Community Life Communique #2

Submitted by: Carol Penno

Happy All Saints Day everyone:

I am preparing to leave for Arizona shortly but before I go I have to communicate with you. For your information I am enclosing my oral report given to the Mid Term meeting at Rosemary Heights Oct 20-22, 2006. There isn’t a formal communique from National at this time but I do have some thoughts to share with you that may be of some help in fulfilling your duties listed in your handbook. These duties are what we are to be concerned with; the other chairpersons of standing committees take care of the duties listed under their standing chair. Many people “complain” for lack of a better word about all the overlapping reports. Perhaps if we contain ourselves to our own duties we can alleviate this overlapping. We received copies of the annual report forms that have been revised while at the fall retreat. Our year end is coming soon so when you communicate with the parishes remind them to report on the new forms.

Report to Fall Mid Term/Retreat COMMUNITY LIFE

“COMMUNITY LIFE ROCKS” is the theme song chosen by Rayleen DeLuca, my National counterpart. We hope that we will be rocking with this large standing committee by years end. It has been years since I had this standing committee at the parish level.

The aim of Community Life as described in our handbook is to show that we are Christians by our love. The Christian virtue of charity is personified by our action to help others. Call to mind the song “Whatsoever You Do” to remember all the ways to help others.

I am seeking individuals from each diocese to work on the sub committee. I believe that having an enthusiastic member from each Diocese researching or touching on the pulse of events taking place will benefit us in the province as a whole. These ladies will not be infringing on the work of the Diocesan Chairpersons. This is to aid us to keep abreast of the many issues under Community Life.

My short term goals:

• To encourage councils to support the one resolution passed under Community Life “Increase Old Age Security” by writing letters;
• To promote the wearing of Red on Fridays to support the military and to remember the troops in our prayers;
• To promote care of the environment, recycle, reduce, re-use;
• To promote a greater support and awareness for the CWL 1% program. Are councils donating 1% of their revenues to the program? A few are, but many are not.
• To keep the trafficking of women and children awareness programs going throughout the dioceses by encouraging councils to sponsor workshops and education nights.

Long term goal:

• To communicate frequently with the Diocesan chairpersons to get to know them better and to keep them up to date on any developments.

Now onto some new items. Vancouver ArchDiocesan in association with the Sisters Association will present “The Lost in Traffic” play at two venues in the Greater Vancouver area November 11 and 12^th I believe. Pat D………, Vancouver Archdiocesan President had tickets for sale. Her address is in the roster.

Pope Benedict XVI has written his first encyclical entitled “Deus caritas est” (“God is Love”). Social Doctrine and charity lie at the heart of this encyclical. This is great reading for the laity. If you visit www.prolifesearch.com and type in the encyclical name in the search area, you can print off your own copy. I used the heading “Deus Caritas Est Encyclical letter to Bishops, Priest and Deacons, Men and Women Religious and all the lay faithful.” The print was larger. Part 2, starting at chapter 19, deals with Christian Charity.

For another “hot topic” keep abreast of developments with emission of greenhouse gases and the Clean Air Act. The National Post, Friday October 20, 2006 edition in glaring headlines stated that emission rules begin in 2010 and we have 44 years to cut greenhouse gases in half. There’s moving and shaking going on in Parliament. It’s anybody’s guess as to what will happen.

Provincial Council has received a request from a Catholic Organization named “The Call of the Poor” based in St. Norbert, Manitoba to help make their cause better known. I know that we support many missions and worthwhile charities at home and abroad right now and we support our food banks in our own home towns but if your heart feels touched to distribute appeals to your parishes please let me know and I can forward some material to you.

The United Nations released statistics on Child Poverty in the world and it is not good news. This topic has been on the slate for so many years without headway. Can you think of ways to address the issue?

May our Lady of Good Counsel Guide you in this important work of caring for others. God Bless

Carol P….