Organization Communique #2

Submitted by: Barbara Dowding

Enclosure: “Stir a new Spirit of Enthusiasm” by Dodie B…, provincial sub chair for membership – enjoy. Thanks Dodie!

Dear League Sisters,

One of the most effective things Organization Chairpersons can do at this time in our League year is generate enthusiasm for membership. Encourage parish councils to do something different in an effort to raise awareness about membership in the most amazing women’s organization in the country (world!). It is so important to find ways to remind Catholic women of the many reasons they should be interested in and part of our League.

I challenge each of you diocesan organization chairs to find a way to track membership in your diocese. Ask the parish councils to assist and report to you their progress. All councils know how many members they have, how many they had and how many are brand new! Let’s see if each diocese could recognize one parish council for significant growth – either the most lapsed members returning, the highest percentage of new members or whatever you think is interesting and worthy of note. We will recognize these at the Provincial Convention in a special way. I leave it up to you, but now is the time to get thinking as memberships begin to pour in.

On the same note about membership, we all must be aware that our numbers across Canada are not increasing. We are still on target to get our 10,000 members in BC & the Yukon, but if the trend continues, there are consequences. If we are to continue to serve our members properly, we need to find more members or consider a per capita increase. I know everyone flinches at the thought, but it’s been a long time, 1993, in fact since the last increase nationally. Alternatively we can each take on the responsibility to bring one new woman to the League. Why wouldn’t we? It’s the best organization ever – how much do we care?

Don’t forget to share your communiques – I’ve seen awesome work and you will be enlightened and inspired by each other’s great work!

Development Fund:
New application forms will be out to you shortly for travel to conventions. Don’t forget to promote the National Development Fund to members who want to sponsor workshops and leadership days. All the information is available on the CWL website as well as in the National Manual of Policy and Procedure.

Annual Reports:
It’s that time and I know you all know, so I won’t nag. However, I do encourage you to look for the new or unusual, specific examples of success and/or ideas that touch you in some way. Doreen Gowans gave clear information on this in her communique. Again I thank her for that and for her part in getting the new forms to you. Please adhere to the deadlines.

Standing Committee Restructuring:
Every parish council was sent a survey on the Standing Committees and various aspects and circumstances relating to their own parish council. Danielle McNeil-Hessian, National Organization Chairperson says: “The standing committees are being examined in order to determine if the current structure meets the needs of members at the parish level.” She asks further that parish council responses reflect actual practice in the council at the present time. Unfortunately there was no return date – it is imperative that we get as many councils to reply as possible and as soon as possible.

I can’t say often enough that our Organization Standing Committee is much more than membership. Certainly without members we will not exist – but we owe our members so much if we are to be true to our mandate: “Calling our members to holiness through service to the people of God.” As we educate, lead, affirm and pray as one, we are able to recognize and accept the many gifts we’ve been given. Thank you for all you do to empower your League sisters through your dedication, example and love.

And finally, Christmas greetings, blessings and prayers to each of you and your families. I pray that your Advent is special and focused and that Christmas is a time of peace, joy and much happiness.

I look forward to 2007 as we prepare to embrace our new National theme: Love One Another and the Provincial sub theme: Walk Humbly with Our God.

Teach, Evangelize, Animate and Motivate!

Barb D.

Stir a new Spirit of Enthusiasm – from Dodie B. (BC & Yukon Membership sub-chair)

If we could all follow the League Calendar outlined in the “Leading the League Manual” we would all be on the same wavelength at the same time. What would we be doing together? We would be promoting all the things in life that are important; i.e. hospitality, openness, charity, generosity, strengthening our own personal faith both individually and collectively. At the same time we will be helping to make our own church stronger as well as our society.

It is up to each and every one of us to promote the League. Before we can do that, we must know and understand what the League is all about. I suggest that a time be set aside for training of new members. Then they will know what the League is all about. Our aims our purposes.

I have seen over the years members who bring members on board – get their dues – no training no explanation and guess what? We don’t see them again. It is one thing to pass out a welcome kit to the member who is new but I believe that when they get the kit it should go with some form of orientation.

When we buy a house, we look it over and if its what we want we buy it – because the people selling it took the time to find out what we wanted and they went about making it so – and they sold it. Maybe we should change the way we do things – first sell the prospective member by getting the present members to get a program together that is interesting and then rehearse until they know it inside out. Then have a lunch with a program and sell it to prospective new members.

We all have the words and tools at our fingertips. All we need to do is look to our League manuals and then just do it! Baby steps at first. Be excited about the League let the excitement show at what ever you do. This goes for all members, young, recycled, Catholic, Non Catholic. We must be proud members if we plan on attracting new members. We must be proud to belong to an Organization Rooted in Gospel Values.

We are people of faith bound by our faith, to welcome all women into the Catholic Women’s League.

We need to go back to our roots – we need to have present members educated and enthusiastic about the League in order for us to gain new members. The best way of getting new members is personal invitation. I can’t stress that enough. Be excited about sharing our faith.

By doing this we will have created a New Spirit of Enthusiasm!