The current officers of Court Joan of Arc #691, local chapter of the Catholic Daughters organization, are pictured above in St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, their traditional meeting location. From left to right are treasurer Lee Mikolai, recording secretary Carmen Coxworth, vice-regent Sue Wiltse, and regent Ruth Kastner.

On Sunday, Nov. 14, a local organization will celebrate a momentous birthday which many individuals do not themselves live to see.

That Sunday, Court Joan of Arc #691, a local chapter of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas organization, will recognize its 100th anniversary at a mass and luncheon beginning at 10 a.m. at St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth.

Catholic Daughters of the Americas is one of the largest women’s organizations in the country.

It was founded in Utica, New York, in 1903 by John E. Carberry and several other Knights of Columbus. The Knights intended for it to be a charitable, benevolent and patriotic sorority for Catholic ladies.

“One of the Knights started something for the ladies, and it became their night out,” says Shirl Maher, one of the trustees of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and a member of its local Court Joan of Arc chapter.

The organization’s mission statement asserts, “Catholic Daughters of the Americas strive to 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.”

Maher puts that statement within a local perspective.

“Our motto is unity and charity,” Maher explains. “That’s pretty much the gist of it.

“We support the spread of the rosary,” Maher adds. “We emphasize that.” 

Maher shares the group always has a few rosaries on display for those who wish to take one. “Once every week, we have two or three that are taken.” 

The local chapter, which meets every Sunday at St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, has challenged themselves to support the rosary through other methods as well.

“We were challenged to record the rosaries we said for peace in the world,” Maher remembers. “We had 15,000 recorded. That was pretty special.” 

Court Joan of Arc places great value upon the preservation of their traditions, the hub of which is their monthly meetings.

“We meet monthly,” Maher says. “We try to have a mass and rosary beforehand. Since we merged parishes, we have changed our monthly date to the second Friday of every month.” 

Several Catholic parishes in the area merged recently. Accordingly, Court Joan of Arc includes members from St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Fairmont, a Catholic congregation from East Chain, and St Mary’s Church in Winnebago.

Court Joan of Arc has survived, even thrived through such changes over the past 100 years, creating a varied history.

“There were 47 women who started the group in 1921,” Maher explains.

The founding 47 members of the local chapter, first instituted on Nov. 13, 1921, hailed from Blue Earth, Winnebago, Guckeen, Easton, Delavan, Minnesota Lake, and Jackson parishes.

The original Court Joan of Arc charter members included Mrs. Fred Bassett and Hazel Bassett, Ottilia Bleess, Marion Carr, Margaret Cusick, Genevieve Eckel, Shirley Flynn, Anna Griffin, Katherine, Mary, and Cecelia Gorman, Clare Gansmoe, Melvina Grisey, Zoa Gallagher, Catherine Hines, Ida Hoffman, Mary and Johanna Horgan, Lucille, Florence, and Mary Hynes, Nell Hansen, Rose and Elinore Leonard, Leone and Anna Murphy, Catherine and Mary Myers, Marie and Kate Murry, Mayme More, Delphine, Emma, and Delia Perrizo, Nell Quarve, Kathryn Steiner, Zada Stout, Mrs. R.G. Slater, Agnes and Edith Trembley, Zoa, Stella, Minnie, and Edna Willette, and Josephine Walsh.

The foundation they set has resulted in 100 years of local service via the Court Joan of Arc.

“Each of us is asked to serve on a committee that serves a small luncheon fundraiser once a year,” reads the 2020-2022 yearbook for Court Joan of Arc.

“As a fundraiser and social event, we ask all present to contribute $5, or more, toward the luncheon,” the handbook continues.

One of the group’s luncheons was held in support of Habitat for Humanity.

“We brought the luncheon to the house,” Maher recalls, examining a photograph of the 2016 event. The house, which had recently been rehabilitated through Habitat for Humanity’s efforts and support from Court Joan of Arc, was located on 10th Street in Blue Earth.

Maher and her fellow charter members are excited to celebrate the 100 years of dedication put forth by both themselves and their predecessors on Nov. 14.

“We will begin with a 10 a.m. mass,” Maher says, “followed by a brunch for the parish in the social hall at 11 a.m.” Maher explains the food will be provided by the Daughters themselves.

“We have scrapbooks from way back when,” Maher adds. The books will be bursting with photographs detailing the deeds of the Daughters over the past century.

“It is an event to meet together, and see what’s transpired in 100 years,” Maher says.

Apart from its function as a celebration and opportunity to share memories, Maher hopes the event will help spread the word about the local Catholic Daughters charter.

“We want to spread awareness,” Maher says. ‘We want to let people into our parish. They probably don’t know what we do.”

The event is free, but Maher requests those interested in attending make a reservation so there will be plenty of food available for all.

Reservations can be made with Ruth Kastner, who can be contacted via email: 

rrkastner@bevcomm.net

Above all, the group is excited to recognize a century of achievements.

“It should be a celebration,” Maher says, “so that’s what we’re trying to do.”