DCCW to hold biennial convention in April

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
March 18, 2004

WEST BEND - The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will hold its 36th Biennial Convention on April 14 and 15 at the Park View Inn and Conference Center in West Bend.

The theme of the convention is "Catch the Spirit with DCCW." This theme was modeled after the theme of the national convention.

Registration will begin at 9 a.m. on April 14 in the conference center.

"All the women of the diocese are welcome to attend the conference," said Renee Beacom, co-president of the DCCW along with Zelma Sholly. "The convention is the place where we present information and programs that we received at the national convention in Minneapolis last September."

They will conduct a business meeting to vote on resolutions, which are the basis of their programs for the coming term of office, and on by-law changes. This is an important meeting for all delegates who have voting rights. Officers for the next term of two years will be elected during the convention.

There will be a workshop, Successful Mourning, presented by Lorri Larson on April 15. Deacon Tom Morgan will join the group to share his mission experience in Haiti.

"The programs are going to be very good. We are very excited about it," said Beacom. "We are able to present to our women some of the same programs that we had at nationals."

John Brehany, the director of Mission and Ethics at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, will present two programs to the women at the conference. One of his talks will be "Ethical Frontiers: Human Cloning and Stem Cell Research" and the other will be "Current Crisis in Catholic Health Care."

"Those are two key issues that our women need to be informed on in order to share the information with their families and to be able to intelligently discuss the matters with candidates for office," said Beacom.

Beacom added that they hope the women learn about the two issues so that they are prepared to discuss them and vote on them at future meetings.

The "Our Lady of Good Counsel Award" will be presented at the banquet on April 14. The award is presented to a woman of the diocese in recognition of dedicated service to the women and the church of the diocese.

Beacom noted that the convention is a time for the women "to build community, to network and to deepen their relationships with their sisters in the council. This is an opportunity for the women of the diocese to get together to learn and to grow in their faith."

There will be guided tours of the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend as part of the convention. Masses will be provided for the women to attend at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in West Bend as well. Father James Tigges, the diocesan moderator and deanery moderator, will preside over the Masses.

Cost of the convention is $65, which pays for everything for the convention including the banquet. Late registration at the door is $75. Reservations for lodging for the convention will need to be made directly to Park View Inn and Conference Center.

The registration deadline is April 1 for anyone wishing to attend the conference. Send registration and convention fee to Rose Mary Paulsen, 307 Skyline Drive, Coon Rapids, Iowa 50058. For questions about registration, contact Paulsen at (712) 999-2446.