Christian Family Life Communique #1
Submitted by: Marilyn Van Dongen
Dear League Sisters,
September has arrived. Welcome back to both first and second term Christian Family Life Chairpersons: Iris B.-Kamloops Diocese, Catherine S.-Nelson Diocese, Paulette D.-Prince George Diocese, Afra N.-Vancouver Archdiocese, Therese J.-Victoria Diocese, and our members up north in the Whitehorse Diocese.
We are blessed to have Ann Doucet as our national counterpart. … On the National Council she has been Chairperson of Education & Health and Community Life. Read more about Ann on our National Website www.cwl.ca then click on the Christian Family Life icon.
I joined the League in 1979 in a new parish in Kamloops, St. John Vianney. I was Parish President 1988 – 1990 and Diocesan President 1999 – 2001. I have served in many positions on those levels. On Provincial Council I have been Communications and Legislation Chairperson.
Communiques: Use the information from my communiques when you compose your own communiques to the parish councils. You are writing your communiques To the Parish Christian Family Life Chairpersons; please send a copy of your communiques to me and to each of your diocesan counter-parts. This way we can help one another. I have attached the addresses of the CFL Chairpersons. You will not send your communiques to Ann D. I included her address for your information only. When quoting directly, give credit to the source.
Definition of Marriage is how Sheila Q. (previous Christian Family Life Chair) and I (Legislation Chair) started and ended our communiques last term. It is the most pressing issue in this standing committee right now. Resolution 2006.02 Legal Protection for All Those Who Object to the Solemnization of Civil Marriage for Same-sex Partners was passed at our National Convention last month. You can find the resolution on our National Website www.cwl.ca click on the Resolutions icon, then ‘By Year’.
The following was taken from my oral report at the Provincial Convention in June.
This fall, as promised in the last election by our Prime Minister, Steven Harper, it will be decided if the same-sex marriage debate will be reopened. If it is decided that the debate should be reopened, then the question will be “Should the Civil Marriage Act, Bill C-38, which redefined marriage to include same-sex partners, remain in effect or should the Act be amended to permit marriage between opposite sex people only, as it was before the enactment.”
The Equal Marriage committee has been reestablished and is working hard not to let the marriage issue be reopened. On our side, twelve pro-family organizations have established a Defend Marriage Coalition. In less than a year since the same-sex marriage law was passed in Canada, many cases have arisen which negatively affect religious rights.
This summer visit your MP and make sure he/she knows how you feel about the same-sex issue. You will also need to put your views in writing to make it official. If you are not able to visit your MP, make sure and send a letter. It doesn’t matter how many times you have contacted him/her, it needs to be done again. We don’t want your MPs to return to Ottawa in the fall stating that it is not an issue with their constituents.
National Family Week October 2 – 8, 2006 with the theme Nourishing the Family. “National Family Week has been celebrated since 1985 when it was proclaimed an official week by the Government of Canada. It is always the week before Thanksgiving which is a time of family togetherness.” Visit the website to read more about it and encourage families to celebrate National Family Week
Below are a few points taken from Ann’s Communique #1.
Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide We are also asked to continue to be vigilant with respect to the possibility of a new private member’s bill on the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide. In (previous national chair) Cecile Miller’s April communique, she stated, “It is expected that Member of Parliament Francine Lalonde (Bloc Quebecois) will introduce a private member’s bill in the House of Commons to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide. Members must be ready to fight for a culture of life in Canada, and once again make the prime minister and members of parliament aware of the value we place on life at all stages.”
The Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF) document, Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide – Urgent Questions, is a valuable resource to assist with letter writing. It is available by contacting COLF by telephone: (613) 242-9461, ext. 161; or e-mail:
. Ministry to Youth – Exciting Project! Interested councils across Canada are asked to pilot a Catholic girls’ league council using the manual and Steps to Forming a Catholic Girls’ League (adapted by national office from guidelines developed by Hamilton Diocesan Council). It is hoped that there will be at least one council in each province piloting this exciting project. We would ask for a report with suggestions for changes/improvements from those councils near the end of the first year. All suggestions would then be used to develop a final document(s) for the formation of girls’ groups across Canada. Please contact national office for the required material if you are interested.
Vocations are another area I would like to see us work on. The Executive Handbook states Vocations ‘are a gift of God’ and ‘they are born in communities of faith”¦’ (Ecclesia in America). Let’s share our ideas on what we are doing to encourage vocations and to help those in the seminary.
Use the Christian Family Life Standing Committee section in the Executive Handbook as your guide.
The path towards the future passes through the family.
Your Sister in the League
Marilyn V.
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