DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE SEPTEMBER VOICE FOR YOURSELVES!

Dear Ladies, 

     PLEASE HELP FOR THIS EMERGENCY:   M.J. Bogacz, president of St. Leo's CCW in Bonita springs states that about 500 people have been flooded out of their homes in Bonita and are seeking shelter and help. They need volunteers, funds and clothing, especially for little children.  Also baby "stuff".      Please call M.J. at 239-821-7134 for more information .   If you think you can volunteer, please call Judy at 239-498-5071

       As members of the Council of Catholic Women, we are, also, a family. We not only share these traits with each other, but we work to share these traits with others all over the world through the many projects and ministries we do.

       Recently at the Lake Yale Leadership Conference, your Central Deanery representatives (l to r. Barbara Gray, President, Dolores Garvis, Organization Chair and Barbara Chamberlain, Legislative Chair) were on-hand to attend the many workshops designed for Officers and Board Members.  Breakout sessions included Computers, Working with Digital Cameras, Prayer Services, Meditations, Scrapbooking, Marketing Tips and Powerpoint Demonstrations.  There were group activities such as "Composing a Symphony" orchestrating all the functions of the Guild Board into a single event, "Mentoring" and "Making History."  Also, a wonderful guest speaker, Adele Azar-Rucquoi, introduced her new book, "Money as Sacrament."

Highlights of future events include:

September 25-28, 2008: NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN General Assembly, Salt Lake City Utah, Sheraton City Centre Hotel. "WE ARE WOMEN OF FAITH, WOMEN OF ACTION"  $350 registration at the door!  Hotel, $129 for single, double to quads. (801-401-2000, please make room reservations directly with hotel).  For more information, please contact President Bobbi Hunt @ www.nccw.org.  Reservation forms dowload shall be posted May 2008 and available in CATHOLIC WOMAN, May 2008.


October 12 & 13, 2008: FLORIDA STATEWIDE RESPECT LIFE CONFERENCE.  Please reserve the date.  More information to follow.  For questions, please contact Jeanne Berdeaux, Venice Diocese Respect Life Director @ BERDEAUX@DioceseofVenice.org  


October 23-26, 2008: FLORIDA CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC WOMEN:  Three-Day Conference, Sarasota, Florida Hyatt Regency Hotel.  For more information, please contact Marianne Torgler, 863-675-4629 or contact Dolores Garvis, 941-575-4274.   Judy Powers, FCCW President/Province Director, the Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, as hosts, and Bishop Frank J. Dewane, cordially invite you to attend the 18^th Biennial Conference to be held in Sarasota, Florida, October 23-36, 2008.    Our FCCW President/Province Director, Judy, has planned the program and workshops to inspire, enlighten and motivate you.   Registration and Conference Letter.  Registration begins at 2:00pm on Thursday, October 23^rd. The members of the Host Diocese have planned a special welcome reception to be held that evening. Our Luncheon Speaker, Ellen Bachman, Immediate Past President of the National Council of Catholic Women will set the tone and be with us throughout the conference. Other members of the NCCW Board that will be joining us include Patty Johnson, NCCW Region 3 Vice President, Debby Van Mele, NCCW Treasurer, Janie Southerland, NCCW International Concerns Committee and Mary Poker, NCCW Nominating Committee. The Province of Miami is blessed with wonderful leadership in and from Florida.   The Liturgies and Prayer Services will be meaningful and uplifting. Our Bishops of Florida will celebrate the Liturgy on Saturday at 4:00 pm at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church. Following the Mass will be the Bishops’ Banquet at the Hyatt Sarasota. 

VDCCW Retreat at OLPH Retreat Center, January 10, 2009 in Venice.

VDCCW THREE-DAY CONVENTION, "The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit,"May 4-6, 2009:  Ft. Myers at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.    Rooms are available for $89 Standard, King or Double.  Also, available are suites that sleep 6 for $109 at the Hilton Homewood Suites with complimentary breafast served (across the street from the Conference Center).  For reservations at the the Crowne Plaza, please call,  (239) 482-2900 and for reservations at the Hilton Homewood Suites, please call (239) 275-6000. 

NCCW Convention,  September 24-27, 2009 in Jacksonville, FL.

Download a copy of the SEPTEMBER 2008 VOICE here!  (Printer  prints on six pages and then turn them over and the printer shall print the next six.  Fold and you'll have your booklet in color!)

Bishop Frank J. Dewane concelebrated Mass today with many priests from the area at St. Charles Borromeo in Port Charlotte.  A Prayer Walk was held immediately after Mass by those who were able to walk while others quietly prayed for all life to be respected.  Calling an end to the abominations destroying life, Bishop Dewane impressed that the Prayer Walk did not end today but began a life-long commitment by each one of us to protect the lives of those around us who are unable to speak for their own right to life; most especially the unborn, the encarcerated and the frail elderly. 

Rosaries donated from the Rosary makers of three local churches, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Charles Borromeo and Sacred Heart were given to everyone to participate with beads.  The Charlotte County Knights of Columbus, both the local and national Council of Catholic Women, Knights of Columbus Auxillary Women,  guests and Venice Diocesan parishoners attended and  volunteered for email registration links.  Plastic models of  fully formed humans (approximately 12 weeks in gestation) were donated  and handed out as visual aids for prayer.  Newborn and premie caps, knitted by the Guild of Our Lady Knitters and Crocheters from Sacred Heart in Punta Gorda, were given to expectant parents and grandparents to control heat loss during the critical first few days of birth.

Adoration followed the Prayer Walk and a lovely reception was held for networking and social gathering.  On behalf of the Charlotte County Coalition for Life, thank you to all the workers and participants gathered to celebrate the gift of life.

The 18-minute DVD that is a major resource in a vocational recruitment project launched last year by the United States Conference of Catholic ...