Marking a century of service to the Catholic community in Brookings

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BROOKINGS – On Sunday, Sept. 19, the Brookings area Catholic Daughters will celebrate their 100th anniversary of service to the Brookings faith community with a mass at 11 a.m. and reception following at St. Thomas More Parish in Brookings.

The Catholic Daughters of the Americas (CDA) is one of the oldest and largest organizations of Catholic women in the Americas. 

It provides local spirituality, sharing and activity under the support of a vibrant national organization. 

Members donate to charities, administer scholarship programs and strive “to be helping hands where there is pain, poverty, sorrow or sickness.” 

They embrace the principle of faith working through love in the promotion of justice, equality and the advancement of human rights and human dignity for all. 

Court St. Agnes No. 618, Brookings of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas was founded May 22, 1921, with 31 members, led by Agnes Grimm who had just moved to Brookings from Parkston where she was a Catholic Daughter member of the court there. 

The new court was named in her honor. Over the past 100 years, the organization has helped support the many ministries within the parish of St. Thomas More; helped support the building of two church facilities, have been lectors, Eucharistic ministers, religious education teachers, ushers, choir members, sacristans, led Bible studies, hospital visitors, and office helpers. The organization has held card parties, Mardi Gras parties, spaghetti dinners, bake/craft sales, raffles all in support of our charitable works. Ct. St. Agnes has been host to four state conventions and various other CDA gatherings and workshops since its inception.

“Currently our members visit various nursing homes and assisted living centers in Brookings where they pray the rosary with the residents, both Catholic and non-Catholic; make quilts that are donated to Sleep in Heavenly Peace; donated the Papal flag for the STMCS; make the baptismal bibs given out to each child when they are welcomed into the church; and award two scholarships to students going on to college/tech school," according to a CDA release.

“We raise the awareness of abuse with our Lifesaver program in the spring and our White Ribbons Against Pornography (WRAP) program in the fall, provide meals for Habitat for Humanity house builds, sent shoes and clothing to missions, collect non-perishable food for the food pantry and clothes and personal items for Domestic Abuse Shelter.”

The court meets the third Tuesday of the month (this coming Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. in social hall. Any Catholic women age 18-plus may join on Tuesday.