to bring items for the Silent Auction. Please bring two $10.00 items or one $20 item. We also welcome donations from anyone who would like to bring an item for the Silent Auction. Cash donations are welcome.

6. Questions: please feel free to call Mary Alice Tomporowski at 320-252-0043 or Geri Novotny at 320-240-6525.

St Augustine’s Parish is located on the East Side of St. Cloud, MN. The address is 106 Wilson Ave. SE, St. Cloud, MN. Parking is available in the parking lot East of the church.

PROVINCE OF ST. PAUL AND MINNEOPOLIS NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN

This is the Sixteenth Biannual Province Conference being held on Thursday and Friday, June 24^th and 25^th 2010.
The theme for this year’s event is “MOVING FORWARD WITH FAITH AND JOY”.
This event will be held at the Church of St. Mary’s in Alexandria. Address for the Church is 420 Irving Street.
Keynote speaker will be Dr. Edward Sri. He will be speaking about “The Rosary” and “Women moving forward with Faith and Joy.
Opening liturgy will start at 12:30 p.m., Thursday, June 24^th with Bishop John C. Kinney, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud—Main Celebrant.
Other speakers Msgr. Greg Schaffer, San Lucas Mission, Lester Noll, Lobbyist, Kathy Langer to name a few.
Cost is $30.00 for one day, $45.00 for two days, Banquet is $30.00 and Two days and Banquet is $75.
Register by June 5^th, 2010
Contact Leona Barten, Province Director at 218-862-1122-work or 218-328-5520-home: Eva Koep-Province Conference Chair-218-862-4710.

In The Arms of God

Everyone who lives and

Believes in me will never die

John 11:26

We don’t like to say good-bye to those whom we love. Whether it be at a school or a cemetery, separation is tough. It is right for us to weep, but there is no need for us to despair. They had pain here. They have no pain there. They struggled here. They have no struggle there. You and I might wonder why God took them home. But they don’t. They understand. They are, at this very moment, at peace in the presence of God….

When it is cold on earth, we can take comfort in knowing that our loved ones are in the warm arms of God. And when Christ comes, we will hold them too..

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St. Cloud Diocesan Council of Catholic Women at 25008 Mary St., Paynesville, MN 56362 US - MELROSE/SAUK CENTRE Deanery Newsletter