Our Court officers(2020- 2022):
Regent: Lupe Kavanaugh
Email: lupe_k@yahoo.com
Phone: 512-560-3242
Thank you to all for electing me to service as your Regent. I’m a lifelong resident
and member of Round Rock and St. William...sixty-seven years to be exact. I’m
proud to have grown with a church community where my family ancestors was
one of many in pioneers of our church.
I’m grateful to the ladies that have accepted their service as your new officers.
Vice Regent: Belinda Buescher
Recording Secretary: Marianne Prybyla
Treasurer: Pauline Menefee
Financial Secretary: Marisa Garcia
Spiritual Advisor: Deacon Richard Katrola
District Deputy: Imelda Tovar
Our Mission:
Catholic Daughters of the Americas strives to embrace the principle of faith working through love in the promotion of justice, equality and the advancement of human rights and human dignity for all.
So the first time since we started helping the children in Brownsville 2020 started a new chapter in our journey helping The Colonias Proyecto Juan Diego, because of the pandemic of COVID-19 our Catholic Daughters group didn't go to Brownsville. We got inventive and instead teamed up with Proyecto Juan Diego and asked our Church members to make donations on a website where they then could go out and purchase items for the school supplies, and did the same in 2021. We really miss the trip down to Brownsville and hope to be able to do this again.
Catholic Daughters Court 2415 Annual School Supply Drive will continue with their 19th year Journey of Hope and Faith. A new school year is supposed to bring with it the joy of renewed friendships, welcoming new faces, and the excitement that comes with learning. However, for many children it is racked with unwanted anxiety as they are faced with not having the school supplies they need to keep up and grow in their education experience. Fourteen years ago the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Texas started helping out the Cameron Park Colonias of Brownsville, Texas (http://www.texascda.org/cameronpark.php) after it was brought to our attention that they had some major problems and living multiple families in small apartments or mobile homes. The Catholic Daughters came to their aid, bringing in more mobile homes and the Catholic Daughters Court 2415 joined the effort by bringing clothes, furniture, and anything else we thought could make a difference. Around a year or two later I called Alicia Barra with Proyecto Juan Diego at San Felipe de Jesus Catholic Church and asked what we could do to continue to help. She gave us her request and so began a tradition that has lived on ever since as Catholic Daughters Court 2415 from St. William’s in Round Rock make our yearly effort to collect and deliver much needed school supplies to these children in great need. The current priest at the Church worked to get a Grant from the Diocese of Brownsville in order to get the building behind the Church for the After School Tutorial Program, where the children are able to come after school to receive tutoring. In 2014 after many years of service and dedication Alicia handed over the school supply project to Maria Elena De La O. We have continued our commitment of going down every August right before school starts to give out the supplies we are able to collect. One year we ran into some difficulties and were not able to take the supplies down until the week after school started, something I pray will never happen again. We all felt so bad that the children didn’t have supplies they needed on the first day of school. Each year the children and their parents are alerted to when we will be there and they are always waiting in great anticipation of our arrival, and so very grateful for the supplies. The kids immediately go outside and place all their school supplies in their backpacks as soon as they receive them. It is a sight to see. It is through the love, faith and generosity of the parishioners at St. William Catholic Church in Round Rock that we are able to make this program a success year after year. We send out the call for help providing bags to bring supplies to the Church the week before we are schedule to leave for Brownsville, and they always come through. The church provides us space to collect, sort and bag up individual grade level bags for each of the children. And for the last 15 years the wonderful folks with the Round Rock Express have so graciously provided us with backpacks to add to our supply donated by the parishioners. I am pretty sure they have some very grateful “fans” down in Brownsville. To make the actual journey possible we have a cargo van donated to us by Nyle & Nancy Maxwell, parishioner's at St. William. Once you make this journey of faith and love and see the impact you are able to have on not only these precious children, but their families, too, it is impossible to not look forward to our visit. It has been a passion of mine and many others in our court for more than a decade. While we wish we weren’t needed every year to take on this project, we feel blessed by God’s love that we are there to provide this much needed and valued help. Over the years of leading this effort people have asked me why we go to Brownsville when there are many families in the immediate area that need help. I remind them there are already a number of successful programs in place to help the children within our community. However, for Cameron Park Colonias of Brownsville there is not. So my answer to question is quite simple – we go there each year because the Lord calls on us to make this journey. We carry the prayers and gifts of so many with us on our journey to Brownsville, and return a reminder of the hopes and dreams of so many special children blessed by the help we able to provide.Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
October
Angela Joseph - 2
Sr. Helen Marie Raycraft - 7
Georgia Ann Williams - 12
Clara Tomas - 18
Sandra Larmeu - 27
Amy Gonzales - 30
November
Lupe Kavanaugh - 7
Cheryl Woydziak - 21
Mary Rutherford - 23
December
Cindy Talley - 15
Eugenia Luken - 27
Marianne Prybyla -21
LaVerne Rinken - 29
Spiritual Enhancement: Sandra Larmeu (co-chair opening available)
Through the spiritual program in each local and state court, Catholic Daughters help members to nourish and develop relationships with God. Out of those developing relationships comes the realization of God's love and everlasting mercy, and because of that realization, the desire to serve Him by serving His people grows. Service, then, becomes the way to witness faith and share God's love with a hurting world. Because of His guidance and support, we can serve with joy and faithfulness.
In the area of Spiritual Enhancement members participate together in prayer, days of retreat and reflection and Catholic liturgies together. Through their rich legacy of ceremonials, Catholic Daughters cherish and pray for their members both living and deceased.
Youth (JCDA): Lucy Castro
The promise of tomorrow lives in the youth of today for they will be the leaders, the citizens, and the church of tomorrow. It is the mission of the JCDA/Youth Program to nurture personal and spiritual growth, to promote service to others, and to foster an awareness and appreciation of diversity through a variety of suggested activities and experiences. CDA youth programs support the parish youth programs and scholarships.
The Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas (JCDA) program is for Catholic girls from 6 to 18 years of age. The goals and objectives of the JCDA program are divided into a Threefold Program of Message; Service; and Community. JCDA courts elect youth officers as the local and state level, providing youth leadership opportunities. A JCDA state convention is held in the summer of odd numbered years. Each JCDA court is sponsored by an adult Catholic Daughters court and mentored by an adult chairman.
Education: Mary Rutherford
Through the Circle of Love Program, there are many ways to help the CDA members acquire knowledge in different areas. Education is a key ingredient which significantly impacts the long term success of our organization because through education members feel fulfilled and become resilient.
Education in the Catholic Daughters of the Americas courts can be accomplished by providing Scholarships, participating in the Education Contest offered at the National level, assisting in the Religious Education programs in the parishes, and promoting Literacy, through initiatives such Read Across America.
The Education Contest allows both youth and adults to participate in the different categories of Art, Computer Art, Poetry, Essay, Music, and Photography.
Leadership: Ruth Gordon
Leadership opportunities exist at the local, state and national level, allowing women to build their leadership skills and make a great network of working friendships. Large states such as Texas divide the state into districts, led by a District Deputy. Local courts report to their respective district deputies. There are more than 60 districts in the state of Texas. The state board is elected at the Texas convention held in the Spring of odd years. District deputies are appointed following state elections and are chosen based on prior service to Catholic Daughters. Training, guidance, policies and procedures exist at each of these levels to support each member on their successful leadership journey.
Quality of Life:
We are called to reach out with compassion and support, to be helping hands where there is pain, poverty, sorrow and sickness. In this area Catholic Daughters feed the poor, provide support to immigrants, visit nursing homes, provide support for maternity homes
Family:
Goals for the Family spoke are: Supporting the role and dignity of the family and discerning ways the Church and society can renew a commitment to the family founded upon the marriage between a man and a woman. Activities in this area support unity and joy within the family unit.
Legislation: Carol Ahern
CDA members are encouraged to participate in the democratic process by staying informed on public issues, addressing the morals and human dimension, while supporting church teaching on human life, human rights, justice and peace. Activities in this area support voter registration and voting. Courts, aware of legislative issues, encourage individuals to voice their opinions with their congressmen. Courts can stay informed by inviting guest speakers to their meetings.
Operation Morning Star is a program of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas to Our Lady under her title Morning Star, to encourage Catholic women to speak out in the legislative arena. Learn more about Morning Star legislation efforts...
Catholic Daughters’ Guidelines on Election Politics
Catholic Daughters of the Americas is a 501(c)(3) institution qualifying for Internal Revenue tax-exempt status. Therefore, no one speaking on behalf of Catholic Daughters may encourage or discourage voting for or against a specific political party or candidate. CDA national, state and local courts do, however, take stands on issues. All members should be encouraged to participate in the election process.
Next CDA Meeting - November 17, 2021
Catholic Daughter websites for official CDA Shirts and other items to purchase:
http://store.catholicdaughters.org
or
http://shop.spreadthewordproducts.com/product.sc?productId=9
Saturday, November 20, 2021, 9am - 4 pm
St William Parish Hall. Free to the public, asking for non-perishable food item for the SVDP food pantry
We will have 24 vendors with handmade items for sale. Door prizes will be given out from vendor donations. Come out and start/continue your Christmas shopping.