Coppell CDA History Launch in October 2014 "Chosen. Cherished. Faithful."

Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court Our Lady of Light #2684 in Coppell, Texas, was founded by the Knights of Columbus Council 10245 under the leadership of Grand Knight Jeff Flory and St. Ann Pastor Monsignor Henry Petter on October 19, 2014 with an institution Mass and fountain courtyard reception for the eighty-five new charter members. We have been blessed with several events and guest speakers during our first two years.

Our new court has been overflowing with friendship, service and gifts to our community from the generosity of our members as illustrated by our activities in our first years described below.

October 2014

The October new court celebration dinner featured singer Cooper Ray, Mrs. Don Huffines (wife of State Senator elected November 2014) as our Legislation Program guest speaker, and national apologist and pilgrimage leader Marcellino D’Ambrosio as our Spiritual Program guest speaker on “Virgin Mary, A Model of Faith”. The BirthChoice Pregnancy Resource Center director and neonatal nurse were our Life Program guest speakers at the monthly business meeting.
Visit Cooper Ray at cooperray.com for Catholic music and inspiration.
Visit Marcellino at dritaly.com for pilgrimages, podcasts, books and more.


November & December 2014

The November business meeting included a baby shower for a court member and a recognition award for Jana Neece who helped with charter member registration. The December business meeting included a Christmas ornament exchange party and a recognition award for Cheryl Denise Pumphrey for leadership of the Spiritual Program.

January 2015

In January of 2015, the court hosted our inaugural Ladies Bunco Night fundraiser with over 100 attendees and an array of unique premium raffle prizes. Dr. Michael Norman was our Leadership Program guest speaker at the monthly business meeting, and Annie Augustine received a recognition award for managing new member registrations.
Dr. Michael Norman's true story of how a powerful priest, faith in Christ and devotion to Virgin Mary rescued him from the Russian Mafia and an FBI plot is available in his book, Unbridled Grace: A True Story About the Power of Choice at Amazon www.amazon.com/Unbridled-Grace-Story-about-Choice/dp/1457500965.


February 2015

In February, the Symbolon Home Study Group launched, hosted by Pat Evans. Catholic Radio General Manager Dave Palmer was our Education Program guest speaker at the monthly business meeting and Donna Sarabia received a recognition award for her generous help with several events.
Dave Palmer's new book, St. Thomas Aquinas for Everyone, is available at Amazon www.amazon.com/St-Thomas-Aquinas-Everyone-Activities/dp/0692687564.

Easter 2015

Our first Spring Fashion Show Luncheon fundraiser was hosted for Easter 2015 with Catholic Radio Production Manager Diane Xavier as our master of ceremonies, area merchants providing shopping boutiques and a silent auction that included a $500 Big Cedar Lodge Branson Resort Vacation donated by Grand Knight Jeff Flory and his wife Judy. The Heroic Media Market Director was our Life Program guest speaker at the monthly business meeting and Ellen Lane received a recognition award for her generous assistance at several events.
Visit HeroicMedia.org to see how 10,000 babies have been saved since 2010 with the help of their Crisis Pregnancy Response Internet Advertising Program.


Spring 2015

Our Spring events concluded with an April Mass, breakfast and spiritual retreat on “How to Pray” and “The History of the Dominican Order” led by Fr. Bert and Cheryl Denise Pumphrey. A Coppell Police Department Officer was our Education Program guest speaker at the monthly business meeting.

Fall 2015

During Fall 2015, our court served as volunteers for the silent auction at the annual parish carnival. In September, the court hosted a craft night where members made baby blankets for new mother baskets to be delivered to the BirthChoice crisis pregnancy center. Members also prepared toiletry packages for foster children and the homeless.
Visit BirthChoiceDallas.org to see how babies are being saved by a pregancy resource center located next to an abortion clinic.


October 2015

Following the success of the spring fashion show, the court hosted a Fall Fashion Show Luncheon fundraiser in October featuring fashions donated by local merchants, retail boutiques, a silent auction and teenage through grandmother models from the parish. Lynn Ryann led members in a Soulcore exercise session at the monthly business meeting.

November & December 2015

Our November business meeting featured speaker Matt Rinaldi, current State House Representative, for group discussion about current issues being discussed at the state capitol. The December business meeting included a Christmas ornament exchange and a baby shower for a member.

January - March 2016

In January 2016, Fr. Stephen Sanchez, OCD, celebrated Mass and led our Spiritual retreat, and our court hosted our second Ladies Bunco Night fundraiser. In February, our monthly business meeting was hosted at a local restaurant for a ‘Wine & Greet’ evening. Pat Evans and Lynne Ryan led a gourmet chocolate Easter craft class at our March monthly business meeting, and we hosted a baby shower for a member.
Visit MountCarmelCenter.org for Catholic programs and inspiration provided by Fr. Stephen's monastery.


Easter and Spring 2016

Our court hosted a family Easter concert with Michael Russell O’Brien and a family Mother’s Day Brunch with CDA and Knights of Columbus families to conclude our spring events. We honored our chaplain, Pastor Monsignor Henry Petter, with a 70th birthday gift, awarded donations to a diocese retreat center, a pregnancy resource center and Catholic Radio, and presented ordination gifts to two seminarians at their first Mass. Our court also served as volunteers at Msgr. Petter's 70th Birthday/40th Anniversary of Ordination celebration party.