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

 

 

Are we ever!! Anyone involved with parish activities, community events, and raising a family knows this to be true. We are always doing something, going somewhere, or helping with one thing or another. It is WHO WE ARE. This has been the theme for the National Council of Catholic Women. Their new theme is “Moving Forward with Faith and Joy”. Let’s implement that theme into our projects for the next two years. 

 

I was pleased to see so many attend the 56^th annual convention of the St. Cloud Diocesan Council of Catholic Women on Saturday, September 19, held at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Little Falls. I am so grateful to everyone for all they did or assisted in any way. A list of the new officers and commission chairs is included with this newsletter, as are the resolutions adopted at the business meeting. Please use these resolutions to guide you in planning programs throughout the next year. These diocesan officers/commission women are willing to come to your parish and speak on their programs. 

 

Once again, as fall leads into the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, let us give thanks for all the blessings we have received; for those serving in the military; and for vocations, especially priests, in this “Year of the Priest”. 

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   I was sent as our delegate to the National Council of Catholic Women’s convention in Jacksonville, Florida in September. There wasn’t much time to sit on the beach as NCCW was redoing its bylaws, which needed to be voted on by the delegates. This took a great deal of time and I finally cast my vote after midnight that night! We also voted on new officers. Another major change that is taking place on the national level is that it is reducing its commission system from six (Organization, Community/Rural, Church, Family, Legislation, and International) down to three. They are – Leadership, Spirituality, and Education, which coincides with its mission statement. 

   The Liturgies, as always, were the highlight of the convention. Included in this newsletter is a copy of “Rosary Meditations – Year of the Priest” that was assembled by the National Council of Catholic Women. Feel free to incorporate it into your daily prayer this church year. 

   One of the workshops I attended that I especially enjoyed was presented by Grayson Warren Brown on The Power of a Servant Church: The Church in Africa. He was very lively and had us singing and clapping our hands joyfully. His premise: “Ya Gotta Believe”! 

   Another workshop I attended was called “Awakening the Giant Within: What is Change?” We need to 1) Change our standards and ask ourselves “Am I all I hope to be?” 2) Eliminate our limiting beliefs; and 3) Change our strategy. If all you ever do is what you’ve ever done, you’ll always get what you always got! 

   I will admit I was apprehensive about going to the convention but I am really glad I did. I enjoyed meeting all those women with a zeal for the Lord and for His Church. I especially enjoyed getting to know the women better who attended from our diocese. 

   Thank you to all of the parishes who made an extra contribution to make the trip possible. 

 

   “Open the Eyes of My Heart” was the Title of the parish mission held at Holy Family Parish of Belle Prairie October 11 – 15, 2009. Two Redemptorist priests from Chicago were the moderators for this five day spiritual renewal. Each evening session featured a specific topic. 

   Sunday: The Bible. Pray to the Holy Spirit before reading scripture daily. Jesus is the Word of God, the full revelation of God. We are created in the image and likeness of God. We are to show who God is to the world. The word of God must bear fruit. 

   Monday: The Crucifix – Choosing Jesus. Who is Jesus to me? Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the Messiah, Savior of the World. Be a disciple for Jesus. 

   Tuesday: The Pascal Candle – Penance. We are not created for sin but to show the image and likeness of God, spiritual bodies of Christ, a light for the world. 

   Wednesday: The Bread – Eucharist. Jesus is the Bread of Life. Give us this day our daily bread. Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a time of thanksgiving for the sacrifice of what Jesus did for us. “Do this in memory of me.” 

   Thursday: The Altar. Our mission is to share in the work of the church. The Mass is a prayer to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. We receive the body and blood of Christ, deny ourselves and become the Body of Christ, the Church. 

   Each session ended with a social and refreshments. All were given a handbook entitled “Keeping the Mission Alive” containing prayers and meditations. A similar mission is scheduled to be held November 1 – 5 at Immaculate Conception Parish in Rice. 

 

   Children affect not only our marriages and families, but society in large. The basic concept of marriage was to involve the bringing of children into the home and society. This was so during the beginning, with Adam & Eve. Children, then, should be looked at as awesome gifts, blessings from God that should be a focal point of a marriage. The definition of family can be stated: a social group; parents and children. Children give great meaning to the lives of their parents and help shape the person they become; most often enabling us to become more responsible, compassionate, faith-filled. When there was a respect for all life, young and old, seen and unseen, marriage was seen as the “backbone” of our society; it helped to shape its people, laws, etc. Divorce rates were lower, abuse to children was less. 

   However, a change occurred when it was thought publicly (though not by the Catholic Church) that married couples could use artificial contraception to avoid having children. Following this slippery slope, just as Pope Paul VI stated it would, was adultery, divorce, and abortion. Abortion seemed “appropriate” simply because if contraception failed and, of course, it would, then a woman would not need to keep something that “went wrong”. The rest of the story is known by all … a baby dies from surgical abortion every minute … totaling 50,410,168 estimated since 1973. What other unfortunate changes have we seen? All human life seems to have been deemed less important. Euthanasia is a viable option in some areas of our country. Both physical and sexual abuse of our children has increased. Often, sentences for perpetrators of rape of our children are less than traffic violations. Even our possible health care changes have had some implications of medical treatment rationing for vulnerable people such as handicapped and the elderly. Birth rates around the world have decreased as countries grow financially. We are now at a time where we must worry about social security for retirement as the work force numbers have not been able to support it. 

   Societies need families … families need children to survive and grow in our faith and lives. We must continue to pray for our families, parents, and citizens to be open to life that God gives. Be supportive of families, patient with children. As we have seen, as the family unit breaks down, so goes the society. 

 

   October is a busy month. Not only is it designated as “Breast Cancer Awareness” month, but also “Farm Safety” month; “Pro-Life” month, “Month of the Rosary”, “Vocations” Month, and “World Mission Month”, among many others. 

   October 4 was “Respect Life Sunday”; and the “40 Days for Life” campaign is in full swing. Perhaps many of you have participated through prayer, fasting, vigil, or marching. 

   We are also asked to consider designating one Sunday in October as “CCW Sunday”. Suggested ideas are to attend Mass together as a group, with fellowship or potluck to follow; include a petition for the Council of Catholic Women in the Prayers of the Faithful; sponsor a living rosary. 

   November 19, the Thursday before Thanksgiving, is “Fast to Relieve World Hunger Day”. The purpose of this day is to bring awareness of those, both locally and globally, who do not have enough food to eat. 

   Pope Benedict XVI’s mission intention for October is that the entire People of God, to whom Christ entrusted the mandate to go and preach the Gospel to every creature, may eager assume their own missionary responsibility and consider it the highest service they can offer humanity. 

   Pope Benedict XVI’s general intention for October is that Sunday may be lived as the day on which Christians gather to celebrate the risen Lord, participating in the Eucharist. 

 

   I recently attended our county’s Farmers Union convention. Several guest speakers were on hand, including –

   Thom Petersen, Government Relations Director for the state organization. Mr. Peterson works closely with our state’s senators and representatives at the capital on farm-related issues. Some items currently on the slate are: Agricultural budget; “Green Acres” legislation; Minnesota Care for farmers; and we need to keep abreast of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 or CLIMATE CHANGE. Part of this act proposes to regulate greenhouse gas emissions (smell) by farm animals, such as cows and pigs and could result in farmers paying a “tax” per head of livestock. 

   Tina Wheeler, Cook for Little Falls Community Schools, talked about the “Farm to School” project. Not only does she use foods grown locally to prepare meals for the students, she presents a class to the students explaining the process to get specific food items from seed to maturity. She works with foods that are “in season”. For example, in September they had sweet corn and the students helped shuck the corn; they have also helped peel and mash potatoes, slice carrots, etc. There are only a few districts in the State of Minnesota that currently participate in this project. She states “Knowing your food has traveled 200 miles or less, rather than 2,000 miles or more, means a lot; and the students notice the difference in appearance and flavor.” 

Other guests in attendance were Kerry Nixon, general manager of Central MN Ethanol; Rep. Al Doty; Ken Swecker on behalf of Sen. Koering; Darrell Larsen of the Morrison County Farm Service Agency; Dan Prokott, insurance agent; as well as two candidates running for v. president on the state level.

   I would also like to congratulate Emily Lahr. Emily is a Stearns County Dairy Princess and was a candidate for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way at the state fair. She is the daughter of John and Joanne Lahr. Joanne is the Rural Concerns chairperson on the Diocesan CCW