National Council of Catholic Women at 200 N. Glebe Road, Suite 703, Arlington, VA 22203 US - VOCATIONS

Austin Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Austin Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, through their Clerical Endowment spiritual bouquet cards, presented Bishop Aymond with a check for $123,069.22, in March 2002. In 2001, the Austin DCCW presented the Bishop with a check for $116,571.76. The Austin DCCW also conducts a Prayer Partner program whereby 195 priests, 110 sisters, 40 brothers, 18 seminarians, and 73 deacons, have been assigned prayer partners who pray for the clergy.

Beaumont Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Beaumont DCCW gave $15,000 in 2002 to the Bishop for the Catholic Clerical Student Fund. This amount, combined with the interest from the Fund, brought the total amount given to the Bishop for 2002 to $25,308. Since 1966, the total amount placed into the Fund is $351,280.

Galveston-Houston Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Galveston-Houston DCCW has raised $1,965,398 since 1931 for its Catholic Clerical Student Fund. These funds have been invested and the interest used for the support of the seminary. As of April 2002, $3,716,390 has been given; $250,000 was presented to the bishop at the DCCW April convention.

Grand Island Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Grand Island DCCW has participated in an Adopt-a-Priest program for more than 30 years. Each priest receives cards, prayers, and faithful support.

Great Falls-Billings Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Billings Vicariate joins with the Knights of Columbus to sponsor an annual dinner honoring the clergy and religious.

Harrisburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Harrisburg DCCW gives the bishop $2,000 annually to use at his discretion. Recently he used these funds to have vestments made for priests in the diocese to be used at the Cathedral.

Idaho Council of Catholic Women: The Idaho Council of Catholic Women sent $1500 in 2002 for the support of a seminarian from Africa.

Kansas City Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: At the Kansas City DCCW convention, members "stormed heaven" with their prayers for vocations and unveiled a wooden prayer box that is traveling from parish to parish to promote vocations.

Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Lincoln DCCW has over 1,000 women pledged to spend one hour a week in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament "praying for a Christ-like response" of their youth to vocations.

Miami Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Miami Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women asks of each and every affiliation member that they contribute one penny per day for a year (or $3.65) towards the Burse Fund. In April 2002, the Miami ACCW gave the Archbishop $6,500 for the Burse Fund. In addition, a new program was established in April of 2002 whereby individuals may take the name of a retired priest or a seminarian and commit to praying and fasting for that priest/seminarian on the first Friday of every month. Thus far, approximately 500 individuals have made this commitment.

Military Council of Catholic Women-USA: The Military Council of Catholic Women-USA chose their archdiocesan seminarian fund as their national charity and their fund-raising efforts are dedicated to this fund. In two years, they have raised over $15,000.

New Ulm Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The New Ulm DCCW’s Shepherds of the Field program was started in 1988. Today, 86 priests and 20 parish administrators and deacons have at least one individual praying for them and sending them cards of encouragement.

Oklahoma City: In the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, seminarians are adopted by different affiliates which send birthday cards, care packages, and financial support. A seminarian fund started in 1997 now totals about $14,000; parishioners donate to this fund in memory of a loved one or in honor of a birthday or anniversary.

Omaha Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women: In September 2002, the Omaha Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women gave the Archbishop a check for over $6600 for the education of seminarians from their Penny & A Prayer Fund.

Palm Beach Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Palm Beach DCCW hosts an annual seminarian luncheon in May. In May 2002, the Palm Beach DCCW contributed $7,500 to the Burse Fund for a seminarian’s education. Over the past 17 years the DCCW has contributed over $100,000 to the Burse Fund.

Patterson (NJ) Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: An affiliate, St. Mary’s Council of Catholic Women, conducts a special program of prayer for deceased clergy. Small prayer booklets, each with the name of a deceased diocesan bishop, priest, or deacon, are attached to a wooden cross in the church. Any individual who takes a booklet pledges to pray for the clergy named in the booklet on a regular basis. Thus far, 800 booklets have been distributed.

Pensacola-Tallahasee Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Pensacola-Tallahassee DCCW Burse Club was established even before the diocese was. In April 2002, the DCCW presented a check to the Bishop for $145,000 (April 2001 to April 2002); the previous year $169,299 was presented to the Bishop (from April 2000 to April 2001).

Portland-Oregon Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women: Two affiliates, the Young Ladies Institute, donated a total of $4,500.00 for a seminary Burse in 2002.

Rockford (IL) Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Rockford CCW organizes a Diocesan Prayer Calendar in which each priest in the diocese is given a particular day in which prayers are said for him. Seminarians scheduled for ordination are also placed on the prayer calendar. About 1,000 prayer calendars are distributed each year in December.

Saint-Paul/Minneapolis Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Saint Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women administers the Walk With Me program, a diocesan-wide program which is designed to foster vocations. Founded by a member of the ACCW, the Walk With Me program matches a seminarian with a diocesan group. The group supports and encourages the seminarian (by way of prayers, cards, letters, etc.) throughout his journey to ordination. In 2002, some 90 groups participated in the program, most of which were parish Councils of Catholic Women and school classes. The program has now been expanded to include religious orders and all religious studying for their final vows.

St. Petersburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: In 2002, the St. Petersburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women donated $1,500 to the Bishop’s Vocation Fund. There are 52 affiliates in the diocese, and most of them have "adopted" a seminarian for which to pray and send encouragement to during the course of his studies.

San Antonio Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women: The San Antonio ACCW contributed $2,000 in 2002 to Assumption Seminary, and have contributed a total of $15,000 to the seminary in the last 10 years. The ACCW also donated approximately $3,000 in 2002 to Padua Place, a retirement residence for retired priests, and supplied approximately 20-30 volunteers.

Seattle (WA) Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Seattle Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women presented $16,500 to the Archbishop in February 2002 to educate seminarians, and they plan to give an additional $10,000 before the end of 2002. The DCCW also gave $4,200 in 2002 to close a burse to support retired infirm priests.

Tyler (TX) Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Tyler DCCW established a Seminary Burse in 1987 and it continues to grow. In 2002, about $900 was contributed to the Burse.

Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: The Venice DCCW will give the Bishop $3,000 in 2002 for seminarians.

Victoria (TX) Diocesan Council of Catholic Women: Parishes represented by the Victoria DCCW participate in Disciples in Mission and many offer special prayers at each Mass and liturgical celebration to promote vocations.