Welcome to
December Council Connect
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President's Message - Judy Weston
Walking With Mary This Advent
This past January, Bill and I made a pilgrimage to Israel. We saw many beautiful sights, and as Advent approaches, I find myself meditating on those holy places. Among the Church of the Nativity, the Church of the Annunciation, the Shepherds’ Cave, and so many others, one image continues to stay with me: “Mary of Nazareth.”
In this depiction, Mary is rushing to greet Elizabeth, her robes flowing behind her. One hand is placed over her heart—showing Jesus resting within—and her other hand is outstretched toward us, her children, saying, “Come, walk with me.”
Now, during this Advent season, I invite you to walk with me in reflecting on this message.
We as women…
Read Judy's reflections of Mary HERE
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Mary of Nazareth
This a new image of Mary of Nazareth. The stature was carved in 1998 as an introduction to the holy Year in 2000.
The Blessed Virgin is represented while descending the steps, visiting her cousin Elizabeth (Luke. 1:39). Her dress shows all her grandiosity:
- Queen of the sea: in the green emerald colors of her dress;
- Queen of the land: in the brown color of her cape around her waist;
- Queen of heaven: in the light blue of the veil around her waist;
On the head: a silver diadem (tiara) with 12 stars, enriched with diamonds;
The hands: the left showing towards her breast to indicate that Jesus is in her heart and she gives us Jesus;
The right hand turned towards the people to say: walk with me.
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To read more about the Mary of Nazareth and the artist who designed her
click here.
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RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE
The 2026 LDCCW Convention Resolution committee is currently finalizing its recommendations the 2026 LDCCW Convention booklet. At this time, the committee is asking all members for their ideas for Convention Resolutions.
Convention Resolutions focus on how the membership of LDCCW can take action which helps us live out our Mission statement. One such Convention Resolution was passed in the 1980s which was to promote the St. Monica prayer for our family members to "come home" to the faith. Today, a different Deanery each month offers this prayer.
Convention Resolutions can also offer ways LDCCW membership can support and promote agencies that assist families and/or individuals in crisis, such as pregnancy centers, homeless outreach or victims of human trafficking.
Convention Resolutions can be offered by any member of LDCCW, whether one holds an office or not. Your idea matters! If you would like to suggest a Convention Resolution, please feel free to contact a committee member. The final resolutions will be presented and voted on during the LDCCW Winter meeting in January 2026.
Thank you and God bless,
The LDCCW Convention Resolution committee
Barb Kadlec
Carrie Magorian
Kay Portillo: kay.conely.portillo@gmail.com
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Winter Symposium/Winter Meeting
@ Good Counsel Retreat House - Waverly
January 30 - Executive Board Mtg.
January 31 - Full Board Mtg.
Click on the items below to be presented and voted on for advancement:
MISSION STATEMENT
BY LAWS
Click to HERE to register
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Spirituality -Barb Kadlec & Shelly Chloupek
ADVENT WREATH & CANDLES
Thanksgiving is over and the leftovers still linger. Christmas trees in people’s windows and outdoor decorations seemed to have sprung up overnight. Christmas sales in stores started even before Halloween candy was off the shelves. Black Friday was a huge day for any commercial business. Is this what Christmas means? Sales, Decorations, Trees, Lights? One of those is correct…Light, for “Light of the World”. Jesus is the Light we need to focus on during this time of year, the Season of Advent.
The first thing I set up this weekend was our Advent Wreath. Right now, no candles are lit, it is completely dark. As each week comes, one more candle will be lit. The light becomes brighter as we approach the birth of our Savior. He is the light that shines in the darkness, the darkness of our lives. If we turn our gaze to Jesus this season and allow Him to enter into our hearts, we will become like Him and show others “The Light”.
Read what each candle stands for HERE
Divine Mercy - Bonnie Damrow
ADVENT - Put Straw in the Manger
The spirit of giving and caring in families is captured well by the advent custom of putting straw in the manger. Have family members place a piece of straw in the manger every time they perform a good deed or act of mercy. Jesus told St Faustina, "I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first - by deed, the second - by word, the third - by prayer" (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina, 742)
Read how to put straw in the manger HERE
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Service - Joyce Reich
Advent is once again upon us. Wow!, it got here quickly! The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the new Liturgical year. The celebration of Advent is a time to prepare as Catholics for Christmas. We contemplate our great need for God as we prepare the way for the coming of the Lord in our lives and the fulfillment of His Kingdom in the future. But, in reality, it can be difficult to wait and prepare with the secular world's idea of getting decorated in mid-November and celebrating the minute Thanksgiving is over (or even earlier!)
So, what can we do in service of God and others?
Click HERE to read Joyce's list of suggestions
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Leadership - Carlece Kenner
MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE!
We have embarked on the month of making memories by sharing in Jesus' birth. While I want to make this time special for my family, there are others I want to share this time with too. Sharing traditions with our community and church family is important not only for other but for ourselves!
I direct the choir at Sacred Heart in Hebron. I so appreciate our choir family and the traditions they carry on by providing music during Advent and Christmas. My grandmother invited me to my first Christmas PCCW meal. It was two months before she passed away. This is where I saw and felt the love that PCCW gave to her and I wanted to carry on that tradition.
Read how Carlece carries on that tradition HERE
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Legislative - Alice Licht-Anderson
***Governor Pillen Directs Medicaid Division of Nebraska Department of Health of Human Services to Remove Abortion Service Providers from State’s Medicaid Benefits.
***2026 Legislative Session Only About a Month
***2026 Legislative Session Only About a MonthAway!!
Click HERE for complete Legislative report
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Social Media - Heather Lipovsky
Hello Ladies!
Happy New Liturgical Year!
Along with recognizing all you do for your parishes we would like to share images of your beautiful churches decorated for the Christmas season, with activities and various happenings on our social media pages! Have a Blessed amd Merry Christmas.
Please send pictures with a small paragraph to ldccwsocialmedia@gmail.com
Be sure to Like and Follow our pages on
Facebook: Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women
Instagram: @ldccw.catholicwomen
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President's Project:
Adopt a Pregnancy Center
Please choose a Pregnancy Center you would like to support. Many of those who volunteer would enjoy the personal connection from their local Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW). We currently have lists from pregnancy centers and one from St. Gianna for their apartment needs. Please use the list as a reference of what to purchase. If you wish to send money to the Pregnancy Center please send the money directly to Pregnancy Center
The spiritual needs of the centers are important as well. Use the Spiritual Bouquet cards and send them to your local pregnancy center and let them know they are receiving spiritual cover to do their work.
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The Little Parish That Could!
Last year, I heard from St. Patrick's PCCW in Manley stating they had chosen St. Gianna's Women's Home as part of their President's Project. They purchased 5 sets of items for the apartments, which totalled $609.77 and which coupons and Kohl's Cash they spent $470.69.
Recently, they discovered they had unclaimed property on the Nebraska website for two checks totally $1,000. The PCCW voted and purchased 20 $50 Walmart gift cards for St. Gianna Women's Center. A total of $1,470.69!
Way to go St Patrick's PCCW!!
Please if you have an awesome story about your PCCW please email myself Judy Weston or Heather Lipovsky our social medial manager and we would love to share it with everyone!
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Our LDCCW Calendar is now online!
Click on the calendar icon!
You can add to your calendar by clicking on the event and click on the add to calendar.
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On the American continent, Marian devotion is frequently centered around the figure of our Blessed Mother as she appeared in December of 1531 to the native American Saint Juan Diego at Tepeyac Hill in the area of modern-day Mexico City. Our Blessed Mother actually appeared four times to Saint Juan Diego and once to his dying elderly uncle, Juan Bernardino. The fourth appearance to Saint Juan Diego was the most wonderful. A brief account of the apparitions will help to appreciate better God the Father’s purpose in sending the Blessed Mother to the American continent at Tepeyac and the important meaning of devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The first apparition took place on December 9, which at that time was the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in the Spanish Empire, of which Mexico was then a part. Our Blessed Mother appeared to Saint Juan Diego, an older native American who had recently lost his dear wife. Juan Diego himself died in 1548, seventeen years after the apparitions, at the age of 74. On May 6, 1990, Pope Saint John Paul II, during his second pilgrimage as Pope to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, declared Juan Diego blessed. Pope Saint John Paul II later canonized Juan Diego on July 31, 2002.
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Month of the Immaculate Conception
St Monica Prayer- Lawrence Deanery
Dec 8 - Immaculate Conception
Dec 12 - Our Lady of Guadalupe
Jan 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother
of God
- LDCCW Contributions due
- Charitable Works Survey due
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Our Charitable Works Survey is now online. This is for the the PCCW's to fill out and report to us the terrific job you are doing. Questions?? Email ldccwpresident@gmail.com if you have questions.
Click here to fill out the Charitable Works Survey
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Holy Father's Intentions for December
For Christians in areas of conflict - Let us pray that Christians living in areas of war or conflict, especially in the Middle East, might be seeds of peace, reconciliation, and hope.
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