Catholic Daughters of the Americas
The "CIRCLE OF
LOVE" Program was formed to help guide members of Catholic Daughters at
all levels of the organization to carry out works of charity. The image to the left is symbolic of
our CIRCLE OF LOVE program. By definition, a circle is a curved line with every
point equal distance from the point of the center and bound together by the
common interest. The seven point program of the CIRCLE OF LOVE: Spiritual; Leadership; Quality of Life; Family; Youth; Education
and Legislation are
bound together by the common interest- LOVE.
The seven points selected indicate the needs of the Church and community
best served by the Catholic Daughters.
Local Courts are asked to select those portions of the programs that their members feel comfortable working on. The goal is for the members to experience fulfillment when the projects are completed. Local Court Giese is currently focusing on the following areas: Spiritual Enhancement, Education, Quality of Life and Leadership.
Spiritual Enhancement: Our Spiritual Enhancement activities include hosting a Religious Retreat for women, leading the Stations of the Cross during Lent, Crowning Blessed Mother in May, praying the Rosary and holding prayer services for deceased members. Several of our members serve as Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors and Greeters at their local Church. We even have a Cantor. Members of our Court attend the annual Day of Recollection sponsored by our State CDA Court of NJ. This past year’s Day of Recollection was held at San Alfonso Retreat House in Long Branch, NJ. www.sanalfonsoretreats.org
Our Court has an annual weekend Religious Retreat for women in March at San Alfonso Retreat House. This retreat is open to all Catholic women 18 years and older. Every Friday during Lent St. Mary’s Parish in Gloucester City, NJ hosts a Lenten Meal of soup and bread followed by Stations of the Cross. Our Court takes a turn and leads the Parish in the Stations of the Cross. St. Mary’s Pro-Life Committee organizes the local Catholic organizations to lead the Rosary every Monday during October. Court Giese happily takes a turn leading St. Mary’s Parish in praying the Rosary. We also pray the Rosary prior to our October and May Business Meetings in honor of our Patron the Blessed Mother. Each and every member of our organization is dear to our hearts and when she is called to be with the Lord we like to remember her and show our appreciation with a Memorial Service at her Viewing or Funeral Mass with the permission of her family and through the cooperation of the Funeral Home and /or Church.
Education: Our
Court sponsors the Catholic Daughters of the America’s National Education
Contest and makes it available to the students in local school system and
interested adults. The themes for 2016
are, We are Stewards of God’s Creation. and How Do We Care for the
Environment? Each participant may
submit an entry from the following category or categories: ART; ESSAY; POETRY; COMPUTER ART; MUSIC or PHOTOGRAPHY. Alice Mendell is our Court’s
Chairperson for this Committee. Click here for National
Education Contest Rules. Court
Giese sponsors two scholarships for students attending Gloucester Catholic Junior
Senior High School: one for a student graduating 8th grade and the
other for a student graduating 12th grade. The school sets the parameters and chooses
the recipients for these scholarships.
Quality of Life: This term relates to something that is valued as a positive addition to everyday life. Court Giese has focused on this point by supporting Family Life Issues; Restoration of Family Values; Community Issues and Worldwide Issues.
Court Giese supports Family Life Issues by participating in a fundraising event in October sponsored by Boscov’s Department Stores called Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends. We sell 25% Discount Coupons for $5.00 each good for redemption all day long at any Boscov’s on a specific date in October selected by Boscov’s. All of the proceeds go to St. Mary’s Church specifically for purchasing perishable food items for the Thanksgiving Day Baskets that are given to families or individuals in need in the surrounding community. Several of our Court’s daughters volunteer their time to shop for the non-perishable food items and assist with assembling the Thanksgiving Day Baskets. More recently our 2016 Christmas Service Project. We will be collecting non-food items needed by Cathedral Kitchen and presenting the donations prior to Christmas; so, that they may continue to provide services to the homeless.
Court Giese supports Restoration of Family Values by taking a collection at every business meeting for Birth Right and the funds collected are sent to 1st Way Life Center in Woodbury, NJ. http://www.1stwaylifecenter.com. We also send donations to Good Counsel Homes http://www.goodcounselhomes.org/. These organizations provide support for women facing unplanned pregnancies by providing compassionate guidance and counseling which has helped save more than half a million babies.
Court Giese supports our Community by participating in Gloucester City Clean-Up Day twice a year. Members of our Court pick-up trash, rake leaves and sweep three blocks of the Broadway which is the main road that goes through Gloucester City. The Municipal Building, the Veterans Memorial and the U.S. Post Office are located within this stretch of road. Our Court also reaches out to residents in several local senior housing complexes in the surrounding community. Several of our Catholic Daughters get together and make over 300 handmade Valentine’s Day cards. Then these Catholic Daughters get together at each housing complex on February 13th and quietly leave the cards outside the residents’ apartments to be discovered on Valentine’s Day. It’s a small gesture that has a big impact on the residents as well as our Catholic Daughters.
Court Giese participates in Worldwide Issues by making an annual donation to the CDA Five National Projects: Habitat for Humanity; Holy Cross Family Rosary; Laboure Society; Smile Train and SOAR! (Support Our Aging Religious).
Leadership: Court Giese has a Dinner Meeting every year before a short summer break. All members are encouraged to bring new ideas to the meeting for future consideration. During this meeting the Court reviews, evaluates and votes on each of the past year’s activities as well as the new ones presented. This is how we decide on our activities for the following year. This process allows all of our members the opportunity to have a say in our Court’s goals and objectives.
Another way in which Court Giese encourages leadership is by sending delegates to represent our Court at both the Biennial CDA State Convention and the Biennial CDA National Convention. Every year we have a couple of fundraisers where the proceeds are allocated to our Convention Fund. This fund is used to pay or assist with paying the cost of sending our delegates to attend either the State or National CDA Conventions. As a result of these experiences our Court currently has two members involved at the State level. One is the Board State Secretary and the other is on the State Board Nominating Committee for 2017.
Membership Information:
Have you ever desired to find a way to make a mark or change an existing condition for the greater good? As an individual you may feel there is little you can do to affect the world. We can join with others and work together toward common goals, whether it is within our parish, our community, our state or country, there is little we CANNOT accomplish. Won’t you consider joining our terrific group of Catholic Daughters?
We are open to Catholic Women 18 years and older. It is a blessing to be a Catholic Daughter and we wish to share this with you.
We would like to invite women interested in our organization to attend a Business Meeting: We cordially invite Catholic Women interested in our organization to attend a Business Meeting on the first Tuesday of the month at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 605 Monmouth St., Gloucester City, NJ 08030 at 7:00pm. Please RSVP to dawntoal@comcast.net before the meeting you plan to attend.