DCCW members share God's grace at convention
SALT LAKE CITY — More than 300 women gathered April 27-28 for the annual convention of the Diocese of Salt Lake City Council of Catholic Women, which was held at the Sheraton Salt Lake City Hotel.
The DCCW draws its members from 28 affiliated parishes within the diocese. At the convention, 57 women were attending for the first time.
The theme of this year’s convention was “Through the Grace of God.” This theme “was inspired by the many gifts and blessings that we enjoy every day,” said Casey Pond, DCCW president.
In his message to those at the convention, Bishop Oscar A. Solis said in part, “Your 2019 theme acknowledges it is only through the grace of God that we can be those missionaries of the good news. I thank you for your partnership in our mission of evangelization cognizant that everything can only be accomplished through the power of God’s grace.”
The convention’s keynote speaker was Marge Steinhage Fenelon, an award-winning author and journalist.
In her two-part presentation, Fenelon spoke about the spirituality of womanhood and how to spot the divine in daily life.
Spirituality “is the way we live our faith,” Fenelon said, and the example of the Blessed Mother is a solid basis for spirituality.
Mary is a model for all Christians, men and women alike, Fenelon said. “She was chosen by God from among all women – not just the women of her time, not just the women who came before her, but from all the women ever to exist, all women who exist now, who have existed since Mary was born, who will ever exist, Mary was chosen from among all of those. God chose her.”
In her first presentation, Fenelon discussed various episodes from Mary’s life and how women can apply lessons from those stories to their own lives. For example, during her visit with her cousin Elizabeth, Mary speaks her praise to God. Like the Blessed Mother, “we need to remain confident, like Mary was, in God’s power and wisdom,” Fenelon said. “We need to remember that we have a special mission and we ... were created for a reason, like Mary. And we need to speak our own Magnificat, we need to look to God and look at all the amazing things he’s done in our life, for us and through us and with us and in us.”
Another lesson can be drawn from the foot of the Cross, where Mary watched her son die an agonizing death.
“Mary had to witness this without being able to do a single thing to save her child,” Fenelon said, but apparently the Blessed Mother didn’t attempt to interfere with God’s plan for her son. This shows that Mary was a woman of profound faith, and therefore a model who teaches that “there are times when there is nothing we can do,” Fenelon said.
Among the suggestions that Fenelon gave were two very short prayers. One, by Mother Teresa of Kolkata, is “Mary, mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.” The other, by Fenelon herself, is “Mary, they have no wine,” which is a supplication for others who are facing difficulty.
Summing up her presentation, Fenelon said, “If we love Mary, after a while we’ll start to resemble her. If we truly, deeply love her, that love will change us.”
During the first day of the convention, those attending also heard presentations about the work being done by three local nonprofit organizations, Catholic Community Services of Utah, Give Me A Chance, and The Road Home.
In addition, the women attended Mass at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided. Concelebrants were Msgr. Colin F. Bircumshaw, vicar general; Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general emeritus; Father Martin Diaz, rector of the cathedral; and Fr. Reynato Rodillas, the DCCW spiritual advisor. Deacon John Kranz was the deacon of the Mass.
As he welcomed those at the Mass, Bishop Solis recognized the women from the convention and asked for prayers to empower their ministries “as they continue to serve with the grace of God.”
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