Rural North West Deanery Council of Catholic Women

Welcome to the Rural North West Deanery Council of Catholic Women (RNWDCCW) Web Site.

We are excited to have you join us on our mission of being Christ here on Earth. This web site will enable you to gain an understanding of what the Rural North West Council of Catholic Women do, and how we strive to live out the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) mission statement. We are the Martha's and Mary's of the Catholic Church. We are a spiritual and spirited group of women, young and old alike. You may find us deep in prayer, raising our voices in praise and song, up to our elbows doing charitable works, informing our members of legislative items, or laughing and telling stories that relate the individuality and unity of each member.

There are 14 parishes in the Rural Northwest Deanery. The Catholic Women's organizations of the following parishes make up the Rural North West Deanery: 

St. Joseph, Amelia St. Joseph, Atkinson Sacred Heart Parish of Boyd County -
     Ss. Peter and Paul, Butte
     Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Lynch
     St. Mary, Spencer
St. Ignatius, Brunswick St. John, Rural Clearwater St. Theresa of Avila, Clearwater
St. Ludger, Creighton St. Peter, Ewing St. William, Niobrara
St. Patrick, O'Neill St. Boniface, Stuart St. Wenceslaus, Verdigre





The RNWDCCW Board meets twice a year (Spring and Fall) at Parishes throughout the Rural North West Deanery.

We are a part of the Omaha Archdiocese Council of Catholic Women (OACCW). The OACCW consists of 7 deaneries: Omaha Urban, Rural Central, Rural Northeast, Rural Northwest, Rural North Central, Rural Southeast, Rural Southwest.

There are 3 dioceses in the state of Nebraska - Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha.

We are also a part of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW).

All Catholic women living in the Rural North West Deanery of the Omaha Archdiocese are automatically members of Council when your parish is affiliated with OACCW and NCCW through yearly dues. Dues are paid to the OACCW financial secretary annually in January.

The RNWDCCW board consists of  elected officers and trustees along with appointed commission chairpersons and the presidents of the above listed parishes.

To keep members abreast of information on the national and local levels of the council, a newsletter is sent to all priests, board members, trustees, commission chairperson and parish presidents as needed during the year.

We are also using the Internet to pass on information. If you want your name added to our e-mail listing, please send e-mail to Donna Bernt at sbernt@nntc.net

Join Us, Be Counted
Individual membership to NCCW is another means of receiving valuable council information. The monetary cost is minimal at just $20 per year. After you become an “Individual member,” you will have voting privileges at NCCW conventions as long as you are a paid member in good standing for the 20 months prior to convention. You will receive the bimonthly “Catholic Woman” magazine, an excellent resource for Catholic women in your home.  You will also receive the Legislative Update and announcements about new programs and resources.  To print out a membership application form, click here.

The Council of Catholic Women is one of many avenues for women to get involved with the greater Church. Through the commission system CCW is able to provide many projects that are ready for implementation in parishes and deaneries. In many instances, NCCW has already done the work for us, we just need to provide the women to use their many varied gifts. There is a place for EVERYONE in council! We welcome all of you.

God Bless

Mary Krysl
President RNW Deanery Council of Catholic Women
mkrysl@elkhorn.net


Please go to the following links


Activities and Meetings Calendar of Events Commissions Constitution and By-Laws




Parish Directory Prayer Chain Prayers and Readings Links to other Web Pages;
Newsletters and Newspapers




Live Simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly, Leave the rest to God.


Who We Are...
The National Council of Catholic Women consists of more than 5,000 affiliated Catholic women's organizations in parishes and dioceses throughout the United States, representing hundreds of thousands of Catholic women.

OACCW History
U.S. Bishops called women to Washington in March of 1920 for support in bringing unity for Catholic Women in the United States. Mrs. Arthur( Mary) Mullen was called to aid in this organizing and this she did. Her first effort in this direction was to establish Reading and Study Clubs in parishes. As women in neighboring parishes were brought together with common goals, the Council of Catholic Women Organization, both Nationally and in this Archdiocese was established, and Mary Mullen was named as our founder. Deaneries were formed according to the largest city in their region, such as Hartington Deanery, Norfolk Deanery, O’Neill Deanery etc.

In 1960, the deaneries were combined and boundaries changed to only six rural deaneries and one urban deanery. Their names would be: Rural Central, Rural North Central, Rural Northwest, Rural Northeast, Rural Southwest, Rural Southeast, and Omaha Urban.

In 1962, the Mullen Award was instituted in memory of the first President, Mrs. Arthur Mullen. This award is given out at the annual fall convention of the OACCW, to a woman who through her activities best exemplifies the life of Mrs. Mullen. The recipient must have actively worked with Council in her community, in her Deanery and throughout the Archdiocese. Having shown leadership in her work with civic, educational groups and interfaith groups.

In 1964 - 1965 The Penny and A Prayer Fund was initiated to establish a purse in honor of Archbishop Bergan’s 50th anniversary, for the purpose of educating students for the priesthood at John Vianney Seminary at Elkhorn. This project is still in action today.

In 1969, Msgr. Edgar Wortmann was appointed as moderator and spiritual director for the OACCW. Msgr. Wortmann was born and raised in the Hartington, NE area. He entered Kenrick Seminary, St. Louis, MO, in July 1944. He was ordained on April 5, 1948. Fr. Wortmann served as an Assistant at St. Ludger’s in Creighton, St. Bernard’s in Omaha and Blessed Sacrament in Omaha. He also has served as Pastor at Holy Family in Decatur, St. Rose of Lima in Hooper, St. Lawrence in Scribner, and then returned to Blessed Sacrament, as Pastor. Fr. Wortmann expressed “It is great to be associated with members of OACCW. Their work touches many in all parts of the world.”  Msgr. Wormann served as moderator of the OACCW for 39 years. Msgr. Wormann passed away on August 31, 2007.

At the 83rd Annual Convention held in Columbus on September 17, 2007, Archbishop Curtiss appointed Fr James Kramper, pastor of St. Partick Parish in Tekamah and Holy Family Parish in Decatur.  Fr. Kramper has been involved with the OACCW for more than 20 years and had been serving as the moderator of the Rural Southeast Deanery.  

In the 1980's the OACCW, in cooperation with the Archdiocesean Family Life Office, began hosting the annual Marriage Celebrations for couples married for 25, 40, 50+ years. There are two celebrations, one held in Omaha and the other in Norfolk.

In 1992, the practice of giving stoles to the newly ordained priests from our Archdiocese was started. This serves to inform our newly ordained priests about our Council, and to give them a lasting reminder of the day that they committed their lives to God and the priesthood. In 2001, the Council has voted to give the seminarians a gift certificate in lieu of the stole.

1996, the OACCW introduced the scholarship program. The recipient must be a Catholic senior girl living in the Archdiocese of Omaha. This scholarship grant has grown to $500.00.

The Jubilee Year 2000 brought the Omaha Archdiocese Council of Catholic Women to the web. As we serve to be pilgrims for the women of our Archdiocese we intend to use this as a means to further support, empower and educate all Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service.  The web site is www.archomaha.com .  The OACCW information is under the heading of "Lay Apostolates".


Mission Statement of the National Council of Catholic Women:
The National Council of Catholic Women acts through its membership to support, empower and educate all Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service. NCCW programs respond with Gospel values to the needs of the Church and society in the modern world.


Prayer to Our Lady of Good Counsel
God of heavenly wisdom, you have given us Mary, Mother of Jesus, to be our guide and counselor. Grant that we may always seek her motherly help in this life and so enjoy her blessed presence in the life to come.

O Mother of Good Counsel, patroness of the National Council of Catholic Women, intercede for us, that we may be wise, courageous and loving leaders of the Church. Help us, dear mother, to know the mind of Jesus, your son. May the Holy Spirit fill us with the reverence for God’s creation, and compassion for all God’s children. May our labors of love on earth enhance the reign of God and may God’s gifts of faith and living hope prepare us for the fullness of the world to come. Amen.




Crucifix Graphic by: http://www.catholicdoors.com/graphics/general.htm