CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS

COURT ST. RITA #957 EVERETT, WASHINGTON

2023-24 FALL &

WINTER
NEWSLETTER

CHRISTMAS MEETING BRINGS CHEER AND BLESSINGS

The Christmas meeting and party put a
smile on all our faces with our ‘Ugly
Christmas Sweaters’ on and stuffing bags of
warm hats, gloves, fleece scarves and
hygiene items will put a smile on the
homeless at Mercy Watch in Everett.

TABLE OF CONTESTS

2023-24 Activity Calendar…………….2

Three New Members! Advent Words……………………..…... 3
Bernie Houghton, Regent, installs three new Circle of Love…………………..…….…4
members at the October 2023 meeting. Tia CDA Washington State News……….. 5
Peychaff, Kathy Webber, and Gigi Butlay Time to Celebrate……………………….6
are all happy to join St. Rita Court. Mission Statement & Contacts……….7

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 CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS
COURT ST. RITA #957 EVERETT, WASHINGTON

2023-2024 COURT ST. RITA ACTIVITY CALENDAR

ACTIVITY 2023-2024 DATES TIMES FACILITY
CDA meeting September 23, 2023 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM1School Library

CDA meeting October 21, 2023 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM School Library

CDA Sunday October 29, 2023 10 AM Mass SMM Church/Hall

CDA Memorial November 5, 2023 10 AM (11:10 Rosary SMM Church

Mass said after Mass)

CDA meeting November 18, 2023 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM School Library

CDA meeting December 16, 2023 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM School Library

CDA Bake Sale December 16-17, After all Masses SMM Church
2023

CDA meeting January 20, 2024 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM School Library

Day of Reflection January 27, 2024 7 AM to 1 PM SMM Parish Hall

(January 26 set up) (set up time 5-7 PM)

CDA meeting February 17, 2024 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM School Library

Lenten Soup Nite March 1, 2024 5:30-7:00 PM SMM Parish Hall

CDA meeting March 16, 2024 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM School Library

CDA meeting April 13, 2024 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM School Library

CDA Hanging April 6-21, 2024 After Sun. Masses SMM Church
Baskets (pick up in May) (pick up time 2-5 PM) (pick up behind SMM)

Bake Tea Cookies April 18, 2024 5 to 8 PM SMM Kitchen

CDA Spring Tea April 20, 2024 7 AM to 2 PM SMM Parish Hall

(April 19 set up) (set up 4-9 PM)

CDA meeting May 18, 2024 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM School Library

CDA meeting June 15, 2024 10 AM (9:30 Rosary) SMM School Library

Rummage Sale Aug.9,10,11, 2024 9 AM to 3 PM SMM School Gym

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St. Mary Magdalen church 8517 - 7th Ave. S.E., Everett

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 CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS
COURT ST. RITA #957 EVERETT, WASHINGTON

With Christmas Over, A Time of And Mary became the Mother of God.
Opportunity Begins… Jesus, the Son of God, slowly took shape in
Homily written by Reverend William Mobley her body and, through her labor, emerged
(1929 to 1986) Past Vicar at St. John parish into our human world where she patiently
in Mukilteo. nurtured Him to maturity. Mary’s privilege
was unique, but there are ways we can be
Christmas is over and for many of us the Mothers of God. We can let the Spirit ripen
dreaded January let down is here. Whether within us. When the time is right, we can
we like it or not, we now enter a low energy bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. We too can
time of the year when winter sets in for sure faithfully foster the unique gift each of us is
and spring seems far away. Without the for the world
hubbub to distract us,, we are left with
ourselves and a time of quiet begins. This Our world could certainly use some good
quiet can be threatening at first. We are mothering. That is what each of us can do.
more used to managing stress than bearing A mother is one who brings forth new life
inactivity. We would rather do twenty things out of her inner depths. We can all be new
at once rather than sit still for twenty mothers of hearts and minds. Through
minutes. Left with the stillness within patient attention to our inner depths, we can
ourselves, we may feel some anxiety. conceive a new creation.

But there is a way of looking at this quiet So it's nice to have this quiet time of the
time of opportunity and blessing, a loving year when we have the time to say, “Let it
invitation to investigate our Spirits. We know be done to me”.
that anything from the Hand of God is good,
and that includes the fallow time of the year.
If we open ourselves in trust to the special
qualities of this time, we can enter a new
and fruitful season of the heart, a season
that breathes the heart of Mary.

Mary is a model of the trust we need. When

the angel announced, “The Lord is with
you”, Mary was deeply disturbed. What
ADORATION
could this awesome greeting mean? How
Advent Quiet, Advent Silence
could it's promise come to pass? But she
The four weeks of Advent and the coming
did not hesitate. She gave herself fully to days of Lent are good times to seek the
this stunning and mysterious request and quiet time in Adoration as we see
this a perfect instrument of God’s will. Like members of St. Rita Court in the
water in a container, Mary took the exact Adoration chapel at St. Mary Magdalen.
shape and contour of the situation willed to Contact Sheryl Blumer to sign up for 1
hour of adoration.
her by God.

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 CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS
COURT ST. RITA #957 EVERETT, WASHINGTON

2023-24 CIRCLE OF LOVE

SPIRITUAL ENHANCEMENT
CDA SUNDAY MASS PROCESSION
Angie Oldershaw, our treasurer, led the procession down the aisle of St.
Mary Magdalen church at 10 AM Mass. Then came Sophie Fisher, our
financial secretary, and Michiko Pesek, our secretary. Last, but not least,
Bernie Houghton, our worthy regent, and Betsy
Selders, our Vice-Regent.
CDA SUNDAY RECEPTION
Good food, excellent desserts and good conversation about what we do at
St. Rita Court brought in one new prospective member, Fausta Oamhen,
and one renewal, Lorrie Cole.

CDA MEMORIAL MASS

Rica Halbero who joined St. Rita Court in January of 2023 and left us for
her eternal reward with God. A September 15th Funeral Mass at 3:00 p.m.
was at St. Mary Magdalen church. There was a reception in the Parish Hall
following the funeral and on Saturday, September 16th, there was a
Memorial Service at 12:30 p.m. at Evergreen Funeral Home.

Serving St. Mary Magdalene Parish

● Nov. 19: Serving doughnuts after the 8, 10 & 12 Masses at SMM.
● Distributing Matthew Kelly books after Christmas Masses.

FAMILY QUALITY OF LIFE

Meal Train Maria Dallana, our
St. Rita Court Unbound Donation
donated dinners, For 4 years we have
housework or donated every month to
shopping to expectant Maria Dallana in Guatemala
mothers and their in support for her and her
families in times of need. family.

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 CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS
COURT ST. RITA #957 EVERETT, WASHINGTON

CDA Washington State Court News

Dates to Remember
● Mark your calendars for the Statewide Day of Reflection on Jan. 27,
2025. All women and men are invited with no charge to join Our Most Reverend
Bishop Eusebio Elizondo of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit for his reflection
on "The Year of the Eucharist" beginning with Mass at 7:30 AM followed by a
continental breakfast and a 11:30 salad lunch in the parish hall. The Retreat
concludes at 1:00.
● March 1, 2024 Enter your court’s 7 spokes Circle of Love reports in
Legislation, Leadership, Quality for Life, Family, Youth, Spiritual
Enhancement and Education to the state chairs.
● Elections of Local Court Officers - Spring 2024
● July 11-13, 2025 CDA State Retreat & New Officer Training in Tri-Cities
● July 17-21, 2024 Natl. Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana
● Aug. 14-18, 2024 National Convention - New Orleans, LA
● April 25-26, 2025 Washington State Convention - Vancouver, WA
● 2026 National Convention - Coralville, OH Summer

There is still time to enter the 2024 Catholic

Daughters of the Americas
National Education Contest for
Grades 4 through 12 and CDA Members
The Local Court Deadline is Feb. 1, 2024
Choice of themes for the contest:
1). God's love and kindness will shine on us like the sun that rises in the
sky. (Luke 1:78) or (2) How does my love shine for other
Upon reading what each one of us at St. Rita Court are doing, individually and
together, I realized we definitely show how our love shines for others. CDA
members can enter this contest in artwork, photography or poetry and show how
our love shines for others. Click on the following link at
https://catholicdaughters.org/2024-contest for the rules and entry form to
enter this contest and submit your entry to Bernie Houghton or Mary Krajewski,
the co-education chairs, by February 1st.

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 CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS
COURT ST. RITA #957 EVERETT, WASHINGTON

TIME TO CELEBRATE

St. Rita Court Western Style!

Seven St. Rita Court sisters attended the 2 Hearts
Pregnancy Aid “Out West” Dinner and Silent Auction
on December 2nd. St. Rita Court helped to make the
2 Hearts dinner and silent auction a success and
have fun in helping mothers and their
babies.

Many in the court donated to fill a basket for their silent auction with restaurant gift
cards and “Out West” goodies totaling $500.

St. Pius X Court’s Champagne

Lunch and Silent Auction!
Thirteen St. Rita Court sisters attended the St. Pius X
Court Christmas Sharing Champagne Luncheon and
Silent Auction on December 2. Oh what fun we all had!

Magdalene Beyene January 1 Helen Scrupps February 14

Sheri Thompson January 3 Aileen Langhans February 19
Dora Alcorta January 7 Sophie Fisher February 26
Mary Krajewski January 11 Irmina Reinstra turns 100 on March 4
Angie Oldershaw January 22 Deb Forsman March 7
Sue Rivord February 2 Anne Helmcke March 19
Diane Holdren February 2 Annabelle Dembach March 23
Sheryl Blumer February 2 Lorraine Hinton March 26
Kathy Heintz March 27

Bernie Houghton, Regent St. Rita Court Mary Krajewski, Newsletter Editor
Email: houghton1@frontier.com, Email: marylk427@gmail.com

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 CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS
COURT ST. RITA #957 EVERETT, WASHINGTON

Catholic Daughters of the Americas

Mission and Purpose

Mission: Catholic Daughters of the Americas strive to embrace the principle of faith working
through love in the promotion of justice, equality, and the advancement of human rights and
human dignity for all.
Motto: In Unity and Charity
Two-Fold Purpose: Spirituality and Service The integration of spirituality and service is the
foundation of the Catholic Daughters. CDA helps women develop their spirituality and provides
avenues of service to live out that spirituality. The CDA gives members a unique opportunity to
share their faith with other Catholic women. Helping others through charitable acts in the spirit
of Jesus Christ is the heart of our organization. "Spirituality and Service": the heart and soul
foundation of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

COURT ST. RITA #957 OFFICERS WASHINGTON STATE OFFICERS

Regent: Bernie Houghton State Regent: Thereasa Trujillo
Email: houghton1@frontier.com 1st Vice Regent: Michelle King
Vice Regent: Betsy Selders 2nd Vice Regent: Open (Sharleen
Financial Secretary: Sophie Fisher Dorland Lott has resigned because of
FreeSecretary: Michiko Pesek health reasons.)
Treasurer: Angie Oldershaw Secretary: Erlinda Signo-Warren
Chaplain: Fr. Hans Olson Treasurer: Maureen Hall
St. Mary Magdalen Parish District Deputy-Everett: Lois Raske
8517 - 7th Ave. S. E., Everett, WA Chaplin: Fr. Michael Ibach, JCL
Phone: (425) 353-1211 Holy Family Parish, Yakima, WA
This quarterly newsletter is on the Washington State Website:
SMMparish.org website under Parish, www.catholicdaughters-wa.org
Parish Groups, St. Rita Court #957, News National Website:
www.catholicdaughters.org

Court St. Rita #957

P. O. Box 14217
Mill Creek, WA 98082