Women who serve: �This is what we do�

By Anne DiBernardo - Florida Catholic

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DEERFIELD BEACH | Over 100 members of the Miami Archdiocesan Conference of Catholic Women nearly brought the house down while honoring two of their own for going above and beyond the call of duty.

“That’s what it’s all about,” said MACCW member Donna Murphy, amid loud cheering and applause as the teary-eyed recipients, Mary Kennedy and Nancy Nesselt, displayed their most humble gratitude.

The awards luncheon April 29 was one of the many events packed into the MACCW’s 59th annual convention, held April 28-30 in Deerfield Beach.

“I was surprised and shocked,” said Kennedy, who was chosen as Member of the Year for her work outside her parish women’s council. A parishioner at St. Sebastian in Fort Lauderdale and a Catholic convert since 1952, Kennedy is known among her peers for her love of scripture and Bible study.

“Catholic women should be women of the Word. We hear more scripture at every Mass than almost any church, we just don’t do enough private reading,” Kennedy said. “The Church has such richness and depth. She covers every aspect of belief in Jesus, not just a part.”

The Lady of Good Counsel award, named for the MACCW’s patroness, recognizes a member’s work within the council. Nominees are chosen by their peers, one from each of the MACCW’s three districts � South, Central and North, explained MACCW President Sharon Utterback. The districts encompass the area from Key West to northern Broward County, and each is comprised of several parish affiliates.

“I was shocked and elated,” said Nesselt, Our Lady of Good Counsel recipient. A parishioner at St. Bernadette in Hollywood, she has been involved with the MACCW since 1964, when she accepted an invitation to a spring luncheon and by happenstance was asked to chair the meeting.

Her devotion to service was cultivated early in life by following the lead of her mother, who always served the Church. “It didn’t feel like service, this is what we do,” Nesselt said.

In her parish, she assists with fundraisers such as Respect Life’s Baby Bottle campaign, and chaired her council’s Church Commission for 12 years. Today, she coordinates the travels of the MACCW’s Pilgrim Virgin and serves on the archdiocesan board as parliamentarian.

“It is humbling to be selected from among all these women,” said Nesselt, a native New Yorker who moved to South Florida from Long Island in 1957 and married her husband, Bill, in 1959. They have six children and 15 grandchildren.

“What drives me about this organization is that people don’t just follow the Word but are led to action, love of God, and love of neighbor. So many humble, wonderful women doing what God asks us to do,” said Sheila Hopkins, president of the National Council of Catholic Women, who travelled from her home in Tallahassee to attend the convention.

“Because of technology and social media, people are becoming inward and tend to be more social than service-oriented. We all have families and although many women are retired, some have fulltime jobs,” Hopkins added.

 

‘Church ladies’?

The MACCW dismantles the perception of the stereotypical “church lady” who runs bake sales. The council calls women to work in God’s vineyard by responding to the needs in their community and capitalizing on their unique gifts and talents.

The MACCW strives to be an umbrella organization for all Catholic women’s groups in the archdiocese, stimulating them to greater efficiency and usefulness in meeting the needs of the times.

The archdiocesan council is affiliated with the Florida Council of Catholic Women, which is currently led by a past MCCW president, Diane Tugander; and with the national council, which was founded by the U.S. bishops and is represented at the United Nations.

The MACCW’s activities and programs are administered through six commissions, which are replicated in the parish councils: Church, Family, Community, Legislation, International, and Organization.

The Church commission organizes days of reflection, liturgies, works of evangelization and ecumenism as well as devotions such as the Pilgrim Virgin.

Community responds to neighborhood needs through programs for the environment and outreach to the poor, including an annual baby shower for mothers-to-be in the Haitian community.

The Family commission assists families by, among other things, hosting programs for seniors, working on AIDS awareness and substance abuse issues, and partnering with Respect Life to host Chastity Days for middle school teens.

Legislation promotes voter education, organizes the annual lobbying trip to Catholic Days at the Capitol, and promotes awareness of human trafficking and sexual assault issues.

The International commission aims to awaken solidarity with people around the globe. It embraces issues such as world peace and engages in programs such as Help-a-Child and Change for Change. The women also give generously each year to the Burse Fund for archdiocesan seminarians.

Finally, Organization assists the council by providing leadership training, fostering membership, distributing publications, and maintaining the website.

Bahamas sisters

Members from the three districts as well as “sisters” from the Catholic Women’s Auxiliary of the Bahamas participated in this year’s convention, which began with a prayer service led by Utterback and Father Bryan Garcia, parochial vicar at St. Andrew Church in Coral Springs.

The convention concluded with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski at Our Lady of Mercy in Deerfield Beach, followed by a Scholarship Awards Banquet.

In between, the women learned about social media from author and business woman Heidi Richards. They also experienced a Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage and danced the night away at a “Class of 2017 Celebrates Prom Night.”

During the group’s annual Memorial Mass, spiritual director Father Michael Greer reflected on the Lord’s message to “be not afraid.” He told the women that, like the early disciples, they are called to reach out and encourage others to join them. He also pointed to St. Catherine of Siena, whose feast was that day, as an inspirational example of someone who served the Lord in the social and civic arenas.

“This is family,” said Barbara Asfendis, a past MACCW president who now serves as convention coordinator. “One of the many benefits of membership is a true sisterhood that is evidenced by the bonds that are formed with women of all ages.”

FIND OUT MORE

To learn more about joining the Miami Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, visit www.maccw.org.