Under our Circle of Love Program, there is something for everyone, and not everyone has to work on every phase of the program.  The program consists of Leadership, Spiritual Enhancement, Quality of Life, Youth, Education and Legislation. If you are looking for a way to make a difference in our Church and community, becoming a Catholic Daughter may be the answer for you.

Each year, we try to make it as successful as possible.  Our court of just over 100 may be small by some standards but our combined prayers and hard work brings mighty results.  Check out what we were able to accomplish in just one year! 

2025 in review

Education / Youth

In May, our scholarship committee, chaired by Ellaine Turner, awarded three local students scholarships totaling $1,300.  A graduating student from Rayne High School and one from Notre Dame High School were awarded $500 each for their continuing education, as well as a Rayne Catholic student receiving $300 towards tuition at Notre Dame High School. The committee awards the scholarships based on academic, spiritual and service achievements. Our annual fundraisers help fund these scholarships. 

We are proud to announce that Court Rayne has formally agreed to sponsor a Junior Court -- JCDA -- in our parish. Our member Jasmine Cook along with Annie Leger will chair and co-chair this new court.  Girls ages 6 to 18 are invited to join.  Please look for information that is coming out for families with young daughters who would be interested in joining.  They are the future of Catholic Daughters, so please spread the word and offer your support.

family / community

In January, we conducted the Bread & Wine Drive for St. Joseph Church to help defray costs of sacramental supplies.

In March, the beautiful St. Joseph’s Altar was celebrated with Court Rayne members volunteering and donating funds, food and supplies, as well as their time to help as tour guides.

In December, our new fundraising opportunity began: Faith In Action Pick 3 Raffle.  We had to make some changes from our past event of Bingo, and that has been a challenge.  Court Rayne is working on another fundraiser that will promote fellowship and community participation, but in the meantime, we hope this raffle fundraiser will allow us to raise funds for our continued projects and charitable donations, like to St. Joseph Parish for Christmas and Easter flowers,  to the students in our parish who attend Steubenville South, to the Diocese of Lafayette for the Bishops Service Appeal and Seminarian Fund and to the State and National Catholic Daughters in support of their Charities and Projects.  

Our CDA Kid chairperson Annie Leger kept our court up to date on all of Ridge’s struggles and challenges he has overcome during the year.  We are grateful to all our members who have continued the prayers and donations to Ridge and his family.  Our sisters have so much love and compassion in their hearts, and it shows in their generosity to this family.  Our Court gifted a playpen for Ridge for his birthday in May.  Our court members also gifted donated diapers and other needed items throughout the year.  At Christmas, our members gifted donated toys for Ridge and his two brothers, as well as some things for his mother Kali.

Our adopted CDA Kid, is Ridge Benoit. He was born  May 18, 2023. He has Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS). This is a rare, potentially life-threatening disorder. It is present at birth and affects a person throughout their life.
CCHS makes you hyperventilate, especially when sleeping. As a result, he doesn't get enough oxygen and has too much carbon dioxide in his blood. CCHS affects the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the bodily processes. Ridge lives
24 hours on a ventilator. 

spiritual

At monthly meetings, we participate in a Spiritual Growth to help us grow in faith. This year our focus is on our Blessed Mother Mary.  Members have the opportunity to volunteer to research a feast day or facts about the Blessed Virgin and present it to our members in our meeting.

In June, our court sponsored a Morning of Reflection with Father Mark Miley. It was well attended and his presentation on our prayer life was truly insightful.  

In October, our annual Rosary Pilgrimage to the churches in our Diocese began this year with a beautiful blessing of our rosaries and those in attendance by Father Brent at St. Joseph Church, where we prayed our first rosary in the company of one of the younger classes from Rayne Catholic Elementary.  We were joined by other groups and parishioners at each church we stopped. We were treated to a lovely tour of St. Mary Magdalen in Abbeville, our last stop on our pilgrimage.  The information was quite interesting and a welcome addition to the day. 

In November, under the chairmanship of Mary Comeaux, our annual candlelight ceremony and memorial Mass was held for the Catholic Daughters and Knights of Columbus members who had passed away during the year.   Family members of the deceased were invited to participate in the ceremony and received memorial candles as a remembrance of the event.  We continue to pray for the seven members who passed this year, with continued prayers for their families.

Most importantly, we provide ongoing year-round prayers.  A perpetual rosary is recited by Catholic Daughters every day of the year for an end to abortion, peace in families and religious freedom in our country.  The Vocation Cross was a gift from Father Brent to Court Rayne.  It is taken into the home of a CDA member for a two-week period to pray daily for vocations to the religious life.  We have a St. Peregrine Traveling Statue, prayer book and novena that allows members to pray year-round for those suffering from cancer.  And, during the year, we attend Quarterly Communions, where every three months, members attend a Mass together as a group at one of the Sunday Masses.  

leadership

As a member of Court Rayne, we all have the opportunity to learn the skills and techniques of leadership and implement our talents as a future leader. As a leader of our local court, you can become one of those leaders who have vision and get others to share that vision. You will be the inspiration for others to follow. You will have the opportunity to be bring that vision to the state and national levels, too. Please consider not only becoming a member of Cour Rayne, but a leader that will shape our future.

legislation

We make a difference at the State and National levels in legislation, but we are always open to ideas of how to change life for the better at a local level. We welcome your input and ideas!

just for fun

Of course, we take time out for fun times where we are able to just laugh and kick up our heals.  At every meeting, we have a social so we can visit and enjoy each other's company.

In November, Team CDA once again participated in the St. Joseph annual Chili Cookoff.  Our chair Beverly Wale and her husband the “Cook” JJ Wale along with help from our member Ann Savoy and her husband Gaynol, represented CDA very well by taking home 1st place again this year!  This is the second 1st place win in the last four years Team CDA has participated, along with the 2nd and 3rd place wins.

and a legacy...

In December, we celebrated Court Rayne's 102nd Anniversary with a Mass followed by a banquet at Fezzo's in Crowley. It is so humbling to follow in the footsteps of such strong and dedicated women who founded our Court and contributed in life-changing ways to our church and community throughout the years.  

We hope you join us! We look forward to continuing the traditions and adopting new ones as we continue to grow through Unity and Charity.