by Sr. Vivian Petersen, OSB
Church Commission Coordinator
The aim of the New Ulm
Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Church Commission (CC) is to create an
educated and dynamic Catholic community. Catholic women, called to discipleship
and holiness, must respond with personal witness and service to the Church and
to the world. The commission works to reinforce faith and assist in meaningful
ecumenical dialogue. It offers help to enhance public and private prayer, to
promote sound liturgical practice that is sensitive to the cultural diversity
of the Church, and to provide resources for spiritual nourishment and
development of the faith community.
The Council of Catholic Women
(CCW), through the Church Commission, participates in a program designed to
give support to our priests (retired and active), deacons, seminarians, and
other pastoral leaders. The program is called Shepherds of the Field.
Each year a new/different
shepherd (i.e., priest, deacon, pastoral administrator) is assigned to the
parishes by the church coordinator. Throughout the year, parishioners are
invited and encouraged to stay in touch with their shepherds through prayers,
letters, and notes, especially on holidays and birthday celebrations, and to
thank God for their shepherds who continue to stand firm in the Lord.
The prayer calendar for the
Diocese of New Ulm provides a daily opportunity to pray for individual priests
(active and retired), seminarians, religious men and women, and all those
called by God. Praying for vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and lay
ministry in the Church should be a priority for all Catholics. CCW members are
encouraged to begin all their activities with prayer. The prayers are listed on
the New Ulm Diocese CCW Web site: www.nudccw.org.
Another way to pray is lectio divina, the prayerful
reading of sacred writing, principally sacred scripture. Lectio
is meant to be a conversation with God about one’s life. To foster that conversation,
some people employ structured exercises of reflection
on their readings or they take notes. Others find lectio
time valuable because it is not structured. The many books on lectio testify to the appeal of this "practice of
mindfulness of the presence of God in the Word" (Prayer and Community by Collumba Stewart OSB).
All Catholics are encouraged
to keep a holy hour for vocations at least once a year. Additionally, we hope
all CCW gatherings and parish activities would include a prayer for vocations.
We are all called to love and service.
The
Diocese of New Ulm annual observance of CCW Recognition Sunday is scheduled
this year for