Renewed by God's Call

Our Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us to Jesus, your Son.

 

The National Council of Catholic Women of the United States of America has posted the election results, and I have officially been called to serve as President-Elect for 2013 - 2015.  The new Officers and Board members will be installed at Mass during the National Convention in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Please pray that we may always do God's will in faithful service to women and the Church.  Thank you.  God bless you!

 

http://home.catholicweb.com/NCCW/index.cfm

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"Believing means entrusting oneself to a merciful love which always accepts and pardons, which sustains and directs our lives, and which shows its power by its ability to make straight the crooked lines of our history. Faith consists in the willingness to let ourselves be constantly transformed and renewed by God’s call."

 

Lumen Fidei, 13

Encyclical Letter, Pope Francis

 

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20130629_enciclica-lumen-fidei_en.html

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All Generations Will Call Me Blessed

 

 

 

…The Church gives thanks for each and every woman: for mothers, for sisters, for wives; for women consecrated to God in virginity; for women dedicated to the many human beings who await the gratuitous love of another person; for women who watch over the human persons in the family, which is the fundamental sign of the human community; for women who work professionally, and who at times are burdened by a great social responsibility; for "perfect" women and for "weak" women - for all women as they have come forth from the heart of God in all the beauty and richness of their femininity; as they have been embraced by his eternal love; as, together with men, they are pilgrims on this earth, which is the temporal "homeland" of all people and is transformed sometimes into a "valley of tears"; as they assume, together with men, a common responsibility for the destiny of humanity according to daily necessities and according to that definitive destiny which the human family has in God himself, in the bosom of the ineffable Trinity.

The Church gives thanks for all the manifestations of the feminine "genius" which have appeared in the course of history, in the midst of all peoples and nations; she gives thanks for all the charisms which the Holy Spirit distributes to women in the history of the People of God, for all the victories which she owes to their faith, hope and charity: she gives thanks for all the fruits of feminine holiness.

The Church asks at the same time that these invaluable "manifestations of the Spirit" (cf. 1 Cor 12:4ff.), which with great generosity are poured forth upon the "daughters" of the eternal Jerusalem, may be attentively recognized and appreciated so that they may return for the common good of the Church and of humanity, especially in our times. Meditating on the biblical mystery of the "woman", the Church prays that in this mystery all women may discover themselves and their "supreme vocation"….

Mulieris Dignitatem, 31

Pope John Paul II

August 15, 1988

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Today as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we also mark the 25^th anniversary of Blessed Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter, Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women).

 http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_15081988_mulieris-dignitatem_en.html

This feast reminds us of our reason to hope, both here on earth as well as for a future in heaven.  Mary attained a union with God which was beyond human imagination or expectation.  She gathers each of us in her motherly embrace so that we may experience the love flowing from the heart of Jesus.  Love is our God-given vocation.  Our dignity comes from the Lord and Giver of Life.  We can do no less than to generously share with others that which we have received in abundance.

 

Let us join our Blessed Mother Mary in proclaiming:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is His Name….”

 

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Our Mom: In Heaven and In Our Hearts

Our dear Mom, Iona M. Coval, died peacefully on July 12, 2013, following a brief illness.  She was born on February 2, 1926, in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, to the late Lewis J. and Mary A. (Miko) Maylath.  While we mourn the loss of our dear Mom (Iona), we know that she is now in heaven and always in our hearts.



Iona's First Communion Day
May 13, 1933



Our Mom and Dad celebrated their 60^th wedding anniversary on June 27, 2013.  Deo gratias!

Mom retired after 36 years of service as Secretary of Saint Margaret Mary School, Harrisburg, where generations of students and parents experienced her thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and spirit of generosity.  We enjoyed listening to Mom’s “school stories,” being with her at church or shopping when parents and students came up to greet Mrs. Coval with a smile or hug, and seeing her delight at the countless homemade gifts she received and treasured and for which she sent countless handwritten thank you notes. 

 

Mom (Iona) was an active member of Saint Margaret Mary Parish, especially involved with organizing Project Easter Basket, the Christmas Craft Bazaar, and helping with the Parish Festivals.  She served in a variety of leadership roles with the Parish Council of Catholic Women and led fundraising efforts to build water tanks to benefit African villages.



Rev. William O'Donnell, OMI, Pastor; Iona, CCW President; Susan Grove, Vice-President; Isabelle Ellsperman, Secretary; Linda Melenchek, Treasurer; A. June Ward, Past-President
 



Anne Shepos, Mom (Iona), Karen, newly elected President of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO) on June 7, 2010

 

She was a devoted wife and mother.  She was a wonderful homemaker and enjoyed preparing traditional Slovak food with her daughters.  Her hobbies included gardening, crocheting, knitting, crossword and jigsaw puzzles.  Mom (Iona) enjoyed playing the piano, especially duets with her sisters or daughters.  The closing hymn of her funeral Mass, Star of the Sea, was traditionally played by Iona’s sister, Mamie, who was organist for more than 50 years at Holy Trinity Slovak Roman Catholic Church, where the family lived in Hazleton.   The music and lyrics (below) give us hope and peace.



Mary Ann, Terry, Dad (John), Mom (Iona), Karen

Your support and prayers are greatly appreciated.  Words cannot express our gratitude for your countless expressions of sympathy and kindness: the Holy Sacrifices of the Mass being offered for Mom (Iona), the perpetual enrollments in spiritual works of religious congregations, memorial donations in honor of Mom, beautiful flowers, delicious food, phone calls, e-mails, precious shared memories of Mom and so much more. 

You are signs of God’s love and our Blessed Mother’s care for each of us.  May God richly bless you as you have blessed us!



Mary, Star of the Sea, Stella Maris
Iona's (Mom's) Funeral Mass and Burial were held on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16, 2013

 

Star of the East, oh Bethlehem star,

 Guiding us on to heaven afar

 Sorrow and grief are lull’d by thy light

 Thou hope of each mortal, in death’s lonely night

 

Fearless and tranquil, we look up to Thee

 Knowing thou beam’st through eternity

 Help us to follow where Thou still dost guide

 Pilgrims of earth so wide

 

Star of the East, thou hope of the soul

 While round us here the dark billows roll

 Lead us from sin to glory afar

 Thou star of the East, thou sweet Bethl’em’s star.

 

Star of the East, undimmed by each cloud,

 What tho’ the storms of grief gather loud

 Faithful and pure thy rays beam to save

 Still bright o’er the cradle, and bright o’er the grave

 

Smiles of a Saviour are mirror’d in thee

 Glimpses of Heav’n in thy light we see

 Guide us still onward to that blessed shore

 After earth’s toil is o’er

 

Star of the East, thou hope of the soul

 While round us here the dark billows roll

 Lead us from sin to glory afar

 Thou star of the East, thou sweet Bethl’em’s star.

 

Oh star that leads to God above

 Whose rays are Peace and Joy and Love

 Watch o’er us still till life hath ceased

 Beam on, bright star, sweet Bethlehem star.

 

The words were written by George Cooper in 1890. The music was arranged by composer Amanda Kennedy in 1883, for a song called "Star of the Sea".  http://www.songonlyrics.com/star-of-the-east-lyrics

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