April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
CDA Council still active at 90
* While CDA as a whole was founded in 1903 by the Knights of Columbus, Court St. Catherine No. 128 was established in 1910 and is celebrating its 90th anniversary on June 25.
* CDA is organized in 44 U.S. states and several other countries, but Court St. Catherine makes its home in the Schenectady area.
* CDA members participate in charitable activities as groups and individually to aid what they call the "circle of love": leadership, spiritual enhancement, quality of life, youth, education, legislation and charitable projects.
Charity toward all
What the facts don't say is that when a group of Court St. Catherine members get together, their enthusiasm for CDA is overwhelming."Our motto is `unity and charity,'" group regent Jean Hanrahan told The Evangelist in a recent interview.
"And we have been charitable!" chimed in Helen Isabella, the group's oldest active member after 30 years with CDA.
Mrs. Hanrahan read from a list of organizations Court St. Catherine has helped in recent history: "enhancement of spiritual life vocations...Alzheimer's Safe Return program...battered spouses...teen pregnancy...teen suicide...."
"We collected books for the Sisters of St. Joseph, who are celebrating their 350th anniversary," added Jane Ryan from across the room. "We had bags and bags and boxes and boxes."
Spirited
"Enthusiasm" seems to be a required personality trait for the Catholic Daughters. After Court St. Catherine was founded 90 years ago, its membership jumped from 42 to more than 400 in a couple of decades.Though the list of members has now declined to about 50, women who have been on the rolls for five or six decades still send their membership dues from local nursing homes. Five new members joined the group last year, which puts it in better standing than many similar lay organizations.
And though the members are largely senior citizens, their accomplishments are legion. Each year, Court St. Catherine holds a silver tea to raise donations for Schenectady's Discalced Carmelite sisters' Monastery of St. Teresa of Jesus.
"Hopefully, we have a connection to heaven," Mrs. Isabella joked.
Projects
Members also assembled in recent months to address Christmas cards for the Northeast Parent and Child Society, participated in St. Clare's Hospital Foundation's phone-a-thon and sponsored a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Kateri Tekakwitha in Fonda.They have helped to create homes for Habitat for Humanity, pounded the pavement for Crop Walk and contributed annually to a fund to help men preparing for the priesthood.
Each member The Evangelist met described the enthusiasm of those who inspired them to join CDA. "After I retired, I didn't know what I was going to do," noted Mrs. Hanrahan, a member for 18 years. "People who are now deceased encouraged me" to consider CDA.
Mrs. Ryan, who joined in 1993, noted that "they're very persistent in recruiting members! They're so friendly and outgoing and have a great deal of concern for each other."
Social aspect
The group agreed that Court St. Catherine is as much a social group as it is a charitable one. The volunteer work CDA does "is rewarding, because you're doing God's work," said Mary Battaglia, but Mrs. Hanrahan added that "it's so easy, because everyone is easy to get along with."Court St. Catherine holds monthly meetings, opening with songs like "America the Beautiful" and including prayers to the Blessed Mother on their agenda. Over the years, the agenda items have changed a bit; while the group once sent donations to orphanages, they're now more likely to support Birthright, helping young mothers in need.
If a member passes away, the Court attends the funeral as a group, praying that their peer "may rejoice forever in the company of the saints." Members also attend CDA conventions on the state and national level, and Court St. Catherine sponsors guest speakers ranging from an expert on the paintings of Monet to local newscaster Jack Aernecke.
Pressing on
The court's 90th anniversary is a cause for even more celebration than usual."It means we've been able to continue the work of our forefathers, so to speak, and we can continue to do the good work that they did," Mrs. Hanrahan stated.
"These are ladies that have kept an organization going, and they want everyone to know about it!" said Mrs. Ryan.
The rest of the group agreed. "I just love it. I love all the things we do," Mrs. Isabella said proudly.
Said Mrs. Battaglia: "That's what we stand for -- love, unity and charity."
(For information about the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, call Jean Hanrahan at 374-8955.)
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