W-RDCCW and the Service Commission

By SHELLY HOLT

Happy Easter! He is risen! Are you living as an Easter people proclaiming the good news?

This month my focus is on the Service Commission. “The Service Commission engages the members of NCCW, and all people working to address the needs and concerns of their individual communities, and supports and enhances family life within the church and society” (from the National Council of Catholic Women website, nccw.org).

Some of the projects of the NCCW include: supporting women religious orders in their missions, ending domestic violence and human trafficking, and supporting a RESPITE program for caregivers. NCCW partners with Catholic Relief Services and Cross Catholic Outreach on the international level. Our St. Paul and Minneapolis Province is promoting a giving opportunity to build a house through Cross Catholic Outreach. During the next couple of months, individuals and parishes are asked to consider a donation to this endeavor. A check will be presented to Melissa Kaufenberg with Cross Catholic Outreach who is a keynote speaker at the Province Conference.

At the diocesan level, we lend financial support to Sacred Heart - Haiti and Rochester Medical Missions, as well as through our donations of goods which are collected at our Diocesan Convention.

Our Diocesan Family/Community Service Commission Chair is Joanie Betsinger from Spring Valley. Our International Concerns Commission Chair is Melissa Jones also from Spring Valley. Both local and international service projects are addressed within these two diocesan commissions. There is a multitude of projects each of us is involved in on the local level. As members of the Council of Catholic Women, we do service very well!

Upcoming events include: the St. Paul and Minneapolis Province Conference at St. Mary’s Church in Sleepy Eye on June 25 (see flyer on next page); the National Council of Catholic Women Convention in Oklahoma City, OK, August 13-17; and our Winona-Rochester Diocesan Convention at the Church of the Resurrection in Rochester on October 12.

You can receive the Connecting Catholic Women e-newsletter by sending your request to our editor at wdccw@dow.org. If you have questions or concerns, please call me at 507-381-2842 or email shellyholttotalwellness@gmail.com.

Shelly Holt is the president of the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.