By Joan Zombek
The St. Elizabeth Seton Women’s Society was established in 1977, a year after the parish was created. Its presence and purpose have remined the same over the years, which is to assist the Pastor in meeting the needs of the parish through several types of service. Among these are assisting at funeral receptions, sponsoring parish social events, and fundraising activities which include the summer ice-cream social, the holiday bazaar, musical performances, inspirational speakers, and the spring tea. Funds previously raised by the Society have contributed to the installation of automatic sliding doors for the church, handicap rails in restrooms, and the outside digital sign. Most recently, the Society acted as hostesses for Father Williams’ 30th Anniversary of Ordination celebration. A strong sisterly affection continues to guide the members as they support each other and the parish as a Christ-centered community.
On January 15, 2026, Society members installed their officers (who were reelected to serve a second term) at a Mass celebrated by Father Bill. These officers are Mary Fogelson and Marion Woiwode as co-presidents, Carlene Cole as vice president, Margaret Berg as secretary, and Sherry Schwend as treasurer. In addition, Donna Delisi and Julie Kramer will serve as advisors.
In his homily, based on the reading from the first Book of Samuel, Father Bill commented on the Israelites’ failure in their battle against the Philistines. Although they brought God with them in the Ark of the Covenant, they didn’t seek His assistance. This resulted in a tremendous loss of life and the Ark being captured by the Philistines. This serves as a reminder to us of the need to include God in all our plans and to pray for His guidance when contemplating complex matters before making critical decisions in all aspects of our lives; this includes the work of our organizations. Following the homily, Father then administered the oath of office to each officer.
A reception followed after the Mass with members enjoying a light breakfast and each other’s company. President Mary Fogelson expressed her gratitude to the members for their confidence and support of the team’s leadership. She pointed out that the members’ use of their God-given talents, skill, and abilities contribute to the society’s success in choosing, setting, and meeting goals.
Our members want to again extend a cordial invitation to all the women of our parish to join us on Thursdays, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the parish hall, as your schedules permit. As we celebrate our parish jubilee, and plan for the future, let us remember the words of St. Elizabeth Seton: “Our least action done for God is precious to Him.”
