Affiliate of the Steubenville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW)
and the
National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW)
Mission Statement
The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW) of the Diocese of Steubenville is a group of “called and gifted” Catholic women organized on parish, deanery, and diocesan levels, and is affiliated with the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW.)
By God’s call we endeavor to foster and encourage the spiritual development of our members and support the application of Catholic principles to all areas of social concerns.
Through the prayerful study of NCCW directives on the commissions, we attempt to instruct and motivate our members to accept their responsibility of bringing about God’s kingdom in the world for God’s honor and glory.
We recognize and address the spiritual and temporal needs of the family, the parish, the community, and the world.
Services, Ministries, and Projects
The CWC meets regularly and the meetings begin with members praying the Rosary. All Catholic women of the parishes (over the age of 18) are welcome.
Stuffed Full of Love Ladies: Gather monthly to sew, stuff, and decorate COMFORT BEARS for the seriously ill. Since 2003, more than 5,000 bears have been donated to Valley Hospice for its patients.
Bereavement Committees: Console families of deceased parishioners by preparing a meal following the funeral of their loved ones. A Mass is offered for deceased women of the parishes. The Bereavement Ministry also sends bereavement cards and anniversary of death cards to grieving families.
Visiting Shut-ins: Members visit our shut-ins regularly, but we also prepare and take gifts to them at Christmas and Easter.
Baby Bottle Campaign: The CWC sponsors a Baby Bottle Campaign for the benefit of AIM Women’s Center. Members also attend their annual fund raising banquet.
Annual Giving Tree: parishioners purchase gifts for children at Christmas. Names are received from Catholic Charities (Diocese of Steubenville.) In addition to the many gifts that are given and the number of families receiving assistance, a large cash donation is also given to Catholic Charities so they may help more families during the Christmas season.
Bread Bakers: meet for several weeks twice a year to make homemade nut, apricot, and poppyseed rolls for sale before Christmas and Easter. This is our most successful fund raising event.
Fall Festival: Every November the CWC hosts a Fall Festival consisting of a complete Cabbage Roll Dinner, Chinese Raffle, White Elephant Sale, and Cash Raffle.
Pirohl Sales: At the beginning of the year, members make Potato, Cabbage, and Prune Pirohl for sale during the Lenten season.
DCCW: The CWC participates in DCCW activities by attending the annual convention and Lenten Day of Spirituality, by adopting a seminarian in prayer, and by contributing to the Madonna Plan through Catholic Relief Services and to our sister diocese in Peru — the Archdiocese of Cusco for the residents of Centro Gerentologico — a health care facility for the abandoned elderly.
Mother of Hope Deanery CCW: The CWC participates in Mother of Hope Deanery CCW activities and projects by attending quarterly meetings and contributing to the Loaves & Fishes Benefit for the Brothers of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to Bishop’s Favorite Charity – the Immaculate Heart Fund.
Moneys from our fund raising projects are used to support our ministries for the people we serve. Additional donations are made to the Toronto Food Pantry and the Samaritan House.
For information about the CWC, please contact:
DeDe Kidder, President – dkidder@brdband.com
Stella Westlake, Secretary
Judy Sabol, Treasurer
Rev. Thomas A. Vennitti, Moderator