The Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women (ACCW) honored four members May 2 for their involvement in the organization, their parishes and communities.
The awards were given at the ACCW’s 92nd annual convention at St. Michael in St. Michael. Also at the banquet, Terri Pontious of St. Timothy in Blaine was installed as the new ACCW president by Archbishop Bernard Hebda. She will serve a two-year volunteer term. The banquet’s theme was “Renewing Your Faith Trusting Gods Direction” and featured speaker Kristen Harootunian, the social media content manager for Minding Your Mind, a Pennsylvania organization focused on ending mental health stigma.
Andrea Cowell
Cowell tries to emulate Jesus in her interactions with her family — her three married sons, daughters-in-law, and eight grandchildren — by loving, encouraging and supporting them. For 41 years, Cowell has been a member of St. Pius X in White Bear Lake, where she has served as a lector, cantor, choir member, funeral minister and member of a lectio divina small group. She is the parish’s Spirituality Commission co-chair and a Companions in Grief facilitator. She has volunteered at local food shelves and is active in pro-life efforts. A Third Order Carmelite, Cowell serves as director of her community of lay Catholics wishing to live out Carmelite spirituality and charisms.
In the ACCW, Cowell is involved in events such as the Penny Auction and Advent Morning of Reflection. She is co-chair of the Spirituality Commission and helps oversee First Friday Fellowship. She also co-chairs the Divine Mercy Sunday devotion.
Karen Millner
An active member of St. Ignatius in Annandale and the ACCW since 1973, Millner attends daily Mass and Eucharistic adoration, helps bring Communion to the homebound, has taught faith formation and been a committee member for parish events.
Millner has four children and 22 grandchildren and has shared religious books and prayers with them.
In 1990, Millner became a charter member of the local Kiwanis, a service organization dedicated to improving communities and helping children, and she leads the Kiwanis’ fundraisers.
Marica Simon
Raising two small children as a widow, Simon leaned on her faith and the help of her parents and in-laws. She was involved with her children’s school events and parent group. Later in life, her faith helped her care for her aging parents. She also overcame two battles with cancer.
Simon is a servant leader at St. Dominic in Northfield, serving on church committees, with liturgy and as a Eucharistic minister. She also has served on school, parish and community finance committees.
For the ACCW, Simon has served as treasurer, and in two different deaneries as president, vice president and treasurer. For the Southwest Deanery, she co-chairs the International Commission.
In 25 years as a member of the Rice County Fair Board, Simon worked as the parking committee chair and with several committees, including finance and beautification. As Rice County became more diverse, Simon helped families learn about the fair and its activities. For 20 years, she helped organize the parade line-up for Dam Day in Morristown. Simon also worked at the food shelf at St. Vincent de Paul Society and made food for the volunteers.
Patty Bradway
A member of St. Pius X in White Bear Lake and a nurse in hospitals and schools for 37 years, Bradway has been married 36 years and is the mother of three children. She has helped as a catechist, lector, choir member and prayer partner and taught young people how to pray the rosary.
In 2017, Bradway helped organize talks and prayer sessions inspired by the 100th anniversary of Marian apparitions in Fátima , Portugal. A graduate of the Catechetical Institute at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, she also has organized talks and prayer sessions on the First Saturday Devotion.
For the ACCW, Bradway coordinates the funeral rosary ministry and parish pilgrimages.
Bradway has been working at a pregnancy resource center since 2019, conducting ultrasounds and offering emotional support. Her pro-life beliefs led her to the local Republican party, even serving as vice-chair for her political unit. She ran for the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2024.
