PALM BEACH GARDENS | It was a joyous occasion as the Palm Beach Diocesan Council of Catholic Women celebrated its fourth Golden Rose Award ceremony Oct. 4, 2025, at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola. Twenty-one young women in the diocese were honored for their exemplary leadership and service in their parishes.
Father Charles E. Notabartolo, diocesan vicar general, presided at a Mass honoring the Golden Rose recipients. His homily focused on the Gospel reading (Lk 10:17-24) for the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. He explained that, as in the Gospel, Jesus “calls us to be his disciples, to be his leaders in the world, to be his witnesses in the world, and to carry out his work in the world.”
“We are called to be leaders in the community,” Father Notabartolo added, which is why, “we are here today because of the service that you have done, and so we are honoring you for that service and thanking God on your behalf for that service.”
In the parish hall afterward, council women and Golden Rose recipients with their families enjoyed refreshments and social time with one another. Award recipient Sophia Thome of St. Jude in Boca Raton jubilantly said, “I am very happy.” Her mother, Lorena, beaming with joy, said, “We are very proud of her. She has been serving since eighth grade, and she has been very dedicated.”
Award recipient Katherine Ticas of St. Luke in Palm Springs said, “I was very surprised. I do altar service on Sundays, and I teach little kids to prepare for their first holy Communion.” Her mother, Maria Castellon-Ticas, said, “I am very happy and proud that she was picked, and ever since she was very young, she followed the right path.” Katherine added, “I think I always followed the right path because of God and my parents.”
The 21 recipients of the 2025 Golden Rose Awards are Leslie Aguilar, St. Rita; Julia Belulovich, St. Lucie; D’Mya Bushell-Cue, Holy Cross (Vero Beach); Elsielee Craven, St. Bernadette; Gisell Diaz, St. Andrew; Gabriela Herrera, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton; Christail Jean-Pierre, Sacred Heart (Lake Worth Beach); Cristina Martinez, St. Helen; Valentina Martinez, St. Joan of Arc; Skyla McKee, St. Anastasia; Valentina Monegro, St. Therese de Lisieux; Lily Morel, Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola; Grace Mumford, St. Jude (Tequesta); Isabella “Bella” Navarro, Holy Redeemer; Caitlin O’Sullivan, Ascension; Xena Pereira, Emmanuel; Christina Pierrelus, Holy Spirit; Sienna Rain Susino, St. Sebastian; Sophia Thome, St. Jude (Boca Raton); Katherine Ticas, St. Luke; and Judith Vazquez Guerrero, Holy Family.
Teresa Cecil, DCCW president, welcomed everyone. “Our mission statement for the National Council of Catholic Women is to support, empower and educate all women in spirituality, leadership and service,” she said.
“We established the Golden Rose Award program in 2022 to recognize young women for their contribution in their parishes and for their spirituality, leadership and service,” Cecil added. She then introduced the founder of the Golden Rose Award and ceremony, Doreen Recco, who is a past president of the DCCW.
“Along with my co-chairs, Katie Roddy and Danielle Wymer, we are pleased to present our fourth Golden Rose Award,” Recco said, adding, “You are the young ladies who exemplify the core values of Council of Catholic Women’s mission statement again, to support, empower and educate your peers by living spirituality, leadership and service, and stand proud knowing that you are doing the things that God and our Blessed Mother has asked you to do.” Wymer presented each recipient with a golden rose, a certificate and pin.
“The National Council of Catholic Women just recently, within the last three years, has taken this program underwing, and we are asked as a diocese to recommend one girl from each Golden Rose program that we feel truly epitomizes our mission statement,” Recco said.
Announcing the DCCW’s choice, Recco explained that “her name will be added to others around the country who will be chosen to receive this award at the national level and will be invited to the convention next August in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She will go against other girls in the country and, hopefully we get lucky this time. This year’s nominee is D’Mya Bushell-Cue.”
D’Mya’s mother, Neferteria Bushell-Cue, said, “I am shocked, and I am so proud, and she definitely deserves it. She has been an altar server for the last six years and has a relationship with God that takes people years to develop.” Colleen Davenport proudly said, “I was her religion teacher at St. Helen Catholic Church.”
To qualify for the Golden Rose Award, local Catholic women from ages 14 to 21 must show leadership abilities, portray spirituality, be involved in a service project in or outside their parish, and be a practicing Catholic regularly attending Sunday Mass. For information and nomination forms, visit PBDCCW.org or email pbdccw@gmail.com.
