National Council of Catholic Women Convention
Six women from the Norwich Diocesan Council of Catholic Women attended the 98th Annual Convention of the National Council of Catholic Women. They joined with more than 500 women and 42 priests from throughout the United States in Pittsburgh, PA from August 29-September 1, 2018. The theme for this year’s convention was NCCW Reflecting God’s Joy: Missionary Disciples – Mission Possible!
The Keynote speaker was the Most Reverend Frank Caggiano, Bishop of Bridgeport. Bishop Caggiano gave a powerful talk on Disciples Called to be Joyful Signs of Contradiction in the World. Other Speakers included Holly Joy McIlwain who spoke on A Mission of Joy; Gina Loehr who titled her presentation Blessed is She Who Believed: Embracing the Impossible Mission; and Bob Rice who spoke and sang engagingly on Owed to Joy: Sharing the Gifts of Love. We also heard wonderful presentations by NCCW Spirituality Commissioner, Mary Rowley; a very informative and somewhat frightening presentation on Human Trafficking by NCCW Leadership Commissioner, Bev McCarvel. The Leadership Training & Development Team gave a presentation about their training seminars and workshops.
Daily liturgies were celebrated by The Most Reverend David Zubik, Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh; The Most Reverend Gregory Parkes, USCCB liaison to the NCCW and Bishop of St. Petersburg, The Most Reverend Frank Caggiano, Bishop of Bridgeport; and The Most Reverend Edward Malesic, Bishop of the Diocese of Greensburg. His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, President of the USCCB and Archbishop of Galveston-Houston celebrated the closing Mass.
Rose Martinet was installed as National Treasurer, new Province Directors were installed, Nina Romero-Caron, from the Norwich Diocesan Council of Catholic Women was installed as Province Director for the Province of Hartford. Nympha White from Peoria, Illinois received the 2018 Our Lady of Good Counsel Award.
Founded at the direction of the US Catholic bishops in 1920, NCCW’s mission is to act through its members to support, empower and educate all Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service. Its programs respond with Gospel values to the needs of the Church and society in the modern world. Contact Judy Pappagallo, President of the Norwich Diocesan Council of Catholic Women at judypappa@hotmail.com or 860-889-1617 for more information.