PALM BEACH GARDENS | The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women gathered to celebrate 40 years of faithful service within their parishes and diocese at their 39th annual convention May 23-24 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Palm Beach Gardens. “Those who lead the many will shine like the stars forever” was the theme for this year’s convention.
The celebration of the Eucharist in honor of Our Lady of Good Counsel and installation of new officers was officiated by Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito with other priests, deacons and seminarians assisting. Over the years, the bishop has been a staunch supporter and champion of the DCCW.
The new officers, continuing their council sisters’ legacy of shining “like the stars forever,” are Teresa Cecil, president; Jevene Caracello, vice president; Barbara Rhoads, recording secretary; and Lu Ann Leonard, treasurer.
Dorothy Harper, the outgoing DCCW president and convention emcee, welcomed everyone and gave a short history presentation on the DCCW’s 40 years in the diocese. “The first meeting of the newly formed Palm Beach Diocesan Council of Catholic Women was called to order on April 14, 1985, at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius,” she said. “Georgia Ulseth was elected as the first president of the PBDCCW and presided over the first convention held in the northern deanery on April 28-29, 1986.”
The CCW parish affiliations are consecrated to the Blessed Mother under the title of their patroness, Our Lady of Good Counsel, petitioning her for wisdom and guidance. The new pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, also has a devotion to Our Lady of Good Counsel.
In his homily, Bishop Barbarito said, “It is quite providential that you would inaugurate new officers at the same time that the church inaugurates new leadership in the Holy Father.” He said, “It is quite fitting to reflect upon that the papacy of Pope Francis concluded with the Blessed Mother and the papacy of Pope Leo begins with the Blessed Mother.”
Right after Pope Leo was elected pope “he went to the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, which is right outside Rome in the town of Genazzano,” the bishop said. “He went before the icon, the icon that’s there, and he prayed to her,” and told the faithful “how important devotion to Mary is for us as believers in Jesus Christ, how important she is in his life, and how important she is for all of us.”
Bishop Barbarito explained even though the world may change, “the church continues always with the same message: God is the center. God is the one who created us …”
The highlight of the convention banquet was a screening of the 40th anniversary video showing the history of the DCCW with memorable photos. Another highlight was the presentation of the Father Clem Hammerschmitt high school scholarship awards to three young women for their outstanding achievements and dedication in their parishes.
The 2025 scholarship winners are Mary-Anslee McWhorter of St. Anastasia Parish in Fort Pierce (northern deanery), who will attend John Carroll High School; Abigail Madison Partridge, St. Clare Parish (central deanery), who will attend Cardinal Newman High School, West Palm Beach; and Victoria Sophia Herrera, St. Joan of Arc Parish (southern deanery), who will attend Saint John Paul II Academy, Boca Raton.
Another high point of the convention was when Janice Downs presented Bishop Barbarito with a mock check for $1,599,360.00 representing the council members’ service hours during 2024-25.
There were two keynote speakers at the convention. Catherine Grinn gave a talk May 23 on the traveling international image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She shared her journey to Jesus through Mary and encouraged the council women to venerate the blessed image that was on display at the convention.
Fabiola Sanchez-DeArmas, Miami archdiocesan CCW president, spoke May 24 on how to attract members from all cultures to join the DCCW. “We need to tie our differences and know that diversity is our strength,” she said.
For more information on the PBDCCW, email PBDCCW@gmail.com and/or visit the website: pbdccw.org.
