Sioux City Catholic Daughters to celebrate 90th anniversary

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
April 27, 2006

The Catholic Daughters of the Americas court in Sioux City is marking its 90th anniversary.

Cleo Harder, district deputy of CDA, said Court Ave Maria #269 of Sioux City will celebrate its milestone anniversary with Mass on May 9 at 5:30 p.m. at Cathedral of the Epiphany. Bishop R. Walker Nickless will preside and Father Paul-Louis Arts, chaplain of the CDA court and rector of cathedral, will concelebrate. The Knights of Columbus will provide an honor guard for the celebration.

After Mass, the celebration will continue with a dinner and presentation in the parish hall, located in the lower level of the cathedral.

"The State Regent Rose Harper is coming to be with us that evening and she will be our main speaker," noted Harder.

Allison Bruemer, a local vocalist, is slated to offer the entertainment for the evening, featuring music from about 1916 when the court was established.

At the celebration, people will be able to view a display of various historical items that may offer a glimpse of the court through the years. Frances Kluemper, a parishioner at Blessed Sacrament, is putting the display together. One of the unique items that will be featured is a voting box that contains white and black balls. Early in the history of the court, women voted as to whether or not they wanted others to join. If someone did not want another to become a part of the court, they could unanimously put a black marble (black ball) into the box. The women are uncertain if it took just one black ball or up to three to disqualify someone from becoming a member.

"We will also have a 48-star American flag that was used at court meetings up until Jan. 3, 1959 when Alaska became a state," she noted.

Rosemary Davis, past regent and district deputy of the CDA and a parishioner at Cathedral, said she would love to see people attend this celebration in order for them to gain a greater awareness about the mission and activities of the CDA.

"I will be reading the history of the court as part of the program after dinner," she noted.

Davis pointed out that some of the accomplishments through the years have been donations the local Catholic schools and a bench at Trinity Heights. While, there is some raising of funds for charitable gifting, the women stressed that the main focus of the court centers on spiritual works and charitable projects. In some cases they have their own projects such as a group of CDA members that get together to make missionary rosaries, but often these women tie into parish projects and spiritual offerings such as participating in adoration for priestly vocations.

Kluemper mentioned that in looking up the history, they learned that the court's first priest chaplain received a Christmas gift of 50 cents.

During the anniversary celebration, the educational students and scholarship winner will be recognized.

The women stressed that this will be a celebration of the past, present and future of the court.

Harder said that in celebrating 90 years, it was a tribute to all of the women who were part of the organization through the years. Presently, this court is led by Regent Carol Kelzer of St. Boniface.

The longest member of the court, Dolores Cheever, has been part of the court for 69 years. They are hoping that the senior member can be in attendance at the celebration.

The court, which received its charter on March 5, 1916, presently has about 286 members consisting of women from all of the Sioux City parishes.

They would love to have 200 people attend the dinner, which is open to members of CDA, their spouses and any interested people.

Tickets for the catered dinner are $8. For tickets, contact Harder at (712) 258-5911.

The women mentioned that the Sioux City CDA court meets the second Tuesday of every month at Cathedral. Anyone interested in attending a meeting to learn more about CDA activities is welcome to attend.