Catholic Explorer

Bishop J. Peter Sartain presents a certificate of acknowledgement and a word of appreciation to the ladies named Women of the Year by the Joliet Diocese Council of Catholic Women.

The first miracle Jesus performed was changing water into wine at the wedding at Cana. Although Jesus told his mother, “My hour has not yet come,” he listened to her and performed a miracle.

From the time she found out from the Angel Gabriel that she was to give birth to the son of God, Mary always put herself at the disposal of God, Bishop J. Peter Sartain told the members and guests of the Joliet Diocesan Council of Catholic Women April 26. The CCW held its annual Women of the Year Mass and luncheon at the Cathedral of St. Raymond in Joliet.

“Mary saw herself in a different way than the angel saw her,” Bishop Sartain explained during his homily. “She saw herself as the daughter of Abraham. She saw herself as a slave, a handmade. She never thought it was she whom God would choose to be his son’s mother.”

She continued this role as a servant of God at the wedding by pointing the attention to her son, telling the waiters to do whatever Jesus told them to do, the bishop said. By doing this Mary made it clear that she would be there when Jesus’ hour eventually came, when he gave himself on the cross for man’s salvation.

“Jesus is enthroned on the cross and, there still, is his mother by his side,” Bishop Sartain said. “Mary was there at the beginning. She never left his side spiritually.

“These women (of the CCW) stay at his side too and are an example for all of us. These women form the backbone of the parish deanery and of the diocese,” he said.

Following the Mass women from many of the parishes in the Joliet diocese were honored through receiving an appreciation certificate, a handshake and a personal word of thanks from the bishop.

“It was such a great honor and I am really humbled by it,” said Cathy Kott of Saint Irene Parish in Warrenville. “I look at the past Women of the Year candidates and I am overwhelmed that I am a part of them now.”

Kott said she first got involved in the CCW at her parish when a friend invited her to a meeting and encouraged her to join about nine years ago. She also is a eucharistic minister and is responsible for creating the schedule for the ministers. The minister of care is a member of the prayer shawl ministry and the ladies’ auxiliary for the Knights of Columbus chapter at St. Irene, and helps in numerous other ways in the parish as well.

The theme for the women being honored seemed to be that they all were actively involved in their parishes and, similar to the Blessed Mother, answered a call when needed.

A lifelong member of Sts. Mary and Joseph parish in Chebanse, Renee Dixon said she followed her mother’s footsteps into the CCW. Her mother, JoAnn Froidcoeur, was Woman of the Year for the same parish two years ago. She told the Catholic Explorer that she was always actively involved in the parish so encouraged her daughter, Renee, to be involved as well.

Froidcoeur said she has served as president of her CCW, taught catechism and served as eucharistic minister at Sts. Mary and Joseph.

“If you are a woman of the parish, you are a member of the CCW,” she said. “Being an active part of the church adds a spiritual strength.”

Her daughter, Renee, agreed adding she knows from experience that if a mother is involved then her children will become involved and she is hoping her children will follow in her footsteps too.

“We need to give back to keep the parish going,” Dixon said. “Ours is a very family-oriented church so we are actively involved. We are raising our children in the church and I know they learn from me just like I learned from her” mother.

Dixon was named Woman of the Year from the Chebanse parish because she is secretary of the parish CCW and will serve as president next year, she is a catechism teacher and helped plan a mission in January and the church’s recent anniversary celebration.

“You need to just become involved,” Dixon said. “You get a lot out of it. You really do.”

With all her children grown, Elizabeth May of St. Alexander Parish in Villa Park said she joined the Council of Catholic Women when a friend invited her to attend a meeting. With more time on her hands, she also got busy with the prayer blanket ministry and, with her husband, serves as a godparent couple working with high school teens.

“The women of the church are the people I like,” May said. “They have become my sisters, both in and out of church.”

Joanne Porazinski is the president of JDCCW and a member of St. Scholastica Parish in Woodridge. She told the Catholic Explorer that the council has been honoring women from diocesan chapters since 1979 to honor and thank them for the work they do in the diocese and in their parishes.

The women of the CCW help the diocese in many ways, Bishop Sartain explained.

We honor you “for keeping the enthusiasm going in the diocese,” he said following the Mass, “and for all the help you provide behind the scenes and for the many, many acts of kindness and love of the Lord that you display.”