Holy Week is upon us! As a Christian woman, I seem to arrive at this day each Lent filled with equal parts exhaustion and anticipation; exhaustion from what has been and anticipation about what is to come. A few thoughts on what has been. It has been 35 days of sacrifice. As a Catholic Christian, [...]
2018 Found Poetry By Mary Pribbenow God is here, God is here, God is here, He is able You are in the “on a date with God” zone I am the Lord your God Knowing in my heart I want the Lord to rule When we hurt, He puts His mighty hands underneath us [...]
Mary Valentyn Pribbenow The month of November is the time in the church year when we are called to remember and celebrate the holy souls who have gone before us. When the names were read at our parish All Souls Liturgy earlier this month, my mom’s name was among them. Althea Valentyn went to [...]
Our own Mary Pribbenow listens with a thoughtful ear throughout the weekend to capture 'golden nuggets' muttered by our stage guests. She compiles them into a 'poem' for us all to reflect on Sunday morning. Here is Mary's 2017 Found Poetry. Women Celebrate Found Poetry 2017 Open up the heavens, we want to see [...]
Video time! Check out the video from the 2017 Women Celebrate retreat. Hello, Women Celebrators! We couldn't have enjoyed Women Celebrate 2017 more. Thank you to all who attended, who spoke, who sang, who helped out, who volunteered, who loved, who prayed, who laughed, who cried, who praised. We're already looking forward to 2018! We were [...]
By Mary Valentyn Pribbenow There is always risk when I sit down, stare at the blank page, and begin to type. I feel a bit more angst than usual because the subject I want to write about is touchy at best and disgusting at worst! If there was some way to make this eight letter [...]
~ By Jessie Hietpas When our 20 grandchildren say the word Grandpa or Grandma, it is just the sweetest word of all for my husband Steve and me. We just celebrated 43 years of marriage, and I am thankful for him. We have six children who are all married with their own children. For [...]
Jessie Hietpas had the opportunity to go see Pope Francis in Philadelphia in September, and this is her story. --------- My friend Debbie and I traveled to Philadelphia with 110 people to see the Pope this year with our Green Bay Diocesan paper, “The Compass.” We spent 3 days at the World Meeting of Families, [...]
Google’s online dictionary states gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. I was inspired to review the Women Celebrate themes, not only as a way to look back and remember, but also as a way to share thoughts about each theme from the standpoint of [...]
A Story By Donna Diedrich Last year at this time, I came out of church and on the lawn were all these white crosses, representing babies that have been aborted. I’m sure you’ve seen them. The little girl I had with me left my hand and went up to the crosses and started dancing among [...]
Today we share a beautiful story from a Women Celebrate guest, Marian Clough. No doubt someone reading this today needs to hear this message. Thank you for sharing your story, Marian. God bless you! --- Going home from Women Celebrate this past year, renewed and enlivened, I was so ready for my Lenten journey. At [...]
"Team Celebrate" took to the waters of the Fox River last evening per Cheryl and Pat Hietpas' pontoon. What a gift! Water, sunshine, eagles, pelicans, fishermen, passing boats, the peace of a slow river ride, good conversation, beautiful friendship, Butch's Pizza and prayer mark this memory. God's given us the heavens, earth and each other to [...]
Faith Filled Women Celebrate Weekend by Katie (Hietpas) Klein It was Women Celebrate 2013 and it was my 2nd year being a part of the Women Celebrate team. The theme for that year was “JESUS” and that He was ever present that weekend for me and several others. I remember walking out into the hallway Friday [...]
May is the month dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and to our earthly Mothers. Thinking about my own mom this past month, and things about being a mom, it brought me back to an article that my daughter, Joie, wrote as a contest entry for Oprah. The contest was requesting applicants to explain [...]
In this life, there are certain twists and turns that lead us to contemplate “WHAT is God’s plan for my life?” and “WHERE is He leading me now?” A recent twist of events in my own life has led me back to these questions. A career change for my husband has led us in an [...]
The beautiful poem of highlights that Mary gifts us with each year. Enjoy! …Fan into flame the gift of God that is in you. Open up the heavens, we want to see you! I’m looking out at over 400 miracles I can still remember the ground bologna and egg salad sandwiches You are cooperating [...]
At the 2015 Women Celebrate retreat, on Sunday, March 15th, Mary Pribbenow introduced her mother Althea's witness video. Below is the transcribed interview, along with an introduction from Mary. What a blessing Althea is. My mom, Althea Margaret Vanden Boom, was born on February 22, 1928. Mom was a cradle Catholic. She went to [...]
As read by Fr. Dave Pleier on 2/14/15 At age 5, I've learned that I like my teacher because she cries when we sing "Silent Night”. At age 7, I've learned that our dog doesn't want to eat my broccoli either. At Age 9, I've learned that when I wave to people in the country, [...]
Shared by Andee Vosters on 2/14/15 “Damn, I hate depression. There’s nothing more saddening than a disorder that tricks amazing people into believing they are completely worthless.” –Unknown Someone you know is struggling with their self-worth. Depression and other mental disorders affect 26% of Americans 18 and older. That’s one in every four of us. [...]
So many beautiful words of inspiration are spoken every year at Women Celebrate, and every year we capture the highlights and document them in an inspirational compilation called "Found Poetry". See below for the latest gathering of poetic words from Women Celebrate. Compiled by Mary Valentyn Pribbenow Celebrate the Lord of love This is our [...]
