To Jesus Through Mary
Mission Statement
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
Sodality Union Events
President's Letter
April 2023
Dear Prefects, fellow Sodalists and Moderators,
Welcome back! First and foremost on our agenda is PRAYER, requested by Our Blessed Mother when she first appeared in Fatima, Spain, in 1917. She told us of the worldly stress and difficulty that we are experiencing now -- the destruction of our environment, war, poverty, injustice. Mother Mary told us to pray, fervently, and be devoted to her Immaculate Heart, and then we shall be saved. Prayer is at the core of our work this year, prayer and outreach to those in need.
Our pilgrimage this month, on September 9, 2023, takes us back to St. Gabriel Catholic Church, 26 Grant Circle, NW, Washington, DC, 20011. Rev. Jaime Hernandez will preside over the Holy Order of the Mass, beginning at 9 A.M. Following the Mass and Rosary, led by St. Gabriel Sodality of Our Lady, all will go to the school’s hall for a light brunch and Orientation.
A number of speakers will address our membership on the duties of the various official Sodality positions. It is our hope to make this a meaningful time for you, and you in turn, may share this information with your Sodality members. Lisa Williams and I have prepared folders for attendees; please make these papers your own! I welcome your feedback and have included in the folder an evaluation form, calling out for useful comments that can help make our organization even more relevant.
New beginnings are times of joy when each of us experiences the anticipation of the unknown. Bring your curiosity and your energy to our meeting, just as the Virgin Mary was invited to be the mother of our Savior, Jesus. Our Most Powerful Blessed Mother will be with us this year, drawing us closer to her ways devotion and dedication to her Son, Our Savior
Peace and blessings to you and your families,
Marti Galvin, President
Sodality Union, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, DC
[See email sent to your parish Sodality Prefect for the President’s full letter, with attachments.]
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Past Moderator's Marian Reflection
A HOLY LIFE
God was, is now, and forever shall be the Creator of all that has ever been. He so loved the world that God sent His only begotten Son to preach and teach, to suffer, die and resurrect in fulfillment of the ancient Scriptures. The Holy Child was born unto the Holy Virgin Mary and the holy carpenter Joseph. This Child was born in a manger in the ancient little town of Bethlehem. ... Holy is He who comes in the name of God! Blessed is He who comes as the Holy Child in God’s divine plan to send forth His Holy Son Jesus Christ—the Savior of the world!
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Time and again, Jesus faithfully went out into the lives of people who were among the least in society. They were the weak, powerless, vulnerable, sick and disabled, even the dying. Jesus did so in order to bring fulfillment to the ancient prophets. Jesus healed the blind, the deaf, the crippled, people who suffered from mental illness, epilepsy, pride and so many other thorns in the flesh. Jesus healed as an external sign of an internal truth: The Lord is with us now and until the hour of death. Jesus raised Lazarus and others from the dead. He preached the Holy Word. He taught with an authority beyond the prophets. Jesus brought peace among old enemies and forgiveness unto others, even those who trespassed against Him. He forgave His enemies, even Judas His betrayer. He taught others to love—to love one’s neighbor, the stranger and even one’s enemies. Jesus did this and so much more as He journeyed in the company of His twelve apostles.
Jesus was aware that He was about to be betrayed by Judas. He gathered in the company of His twelve apostles for a holy supper. He took bread, broke it and said to His apostles, “Take this all of you and eat of it, this is my Body which will be given up for you and others.” Then Jesus took a holy cup and raising it said, “Take this all of you and drink from it for this is the Cup of my Blood, the Blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and all who believe.” As He broke the Bread and gave it to His disciples Jesus told them about His coming suffering. Then He shared the Cup of His Holy Blood with the apostles. He knew it was His precious Blood that must be shed for the salvation of the world.
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God bless you all!
Fr. Michael Briese
Past Moderator, FCADW Sodality Union
Sodality Union Events
Sodality Union Manual with Bylaws!
To access the recently revised Bylaws, see Home Page. Thank you and God bless the Bylaws Committee for all the work over the past few years for sharing their gifts and talents to revised the RCADW Sodality Union Manual with Bylaws.
2022 -2024 Term!
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EVENTS AND Meetings
SODALITY UNION ANNUAL ORIENTATION
St. Gabriel’s Parish, 26 Grant Circle, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20011
AGENDA – September 9, 2023
9:00 am Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - Rev. Fr. Jaime Hernandez
Following Recitation of the Rosary - Sodality of St. Gabriel’s Parish
10:00 am Registration, Warm up & Light Refreshments
10:20 am Welcome to St. Gabriel’s Parish - Carrie Johnson-Clark, Prefect
Opening Prayer - Helen Awatefe, Vice President
Welcome - Sodality Union Marti Galvin, President
Presentations by Advisory Board Members
11:00 am Prefect & Vice Prefect, Historian, Program Coordinator, Ways & Means
FIRST SESSION OF BREAKOUT GROUPS:
11:30 am Recording & Corresponding Secretaries, Treasurer, Spiritual Life, Apostolic Life
5 minute break
SECOND SESSION OF BREAKOUT GROUPS:
12:00 pm Membership, Hospitality, Special Services, Public Relations, Junior Sodality
12:25 pm Return to full group for questions
12:35 pm Litany of Loreto
12:50 pm Acknowledgments, Closing Remarks
1:00 pm Adjournment
October 7th: COMMITMENT DAY
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception – Crypt Church
9:30 am Mass and Rosary to follow Mass
(Reminder to please wear white)
Any notice about General Meetings via Zoom will be provided
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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
october 6, 2018
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
october 6, 2018
october 6, 2018
100th Anniversary of Sodality Union Archdiocese of Washington!
St. John Paul II National Shrine, Washington, DC
october 6, 2018
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)
Children's rosary prayer group display (2016-2018)
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)
Children's rosary prayer group display (2016-2018)
Children's rosary prayer group 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.