July 30, 2025

By Mary Beth Bracy, consecrated virgin
Contributing Writer

Mary Skillan is no stranger to the North Country, but she also holds a statewide role with the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

A member of Holy Cross Parish in Plattsburgh, Skillan was recently appointed as second state vice-regent to the Catholic Daughters. Her term in the role will last two years.

“I was asked to put my hat in the ring,” she said. “Someone approached me and said ‘we think you would be a good fit.’ It’s important for me to do it; I want to do it right and I want to do it well.”

In 1903, this national organization of Catholic women officially became known as Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

“Prior to that, we were originally an offshoot of the Knights of Columbus known as the Daughters of Isabella,” explained Skillan. “We focus on the circle of love: spiritual enhancement, family, education, youth, quality of life, legislation and leadership.”

The organization also promotes fellowship and community.

“One of the important things is the sisterhood,” Skillan said. “Throughout the country, Puerto Rico included, being there for one another, keeping one another in prayer, usually always a hug when you greet, not a handshake. What drew me to the organization was this idea of sisterhood.”

This sororal aspect is important to Skillan.

“I joined in the fall of 2021,” she said. “I’ve had a trajectory straight to the top. When I was affiliated with SUNY Plattsburgh, I dealt a lot with sororities and fraternities, and it also impressed me the close bond that young men and women had with one another.”

Catholic Daughters are active in their parishes and beyond.

“The organization is filled with really strong, intelligent women who have leadership capabilities,” Skillan said. “Most courts are very involved in their local parishes helping out wherever necessary, sometimes through monetary donations; it’s important for them to be a vibrant part of parish life. As an example here (at Holy Cross Parish), some of us were present for First Communion, and we participated in the Corpus Christi procession. I think it’s important to be a presence, to show especially those families who have youngsters preparing for sacraments that we are here for prayer and we support you.

“We helped out at the summer festival, and we give monetary donations to help offset the cost for the festival and harvest dinner. It’s a combination of time, talent and financial support.”

The group also spends time pursuing spiritual pursuits together.

“This year we are going to hopefully take a pilgrimage, because it’s a Jubilee Year, to Notre Dame in Malone,” Skillan said. “The past few years we’ve gone to Our Lady of the Adirondacks (House of Prayer) in Ellenburg. We have Mass, sometimes Adoration, and a luncheon. Sister Jackie Sellappan, SCC, talked (as the speaker) one year. I gave a presentation last year on the Eucharist.”

The Catholic Daughters also play an active role in their communities.

“Some Catholic Daughters march in their local Memorial Day parades,” Skillan said. “We have been lucky to have some younger women join us, but a lot of our ladies have been involved for many years. I’m always looking for ideas on how we might be able to be a little more involved.”

The Catholic Daughters do a lot of charitable works as well.

“In the fall we put together these car kits: hats, gloves, mittens, and socks that can be infants to adults and we give them out to our soup kitchen, but this year we also gave them out to NAMI (National Association of Mental Illness), because they deal with the homeless population. I think we did over 100.

“In June, we did our priest’s appreciation dinner, we invited the priests, and Kevin (McCullough), our seminarian, was there. We gave them gifts and there was a nice dinner.”

Educational initiatives also keep them busy throughout the year, Skillan said.

“In February, we have a formation meeting,” she said. “Our first year it was on human trafficking. Just this past February we did it on mental health; NAMI has a program called Faith Net to educate people on mental illness. Someone shared her story about what she and her family have gone through and what her son has gone through. Because a lot of times people who are in a tight spot gravitate toward places of worship, (it’s important to know) how to deal with people who are having mental issues, phrases to avoid. A few others and I are on the NAMI board so we took some specialized training. We received recognition on the state level for an education program in February 2024. I try to focus on social justice stories.”

Prayer is central to who the Catholic Daughters are.

“It definitely is a very worthwhile organization, and one of the things that we do every night is at 8 p.m. on our Facebook page, we go live for prayer, with the Rosary or a prayer service. I offered to pitch in and help.”

Skillan said she is excited to see where her new state role takes her.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “I was honored to be given a role in leadership so early. I think it’s the Holy Spirit – my trajectory, it just happened. I am excited about this new role, it will involve travel to different courts for anniversaries, possible installations of officers. I like to travel a bit and to meet new Catholic Daughters. I will definitely do my best to do it well.”

Members of the Catholic Daughters’ leadership team include Judy Sterling, regent; Deborah DiToto, first state regent; Mary Skillan, second state regent; Susan Potaczala, secretary; and Maureen Bonanno, treasurer.

Skillan is also the director of Birthright in Plattsburgh. Her family moved here in 1963 because of the Air Force base. Though she moved away a few times, she has been back here longer than she has been away.

“This has really become home for us,” she said. “I was on ARC (Advocacy and Resource Center) board for 20 years. My first board experience was with them. I joined in 1995 and left in 2015.”

Skillan said she’s grateful for the Holy Spirit’s moving in her life.

“What’s led me down this path is just being open to the workings of the Holy Spirit, in all honesty,” she said.

“The Holy Spirit hasn’t led me down a wrong path. The past 20 years of my life have been some of the best years that I have experienced. It’s a completely different path than I thought I would have in my life, but I’m glad that it’s a path I ultimately decided to take.”