70 YEARS: NCBWL carries a commitment to supporting girls in Catholic education

Text by Briana Grzybowski originally printed in Tennessee Register

The Nashville Catholic Women’s Business League, which seeks to bring Catholic women professionals together for fellowship, networking, and faith sharing,was established in 1949 (and held its first official meeting in January 1950).

“When the League first began, it was a small group of Catholic working women, primarily teachers and nurses, who wanted to get together to share their faith and support each other in their professional lives,” said Diana Miller, a retired Social Security Administration tech expert and Church of the Assumption parishioner. “They could only meet at night because lay groups in different parishes met during the day, and most women in the diocese were heavily involved in those groups.”

When member and 1951 SCA graduate Aurelia Varallo Mariani died in 1998, the League set up a memorial scholarship fund in her honor to support a deserving and financially needy student at St. Cecilia through all four years of her high school education. Since then, proceeds from the annual fashion show have supported the scholarship fund.The scholarship program has also expanded to include one female Father Ryan student and one female student at JPII.

“Principals at the high schools nominate students who they think are deserving,” said Frances Varallo, a parishioner at St. Henry Church and sister of Aurelia Varallo Mariani.

February meeting honors scholarship recipients:

RSVP required by Feb. 12 by 9 a.m.

At this month's meeting, we will be collecting new and gently used books for Book'em for their Books for Nashville Kids program which donates to organizations that serve underprivileged children in Davidson County.

They accept board books to adult titles so please go through your book shelves and closets. We want to collect at least 70 books for our 70th Anniversary! 

President’s Message

I came across this novena prayer while reading a book on Mary, Mother of God.  It was on a Lady of Fatima holy card which fell out of the book my sister gave me for Christmas. I’m a fervent believer in “God-incident” not coincident, and I believe this to be one. Our Lady of Fatima appeared to three shepherd children in 1917. She appeared six (6) times beginning on May 13, 1917 and the final appearance was on October 13, 1917. She spoke to the children of three things; a vision of hell, the impending war (World War I) and the vision of a “bishop clothed in white” getting shot. The last vision is said to have been of Saint Pope John Paul II being shot on May 13, 1981.

The Nashville Catholic Business League was dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima when it was established in 1950. Therefore, I think it is only fitting that we pray to Her to intercede for us, to guide and strengthen our organization and its members as we celebrate 70 years and go forward to the next 70 years.  Let us commit to the Novena by saying the prayer once each month for the next 9 months and concluding before our celebration on November 1, 2020.

NOVENA

Most Holy Virgin, who has deigned to come to Fatima to reveal to the three little shepherds the treasures of graces hidden in the recitation of the Rosary, inspire our hearts with a sincere love of this devotion, so that by meditating on the mysteries of our redemption that are recalled in it, we may gather the fruits and obtain the conversion of sinners, the conversion of Russia, and this favor that I so earnestly seek, [here mention your intentions and the NCBWL] which I ask of you in this novena, for your own honor, and for the good of all people. Amen.(Say the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be three times).

Blessings

Teri Gordon, NCBWL President