MIDDLETON — Since becoming president of the Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW) last spring, Rosa Ropers has challenged women to “Live, Learn, Love, and Share Our Catholic Faith,” the theme for her two-year term.
The former religious education coordinator brings her love of learning to the leadership position and is looking forward to presiding over her first convention June 16 and 17 at St. Bernard Church, Middleton.
Each year a different vicariate hosts the convention, with West Dane hosting it this year.
Linda Ripp, St. Matin Parish, Martinsville, and Joan Pregler and Barb Ziegler, members of St. Peter Parish, Ashton, are leading the efforts for the 61st MDCCW convention.
Why a convention?
In a recent meeting on the convention, Ripp, Pregler, and Ropers talked about the reasons for having an annual convention.
They agreed on the following: “To pray, learn about the new programs created by the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW), share our faith, be inspired, visit with old friends, meet new friends, and have fun.”
Ziegler is president of the West Dane Vicariate, and Ripp is secretary. The West Dane Vicariate includes the parishes of St. Francis, Cross Plains; St. Mary, Pine Bluff; St. Christopher, Paoli and Verona; St. Peter, Ashton; St. Martin of Tours, Martinsville; St. Michael the Archangel, Mt. Horeb and Perry; St. John the Baptist, Waunakee; and St. Mary of the Lake, Westport.
While not all the parishes have MDCCW-affiliated councils, all are being asked to help with the convention, and the response has been excellent, said Ripp. In addition, neighboring East Dane Vicariate parishes have been invited to help, and they are responding as well.
“When women come together and share the work of the council, they find it is worth it spiritually,” said Ropers, a member of St. John the Baptist Parish, Waunakee.
The hard part is getting them to take the first step. She hopes the convention at the Middleton location will encourage women to “make time to get together with old friends while welcoming new ones. It only takes a few leaders sharing the load to get councils active. Not only will they benefit spiritually, but they will enjoy it.”
Convention theme
As Ropers, Ripp, and Pregler talked about the convention for this article, they cited the “We Are Called To Witness” program of the NCCW as the inspiration for the theme of “Seeing the Light: A Vision of Evangelization.”
Introduced at the national convention last September, the program is designed to help members “discover and actively participate in sharing the Good News, the Joy of Jesus — the New Evangelization.”
The program materials are available on the NCCW website (nccw.org) for downloading. Each of the vicariate council presidents received a binder with the materials from Carol Brennan, MDCCW leadership chair, and member of All Saints Parish, Berlin.
Ropers said the MDCCW encourages all parishes, whether or not they have councils affiliated with MDCCW, to take advantage of the excellent work of the NCCW.
Keynote speaker and program
The planning committee selected a speaker many of them heard at the NCCW convention to keynote the convention.
Sheri Wolfert will talk about “Living in the Spirit” for the opening session and present a workshop on “Finding God in Everyday Life.”
A teacher and speaker for more than 20 years, Wolfert bases her presentations on the Gospel messages and delivers them with humor and warmth.
The Tuesday evening banquet will include a program of spiritual reflection and music. Wednesday will include the business meeting, keynote speaker, shareshops on spirituality and the New Evangelization, and Mass with Bishop Robert C. Morlino as the principal celebrant and homilist. Each parish CCW is asked to invite its parish priest to be a concelebrant at this Mass.
Value of involvement
The three women spoke enthusiastically about their involvement with the Council of Catholic Women. Pregler said, “I focus on what I want to become. Striving to be holy, I surround myself with holy women. With others I can do more to help more.”
Ripp commented on the value of getting together with other women to share and learn from each other. At the national convention, she said, one of the speakers pointed out that we are “all daughters of the King. If we think about it that way, we can follow up and act that way.”
Ropers invites all Catholic women to attend the June meeting and join with other women who share their Gospel values and want to help those in need through the many charities of the national and diocesan councils.
“When we work together, we can do so much more than we can as individuals. We especially encourage individual members of MDCCW to attend in order to update themselves on MDCCW happenings.”
The MDCCW board will meet March 17 at Holy Mother of Consolation Church, Oregon, to hear from the convention planning committee and provide additional input.
Later this spring, more information will be posted on the MDCCW website (www.mdccw.com) and in the newsletter. All Catholic women are invited to attend the convention.