Helene Shepard elected to No. 2 position at Catholic Daughters' Convention
NEW YORK — Helene Shepard of Washingtonville was elected to the position of National Regent-Elect at the Catholic Daughters of the Americas (CDA) 55th Biennial National Convention in Billings, Montana.
She begin her two-year term as National Regent-Elect last month. For the past two years she has been first vice national regent.
In her position as National Regent-Elect, Shepard is the number two leader of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and a member of the National Officers, the top governing leadership of the Catholic Daughters that determine policy and administer the organization nationally. She will automatically assume the number one leadership position of National Regent in August 2016.
The Catholic Daughters of the Americas is one of the oldest and largest organizations of Catholic women in the Americas.
Formed in 1903, today it numbers 70,000 dues-paying members in 1,250 courts (local chapters) in 45 states across the country, and in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.
Parishioner of St. Mary's Church
Shepard is a member of Court Margaret Mary #768 in Monroe. She worships at St. Mary’s Parish in Washingtonville, where she has been active for 44 years, serving as lector, Eucharistic minister, founder and director of St. Mary’s Little Lambs Preschool, chairman of the first building campaign and currently a parish trustee.
She instituted Court St. Ann, Mother of Mary #2419 in Washingtonville while remaining a member of Court Margaret Mary #768.
Service
Shepard became a Catholic Daughter in 1982. She has been National Director, National Secretary-Treasurer and First Vice National Regent before becoming National Regent-Elect. She has also been National Chairman of the Leadership Committee and a member of the Ceremonials Committee.
As chairman of the 1903 Society, Shepard surpassed the project’s financial goal of monies needed to repair the roof at the Catholic Daughters’ headquarters building in New York City. While National Secretary-Treasurer, she was chairman of the National Charitable Projects and Programs Committee.
She was also National Convention Chairman for the Catholic Daughters of the Americas 53rd Biennial National Convention held in Buffalo in July, 2010, and has held many local and state leadership positions, including New York State Regent for nine years.
She was responsible for the Program Booklet for the 55th Biennial Convention in Billings, Montana.
Shepard lives to fulfill the mantra of the late Deacon John Shepard: “I come to serve.”
Essential information
Readers seeking to learn more about the Catholic Daughters should call National Executive Director Mary Impellizeri at 212-877-3041 or visit www.catholicdaughters.org.