Welcome to the May Effect
“Not all of us can do great things,
 but we can do small things with great love”
President's Message
Happy Easter! Wishing you blessings as we continue through the Easter season until Ascension Thursday.
I am Kay Wessel, your new LDCCW President. Thank you to Terri Sullivan and her Executive Board for the leadership and guidance provided for the last two-years. Terri and her team planned a very faith-filled Convention. I’m sorry some of you were unable to benefit from it because of the weather. I am honored to serve as President and know that with your prayers and assistance this will be a successful term. I have been active with the Council of Catholic Women at the parish, deanery and LDCCW levels. I’ve been fortunate to have attended three of the National Council of Catholic Women Conventions. I am one of seven children, growing up in Madison County attending a small country church, St. Francis DeSales, a mission out of St. Patrick, Battle Creek. My husband, Jerry, and I attend Sacred Heart Church in Crete.

The Patron Saint for my term is Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta
The theme – “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love”
Bishop’s Project – Promote Eucharistic Adoration
President’s Project – Helping the Homeless 

May is the month of Mary. There are a number of ways we can celebrate the month.
  1.       Adorn indoor statues of Mary with flowers
  2.    Pray a Novena to Mary. Novenas are available online.
  3.   Pray the Rosary daily.
  4.   Learn a new Marian devotion, for example Our Lady of Fatima,
Our Lady of Sorrows.
5.       Memorize a new prayer to Mary 
  
Remember your mother (living or deceased) during the month of May.

Reminder: Executive Officers for the 2016-2018 term – if you have not already done so, please pass on the black LDCCW Manual to the new Executive Officers for the 2018-2020 term.

Every act of love is a work of peace, no matter how small.  – Saint Mother Teresa 

                                                                               Kay
Service Commission - Kathy Rentschler
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Easter Greetings! Alleluia, He is Risen. My name is Kathy Rentschler, your new Service Commission Chair. I am a nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lincoln and member of St. Michael’s church in Lincoln. I previously served as your LDCCW Recording Secretary. I look forward to serving you for the 2018-2020 term. 
Thanks to all LDCCW members for their participation in the Apostles for Life . Apostles for Life is a support program by which an individual pledges to give $1 a month ($12 yearly) to assist in the work of Birthright, Inc. of Lincoln; Wellspring Pregnancy Center in Hastings; ABC Pregnancy Help Center of McCook and Hope Pregnancy Center of Superior. The money collected over the 2016-2018 term totaled $2,791 and was paid out to the Centers listed above following the 61 Biennial 2018 Convention.   Again, thank you and please continue to annually support the Apostles for Life. The babies need your support!   
Armed Forces Day in the United States will be celebrated on Saturday May 19, 2018.     I encourage you to take time from your busy day, on the 19 th , to pay tribute to and give thanks for all the men and women serving the United States’ armed forces. 
Memorial Day, a holiday for remembering the people who died while serving in the country’s armed forces. This year Memorial Day is on Monday, May 28, the last Monday in May. The holiday was held on May 30 from 1868 to 1970. Again take time out of your day to pray for the men and women that lost their lives while serving our country.
O Dearly beloved Word of God, teach me to be generous, to serve you as you deserve, to give without counting the cost, to fight without fretting at my wounds, to labor without seeking rest, to spend myself without looking for any reward other than that of knowing that I do Thy holy will. Amen.

Featured Deanery of the Month for the St. Monica Auxiliary – Crete Deanery
Spirituality Commission - Ellen Jirovsky
Thank You to All the LDCCW Ladies, every woman in every parish—You are all members of this great Organization. The National Council of Catholic Women recognizes us for our outstanding work, our own projects, our communication throughout the Church. The National Council of Bishops recognizes our Diocese of Lincoln as having the most Priests per capita and the most Seminarians studying in the U.S.!
The spring blizzard played havoc on our conventioin. I have decided to resubmit the convention report in case you did not make it to our Biennial Convention.

Leadership Commission - Judy Weston
Happy May!
It is the month of Mary, the woman who said Yes! I want to extend my welcome to all the women who have said yes to being a part of the Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Welcome! Someone noticed you are amazing and asked you to be a part of the organization by either helping with your local council (PCCW/Altar Society), Deanery (DCCW) or active with the diocesan level (LDCCW)
I have officially closed off the old roster list and opened up a new list. I deleted some duplicate pages and color coded others.
I recently spoke with a parish council who was wanting to gain ideas as to how to grow their membership. I explained how quickly we moved to being Marthas in this busy world but a council grows because of the friendships that are built. If they were not active for one year, why not spend a year building friendships. Prayer and community building will help your council. Instead of taking a summer off of meetings, take a summer to build your community. It will grow if you place God, not projects, in the center of your council. Be a Mary, she did take the better part!

Legislative Report Carolyn Mazour

Remember to vote in the primary this month.


Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women| 402-794-5285 |[email protected]