Archbishop Beltran with the Women of Achievement following the annual Mass and banquet.  

ACCW Celebrate Achievement at Annual Banquet

 By Ray Dyer
The Sooner Catholic

YUKON — Faith must be renewed and nourished and the best way to do this is through prayer. This was a portion of the message delivered by Archbishop Beltran in his homily at a Mass celebrated for members of the Central Region of the Oklahoma Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women. Saint John Nepomuk Church served as host for the May 6 Mass and the banquet that followed. More than 250 attended.

 Women from 18 parishes and one from the Catholic Women’s Activity Club were recognized for their faith and dedication to the Catholic Church at the banquet following the Mass. Archbishop Beltran served as the keynote speaker. He said three heroes of his- Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton; Saint Katharine Drexel; and Saint Josephine Bakhita - were women of achievement, not because they desired to be, but because they discovered “God’s plan for their lives.” The archbishop said this is the greatest achievement any person can make, “to discover God’s plan for our lives.”

He spoke briefly about each of these three saints, explaining why he holds them in such esteem. All three women gave willingly of themselves and sacrificed for others and all three hailed from very different backgrounds and beginnings. Saint Katharine Drexel was born into enormous wealth and lived a charmed life among the elite of Philadelphia. In the end she gave away every penny of her massive inheritance, building schools mostly to help educate impoverished blacks and American Indians. Saint Josephine Bakhita was an African slave girl who was bought and sold as many as five times before finally gaining freedom and entering into the Catholic faith. Even though she was treated in extremely cruel fashion by many of her owners and suffered greatly she forgave those who had harmed her. And Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Archbishop Beltran said, is credited with helping to create the Catholic education system in the United States even though she was widowed at the age of 29 with five young children.  

Archbishop Beltran said it was fitting that a prayer by Pope John Paul II was published in the banquet program. He said he had meditated on this prayer and had planned to include it in his remarks at the banquet.  

Brenda Arambula, president of the Central Region’s Executive Board, outlined the many ministries supported by the National Council of Catholic Women of which the Central Region is an affiliate. Among the ministries is support for the development of clean drinking water for the majority of the world’s population that is forced to drink from unclean sources, often causing disease and death. While the Central Region provides support for these international efforts, each year it also tackles local projects the archbishop requests help with. This year the Central Region of ACCW helped fund new prayer cards in recognition of Father Stanley Rother, the Oklahoma priest slain 25 years ago in Guatemala.

The following are thumbnail sketches of the women honored at the banquet as Women of Achievement:

- Genevieve Burns- Catholic Women’s Activity Club. A member of Saint Charles Borromeo Parish, she has been involved in Catholic Women’s Activities for many years, serving on numerous committees. She is involved as a volunteer with two groups that work with cancer patients at Integris Baptist Medical Cancer Center.

- Sylvia Carnuccio- A member of Church of the Holy Spirit, Mustang, she is active in Altar Society, Parish Activity Committee and is always volunteering to help in the kitchen and making sure the sacristy is clean and prepared.

- Dorothy Ouzts- A member of Saint Joseph Old Cathedral, OKC, she taught Religious Education for many years and currently serves on the Parish Council. She is a member of Altar Society and the Charitable and Social Club and volunteers in many ways, including preparing food for funeral dinners.

- Mary Piotrowicz- a member of Corpus Christi, OKC, she helped develop and organize the first parish auction which has become an annual event. She also makes herself available for other parish activities and can be counted on to cook, serve and organize these events.

- Barbara Henke- A member of Saint James Parish, OKC, is active in parish funeral dinners doing everything from cooking and serving to washing dishes. She coordinates the Meals on Wheels program for the parish and serves as a Eucharistic Minister and makes sure a birthday card from the parish goes to every child in the parish.

- Bernadette Klimkowski- A life-long member of Saint Teresa of Avila, Harrah, she is involved in numerous parish activities and volunteers to visit the homebound. She prepares food for funeral dinners and has chaired the parish Thanksgiving Dinner for several years.

- Trish Kuper- A member of Saint Monica Parish, Edmond, she currently serves on the Liturgy Committee, is co-director of the Saint Cecelia Youth Choir, music director of Vacation Bible School and has assisted with the Music Camp at Saint Monica’s since 1998.

- Roxann Lackner- A member of Epiphany of the Lord Church, OKC, she has served as Director of Religious Education for more than 10 years. She is a facilitator for KEEP ( Kids Eagerly Endorsing Purity) and coordinates many activities at the parish including the Halloween Family Fun Night. She is a volunteer for Heartline Crisis and Suicide Hotline.

- Regina Landguth- A member of Saint Patrick Parish, OKC,  for more than 50 years, she regularly cooks for funeral dinners and parish functions. She has made countless baptismal gowns, stoles and altar cloths and was asked to sew the altar scarf for the Archdiocesan Jubilee Mass.

- Lyn Marshala- A member of Saint Philip Neri Parish, Midwest City, she is involved with the Parish youth group, and serves as a Lector and a Special Minister of Holy Communion. She also regularly bakes cookies for several parish activities.

- Patricia (Tish) Kierl Milligan- A member of Saint Francis Parish, OKC, Tish has served as volunteer basketball, t-ball, softball and volleyball coach since the early 1980s and continues to coach at Rosary School. She is a volunteer tutor, substitute teacher, homeroom parent and regularly helps with parish and school fundraising activities.

- Bernice Martin- A member of Saint Charles Borromeo Parish, OKC,  she and her husband helped a Vietnamese refugee family get established years ago and continue to have a relationship with this family. In the 1990s she developed a Women’s Scripture Study for the women of Saint Charles. She also volunteers at the Dorothy Day Center and serves on the Women’s Prayer Dinner planning committee.

- Cathy Carr- A member of Saint Eugene Parish, OKC, she is a Eucharistic Minister and a Eucharistic Minister for the homebound. She co-chairs the Newcomer committee and assists with the semi-annual Welcoming reception for new parishioners. She also works as a volunteer in the parish office.

- Catherine Farris- A member of Saint John Nepomuk Parish, Yukon, she enjoys visiting the homebound and providing the women with shampoos and fixes their hair. She is a member of the Altar Society and puts many hours in as a volunteer at the annual Birth Choice garage sale.

- Anna Marie Perdue- A member of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Chandler, she has taught CCD classes for the past 13 years and in 2005 was named the Religious Education Coordinator. She has served on the parish council and was leader of her RENEW group.

- Teresa Sullivan- A member of Saint Joseph, Union City, she has served as youth group director and Altar Society officer and has participated in several bible study groups. She currently teaches preschool, sings in the choir and maintains the charitable giving records for the parish.

- Stephanie Visina- A member of Saint John the Baptist, Edmond, she is co-founder of the Catholic-based Ministry of Mothers Sharing in Oklahoma, and is a member of the Merry Marrieds, the Saint Gerard Circle and the Marriage and Family Life Board. She is also involved in the annual Saint John’s Auction and Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton School.

- Toni Wiist- A member of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, OKC,  she has been involved over the years with many facets of the parish and Bishop John Carroll School. From helping in the lunchroom to serving with Mobile Meals and in the preparation of funeral dinners. She is a strong supporter of the Altar Society and Saint John’s Circle.

- Florence Gosselin- A member of Our Lady of Fatima, Nicoma Park, she is a volunteer at the VA Hospital two times a month and sends clothing the three Massachusetts nursing homes twice a year to elderly people who have no family to help them. She cooks for the victims of Katrina who are living in Oklahoma City and provides transportation for foreign exchange students attending Mount Saint Mary High School.