Women of St. Francis
Contact: Eleanor Bell
Scheduled Meetings:
- General Membership Meetings: Second Monday of the months September through May usually at 6:30pm in the Family Center, with the exception of January and February General Membership Meetings, which are afternoon meetings.
Mission Statement: This women’s group was formed in 2004 to promote the spirit of unity among the members of the group and the parish as a whole and to foster the spiritual, cultural, educational, social and service oriented life of the parish.
Current Activities: Rosary Makers make rosaries for the First Communicants, RCIA Candidates, sick & homebound parishioners, and Chaplets for the Confirmandi. Blanket Makers make blankets for homeless children, who are being helped by Family Promise. Spiritual events include Annual Advent Day of Reflection, Retreat for the women of the parish, and “Mary’s Way of the Cross” – Lenten Stations of the Cross. We participate in the Parish Ministries Fair, host Fellowship Sunday in September, and co-sponsor the Notre Dame Hesburgh Lecture. Members distribute pillows to patients and hold parties for the residents at the Life Care Center. The Women of St. Francis are active in the Beaufort Deanery and South Carolina Council of Catholic Women, which includes choosing a member for our Catholic Women of the Year. Fundraising through our Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon and Soup for Scholarship Dinner provides money to support the Church, Community, and school as well as international charities.
The Women of St. Francis scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 school year are now available in the school office for students attending St. Francis Catholic School or you may click on this link to download a copy. Applications are to be returned to the school office by April 15th, 2019. Scholarship winners will be notified by May 1, 2019. For further information, please contact Lois McCue, 843-342-5032.
2018 Advent Retreat Deacon Vernon Dobelmann, Director of Religious Education at St. Francis, led a wonderful Advent Retreat on Saturday, December 15th with 40 ++ parishioners and friends attending. Thank you to the Women of St. Francis for hosting this event.
Rosary Makers: The Rosary Makers are comprised of a small group of ladies affiliated with the Women of St. Francis. They make Rosaries for the First Communicants and the RCIA Candidates each year. Also, they make Chaplets for the Confirmandi. More recently, they have begun making rosaries for sick and homebound parishioners. We also make and sell specialty rosaries and these proceeds help pay for the supplies needed to make the rosaries that are given away. The Rosary Makers meet in the Sacristy behind the Main Altar in the Church on the 1st and 3rd Thursday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Anyone interested in additional information about our group can call Audrey McGovern at 843-682-8280.
"Cell Phone for Soldiers"
The Women of St. Francis is collecting Cell Phone for Soldiers. All donated cell phones are either:
- Repurposed - Repaired, wiped of data and given to the vets and active military members or sold
- Recycled - If too old or broken, are recycled down to parts and sold for remaining value
- Proceeds - Provide international calling cards and domestic wireless minutes for vets and active military members. Proceeds also provide emergency financial assistance to veterans.
When Donating:
- Remove -your SIM card (instructions in the Narthex) and then see your type of phone below
- IPhone - Click on "Settings", "General", "Reset", and "Erase all content & Settings"
- Anroid - Click on "Settings, Type "Reset" in Search Bar, Click "Factory Data Reset"
- Flip Phone - Remove back of the phone; remove batteries; check model number. Online, go to manufacturing (Samsung, etc.) type in the model number and follow the instructions.
If all else fails, your providers (AT & T, Sprint, etc.) will help you terminate your data.
Please place your phone and chargers in the box in the church's narthex or bring them to a Women of St. Francis' General Meeting. Any questions, please contact Kathy Struna (843)682-4045. Thank you for your support of our military!
Current Volunteer Opportunities: We promote volunteerism amongst our members and have been a resource for other ministries and non-profit organizations locally.