Diocesan women to attend NCCW in Minneapolis

By KENNY KEANE, Globe staff reporter
September 4, 2003

"Catch the Spirit with NCCW" is the theme of the 51st annual convention for the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) to be held this year from Sept. 27-30 at the Hilton Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minneapolis, Minn.

A group of approximately 35 women from the Sioux City Diocese, who are members of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW), will be traveling by bus to the convention - leaving on Friday, Sept. 26 and returning on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

According to Renee Beacom, co-president for the DCCW, this convention gives members of the council an opportunity to gather with women from across the nation to build networks.

"This is really where the council presents its program to us for the coming two years - establishing the work, which will be our focus," she said. "At the convention, we always conduct our national business. We will have the election of national officers and the election of our province directors.

"As we travel by bus, we will be discussing these various issues, and we will study the materials from the candidates. Each one presents us with a biographical statement and includes their goals and hopes for the coming two years for the council as they run for office. We will also be looking at some resolutions and bylaw changes."

The first day of the convention will begin with an opening Eucharistic liturgy at 8:30 a.m. Exhibits and poster sessions will be open throughout the convention.

Beacom said the entire group of at least 1,500 women is gathered together for most of the first day with the opening business session and keynote address. This year's featured speaker will be Jim Towey, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. He will speak to the full convention on "The Importance of Faith-Based Organizations in Healing Society's Wounds."

Sunday will feature the presentation of the Distinguished Service Award, which will go this year to internationally-known mystery writer Mary Higgins Clark. Then there will be enrichment sessions in the afternoon, and the day will conclude with a Eucharistic liturgy in the evening.

Voting is slated for Monday morning, with two workshop sessions offered during the day. Mass will be celebrated later that afternoon, and a convention banquet will finish off the day's activities.

The convention will conclude on Tuesday with a liturgy in the morning, followed by the installation of province directors and officers.

The diocesan moderator for the DCCW, Father Jim Tigges, said the national convention serves as a spiritually uplifting experience for the women, and they get to see a wider perspective of what women united can do.

Pick up points have been arranged on Sept. 26 for those who plan to catch the bus to "Catch the Spirit with NCCW." The times and locations are as follows: 7 a.m. at the Hy-Vee parking lot in Carroll; 9 a.m. at the old Wal-Mart parking lot on Highway 20 in Sioux City; 9:45 a.m. at the Lighthouse Café Truck Stop in Le Mars; 11:30 a.m. at the South Park Mall in Spencer and 12:30 p.m. at the Chrome Country Inn on Highway 18 and 169 in Algona. The bus will be at each stop for about 10 minutes. Call (515) 391-0558 to report last minute changes.

"The bus trips are really a lot of fun," Beacom said. "It gives us a chance to network with other women in the diocese to plan our programs." They will use the time to plan the 2004 diocesan convention.