The National Board and !e National Staff wish a" of you and your families a very

Blessed Christmas and a most Joyous New Year. We sincerely !ank you f# a" your w#k in CDA.

May !e Peace and Love of !e Christ Child be wi! you and your families.

National Officers

Shirley Seyfried, National RegentHelene Shepard, National Regent-Elect

Olga Samaniego, First Vice National RegentSherry Nilles, Second Vice National Regent

Vickie Feist, National Secretary-TreasurerFather Matthew Kuhn, National Chaplain

National Directors

National Office StaffMary Impellizeri, Executive Director

Theresa Duran, Administrative AssistantTom Panas, Public Relations

Gigi Barreca

Joe Delgado

Martha Hamboussi

Gloria Linley

Brittany Pick

A" Ca!olic Daughters and !eir families are being remembered in a Mass said by our National Chaplain, Fa!er Mat!ew Kuhn at St. Henry’s Parish in Perham, MN.

Carolyn Bachmann

Letty Calvetti

Joyce Ann Fleming

Ruth Guidry

Jo Hammen

Janet Martineau

Susan Mone

Margi Oller

Sheila Storey

10 West 71st St. New York, NY 10023

212-877-3041FAX 212-724-5923

ORDERS 888-221-8834e mail: cdofanatl1@aol.com www.catholicdaughters.org

cdaroster@aol.com

National Chaplain’s Message

Fr. Matthew KuhnNational Chaplain

Dear Sisters in Christ,I was recently approached by one of our parish

super-volunteers who was interested in restarting one ofour inactive women’s associations. I suggested, proudpapa that I am, that she and the other interested ladiesjoin the Catholic Daughters court and take advantage ofour resources instead of restarting a separate group. Herresponse stopped me in my tracks.

“Not going to happen, Father.”I asked her to explain why she had such a strong

reaction. Again, I was shocked.“I used to be a member, but [CDA] is for a certain

kind of woman, not me.”I was, and am, distressed by this reaction. A good

conversation followed, but I was still left with a desire toaddress this impression of the Catholic Daughters asexclusive or elitist. The evolution of our title itself is proofthat the Catholic Daughters of the Americas are intended bynature to be inclusive, reaching beyond boundaries and pastborders to serve the least of my brethren no matter who orwhere they are. (I feel particularly blessed that I amincluded, despite not qualifying physically as a daughter!)

To be Catholic is to be part of the Universal Church;thus our mission as Catholic Daughters must be equallybroad. The venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen expressedhis desire that we become the Catholic Daughters of theWorld. My desire for you is to be the Catholic Daughtersof Christ, wherever He is found. See the face of Christ onyour sister in the parish who has not felt welcomed, hasnot been invited, or who perhaps has had a bad experience

of CDA in the past. Invite her to share in the good worksthat we do, to call forth her talents, and show her the valueshe has as an active member of the Body of Christ.

We exist as an organization of women not to beopposed to other organizations, but to cooperate withthem. This was expressed beautifully in Court St. Rita onSeptember 11th, when our local Catholic Daughters teamedup with the Knights of Columbus to host an evening ofprayer for peace. We may still need separate cupboards inthe parish kitchen in order to keep the peace, but we mustbe able to work together, respect each other, and love eachother, especially other Catholic women! Division in theBody of Christ is a scandal to the world and an offenseagainst our principles of Unity and Charity. If anothergroup exists in our parish to serve another purpose or meetanother need, we must feel free to support and encouragethem in their ministry. More hands busy in ministry arehardly a threat to our success or identity.

Most importantly, we must carry ourselves in such away that the most memorable qualities impressed uponthe hearts of observers by any encounter with CatholicDaughters are those qualities most typical of Jesus ChristHimself. My prayer for you is that you become this kindof women:

women of service, women of humility, women of joy,women of peace,women of love in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Peace in Christ, Father Matthew

Some Highlights:National Regent’s Corner................................2BOGO! .......................................................................3March For Life ........................................................5Education Contest News.................................6New Courts ............................................................7

Catholic Daughters of the Americas®

DECEMBER 2014

NationalRegent’sMessage

Shirley Seyfried, National Regent

Dear Sisters in Catholic Daughters,

The Thanksgiving holiday is just over but I want totell you how thankful I am for all of you and all the workyou do in CDA. May God bless your work as youcontinue to be His hands and feet here on earth.

The advent season is here, and although we getcaught up in the hustle and bustle of preparing forChristmas, we must all remember, the reason for theseason and prepare our hearts for the coming of theChrist Child. Let us especially remember and pray forthose less fortunate including those in lands wherefighting and terrorist attacks continue to occur.

I can’t believe how quickly the time has past since wewere together in Billings in July. I hope your fall work inCatholic Daughters is going well. I have heard aboutmany wonderful workshops and even a few new courtinstitutions. Congratulations to those states who haveinstituted new courts. By the time of our next issue ofNational Quarterly, I am hoping we will have many morecourt institutions happening or planned. Our goal is fivenew courts in each state by July of 2016. Will your statemake that goal?

We are very excited to announce that we are againinstituting a Catholic Daughters of the Americas court inAlabama. The last court in Alabama disbanded fiftyyears ago in 1964. The new court, Court Tuscaloosa#2686, will be instituted in Tuscaloosa on December 6th.Congratulations and welcome to all of the new CatholicDaughters in Alabama.

Have you had a reception of new members? If not,please plan one in the near future so that the newmembers will have several meetings to attend before theend of the year. BOGO! Bring one; Gain one! is ourslogan for membership this year. If everyone will bringjust one new member, we could double our membership.I challenge all of you to find one new member. I knowyou can do it. You all know women out there who are

looking for the best spiritual, charitable, friendly,Catholic women’s organization they can find. We have it in the Catholic Daughters, and you know it and I know it; we just need to let every woman know it.

The first episode of the Catholic Daughters on theEWTN program The Church Universal aired in October.Many of you had the opportunity to see it; however,several people have contacted me that they were unableto watch it and are wondering if it will be re-aired. Atthis point, I am unaware that it will be re-aired but bothepisodes are on one DVD and are available throughEWTN for $10 for the DVD. To order the video of TheChurch Universal Catholic Daughters of the Americas goto: ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/shop.axd/ProductDetails?edp_no=28445 The Video Number is HDCUCDA

If you are looking for programs for your meetings,showing the video would make a great program. Eachepisode is about one half hour. The dates for the showingof the second episode are:

Sun 12/07/2014 05:00 PM EDT Tue 12/09/2014 05:00 AM EDT Fri 12/12/2014 10:00 PM EDT

As I mentioned in my last article, our theme for thesetwo years is Whatever you do for the least of Mybrethren, you do for Me —Matthew 25:40. I asked eachcourt to begin one new charitable project in each of thenext two years, then write up the project and send it to me.I would like to feature some of them in Share and on theweb site. I have heard that some courts have planned somewonderful new projects so I am anxiously waiting for yourarticles or paragraphs with pictures about your project. Ihope to have some articles for the spring Share magazine. I would need to have the article by February 15th. Pleaseemail them to me at shirley.seyfried@gmail.comI look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your contributions to our FUN”D”calendar fundraiser. If you have not already sent in yourcontribution and put your name in the drawings, it is nottoo late. There will be $30 drawings every weekday andseveral $100 drawings on holidays, until CDA Sunday inOctober of 2015, when the $1000 drawing will take place.

As I close, I thank God for all of you. I pray that Hewill Bless you and all of your families this Christmas andin the coming New Year.

Peace and Love,

2

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As amember of the CatholicDaughters, you are trulyblessed—not only

because you belong to a wonderfulsisterhood, but also because youhave heard God’s call to service andyou have responded as Isaiah didwhen he said, “Here I am, Lord, sendme.” (Isaiah 6:8) Now you are beingcalled again, but this time you arecalled to help others hear God’s callto service. Many women todayknow that they have gifts andtalents, and they want to use them—they just don’t know how or where.That’s where you come in. Reach out

to your sisters—bloodsisters and sisters of theheart—your friends,your acquaintances, andtell them about CDA.Invite them to yourmeetings and projects.

Help them to experience the joy ofserving God with other women offaith. We need more hands tominister to God’s people. We needmore voices to share God’s word.Our hope is that everyone willembrace our battle cry: BOGO!Bring one; Gain one! I am sure thateveryone can bring in at least onenew member! Don’t be shy. Chancesare you know someone who has justbeen waiting to be invited. Don’tdisappoint her! Also, don’t forget tobe on the lookout for new areas forcourt development. Each state hasbeen asked to institute at least fivenew courts in the next two years—and several state regents and stateteams have hit the ground running.Talk to your friends from other

parishes—even those friends andfamily members in other states. Seeif there is some interest in CDA andget us some contact information.Please send leads to your stateregent or to me. (Shhh! I have asecret! Everyone who is instrumentalin bringing in a new court and thosestates that have instituted at leastfive courts will receive a specialsurprise at the next nationalconvention—but keep that underyour hat!) We have a cracker-jackteam who will help states developnew courts if you haven’t done it ina while. Just share your love ofCDA—sometimes we are the best-kept secret in town! This is onesecret we cannot afford to keep! Ourorganization can double in size, butit must start with you—reach outand share the news—CDA is on themove!! BOGO!

Any questions or for helpestablishing a new court in yourarea: olgasamaniego@hotmail.com.

Calling all sisters: BOGO! Bring one; Gain one!Olga Samaniego, First Vice National Regent

Chairman of Membership and Court Development

Answering E MailsIt has come to our attention that

emails are being sent to Regentsand no response is sent to thesender. Since they do not come backas undeliverable, it is assumed theyare received but they could begoing in “junk mail.” Wouldeveryone please check your emailand your junk mail on a regularbasis to make sure you are gettingall your CDA email. If you receivean email from someone, especiallyfrom National, would you pleaseacknowledge that it was received?We would greatly appreciate it.Thank you.

State ConventionsState Regents: Would you please send the date, place and theme of

your State Convention to the National Regent, Shirley Seyfried as soon as possible? There are always some overlapping dates for the NationalRepresentatives and as soon as she has all the dates, she can begin lookingat them and assigning a representative to your convention. You will haveyour own representative, if at all possible, but if she has two conventionsthe same weekend, someone else may be assigned to your convention.

JCDA SundayJCDA Day is February 15th.The JCDA Proclamation is attached. Ifyou have a JCDA Court, please plan something special for them onJCDA Day. Perhaps plan a Mass and breakfast with the Juniors thatday, sponsored by your court, so that they know how proud you areof them and how much they are appreciated.

Thank

You

4

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

I wish to thank you all for all the well wishes, Masses, gifts and monetary gifts bestowed upon me and

my husband upon our retirement from the CDA National Office.

It has been my pleasure to have served first as Administrative Assistant to my dear friend Lorraine

McMahon and then assuming her position as Executive Director. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge

Lorraine first for hiring me, mentoring me and having the confidence in me to become the second Executive

Director of CDA. Lorraine was a true friend and had been there to help me whenever I needed her. Lorraine

had a wealth of knowledge in regards to the Catholic Daughters. As most of you know, Lorraine passed away

last November and will surely be missed. I would like to thank the present and past National Regents, National

Officers, National Directors, National Chaplains and Clergy Consultants, present and past State Officers, State

Chaplains and members that I have had the privilege of working with over the past years. I will always treasure

the many friendships I have made.

I leave with many mixed emotions, but I look forward to my free time to be able to be with my family

especially my two grandchildren, Sara and Brendan. Words can never express how much I thank my family,

especially my husband Jimmy, for putting up with the many weekends (and weeks) of eating hot dogs, pizza or

TV dinners while I traveled the world on behalf of CDA. I couldn't have done it without their loving approval.

The gratitude I have for the national office staff is immeasurable. Their dedication is what holds the

organization together. Without them we could not exist. My thanks to Mary, Carol, Paz, Gloria, Theresa, Tom,

Martha and of course my other half, Jimmy, as well as all those who worked in the office during my time there.

My congratulations and best wishes to Mary Impellizeri, who has assumed the position as Executive

Director. May God watch over her as she embarks on the many duties associated with this title. Mary, I know

I will miss the daily activities at the National Office but most of all (to take a line from a few Past National

Regents) I will miss 'MY STAFF' and yes Mary, my staff was the best staff anyone would want!

I will not say goodbye as I will still be an active Catholic Daughter and I am sure our paths will cross

again. Until then God bless you all and all you do in the name of CDA.Peggy O’Brien, Past Executive Director

National Projects and CharitiesAttached please find a copy of the donations given to ourNational Projects and Charitiesthe last two years.

Thank you so much for those donations. Theyhave helped many, many people. As you know, itwas voted to give $20 per court per year to thefive National projects. Christmas is a good time togive that gift of $100 to our National Projects and

help live our theme Whatever you do for the leastof My brethren, you do for Me —Matthew 25:40.Please make all checks payable to CatholicDaughters of the Americas and in the memo lineof your check, please write Five National projects.If sending $100 all at once is too difficult for yourcourt, consider sending $20 a month for fivemonths, and in the memo section, write either a specific National project or the word Nationalprojects. Thank you again for your wonderfulgenerosity to those less fortunate.

Breaking News! A quick note to welcome our newest employee at the National Office. Gigi Barreca, a member of Ct. Mary’s Nativity #2347, Flushing, NY, has joined our team and will be handling all Application, Transfer, Renewal and Deletion Forms.

March for LifeThis year marks the 40th

Anniversary of the Roe v. Wadedecision by the Supreme Courtwhich legalized abortion. Severalmembers of the National Board will again be attending the Opening Mass of the Vigil for Lifeat the Basilica of the National Shrineof the Immaculate Conception onWednesday, January 21, 2015, at6:30pm and participating in theMarch for Life on Thursday January,22nd in Washington, DC.

The theme of the March this yearis Every Life is a Gift. Please join us

at the Mass and for the March toshow our support for the gift of life.

The March for Life Rally isscheduled to begin at 12 noon on the National Mall. We will meet atthe Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, located at theintersection of 12th Street NW and Constitution Ave. NW. On the ground floor of the museum,entering from Constitution Ave. near 10th St. NW, you find theAtrium Cafe. We plan to meet here at 12:30 pm to warm up a bit beforewe go out for the March at 1pm.

If you cannot attend the March,please watch the EWTN coverage

that day and keep all March for Lifepilgrims in your prayers. NationalRegent Shirley Seyfried and NationalRegent Elect Helene Shepard arescheduled to be interviewed byTeresa Tomeo (guest speaker at ourNational Convention in Billings)before the March .

5

What makes an organization great is that it is self-perpetuating. In other words, there is always someoneready to step up to the plate and take over where thosewho have gone before have left off. Conversely, if membersdo not step forward, the organization languishes andeventually ceases to exist. Have you ever consideredstepping up to the plate as a CDA State Officer?

You may say that you can’t be a leader because youare not good enough. We have to remember this: wearen’t going to hit home runs in every situation in whichwe find ourselves. If your actions inspire others to dreammore, learn more, do more and become more, you are aleader. —John Quincy Adams. Leadership skills can belearned and practiced. In addition, our organization has anumber of resource materials along with our Bylaws andthe Tools of the Trade to help you, as well as, experiencedand generous women to act as mentors and guides.

As a leader you will be working with others to makea difference in our organization, while motivating othersthrough the development of creative and innovativeprograms. You may never know who you are touchingand what lives have been changed for the better becauseof your actions. A good leader inspires people to haveconfidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves. —Eleanor Roosevelt

Ask yourself, is this something that would interestyou? Do you have the time, energy, enthusiasm and thewillingness to work as a team player? Are you ready toStep Up to the Plate?

If after prayerful consideration you feel this issomething you would like to do, check the Bylaws(Green Cover) page 34, Sec. 1: A, B, C* for the guidelinesand submit your papers by February 1, 2015 to theChairman of the Nominating Committee in your state.

We hope that many will respond to this call and wewill have a full slate of officers for each state who, onceelected, will have the thrill of a life changing experiencehelping the Catholic Daughters of the Americas tocontinue growing and improving.

*CANDIDATES FOR STATE OFFICE

A. A member who intends to run for office shallsubmit a statement of qualifications, a currentphotograph, a statement of endorsement by theLocal Court of the candidate which must bevoted on at a local court meeting and signed bya majority of the Local Court Officers and aconsent to serve signed by the candidate. Five(5) copies of each shall be received by theNominating Committee Chairman no later thanFebruary 1 of the convention year.

B. Candidates may make known their intentions torun for office to their Local Court.

C. Candidates may respond honestly when askedif they intend to run for office.

Stepping Up to the PlateHelene Shepard, National Regent-Elect

National Leadership Chairman

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Communication is so important!• State Regents, please make sure your Local Courts

Regents know the name and address of the StateEducation Chairperson.

• Local Court Regents, please pass the informationto your Local Court Education Chairperson.

• Please do not wait until after Christmas. Every schoolsystem has their schedules.

Please note our two themes for the 2015 Contests:

Love Your Neighbor As YourselfBe A Good Neighbor

• On page 7 of the 2015 Education Contest Form, wehave a new rubric system for your judges.

• Please pass on to your Local Court EducationChairman the complete paperwork.

• Please ask your Local Court Education Chairman tofill out the bottom of page 4 of the 2015 NationalEducation Contest Form with the name of your court.

• Local Court Deadline is February 15, 2015• State Court Deadline is March 15, 2015• National Contest Deadline is April 15, 2015, for

1st Place State winners only to be mailed to:Joyce Ann Fleming62 Cushing St.Medford, Ma. 02155

Questions: Call 781/391/1069 or emailjatfleming@comcast.net

Enclosed with this Issue:

National Projects & Charities

Christmas Prayer Service

Share Subscription Form

1903 Society

Operation Morningstar Newsletter

JCDA Proclamation

2015 National Education Contest Reminders

Habitat for HumanityOn Saturday, October 25th, the Habitat home

in Porterville, California was dedicated. Watch forthe story in Share magazine. We are now lookingfor a state to co-sponsor a Habitat house withNational for next year. If your state has beenraising money for a Habitat house and is ready to start building, please contact Shirley Seyfried,National Habitat for Humanity Chairman, as soon as possible.

Chair in Catholic Church History Lecture

Due to our emphasis this year on Membershipand Court Development, the National ExecutiveCommittee decided that there will not be a Lectureat Catholic University in the spring of 2015 for theChair in Catholic Church History. We felt it wasimportant to conserve as many resources aspossible to use for court development.

Looking for a Gift forthat Special Someone?

The CDA Giving Tree and Memorial Wall arethe perfect way to honor a dedicated member orofficer, memorialize a deceased loved one, or justcommemorate your dedication to CDA.

For a donation of $100, you get 3 linesengraved on a brass plate and displayed on ourGiving Tree Wall in the National office.

Contact Theresa Duran at 212/877/3041 orcdofanatl@aol.com for more information, or mailyour donation and desired inscription to the officeat 10 West 71st St., New York, NY 10023.

Court St. Dominic of the Rosary #2682San Antonio, Texas

Regent: Belinda Kiger328 Oak Knoll Dr., San Antonio, TX 78228

Court St. Thomas More #2683San Antonio, Texas

Regent: Mary Monteverdi4207 Dauphine Dr., San Antonio, TX 78218

Court Our Lady of Light #2684Coppell, TexasRegent: Mary Creason

PO Box 3271, Coppell, TX 75019

Court St. Pope John Paul II #2685Tuscon, Arizona

Regent: Dorothy Nunnink Tolar9412 N. Wandering Spring, Tucson, Arizona 85743

Prayers Needed

Well done, good and faithfulservant —Matthew 25:21

Please keep the families of thefollowing deceased in your prayers:

Suzann Breen, mother ofNational Secretary-Treasurer,Vickie Feist, entered the gates ofheaven on November 3, 2014.Messages of condolence may besent to Vickie at 311 S. LincolnAve., Pierre, SD 57501

Shawn Postlethwait, son-in-lawof Past National Officer RoseTomassi and brother-in-law ofPast National Regent JoanneTomassi died suddenly, yetpeacefully, on October 26, 2014.Condolences may be sent to:Rose and Joanne Tomassi at 480 82nd Avenue, St. Pete Beach,FL 33706

Past National Director Mary GailPeters went to her heavenlyreward on September 5, 2014.Condolences may be sent to herson, David Peters at 13 HemlockHill Rd., Amherst, NH 03031

Nicholas C. Marro Sr., thehusband of Past NationalDirector Arline Marro, passedaway on September 3, 2014.Condolences may be sent toArline at 23 Nelmar Heights,Claremont NH 03743-3154

On August 26, 2014, ourlongtime accountant KaranItwaru died suddenly in hishome. We were shocked andsaddened by his passing. Pleasekeep his family in your prayers.

Also please lift in prayer all thosemembers and friends of CDA

who are in need of physical andspiritual healing.

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Circle Of Love Reporting Forms

The 2015 Circle of Love reporting forms have beensent to all State Regents.

State Regents, please place the names of your State Chairman on theforms before forwarding them to your Local Courts. These forms should be in the hands of your Local Court Regents by January 1, 2015.

Please note: In odd years, the states recognize outstanding local courtactivity that has occurred since the last state convention. In even years,National recognizes both state and local court projects that have occurredsince the last National Convention. Therefore, this spring the states will dothe recognitions. State Regents, please forward the necessary forms to yourlocal courts. Local courts, please participate and follow the instructionsprovided by your State Regent. You should be proud of the work your courtis doing and share it with other courts in your state.

2015 State Conventions The form advising the total number of Delegates and Alternates that your

Court is permitted to elect has been sent out. Please complete the form in atimely manner and return it to the proper State Officer.

Newly Instituted CourtsPlease welcome and pray for the officers and members our newest courts.

May they enjoy many years of Unity & Charity in our great Order. Feel free tosend them a card of welcome and encouragement.

Jewelry Apparel Brochures Prayer Cards Gift Items Posters Banners Stickers Umbrellas Grave Markers Court Supplies Suncatchers Magnets

Find these, and other great items, at the store on catholicdaughters.orgor submit your order to CDA, 10W. 71st Street, New York, NY 10023

Remember, since a court check is required for payment, only Officers may place orders. All orders over $50 must be accompanied by payment of at least 1/2 the total.

Watch for the NEW Chaplain Guide due out in early January!

Spiritual Enhancement BrochureA great tool for promoting CDA, educating fellow parishioners about our mission andrecruiting new members! This new full color brochure highlights the spiritual side of CDAand why it is integral to our mission.

25 brochures for $3 item #183

Magnet ClipA super-strong magnet backs this 2” x 3” purple clip. A real

rubber handle gives added durability and there is a hole in theback for hanging on non-metallic surfaces.

$2 each item #372

Updated/Redesigned JCDA BrochureAn inviting new look, updated information and a more economical price for ourpamphlet that outlines the benefits of JCDA for both girls and parents alike.

25 brochures for $3 item #JCDA-01

Snap Front Jackets start at $25Rugy Striped Scarf just $15

Full Zip Hoodies start at $30

Get Wrapped Up in CDA!Cozy items to help fight the chill

GreatChristmas GiftsCollectors Item EvangelizationOrnaments

First EucharistFirst NoelAve Maria

$20 each or any 3 for $50

The CDA StoreNewItems

Artist’s rendition

National Projects and Charities Donations from Courts June 1, 2012 – May 31, 2014

Apostleship of the Sea $7,946.84Catholic Relief Services $12,888.18Covenant House $8,978.88Disaster Relief $73,270.76Habitat for Humanity $29,925.58Holy Cross Family Ministries $25,466.44Labouré Society $5,907.80Misericordia $1,367.08Morality in Media $21,335.63Pontifical North American College $14,337.08Sisters of Charity (Mother Teresa) $10,550.18Smile Train $57,578.47SOAR! $27,445.13Tutwiler Clinic $10,379.23

Profit from 2012-2014 Fundraisers

1903 Society $170,211.04FunD 2013-2014 Calendar $118,295.41Pocket Calendar 2014-2016 $82,971.89

A Christmas Carol for CourtsAll: (Sing or recite) Oh Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining.

It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!

Reader: As we gather together this evening (today), our world is decorated. Lights twinklein our windows; wreaths hang from our doors; candles are lit, and sweet musicfills the air. Help us to remember, Lord, that this is all for you. You are the reasonthe world is decorated! Help us to prepare our hearts and our souls for yourcoming even as we prepare our homes, but help us also to remember that youare with us even as we prepare. As we ºrepent and turn to you, you are faithfulto forgive and to renew each heart.

All: Long lay the world in sin and error pining; till he appear’d and the soul felt its worth.

Reader: Lord, sometimes we come to this season tired and dry. We feel spent andunproductive. We feel overworked—or undervalued. We wonder if we areneeded. Help us to understand that you know us. You call us each by name. Youlook into our eyes, and You see us. We have value because we are created andloved by You. We are worthy because You make us so. We are so blessed to beloved by You, and You are all we need.

All: A thrill of hope; a weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Reader: Rejoice, my soul! Be light, my heart! Emmanuel, God, is with us! He holds each ofus in the palm of His hand. He sees the pain in the world, and He reminds us thatHe is in charge. He knows our worries, our fears, and the loved ones for whomwe pray—he knows the prayers of our heart. Our heavenly Father says, “For I

know well the plans I have in mind for you—plans for your welfare andnot for woe, plans to give you a future full of hope.” (Jer. 29: 11-13)

Lord Jesus, we trust in you, and we are at peace.

All: Fall on your knees; oh hear the angel voices.

Reader: Oh, Lord, we fall on our knees before you. As you request, we offer you the only sacrifice youdesire—the sacrifice of praise! You are the King ofKings—the Lord of Lords! We stand in awe of you.We lift our minds and hearts to you; we join ourvoices with the heavenly choir. Hear us oh Lord,

and be praised!

All: Oh night divine—oh night when Christ was born! Oh night, Oh Holynight! Oh night divine!

Sponsor a window replacementat our National Headquarters

for only $1,000 Memorialize a window in the name of a loved one or a friend; make a gift in the name of that specialofficer, member, chairman, or District Deputy;donate in thanks for the gift of membership in CDA.

Donors receive a certificate and an inscription on a plaque of honor at the National Office.

The new windows, which will keep with decor of the historic neighborhood, are thermal paned,energy saving windows complete with screens.

Fill out the form below and mail it, with your $1,000check, made payable to Catholic Daughters of theAmericas, to:

Sherry Nilles, 2nd Vice National Regent1903 Co-Chairman

711 – 25th Avenue, Sheldon, Iowa 51201

Sponsorship limited, so act fast!

Name ______________________________________________________________________________________________________Court Number ______________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________ City __________________________________________ State _____________ Zip ____________________

Inscription (Max. 3 lines 25 characters each, includes spaces)________________________________________________________________________________________________

Signature __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2015 JCDA Day

ProclamationWhereas, The Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas celebrates

its Eighty-ninth anniversary in February, 2015 and

Whereas, The Junior Catholic Daughters organization’s goal is tohelp the girls to enrich their life through service to othersin their church, community and world,

Whereas, The Catholic girls age 6 through 18 who through prayerand volunteering, want to assist others to have a better life,

Whereas, The Catholic Church promotes the strengthening of one’sfaith through aid to others, now be it

Resolved, That each Junior Catholic Daughter will use their giftsfrom God to grow in their own faith and become strongeras they seek to help others, and be it further

Resolved, That through their help of others they become youngwomen growing strong in their faith.

Signed_____________________________________________

Given this ___________ day of ___________________ 2015

Volume VIII, No. 2 December 2014

Catholic Daughters of the Americas®

Operation Morningstar

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. This is yourpilot speaking. I have two pieces of news to report,one good and one bad. The bad news is that weare lost. The good news is that we are makingexcellent time.” —Author Unknown

In 1971, the renowned physician and medical ethicist,Dr. Leon Kass, used this parable to illustrate the comingwave of assisted reproductive technologies, hailed byscience as a final triumph over infertility; scientists wereon the verge of creating children outside the womband inside the laboratory. Dr. Kass feared that we hadnot given adequate consideration to the question ofhow this might affect the couples pursuing thesemethods and the children produced from them. Fortyyears later, we’re just beginning to understand theconsequences of such technologies.

Consider Natalie,* a thirty-year-old woman living inthe Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Throughouther childhood and adolescent years, she sufferedfrom depression and endured severe adjustmentdifficulties, feeling as if she never truly belonged inher family. When she was seventeen years old, shediscovered that she was conceived through aprocess known as commercial surrogacy. Natalie’sparents had contracted with another woman tobecome pregnant using her father’s sperm and thewoman’s own egg, bear her for nine months in herwomb, and then hand her over to them. Afterquestioning why her parents lied to her, Nataliebecame estranged from them, hurt that money,rather than the expression of marital love, was thecontext in which she was brought into the world.

Now consider Amy, who was eight years old whenher parents told her they would be divorcing. Herfather attempted to gain custody of her older sister,but not her. The reason? Amy was conceived via ananonymous sperm donation, and her father was notinterested in maintaining a relationship with a childwho was not biologically his offspring. Such a

scenario highlights the many complexities of donor conception, by which a child is intentionallysevered from his or her biological parents with littleconsideration of the long-term consequences ofsuch a decision.

These true stories represent the sad realities often faced both by those who choose to pursueassisted reproductive technologies and by childrenconceived through them. Unfortunately, whencouples face the heartbreaking challenge ofinfertility, they may not know where else to turn.

When couples are unable to bear children, veryoften there is an understandable feeling of greatloss. It is essential to note that “the Church hascompassion for couples suffering from infertility andwants to be of real help to them. At the same time,some ‘reproductive technologies’ are not morallylegitimate ways to solve those problems.”1 No doubt,those who are tempted to avail themselves of suchtechnologies almost always plan to accept andcherish the child to be conceived in this manner.Nevertheless, the child is brought into existencethrough a technological process and not through aloving act of marital intercourse. The inevitable resultis that the child is initially treated as an objectcreated for the parents’ self-fulfillment instead ofwelcomed as a gift of God.

Since the advent in 1978 of IVF (in vitro fertilization),by which children are “conceived” by techniciansworking in labs, the floodgates have been openedto bringing about reproduction through egg andsperm donation and surrogate pregnancies. Yetthese technologies are fraught with medical, legal,and moral complications that are often eitherunknown or too easily dismissed.

What many people don’t realize is that, in additionto the financial burden, assisted reproductivetechnologies can also present significant health risks.

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A February 2014 analysis in the British MedicalJournal found that women who use IVF are morelikely to suffer “gestational diabetes, fetal growthrestriction, pre-eclampsia, and premature birth.”2

Children conceived through IVF are likely to havehigher blood pressure, vascular difficulties and otherhealth problems.3 Moreover, IVF and surrogacysubject women to grueling rounds of hormones,shots, and painful procedures with minimal chancesof success. According to the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention, the overall failure rate of IVFin the United States is nearly seventy percent.4

Yet the demand for “designer babies” and thecommercialization of childbearing continues toincrease. Parents who are spending tens of thousandsof dollars to conceive children now have the optionof picking the “best” sperm or egg to maximize theirinvestment. However, “children are not parents’possessions to manufacture, manipulate, or design;rather, they are fellow persons with full human dignity,and parents are called to accept, care for, and raisethem to be new members of God’s family and hisKingdom. Children deserve to be ‘begotten, notmade.’”5 In other words, children have the right to beconceived within the context of an act of maritallove, not created in a laboratory by scientists.

How then do we best respond to couples strugglingwith infertility? First, we must acknowledge their painand accompany them in their suffering. Second, weshould offer them opportunities to continue exploringthe possibility of parenthood. Many causes ofinfertility can be addressed through medicalassistance that is fully in accord with Catholicteaching. Adoption is also a viable alternative forcouples seeking to raise children, as it lovingly serveschildren who urgently need homes and families tolove and care for them. For couples who choose notto pursue these options, their active service inministries and communities where they are neededshould be better welcomed. As Pope St. John Paul IIreminded us, “It must not be forgotten...that, evenwhen procreation is not possible, conjugal life doesnot for this reason lose its value. Physical sterility in factcan be for spouses the occasion for other import antservices to the life of the human person.”6 Whileinfertility may be a profoundly painful process formany, the Church calls the couple to consider thatthis experience may ultimately lead to new ways ofexperiencing God’s love and plan for their love to belife-giving in other ways, even if they are unexpected.

The very technologies that some believed would solvethe age-old problem of inferti lity have, in fact, raisedmore questions than answers—questions about themeaning and purposes of children, and the limitsand detriments of technology when it intervenes inthe most intimate of human relationships. Children,after all, are meant to serve as an outgrowth of acouple’s love, but instead, reproductive technologiesreduce that gift to a product. To ignore the concernsraised by some reproductive technologies and tomove forward with them anyway would be to takematters into our own hands and to act against thisgreat design. So instead, “in love, hope, andprayer,...let us be open to God’s gift of life and lovein marriage, with profound respect for the dignity ofall God’s children.”7

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of thosementioned.

To learn more about the Church’s teachings on the morality ofreproductive technologies, visit “Life - Giving Love in an Age ofTechnology” at www.usccb.org/beliefs - and - teachings/what -webelieve/ love - and - sexuality/life - givi ng - love - in - an - age -oftechnology. cfm .

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1 U.S. Catholic Bishops, Life-Giving Love in an Age of Technology ,(USCCB, 2009). http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/love-and-sexuality/life-giving-love-in-an-age-of-technology.cfm.

2 Esme I Kamphuis, S Bhattacha rya, F van der Veen, professor, B W JMol, A Templeton, “Are We Overusing IVF?” British Medical Journ al(2014). http://www.bmj.com/content/348/ bmj.g252.

3 Ibid.

4 Centers for Disease Control a nd Prevention, American Society forReproductive Medicine, So ciety for Assisted Reproductive Technology,2010 Assisted Reproductive Technology Fertility Clinic Succe ss RatesReport (Atlanta: U.S. Department of He alth and Human Services, 2012).http://www.cdc.gov/art/ ART2010/PDFs/ART_2010_Clinic_Report -Full.pdf.

5 U.S. Catholic Bishops, Life - Giving Love in an Age of Technology .

6 Pope St. John Paul II, On the Role of the Christian Family in the ModernWorld: Familiaris Consortio (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana,1981), no. 14.

7 U.S. Catholic Bishops, Life - Giving Love in an Age of Technology .

*Excerpt from Familiaris Consortio ( On the Role of the Christian Family inthe Modern World ). © 1981 Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used withpermission. All rights reserved

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