St. Mary Women’s Council serves the Church, families, and community through special activities and outreach programs.  Some of the Council

supported programs include Catholic Charities Foundations of Life Program, Easter Clothing Drive for Children, Sacrament Receptions, speakers,

and parish social events.

2024-2025 OFFICERS

What we do: 

• Monthly meetings and Christian fellowship
• Assist with needs in our church 
• Spiritual bouquets
• Mother’s Day flowers for the altar
• Religious education support/Vacation Bible Camp
• Misión Santa Maria support
• Hosting family events including 1st Communion and Confirmation receptions
• Thanksgiving Food bags for the poor
• Giving Cradle for Catholic Charities’ Pregnancy Support Services
• St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital Newborn Program
• Easter Clothing drive
• Vocation Support
• International and community projects
• Gift bags for assisted living homes
• Educational speakers
• Bake Sale

Donations we need  (Can be brought to any meeting)

• Small size toiletries like shampoo, lotion, mouthwash, soap, toothpaste, etc,. for ditty bags. Also Christian reading material,rosaries, prayer cards, Reader’s Digest or Catholic Digest – family oriented and small enough to fit into bags. 
• Lotion and slipper socks for the “Gifts from the Heart” bags for local assisted living homes
• Old eyeglasses, old cell phones
• Donation of items that can be used as door prizes at monthly meetings.

St. Mary Women’s Council Prayer

Keep us, Oh God, from all pettiness. Let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.  Let us be done with fault finding and leave off all self-seeking.  May we put away all pretenses and meet each other face to face without prejudice.  May we never be hasty in judgment and always be generous.  Let us always take time for all things and make us grow calm, serene and gentle.  Teach us to put into action our better impulses, to be straightforward and unafraid.  Grant that we may realize that it is the little things of life that create differences, and that in the big things of life, we are one.  And, O Lord God, let me not forget to be kind.  Amen 

(Mother Stuart’s Prayer)  OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL, PRAY FOR US

A GLORIOUS PAST LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

(A brief history of the St. Mary Women’s Council)

In 1966, a group of women organized the Ladies Altar Society to help with the preparation of the altar for the Sunday Mass.  At that time, the newly formed St. Mary parish held Mass at Seeley’s restaurant and later relocated to Mort Elementary School.  The Ladies Altar Society sponsored the first fundraising event, an evening of square dancing, to raise money for building a church.  The event was held at Buchanan Junior High School.  The cornerstone was placed for St. Mary Church in 1967 and a dedication Mass was held in March 1968 with 480 parishioners attending.

In 1974, the Altar Society name became the Women’s Guild.  Over the year the women remained available to help the pastor with any request or need of the parish.  In the late 1970’s the guild reached beyond the parish boundaries to affiliate with the (then) Hillsborough Deanery and the St. Petersburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW). Membership in the Deanery and DCCW brought connection with the Florida Council of Catholic Women / Province of Miami (FCCW) and the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW).

Though remaining autonomous, the Women’s Guild of St. Mary’s adopted the Council’s system of Service through their six commissions.  These six commissions Church, Family, Community, International, Legislation and Organization cover every aspect of service and offer each woman an opportunity to be active in the parish and beyond.

To emphasize our connection to the other levels (rings) of Council, we joined many other affiliations within the St. Petersburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women in 1999, changing our name to reflect this connection.  We voted to be known as the St. Mary Council of Catholic Women.

In 2008, we withdrew from the Deanery to concentrate on our parish needs and to better serve our community.  We changed our name to St. Mary Women’s Council.

Our St. Mary Women’s Council welcomes all women of the parish to regular or associate membership.  Some are employed, some retired, some are stay-at-home-moms, some are widows, and some are part-time residents.  We have in common the love of God and the willingness to be of service to our Church, our community and our world.  The friendships formed are an added bonus.  Please consider being part of our future by joining St. Mary Women’s Council.