Lenten Retreat

For Lent of 2022, our Court organized and hosted our second Women's Lenten Retreat, which featured a talk by Sister Eileen Carmody on A Journey to Freedom. We invited women throughout our community to attend and we had a wonderful turn out of about 90 ladies. The goal for this event was to provide the women of our ommunity with an opportunity to focus on creating specific goals for their Lenten journeys. Sister Carmody encouraged th attendees to take soe quiet time to listen to what God was caling each of them to do this Lent, and to ask for God's help in accomplishing their goals. This retreat provided the women of our community with a clear vision for how to dedicate their time that Lenten Season. We will be repeating this retreat schedule in 2023.

Rosary Making!

Our goal for this activity is to encourage spiritual growth and to spread devotion to Mary through praying the Rosary. Our Court of 123 members has financially supported this project. Due to COVID, the numbers are down to 6-8 members of our Court who meet after First Friday Mass each month to make rosaries. Some members make rosaries at home with supplies provided by the Court. The rosaries are then blessed and distributed to priests in Africa, missionaries in foreign countries, new cadets in West Point and the children of our parish making First Communion or Confirmation.

The Court Rosary Makers began in December of 2011. Since then, they have made 20,170 rosaries. They have made 1,973 rosaries from March 1, 2021 through February 28, 2022. This project impacts both members and the recipients. The members who made the rosaries were spiritually impacted because they attended Mass and prayed together at Mass and while making the rosaries. The recipients were spiritually impacted because they learned to pray the rosary in continued devotion to Our Blessed Mother.

Adopt a Nun!

Our goal for this activity is to encourage spiritual growth through providing local Sisters small acts of kindness.

More than fifty members of our Court have volunteered to adopt Nuns from the Pallottine Sisters of Harriman, and The Presentation Sisters of New Windsor.

Through this ministry the members of Court St. Ann, Mother of Mary continue to give of their time and talents to local Sisters. They send cards, notes, and small gifts to help brighten up their adopted Sister's day and let the Sister know that she is being thought of by others. These small tokens of appreciation go a long way to thank the Sisters for their life's work. In return, our members were able to spend time reflecting on how giving of ourselves in even small ways, like sending a card, can spread joy to others. This project continues to help our members strengthen their hearts of service through adopting a Sister.

From the CDA National Website

The Catholic Daughters of the Americas is primarily a service organization; however, service for the sake of service can become burdensome and more of an obligation than a joy. That is why the Spiritual Enhancement component of the Circle of Love is so important.

Through the spiritual program in each local and state court, we help our members to nourish and develop their 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. Our service, then, becomes the way we witness our 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 Spiritual Enhancement section of the Circle of Love, we find ways to provide opportunities for our members to spend time with God.

We find ideas for enhancing personal sanctification as well as suggestions for involving our members in the spiritual life of their parishes and communities.

It is important that our court's Spiritual Enhancement Program helps our members to understand that they are truly a sisterhood and that they need to be church to one another before they can be church to others.

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