Convention prepares women for battle

Father Stembler, from left, accepts a check from Diana Gomez and Barbara McGuill.

Martha Orem for South Texas Catholic
 

Women across the Diocese of Corpus Christi are picking up their weapons and preparing for battle. The Corpus Christi Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (CCDCCW) held their 2018 Biennial Convention on Nov. 10 at the  Newman Center at Texas A&M-Kingsville. The theme for the gathering was “CCDCCW: Missionary Disciples, Mission Possible.”

This year the keynote address entitled, “Theotokos: The Bearer of CHRIST,” was given by Ofelia De Los Santos. She encouraged attendees that Mary is the most important intercessor and guide, as women and mothers. She herself encountered this in a real way for the first time when her own son was in college, denying the faith, turning to drugs for escape and becoming so disillusioned and depressed that he was contemplating suicide.

De los Santos, at that time a criminal defense attorney who had dedicated her practice to clients no one else wanted to represent, knew that she was about to lose her son. She came to Mary in prayer and begged that her son be saved. She said, “If you help me with my son, I promise I will help you with your sons wherever they are.” The Blessed Mother granted her prayer and soon she felt called to prison ministry, to further help incarcerated men and women beyond just legal representation. She brought with her an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and experienced powerful conversions from those she visited. She was inspired to learn more about Our Lady and her powerful role as intercessor.

De los Santos emphatically taught that catechesis for adults is of the utmost importance because Satan is attacking the family. The most important weapon in this battle, the weapon recommended by the Blessed Mother in multiple apparitions, is the Holy Rosary. She said there is a special enmity between Satan and Mary, one that goes all the way back to Genesis. Mary leads souls to her Son, and Satan’s one goal is to lead them away from him. Many of the great saints, including St. Dominic, St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximillian Kolbe and others have written that demons hate Mary more than any other saint – even more than God himself. She is in the unique position of being a creature of God, but also of having fulfilled God’s will perfectly. Someday Satan will face his ultimate humiliation in having to bow to her, De Los Santos explained.

“It is easy to think of the Blessed Mother in her humility, meekly accepting God’s will, but don’t be deceived,” De Los Santos said. “She is a powerful ally against Satan. Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant because of her role in bearing Christ.” The Ark of the Covenant, described in the Old Testament, was an object of utmost holiness, but also of the utmost deadliness to those who disobeyed God. Those who approached it outside of the will of God were killed instantly. De Los Santos reiterated the role of Mary as the deadly defeater of Satan by pointing out Revelation chapter 12, which describes Mary being attacked by Satan who appeared as a dragon with seven heads. She asked the women to imagine being in labor and fighting such a dragon.

She finished with an example of the importance of Mary’s intercession in the life of Blessed Bartolo Longo. Longo was raised in a pious Catholic family but turned from his faith during his college years through the influence of a professor, a jaded fallen-away priest. He soon fell into the occult, becoming a Satanist and finally a Satanist priest. In a deep depression, he turned to a childhood friend for help who convinced him to turn back to God. He was encouraged to pray the rosary but had doubts about the evil life he had lived and if he could be redeemed. He recalled the promise made to Saint Dominic, “he who propagates my Rosary will be saved,” and he dedicated his life to the prayer and promotion of the Rosary. “This is a powerful example of the grace that comes from praying the Rosary,” De Los Santos said.

The convention also included a Mass celebrated by Father James Stembler, spiritual advisor to the CCDCCW and Vicar General for the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Inspired by their mission and the life of Pope Saint Leo the Great, saint of the day, he encouraged the women present to embrace the cross fully. Only in this way can God use them to fulfill His will. With these words fresh in their mind, the new officers were installed to their posts: Diana Zavala as president; Erma Gonzales as vice president; Molly Guevara as secretary; and Rose Hickey as treasurer. 

One of the council’s main projects is the Annual Burse Club Drive. The CCDCCW also gets involved with major concerns, such as “Respect Life,” “Human Dignity,” the homeless, domestic violence, human trafficking and other concerns of human life. 

Later that day the CCDCCW presented a check for $11,000 to Father Stembler. The proceeds go directly to the bishop to be used for educating our seminarians and assisting with their needs. CCDCCW established the burse in 1949, and it has continued to support 13 seminarians this year.

This year’s convention was dedicated to Delpha Moran Barrera, a long-time National Council of Catholic Women Member and one-time president of the DCCW. Her impressive resume of charitable works does little to capture the warm and dedicated woman who was so enthusiastically honored by her sisters.

After this year’s Convention, the women of the Diocese of Corpus Christi are armed and ready for battle.

For more information on the CCDCCW call council president Diana Zavala at (361) 455-6024.