Call to Convention!

We are excited to invite all Catholic women of the Peoria Diocese to our Biennial Convention!  This year’s event will be held at St Matthew Church in Champaign, Illinois on Saturday, October 27^th.  Our theme comes from Peoria’s own Venerable Fulton J. Sheen and promises to be a day filled with numerous blessings, including inspiring messages from these two guest speakers:

Bonnie Engstrom is a writer, baker, speaker, and homemaker. She, her husband, and six children live in central Illinois, and her son’s alleged miraculous healing through the intercession of Venerable Fulton Sheen was submitted to the Vatican for Sheen’s beatification. Bonnie enjoys chai tea, baking, and putzing about her yard.

She is a devotion writer and contributor for Blessed Is She (blessedisshe.net), blogs at A Knotted Life and you can find her on Instagram at @BonnieEngstrom

 Joann Hillebrand is a past President of the National Council of Catholic Women.  She served as Treasurer General of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO.) She has been an active leader on all rings of Council, serving as parish president, deanery president, Joliet Diocesan President, and Chicago Province Director.  At the end of her term as NCCW President, Joann was awarded the Papal Medal, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice (for Church and Pope.) This is the highest honor given to lay people for their work in the Church.  In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, cooking for company, and traveling. Joann is a widow, mother, and grandmother.  One of her joys is spending time with family.  

Here is a schedule for the day:

9:00 – 9:30                  Sign-In; coffee, tea, donuts, Ice-Breaker, 

                                      Tickets for Prize Baskets.  
                                      Bring cash if you would like to enter drawings for some fun prizes!

9:30 – 10:00                Opening Prayer & Welcome

10:00 – 10:30              Speaker – Joann Hillebrand, Past NCCW President                

10:30 – 11:00              Business Meeting:  Installation of Officers, Bylaws   (See info below)

11:00                           Holy Mass
                                     Father Rayson, Celebrant
                                     Pastor of St Matthew Church                   

12:00                           Angelus, Grace led by Msgr. Dale Wellman, PDCCW Spiritual Advisor
                                     Lunch  (details TBA)

12:45 – 1:45                How to get involved, Commission “Round-Up” 2019 Goals

1:45                             Break

2:00                             Keynote Speaker – Bonnie Engstrom
                        Learn about the miraculous connection the Engstrom family has with Ven. Sheen

3:00                             Rosary and  Chaplet of Divine Mercy 

3:45                             Announcements and Fun Prizes

4:00                             Closing Comments & Final Blessing: Msgr. Wellman

To register, download THIS form and mail $25 to our Treasurer by October 17th.  (Extended deadline!)
(Registration at the bottom of the form.)

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BUSINESS MEETING INFO:

Proposed Bylaw Amendment

Article 1  -Board Meetings

Peoria DCCW board meetings shall be subject to the call of the president. Each member of the board has one 1 (0) vote.

Add the phrase: The board shall meet at least quarterly.

Reason: To be sure that the board does meet regularly.

Proposed Bylaw Amendment

Article VI – Duties of Officers, under Treasurer

All funds received shall be deposited in a bank approved by the board and shall be in the name of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. All the checks and withdrawals shall be signed by the treasurer OR the president. All distributions shall be made by check only. The treasurer shall present the financial records for audit so that a report can be presented at the biennial convention.

Change: Strike the word OR and insert the word AND.

Reason: This is the practice at the present time and is a requirement of the Peoria Diocese. This is an added protection for all involved and brings our bylaws up to date.

Proposed Slate of Officers to be installed for the 2018-2020 term.  Nominations will also be accepted from the floor.  (Note: the Peoria DCCW President is approved and appointed by the Bishop based on recommendations from the Board, so floor nominations cannot be accepted for this role.)

President:  Kim Padan, Danville

Vice President and Secretary:  MaryAnn Hughes, Westville

Treasurer:  Melissa Appell, Dunlap                            

Auditor:  Jane Harris, Peoria