EL DORADO — When members of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas hold its statewide convention later this month in Little Rock, they will welcome the newest court to join the organization whose membership has quickly swelled to almost 50 eager members.
Our Lady of the Holy Redeemer Court 2574 in El Dorado is now the fifth state court in the Diocese of Little Rock. The Catholic women’s organization, which began in 1903, gives parish women the opportunity to live the CDA motto of “unity and charity” through work in the Church as well as the community it serves.
Father Gregory A. Pilcher, OSB, pastor of Holy Redeemer and chaplain of the Holy Redeemer Court, said the idea for a new CDA court, or local chapter, in El Dorado stemmed from his desire to have a similar sister organization to the Knights of Columbus.
“I also wanted to differentiate the Catholic Daughters of the Americas from the St. Agnes Altar Guild,” he said. “The purpose of the St. Agnes Guild really deals with the altar and the needs of the liturgy. Because the St. Agnes Guild was the only women’s organization in our parish, it had to assume other duties that were really outside their mandate. I am grateful for the response by the ladies of the parish.”
Anita Lockwood, regent for new court, agreed.
“I was hooked immediately,” she said. “This is exactly what our parish ladies needed, to be able to organize and meet not only socially but to begin a spiritual journey of outreach. What is special about this is the organization provides something for everyone so that all ladies can feel connected to each other in some small way.”
Lockwood said she is particularly excited to be meeting other Catholic women from across the state at the coming convention. She said she now enjoys the feeling of connectedness “to something greater,” a feeling once missing from her life in spite of her extensive involvement in the parish.
State regent Priscilla Howard, a 30-year member of CDA who was present at the installation ceremony at Holy Redeemer, has worked her way up to the highest position in the state “from the ground level up.”
She said there are about 300 members in the organization statewide and about 50 members will attend the April convention.
“It has been very rewarding and the duties of the state regent’s office came along at just the right time,” she said.
First vice regent Mary L. Dillon will become the state regent at the two-day convention, according to Howard.
As district deputy for the El Dorado court, Gail Bryant of Pine Bluff assisted Holy Redeemer in its formation and served in an advisory role to its members. Bryant has been active in the Our Lady of Victory, Court 564 from St. Joseph Parish in Pine Bluff for many years now.
She said she is continually amazed at the limited knowledge many local Catholics have about the organization.
“So many people in Arkansas know so little about the organization that it really surprises me, as it is one of the largest Catholic women’s organizations in the world,” she said.
Today, there are 95,000 dues-paying members in more than 1,400 courts in 45 states across the country, and in Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. Any Catholic woman 18 years or older may join the organization.
Its purpose is to “participate in the religious, charitable and educational apostolates of the Church,” according to the mission statement posted on the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Web site, and “to embrace the principal of faith through love in the promotion of justice, equality and the advancement of human rights and human dignity for all.”
The Catholic Daughters of the Americas was founded in Utica, N.Y., by John E. Carberry and several other Knights of Columbus as a charitable, benevolent and patriotic sorority for Catholic ladies.
An institution ceremony for Holy Redeemer was held last fall by the sponsor court from Pine Bluff. At the ceremony, new CDA members pledged to be the “hands and feet” of Jesus during an Act of Consecration. The act is designed to encourage members to use their talents, become educated in new fields and to volunteer their services and financial assistance where needed.
Court Victory’s ceremonial chairwoman, Genevieve Bednar, installed the new officers in El Dorado. Other officers include Carol Olmstead, vice regent; Denise Pesek, recording secretary; Gerry Tomlinson, financial secretary; and Margaret Huhner, treasurer. Also present at the ceremony was Mary Ann Kizer, the state’s second vice regent from Pine Bluff, and 81-year-old Kathryn Turchi, a member of CDA for more than 50 years.
Turchi said she has been to 15 national CDA conventions and every state convention since joining CDA in the late 1940s. “They say we’re the best kept secret there is,” she joked.
Turchi, whose husband is a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus, said one reason she has been with the CDA for so long is that it provides a chance for service work that touches those issues closest to her heart.
Each court has an adopted seminarian they recognize with cards and gifts for the seminarian’s ordination, Christmas, birthday and other special days, she said. All meetings close with a prayer for vocations.
The CDA state convention is held every other year, while CDA’s national convention is held on alternating years. The first state court for Arkansas was organized May 24, 1924.
All of Arkansas’ five courts will be represented at the state convention April 21-22 and the theme will be “Fostering Peace through Mary.” National director Vickie Braussard from Louisiana will install newly elected officers and serve as banquet speaker.
Joining the El Dorado and Pine Bluff courts will be Court Queen of Peace of North Little Rock, Court Immaculate Conception of North Little Rock, and Court Our Little Flower of Little Rock.
Turchi sums up the “circle of love” that binds members of each CDA court to perform various acts of charity in this way: “It’s many hands doing many works. It’s an expression of the love we have for the work we do.”
