Staff photo by DEb Gau New Ulm Diocese Council of Catholic Women members welcomed new board president-elect Lori Timmerman and treasurer Amy Waibel on Saturday.

TRACY — Roughly 200 people were gathered in Tracy to talk about ways to live their Catholic faith. But the New Ulm Diocese Council of Catholic Women’s Convention was also a time for fellowship. During a lunch break, women from around southwest and southern Minnesota greeted each other and chatted in the lower level of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

“It gives me joy that this many people wanted to come and participate,” said Sharon Illikman, president of the NUDCCW Board.

Illikman said Saturday was NUDCCW’s 64th annual convention. CCW members from 23 parishes in the New Ulm Diocese were represented at the event.

Part of the agenda at the annual conference includes NUDCCW business like electing new officers, Illikman explained. During the conference, NUDCCW members welcomed new board president-elect Lori Timmerman and treasurer Amy Waibel. The recipient of the 2025 Woman of the Year award was also named.

Bishop Emeritus John M. LeVoir presented the Woman of the Year award to Dorothy Vandendriessche, who is a member of Holy Redeemer parish in Marshall. “I’m very humbled,” Vandendriessche said of receiving the award.

The convention included a Mass celebrated by LeVoir, as well as guest speakers. Sometimes the focus for the convention speaker is based around a social justice topic, and sometimes the focus is on a topic in Catholic faith, Illikman said.

This year, NUDCCW had a few different sessions related to how CCW members could be “bold believers” in their lives. Saturday morning’s keynote presentation was by Camille Pauley, the co-founder and president of nonprofit Healing the Culture. Healing the Culture’s mission is to encourage pro-life culture.

In addition, “This year, we had breakout sessions,” Illikman said. Some of the sessions included talks with U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad, who spoke about how people can make their voices heard with local, state and national government.

Finstad said he and his wife Jackie were at the convention as Catholics.

“She has brought up different conversations, about how do we, as Catholics, connect with legislators?” he said. Finstad said he wanted to be able to share some of the things he had learned in communicating with people as a legislator.

Finstad said it can sometimes be hard to balance emotions and intellect when communicating with legislators about an issue.

“From what I’ve seen, our country is very emotional right now,” he told convention attendees.

Finstad encouraged convention attendees to try engaging with government on a local level. Part of that was because people have more direct access to the members of their city, township, county or state governments, he said.

“You’ve got to start in your backyard,” Finstad said. “Can I do something in my backyard to make it better for my kids and future generations?”

Finstad said it can be harder to communicate with national legislators, but it was helpful to be personal instead of using form letters. Also, he told conference attendees, “Remember these people are human.”

Illikman said Saturday that it was good to see area women taking part in the NUDCCW convention, and connecting with each other.

“I find a lot of hope in that, and beauty,” she said.