To Jesus Through Mary
Mission Statement
Sodality Union Events
Sodality Union Manual with Bylaws!
To access the current version of the Bylaws, go to the "Home" page.
Thank you and God bless the Bylaws Committee for all the work over the span of a few years and for sharing their gifts and talents to revise the RCADW Sodality Union Manual with Bylaws.
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Sharing our Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-11)
Now in regard to spiritual gifts, . . .. [t]here are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. Now the body is not a single part, but many.
2024 -2026 Term!
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EVENTS AND Meetings
June 7 (Spiritual Life Committee) [Details to follow]
Holy Comforter/St. Cyprian
1357 E. Capitol Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
September 6 (Orientation)
[Seeking host parish]
October 4 (Commitment Day Mass & Rosary)
10 a.m. Mass followed by Rosary
Basilica of the National Shrine
Lower Crypt Church
400 Michigan Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20017
November 1 (Apostolic Life Committee)
[Host parish pending]
December 6 (Spiritual Life Committee)
[Seeking host parish]
February 7, 2026 (Junior Sodality Committee)
[Seeking host parish]
March 7, 2026 (Apostolic Life Committee and return all Scholarship Raffle donations)
[Seeking host parish]
March 2026
Sodality Union Annual Lenten Retreat
[Details forthcoming]
April 11 (Spiritual Life Committee)
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
[Details forthcoming]
May2 (Apostolic Life Committee)
[Seeking host parish]
June 6 (Biennial luncheon)
[Seeking host parish]
Any notice about General Meetings via Zoom will be provided.
Sodality Union Events
President's Letter
May 2025
Dear Prefects and Moderators,
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice. Philippians 4:4
It is with great joy that I send this message to you all. First, let us thank God for a glorious Easter Season. However, we unfortunately suffered the loss of our beloved Pope Francis on Easter Monday, yet as believers, we know that he is with the Lord whom he served faithfully, watching over us as we in turn continue to pray for the repose of his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed. It is our prayer that God will forgive their sins and grant them eternal rest in him. Amen.
Secondly, I would like to thank the Priests, Prefect, and Sodality of St. Luke’s Catholic church for hosting the Sodality union in April. May the Lord richly bless you all.
As we enter the month of May, I salute all Mothers, Godmothers, Grandmother, Stepmothers, Area-mothers and all potential mothers. I wish us all a very Happy Mother’s Day in advance. May is generally the month of our mother Mary, the 13th is the feast day of our Lady of Fatima, and Sodality Union shall kickstart the month with the beautiful Marian procession being organized by out host Parish right before our May business meeting. A heartfelt thanks to all the organizers and Sodalists of Queen of Peace Parish. Let us all be punctual to participate in this beautiful event, liturgy and business meeting.
The Sodality Union May Business Meeting will be at, Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 3800 Ely Place, SE Washington, DC, 20019. May 3, 2025. 8:30am Rosary, 9:00 am Mariam Procession and Mass, 10:15 Business Meeting. During our meeting, we will have two guest speakers address the house. Ms. Cheryl Holley about the mission of the Gabriel Network and Ms. Negest Rucker about Genealogy and the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland. Both speakers come with a wealth of information that will be useful in our communities.
Finally, my fellow Sodalists, I want to wish you all a happy month of May. I pray that our deliberations during our Sodality Union meeting will be in line with the will of God for progress and many great strides for our future as an organization.
The Lord is Risen Alleluia: Indeed, he is Risen, Alleluia!
Peace and Blessings,
Helen Awatefe
President, RCADW Sodality Union
[See Events and meetings for upcoming General meetings]
Annual Calendar of Events
September Orientation
All Sodalists invited and encouraged to attend Orientation.
2024-2026 Officers welcome all Sodalists!
October Commitment mass
Mass location determined annually.
November general meeting and mass
Remembrance Mass for Sodalists who have been called Home.
February General Meeting
Junior Sodality and Children of the Archdiocese spiritual event.
March General Meeting
Annual Lenten Retreat traditionally held at the Washington Retreat House over the Retreat House's history.
April-May General Meetings
Annual Cardinal Hickey Scholarship event held in May.
June General Meeting
Bi-annual Luncheon held to induct officers for incoming term.
December General meEting and Mass
In thanksgivings for all current Sodalists of the Archdiocese.
TV Masses for the Homebound
Sodality Union contributes toward and attends the monthly filming of Masses for the homebound.
Other Sodality Union Events
Annual Marian Consecration and local area Marian pilgrimages.
2022 COMMITMENT DAY, NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Pictured from left to right: Lourdes (Lou) Barrett, Treasurer, Margaret Butler, Secretary, Marti Galvin, President, Fr. Andrew Wakefield, Moderator, Wilton Cardinal Gregory, Archbishop, RCADW, Danita Coleman, Apostolic Life Committee Chair, Helen Awatefe, Vice President, Yvette Greene, Spiritual Life Committee Chair, Janet Johnson, Apostolic Life Committee, Vice Chair, Lisa Williams, Program Coordinator, Venita Hawkins, Parliamentarian
2021 Sodality Commitment mass
Pope Pius XII beautifully summarized that “the Rosary is the compendium of the entire Gospel” where it draws mysteries from the New Testament and is centered on the great events of the Incarnation and Redemption.
Past Terms in Review
october 6, 2018
Thank you to all Sodalists and guests who celebrated with us the memorable 100th Anniversary of Sodality Union Archdiocese of Washington!
St. John Paul II National Shrine, Washington, DC
100th Anniversary of Sodality Union Archdiocese of Washington!
St. John Paul II National Shrine, Washington, DC
2016-2018 TERM IN REVIEW!
100th Anniversary of Sodality Union Archdiocese of Washington!
St. John Paul II National Shrine, Washington, DC
2016-2018 TERM IN REVIEW!
2016-2018 TERM IN REVIEW!
2016-2018 TERM IN REVIEW!
Thank you to all who joined Father and the pilgrims who lovingly shared their photographs and blessings and experienced the July 2018 PILGRIMAGE TO POLAND AND EASTERN EUROPE!
Pilgrimage - July 2018
2016-2018 TERM IN REVIEW!
Pilgrimage - July 2018
Warsaw * Krakow * Budapest *
Vienna * Prague*
Mass Was Celebrated Daily
WITH SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR REVERAND PAWEL SASS
Prayer intentions were also sent Fr. Sass . Sodalists prayer intentions traveled with the pilgrims to the many altars in Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna and Prague.
The pilgrims who journeyed together were blessed in countless ways and shared their special adventures at a gathering welcoming all Sodalists.
2016-2018 TERM IN REVIEW!
Pilgrimage - July 2018
Sodality Union's TRAVELING MADONNA
May our Blessed Mother keep us in her most pure heart, and accompany in a special way the parish Sodality that invites her to their home each month. (Thank you and God bless Doris Patterson and John Nicklow for their generous gifts.)
The Most Reverend Bishop Campbell was presented with parish Sodalities' book of good works in celebration of "families" on October 6, 2018 By Fr. Sass, Margaret Johnson (President) and Shelia Parker (Immediate Past President).
Walking Tour of the Museum of the Bible The Bible - A Family Pilgrimage was a special time of Spiritual Learning for all who joined us on Saturday, December 16, 2017.
100th Anniversary
Mass was celebrated at Saint John Paul II National Shrine
Mass was celebrated at Saint John Paul II National Shrine
Mass was celebrated at Saint John Paul II National Shrine
Our Moderator, Rev. Pawel Sass and President Margaret Johnson thank the Most Reverend Bishop Roy E. Campbell, Jr., principal celebrant and homilist, for his gracious words recognizing Sodality Union's 100 years of faith and service, saying that "through humility and faith" Sodalists have served the Archdiocese's parishes with prayers, go
Our Moderator, Rev. Pawel Sass and President Margaret Johnson thank the Most Reverend Bishop Roy E. Campbell, Jr., principal celebrant and homilist, for his gracious words recognizing Sodality Union's 100 years of faith and service, saying that "through humility and faith" Sodalists have served the Archdiocese's parishes with prayers, good deeds and faith." "Your faith has brought you to where you are," following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary!
Mass was celebrated at Saint John Paul II National Shrine
Mass was celebrated at Saint John Paul II National Shrine
Thank you to our Past Presidents, to our event's keynote speaker Patricia McGuire,
President of Trinity University, DC, and parish Sodality Moderators in attendance.
The 100th Anniversary Committee thanked all for the best wishes to Sodality Union beautifully presented in the 100th Anniversary Commemorative Book, which attendees at Anniversary luncheon received.
Mass was celebrated at Saint John Paul II National Shrine
The 100th Anniversary Committee also thanked all who supported Sodality Union with the Prayer Book Tote Bag event.
And the very special Sodality pin that Past Presidents were honored to receive at the Anniversary luncheon were made available starting at the November general meeting.
2015-2020
Children's rosary prayer group display (2016-2018)
The Apostolic Committee invites Sodalists to become a Rosary Group Leader for the Children's Rosary Prayer Group in your parish. Who will teach children about Our Lady and her requests to pray the Rosary? Our Lady of Fatima appeared to children
ages 6, 7 and 9! Sodality facilitator's will receive teaching materials that include Children's Rosary: Mysteries of the Rosary CD, Rosary of Children booklet, and other helpful materials. Ask us how you can become a Rosary Group Leader.
God Bless the many Sodalists who have already committed to bringing this very
special devotion to the future of our Church!
Cardinal's Scholarship Display (2016-2018)
Thank you to all who participate in Sodality Union's Annual Cardinal Hickey Scholarship Event!
Background:
The annual James Cardinal Hickey Scholarship Fund Raffle is a major Sodality Union event. The proceeds from this event provide funding for scholarships administered by the Archdiocese of Washington through the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) Tuition Assistance Fund.
The CEF Tuition Assistance Fund was established in 2009 to help give as many children as possible a quality Catholic School education.
The Tuition Assistance Fund helps make up the difference between the cost of tuition and what an individual family can afford to pay. With increased tuition assistance, more families will be able to stay in our Catholic schools and more families will consider Catholic Schools for their children. In 2011, 3,828 children benefitted from the Tuition Assistance Fund (Tuition Assistance Fund Brochure) and in the 2015-16 school year, the Archdiocese of Washington awarded general amount in tuition assistance.
Annual Spiritual Bouquet
December event
Each parish Sodality is invited each year to offer prayers for the Holy Father. A Spiritual Bouquet is consequently sent to the Holy Father from the Sodality Union of the Archdiocese of Washington.
FEBRUARY 11, 2016 - - THANK YOU TO ALL WHO JOINED US ON OUR MARIAN TOUR at the FRANCISCAN MONASTERY. We encourage parish Sodalities to plan a Marian tour with your parish!
Catholic Beginnings
EWTN visited Holy Angels parish in Avenue, Maryland and filmed a 8-part documentary with Rev. Charles P. Connor entitled CATHOLIC BEGINNINGS: MARYLAND. Historic St. Clement's Island and our Mother of Light Shrine in Colton's Point, MD and other historical sites were filmed! The documentary aired July 2016 and DVD is available! Ask at any General Meeting about the DVD gifted to Sodality Union by Sodalists from this historic area.
EWTN featured a biography this year about Mother Mary Lange called Providence Will Provide. The biography of Mother Mary Lange (ca. 1794-1882), who founded the Oblate Sisters of the Providence, a religious community of black women (the first order of Black Catholic nuns in the world), in Baltimore in 1829, portrays her faith and perseverance. (Past Sodality Union pilgrimage)
Year of Mercy
Year of Mercy
Year of Mercy
Year of Mercy
Year of Mercy
Remembering the
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016
Archdiocese of Washington prayer
for the Year of Mercy
Almighty God and Father, You have created all things and know the desire of every heart. In this Year of Mercy, we reflect on your great love for us, and acknowledge our sinfulness and need for your h
Remembering the
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016
Archdiocese of Washington prayer
for the Year of Mercy
Almighty God and Father, You have created all things and know the desire of every heart. In this Year of Mercy, we reflect on your great love for us, and acknowledge our sinfulness and need for your healing mercy. Trusting that you never tire of forgiving us, we open our hearts to receive your forgiveness and love. Having encountered you, Mercy itself, and guided by the Holy Spirit, may we witness to the love we have received by sharing it with those most in need: the hungry, the homeless, the afflicted, and the oppressed. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.