The Five Rivers Deanery Council of Catholic Women met recently at St. Patrick Church in Morristown. Representatives from the five affiliated parishes, Good Shepherd in Newport, Holy Trinity in Jefferson City, Notre Dame in Greeneville, St. Mary in Johnson City, and St. Patrick in Morristown were in attendance.
Pictured with deanery Golden Rose recipient Marisol May (second from left) are Five Rivers Deanery CCW president Susan Collins, Father Joseph Kuzhupil, MSFS, and Golden Rose candidates Liz Pacheco and Kimberly Morales.
President Susan Collins, called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. After the opening prayers, Sharon Jurkonie, spirituality commission chair, led a meditation.
Kathy DeAngelis, past president, was the chair for the deanery Golden Rose presentation. The three candidates were Liz Pacheco from Notre Dame, Kimberly Morales from St. Patrick, and Marisol May from St. Mary. A committee was appointed from parishes that did not have a candidate to judge the applications for the deanery award. The deanery winner was Marisol, and she represented Five Rivers at the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women’s spring event at St. Mary Church in Athens (see story on page B1).
The participants attended Mass celebrated by Father Joseph Kuzhupil, MSFS, spiritual adviser for the deanery CCW and pastor of Notre Dame in Greeneville. Lunch was provided by the ladies of the St. Patrick CCW.
Business at the meeting included affiliate presidents’ reports with ideas on events and fundraisers, commission reports, and committee reports. The deanery CCW decided on a service project for 2025-26: a renovation campaign for the Handmaids of the Precious Blood. Donna Dunn, service commission chair, reported on funds that have been collected to date for this project from the deanery.
Discussion was also held on plans for a deanery event to include all women of affiliate parishes plus women in the deanery from parishes that do not have a CCW. The meeting concluded at 2 p.m., and the next meeting will be in the fall at St. Mary in Johnson City.