The Histories of the Cincinnati Catholic Women's Association and Catholic Women of Cincinnati

The History of Cincinnati Catholic Women

This history is taken from "Years of Achievement: 1917 - 1958," written by CCWA member Marie Burke.

The Cincinnati Catholic Women’s Association (CCWA) traces its origins to a meeting convened on April 14, 1917 in the basement of Good Samaritan Hospital by Mrs. Bellamy Storer who, with the encouragement of Archbishop Moeller, wanted to organize patriotic women for War Time Service. With food shortages and other hardships anticipated, the women dedicated themselves to planting vegetable gardens and practicing economic management along all lines. “It was our duty during the war to exercise intelligent economy, making the most of everything that we might be able to give to others as well as provide for ourselves” (8). CCWA was affiliated with the National League for Women’s Service.

The members were given a list of every Cincinnati boy in the service, and a society of War Godmothers was formed. CCWA was designated as Red Cross unit No. 6. Knitting was a major ministry: under the supervision of Mrs. Joseph Verkamp, Mrs. Henry Ratterman, and Mrs. Daniel Heekin, yarn was distributed, and by 1919 the group had completed 10,000 knitted garments, 90,977 surgical dressings, and 18,840 other garments, which were distributed all over the U.S., in France, and to French and English prisoners of war in German camps. CCWA members also subscribed to the Second Liberty Loan drive, raising $29,000 through this effort.

In 1918, the CCWA’s second year of operation, a fete held at the Zoo’s Tea Garden raised $2,000 for the fatherless children of France. The flu epidemic later that year curtailed social gatherings and meetings, but the knitting and sewing continued in members’ homes. One hundred boxes were contributed to the Red Cross, and additional Christmas boxes were sent to the boys overseas, while vestments and altar linens were made for various camps throughout the country, and rosaries, scapulars, and even a church organ were donated to military chaplains. The “Government” requested that CCWA support Child Welfare, so two members were appointed to the Americanization Committee.

The work continued and CCWA’s activities expanded in 1919, under the direction of president Mrs. Frederick Mackentepe. Red Cross participation was extended to Home Service, to provide financial assistance, legal advice and comfort to servicemen and their families, and to find positions for discharged or partially disabled soldiers and sailors. A concert at Music Hall raised $2,300, which was sent to Pope Benedict for the Italian War Orphans, along with an Easter offering of $1,000. The Recreation Committee provided drills, singing, dancing, and parties. Dances held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Ft. Thomas were attended by more than a thousand servicemen and their dates. When Queen Elizabeth and King Albert of Belgium visited Cincinnati that October, CCWA members were active in organizing and hosting special events to welcome them, including a tour of Good Samaritan Hospital. The Heekin and Ratterman children presented the Queen with roses and a purse of 8545 francs that had been collected in less than a week for the relief of Belgian babies.

In 1920, CCWA became affiliated with the National Council of Catholic Women in Washington, continued Red Cross work at an extraordinary level of productivity, and formed an Education Committee to arrange a series of lectures on citizenship and proper use of the ballot, to address suffrage questions and encourage women to exercise their newly-granted right to vote. CCWA also responded to a request to provide altar linens for the devastated churches of Central Europe. By 1921, when CCWA was in its fourth year, the group was known in France, Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland and across the United States for its patriotic, civic, and charitable activities. Still meeting at Good Samaritan Hospital, the group dreamed of establishing its own “Clubhouse,” along with a home for business and professional women. In May, the “old” association was closed, and a Constitution adopted for the new Corporation. The officers and directors elected at the first annual meeting on May 14 is a Who’s Who of prominent Cincinnati families: Mackentepe, Hinkle, Verkamp, Frey, Egan, Greiwe, Unnewehr, LeBlond, Kunkel, Ryan, Crotty, McElilley, and more.

With World War I ended, CCWA continued to support the Red Cross, but took on many new local endeavors, including collecting magazines for prisoners, giving parties for ex-servicemen, providing hotel rooms for Traveler’s Aid transients, and making contributions to Community Chest and Catholic Charities. President Mackentepe encouraged each member to bring in a new member to increase membership and augment income so CCWA could carry on its charitable work and also provide the means to establish a home for itself. Mrs. Hinkle was elected president in May and soon after organized the first CCWA card party, which was a financial and social success. A garden party was held in June for the benefit of the Dominican Sisters. Mrs. Mackentepe chaired the Penny Lunch movement, which opened at St. Edward’s School and served 1300 lunches the first week; this program is credited with originating the concept of cafeterias in elementary schools.

A significant development in November 1922 was the establishment of the Junior Service committee of the CCWA, for religious, charitable, educational, civic, and social activities that paralleled the work of CCWA. Miss Leslie May Luers was the first president.

It is composed of young Catholic women of greater Cincinnati; each member giving two hours of service each week, September through June, or a total of eighty hours on any of the varied committees of Social Service. Anyone who is eligible to join the Cincinnati Catholic Women’s Association and who is under the age of thirty-five, is eligible to join the Junior Service. Upon reaching the age of thirty-five, members transfer to the parent club. Dinner meetings are held on the third Monday of each month, September through May, at the Clubhouse, 518 East Fourth Street.

Standing Committees of Junior Service are: Decorations, Dinner, Fall Dance, Good Cheer, Membership, Program, Public Relations, Service Hours, Sewing, Spiritual Activities, St. Joseph Infant Home, Symphony, Tax Stamps, Telephone, Volunteers, Ways and Means, and Whirligig Ball.

In January 1923 it was announced the Mrs. Hinkle and Mrs. LeBlond had each given $1000 toward purchasing a Clubhouse, to which was added $1000 from the Catholic Ladies of Columbia and $350 from Junior Service. CCWA contracted for the purchase of the former Michael Mullen residence on East Fourth Street, and “that the title to said property should be taken in the name of the Most Reverend Henry Moeller, Archbishop of Cincinnati, and his successors in that office in Trust for the Association.”

Mrs. Henry Luers chaired the fund drive for the Clubhouse. In March, she announced that $2,960 had been collected, and that Mrs. Zech had donated her piano. CCWA member Dr. Nora Crotty announced that all members were invited to attend the Irish Fellowship Banquet on March 18, and the proceeds would be donated to CCWA.

By the April 1923 meeting, the first payment of $15,000 had been made, and the Clubhouse at 516 East Fourth Street was turned over to the organization. The May annual meeting was held at the Clubhouse, though work on the house continued, with many members furnishing a room at the cost of $200 each. The Junior Service Rummage Sale in May netted nearly $600; $400 was given to paint the Clubhouse and $200 to the Penny Lunch project. Mary Emery, Mt. St. Joseph, and Mt. St. Vincent Alumnae also contributed funds. The housewarming took place on June 23, 1923, beginning with Archbishop Moeller blessing the house.

CCWA and Junior Service members continued to be highly active in many charitable and civic endeavors, including the awarding of the first Scholarship – the Moeller Scholarship, in the amount of $1000, for a two-year course at the Service School of the Catholic University in Washington D.C.

In March 1924 CCWA expanded literally, purchasing the neighboring house at 518 East Fourth Street, with that title also held in trust by the Archbishop and his successors. With a series of card parties, pastry sales, and rummage sales, the debt on the first house was cancelled by July of 1924. In October, CCWA mailed out 2450 membership cards. A monthly magazine, “The Catholic Women’s News,” was sent to all members and clergy. In November, Mrs. LeBlond organized a Kirmess, a musical extravaganza called “Stepping Out” that played for three performances in Emery Auditorium, with a New York director and a cast of 550. The proceeds were to benefit the new addition to the Clubhouse, which was to be a non-profit residence for business women and girls. By May 1926, 35 professional women were in residence.

Inspired by the success of their annual Rummage Sales, CCWA established a Thrift Shop in October 1926 at 411 Sycamore Street. A paid manager ran the shop, with CCWA volunteers serving as sales clerks and thirty-five more volunteers organized into energetic and competitive neighborhood collections teams. This group met for luncheons at members’ homes or a Country Club – and the entrance fee was a number of pounds of “loot” which was actually weighed in, with a prize for the heaviest load. The Shop also became the headquarters for the Club’s business ventures, including the Executive Office and “The Catholic Women’s News.”

By 1927 CCWA had 3000 members and needed an auditorium to accommodate meetings for such a large group. Looking to the future of the Association, it was proposed to build an auditorium, gymnasium, and additional rooming quarters on the rear of the two lots. At a meeting held in February in the auditorium of the Western & Southern Life Insurance Company, Mrs. LeBlond reviewed the history of CCWA, including the purchase of the Clubhouse at 516 East Fourth Street for $35,000 and of the property at 518 East Fourth Street for $55,000. Even with the remodeling of both properties, there was a current debt of only $32,000. Mrs. William Albers agreed to chair a drive to raise $100,000 for the addition, and pledged to give $25,000 if the Committee raised $14,000 during the first week. By April the debt on the two houses was paid in full, and plans for the addition were moving forward. The cornerstone for the new construction was laid on December 1, 1927.

Money was still given to charitable works. Children from the basin of the city were enrolled in the Little Flower Class. Each Saturday they got a bath, freshly laundered undergarments, a meal, and instruction. They were also given school shoes, provided with medical care (including seven operations), and money was given to help keep their families together. Other outreach efforts included the Friendship Sewing Circle and financial support for the Sisters of St. Francis, Good Samaritan Hospital, Good Shepherd Convent, Longview, and many other local charities. The success of the sewing circles, who were now taking dressmaking classes, led to a Style Show in the Tea Room, to show off members’ handiwork – the first of the Fashion Shows.

The dedication of the new building took place on October 28, 1928 with Archbishop McNicholas presiding. The newly-built LeBlond Auditorium was filled to capacity.

CCWA continued to be a major charitable force, with funds coming from the Thrift Shop, the Catholic Women’s News Publishing Company, theatrical events, card and garden parties, and generous donors.

When the Depression hit, Mrs. Charles Williams was the “good fairy” who came forward to pay the interest and mortgage for the CCWA properties when money was tight, but most members were unaware of the financial emergency. They mounted a city-wide clothing drive, and also sewed clothing for 5000 needy children from unemployed families. The CCWA Choral Group was organized at this time, and joined professional musicians in giving concerts in LeBlond Auditorium, with the proceeds donated to unemployed families.

The next decades brought many changes, positive and negative. In 1936 Mrs. Hinkle’s painting “The First Communion” was accepted as a loan to the Club and hung in the Madonna Room. The 1937 Flood forced cancellation of many events. In January 1939 the “Catholic Women’s News” was discontinued, and the Club lost an excellent source of revenue. In 1942 the Garden Circle was formed, with the grounds of the Chapel of the Dominican Sisters of the Perpetual Adoration on Erie Avenue the recipient of the group’s monetary contributions and hands-on efforts, including the flowering crab and plum trees that line the driveway and still flower each spring. In 1944 a gift of $20,000 from the LeBlond’s paid off the new addition. In March 1945 Mrs. Hinkle made her loan of the Nourse painting into a permanent gift.

CCWA has continued to do good works in the community in so many ways and has focused its philanthropic efforts toward helping women through its support of Healing Connections (both monetary and through the knitting of quilts). The organizations keeps women engaged in spiritual activities and social activities through the regular card parties, lecture series, and book clubs.

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Catholic Women of Cincinnati

The Sixties:
These young women, headed by their first president, Mrs. Ronald Van De Ryt, came with many new ideas and much enthusiasm. The group's former main projects - St. Josephs's Infant and Maternity Home - remained the primary beneficiary of funds and time for the group. Fundraising was a focus of these women as they organized the fashion show and membership tea each year. Under the president, Jeanne Franz, the group gained momentum and began its long-time relationship with the Catholic Federation for Retarded Children. In 1969, motivated to raise more money to distribute to two main charities, the Ball Caprice (formerly "Whirligig") was introduced. The group also partnered with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra to hold a benefit Pops Concert where proceeds were channeled into the new education fund.

The Seventies:
Nineteen seventy found WCW members sending boxes to Vietnam, food and clothing to the needy, and soliciting membership for WCET. Georgine Wolohan headed the first Fashionata, an evening of elegance with cocktails, boutiques and fashions by Pogues. Under the presidency of Jewell Geoppinger in 1972, CWC celebrated its fifth anniversary with over 200 members. In that same year, it introduced its first cookbook, "Club Women Can Cook." In 1973, CWC received the Enquirer's "Salute to Women's Club" Award, the Inky, in recognition of the many volunteer hours devoted members have given to various causes in the community.

The Club embraced a change in Fashionata in 1976 with the downtown Shillito's Department Stores sponsoring a progressive dinner party to benefit CWC. Straying from tradition in 1978, the Ball Caprice (formerly held at a downtown hotel) was celebrated at the Playhouse in the Park, which started a long relationship with local arts organizations. The members began to hostess such plays as "Man of La Mancha," "Ten Little Indians," and "The Importance of Being Ernest." The group was growing in popularity and raising a lot of money. Mary Anne Klein chaired Fashionata in 1979 and moved it to a daytime event which proved to be highly successful for the group.

The Eighties:
On August 17, 1980 the group's dreams came true when Connelly Home for Women opened its doors to five mentally challenged women so they could live in an independent setting. CWC also produced another hugely successful cookbook, "One Potato, Two Tomato." Our 15th anniversary celebration in 1982 brought new, young faces giving their time and talents.

The group continued to grow and fundraising was at its peak! Fashionata '84 was held at the newly-opened Hyatt Regency Hotel with a record breaking crowd of over 1,000, thanks to Suzanne Rechenberg and her committee. In 1985, the Ball Caprice was held at the newly-renovated Moonlight Gardens. With Ann Florian at the helm in 1987, the Fashionata welcomed McAlpins and Liz Caliborne as partners. The Ball Caprice had a change of venue in 1988, offering a Monte Carlo theme. Through a partnership with Mercurio Homes and the American Wood Council, Catholic Women raised $2,500 for our charities. And who could forget the CWC husbands vs. the WSAI disc jockeys in their baseball game?

The Nineties:
Through the 90's, Catholic Women of Cincinnati continued to change and grow, although smaller in size. Consignment sellers were added to the other boutique items for sale at Fashionata, while the Ball Caprice was taken over by another ambitious fundraiser, The Catholic Telegraph, which raised over $10,000. "Cincinnati What's Cooking" appeared on the bookshelves of small shops and bookstores. (Notice what the first letter of each of the cookbook's title spells?) The group began to focus on education and scholarship and we originally awarded four-$500 scholarships which eventually grew to two-$1,250 scholarships. The members began to support the Bethany House by collecting gifts at Christmas and Mother's Day.

The Ball Caprice became the Spring Caprice and moved to the Peterloon Estate with a Murder Mystery theme. This was a hit and Peggy Platz chaired the event the next year. (She even wrote her own mystery and the CWC members and their spouses acted out the parts). The final Spring Caprice at Peterloon Estate was organized by Kathann Koehler and Carolyn Sweeney. We were still hosting the Fashionata at the Hyatt and chair, Beth Lauter, invited Marge Schott, then owner of the Cincinnati Reds, to help us celebrate "Reds in Bloom." Parisian Stores had come to town in 1995 and partnered with CWC until 1997.

As the century came to a close, there were a lot of changes in CWC. St. Joseph's Infant and Maternity Home, one of the primary beneficiaries of our funds, boasted of a new housing quarter for 50 additional residents. The Catholic Federation for the Mentally Retarded united with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Although membership was dropping, those who remained worked diligently to raise money and continue the good works in the area. The group realigned its fund disbursement methodology to focus on those organizations who did not receive government funding so that our contributions would have meaning for the recipients. We continued to support the Catholic Federation and asked members for their input on other charities that were deserving of our funds.

The Spring Caprice turned into the WineFest, a wine-tasting dinner party which was chaired by Anne Flottman and was held around Valentine's Day. The first WineFest was held at a local country club and a portion of the money raised in wine sales went directly to CWC.

Mary Ellen Sullivan spearheaded the printing of our fourth cookbook, "A Feast of Eden," which was sold at almost every bookstore chain and many specialty shops. The end of the nineties saw the Catholic Telegraph insert paired down to one page. The group continued to provide service in the community and awarded four-$2,500 scholarships to high school students and introduced a Continuing With Confidence scholarship to women wishing to re-enter the educational scene and further her education. The Fashionata took on another new look in 1998 with Chris Bell as chairperson. The stores at Kenwood Towne Centre were involved to add a little variety. The following year, Mary Kay Leibreich and Jeanne Howe worked tirelessly to coordinate the Fashionata in conjunction with the Jeffersonville Outlet Mall stores.

The New Millennium:
With Margi Snelling as President, we began our journey. Fashionata took on a new focus, changing its name to Whirligig 2000. It was held at the Oasis Country Club and offered a brunch, decorating and cooking demonstrations, a variety of vendors and lots of baskets. We continued to reach into the community in many ways: working on the Carnival and serving breakfast to the families at the Bethany House; visiting our friends at the group homes sponsored by Catholic Residential Services; participating in the Parisian Charity Day Sales; collecting toiletries for the Mary Magdaline House and Our Daily Bread; filling holiday stockings for the Salvation Army; selling cookbooks; distributing funds to organizations like the Women's Connection, Girl's Hope/Boy's Hope, Project Connect, the Jordan Center, St. Francis Seraph Ministries and our largest recipient, Catholic Residential Services. The Winter WineFest was co-chaired by Debbie Goldstein and Mary Ellen Sullivan and held at the Verdin Bell Company.

Terri Kerley took the helm as President in 2001 and began to lay the foundation for what, we hope, will be the eventual merger of the Cincinnati Catholic Women Association and CWC. We brought the WineFest downtown to the Phoenix and offered folks a night of dancing and wine tasting and lots of baskets! Judy Gardner and Claire O'Connell co-chaired this event. In 2002, with the membership dropping to around 50, it was decided to postpone having a Whirligig and focus our efforts on one fundraiser. The WineFest was held at the Phoenix with Debbie Dorward, Suzy Dorward, Teddie Curry and Michelle Jones co-chairing the event. The group continued to raise enough money to award two-$3,000 scholarships and one-$3,000 Continuing With Confidence Scholarship. In collaboration with Fr. Barry, our resident priest, we also administered a $3,000 scholarship for St. Rose Parish. We continued to take a full page ad in the Catholic Telegraph as a fundraiser and started to offer more social activities for members and their families, such as a night at the theatre, private tours at local museums and a ride on the BB Riverboats.

Realizing the need to reunite the Cincinnati Catholic Women Association and the Catholic Women of Cincinnati to honor the original intent of the organizations, the leadership of both organizations spent many months determining the best way to blend the histories of both groups and establishing one group. The two organizations’ boards met several times between 2002 – 2005 to craft the mission and outline the details of the merger. Under the guidance of the President’s of both organizations - Suzy Dorward (CCW 2002-06), Peggy Lockwood (CCWA 2002-03) and Carol Harten (CCWA 2003-05), the by-laws were rewritten and the process of blending the meetings, fund raising activities and the disbursement of our philanthropic dollars took shape. The membership from both organizations approved the new by-laws and determined the organization will be known as the Cincinnati Catholic Women. Now, under the guidance of President, Teddie Curry, we continue to provide opportunities for Catholic women to come together in a fun and comfortable atmosphere. We also continue to do community outreach focusing on helping organizations that assist women and children. And, finally, we carry on the tradition of raising funds through our various events we host throughout the year.

We invite all Catholic women to become a part of this wonderful group. Join us at a monthly meeting (the third Monday of each month), contact us for other special outreach or social activities throughout the year. If this is the time in your life when you want to give a little back to the community, join other Catholic women in social and spiritual gatherings, then give us a call. You can contact President, Suzy Dorward at sldorward@fuse.net or (513) 891-1965 or Bunny Jacobs at (513) 561-5523 for more details.

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