Catholic Women’s League of Canada | BC and Yukon Council

Submitted by: Sheila Quinn

Greetings,

During Advent let us try to set aside time from our busy lives to pray, reflect and focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Lord.

Resolutions 2007.02 Global accountability for Canadian Registered Mining Companies The D & P card given out in parishes recently asking that we sign and send to the Prime Minister is a great way to show further support for this resolution and D & P. I sent a copy of this resolution to the Social Justice co-ordinator in my diocese, please consider forwarding it to the contact person in your diocese mentioning that it will be including in the resolutions presented when both national and provincial levels of the League meet with Federal and Provincial governments.

All 3 resolutions passed at Montreal national convention appeared in the fall issue of the League magazine and it is important that members follow the suggested action plan not only on these three but also on previous resolutions which can be found on the national web-site www.cwl.ca. One suggestion for council resolutions chairpersons could be to set a goal of getting members at meetings to follow action on at least one resolution a month. Action speaks louder than words! » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Nancy Simms

Dear Sisters in the League,

Now that we are into the Advent season it is my prayer that each of us will take time out of our daily busyness to remember the hope, love and joy with which Advent bestows on us.

“Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.” Is. 122

Bioethics: I recently received the below email from our past national president Marie Cameron and found the recommended website to be an excellent source of information on bioethics and the church’s position on these crucial issues.

“This was sent to me from one of my CWL friends and I am forwarding it as I find his articles very informative. Fr. Tad was here in Calgary at St. Mary’s University College this weekend for some seminars. Marie

Fr Tad is a respected and well known US expert ( Ph.D at Yale and post doctoral work at Harvard) on bioethics and an advisor to the American Catholic Bishops. He writes weekly on Bioethics issues. His writing is absolutely consistent with the magisterium of the Catholic Church and is a good source of formation for you and for me on these very topical and important issues That’s why I am sending you his website. Please read some of his articles. They are short and clear. http://www.ncbcenter.org/makingsense.asp

In case you want to know more type Father Tad Pacholczyk into Google.com,  you will get quite a bit to read.” » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Sandra Stajduhar

Dear League Sisters and Father Terry,

As we begin our Advent journey, please take some time for quiet reflection and prepare yourselves to experience Christ in Christmas. Remember to offer all the work you do baking, decorating and shopping as a prayer for your family; show your love for everyone (as you see Christ in them) by ‘communicating’ cheerfully – try replying to “Seasons Greetings” with “Christmas Blessings”.

BCYK CWL Website
www.cwl.bc.ca will soon bring you to an updated website. The new webmaster, Rebecca G…….., will be publishing the “new look” soon. You will have a chance to register and add your comments on a ‘blog’. Many thanks to Rebecca for all of the hours spent already – we look forward to seeing the changes and receiving feedback from our members.

Submissions for the website should still come to the Communications chairperson – through Diocesan presidents or any member of the Provincial executive. » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans

Dear League Sisters and Father Terry:

As we are approaching Advent and we prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus, I encourage you to take time to discern where you are in your spiritual journey. Often we find ourselves caught up in the hustle & bustle of the materialistic world and often forget to thank God for the many blessings we have received in the past year. Ask ourselves if there is something we would like to do now or in 2008 to deepen our spiritual life. Is there a retreat we would like to add to our Christmas wish list? Have we reached out to someone in need? » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Barbara Dowding

Dear League Sisters and Father Terry,

As we wind down another Church year and look forward to Advent, I write with a number of things for your consideration.

First and most important is our 2008 mid-term meeting that was scheduled for Feb 28-March 1. There is a conflict with the National Spring meeting in Montreal so we’ve had to change not only the date but the venue and I am hoping the new ones will work for everyone.

Secondly, I’ve attached my summary notes from the meeting last week in Winnipeg. I’ve included almost everything so you’re completely up to date! Please note where I’ve asked for input or action. It seemed easier than writing a separate communique.

It was a good meeting with lots of interesting discussion. The ad hoc committee working on the marketing for our League has a big job ahead of them. Let’s keep them in prayer as they work to help us market our awesome product in a way that will make it as attractive to others as we know it to be ourselves.

Don’t forget to purchase the nativity stamps – you’ll need to ask for them specifically. And speaking of which, with Christmas around the corner, annual reports on the top of parish council lists next to nominations and elections, I encourage everyone to help one another stay positive and affirm each other wherever you find yourselves, especially at your parish council meetings.

Like last year, I’ve ordered the Magnificat Advent Prayer book for each of you, but so far it hasn’t arrived. Please know it will be to you ‘post haste’ upon its arrival here. With that I offer you my heartfelt and sincere wishes for a most blessed Christmas time. Let’s get these few things off our CWL list so we can focus on Advent and all that comes with it. I am ever so grateful to each and everyone of you for your love and support and look forward to an amazing 2008 as we put our thoughts and words in to action – it will be a teaching and learning year, one that will help us all grow in love and charity for God and Canada.

Merry Christmas and a happy and blessed New Year!

With love and prayers from your Sister in the League,
Barb

Submitted by: Marilyn Van Dongen

Dear League Sisters,

Advent is just around the corner. “Advent means the coming, and is used by the church to represent the four thousand years of preparation for the coming of the Redeemer and at the same time points us to His second coming as our judge.” Goffin’s Devout Instructions, copyright 1896. This was my Grandmother’s book; she would have been 11 years old when it was copyrighted. Our Catholic church was the same yesterday as it is today. We must be ready for the second coming of Christ. “Keep awake therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” Matt 24:42.

The Provincial Executive was at Rosemary Heights in Surrey for our Fall Mid-Term meeting October 11 – 14. Our time at Rosemary Heights was wonderful. The Spiritual Programs were awesome thanks to Dodie Bond. We attended Saturday evening Mass at Star of the Sea parish in White Rock where we were warmly welcomed. Sandra Stajduhar gave copies of the fall issue of our provincial newsletter to diocesan presidents for each parish council in their diocese. We received our newsletter by email before the meeting. There are two newsletters per year. Ask someone, your diocesan president or me your committee counterpart, to forward the newsletter to you. I have attached my National Convention Report that was submitted with my Midterm Report. » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Dodie Bond

Hello once again;

I pray all is well with you and your families, and that the weather is kind to you all.

Have you had time to take a look at the fall issue of the League Magazine? It is full of awesome articles and great pictures of the banners that were presented for consideration for Love One Another competition. I wouldn’t have wanted to be the judge, I personally loved them all.

Are you praying to Stay Awake? He’s coming… It’s that time again (ADVENT). Do you remember the resolution that was passed in 1974 in regards to resolutions passed from 1966 and 1971?

Resolution 1974.01 resolved “that we reaffirm the national resolutions of 1966 and 1971 asking members to undertake a nationwide prayer for peace, which would request each member to participate in the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist on one week-day of each month for “Peace in the World”.” » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Carol Penno

Happy All Hallow’s Eve everyone, and Happy All Saints Day and All Souls day as well. What great days in our Church for witnessing to the holy aspect of these days. I was preparing a communique to bring everyone up to speed on important information in our Community Life department of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada and when I checked my morning email there was Communique #05 from Dr. Rayleen DeLuca, National Chairperson of Community Life, I shall add her comments to my report to you. A reminder for Diocesan Chairpersons to send me a copy of the report they send out to their parish chairpersons.

Our last Provincial Convention held in Victoria was dedicated to Africa as you well remember. Beverley Reid presented a children’s film entitled Anita’s Africa. Beverley kindly gave a copy of the film to each Diocesan President which I handed out to them at the Fall meeting in Rosemary Heights Oct 11-14. She also updated us on the Uganda Library project and only $22,000 is left to be raised before January 08, 2008 when she returns to Africa. If you have any fundraising going on for this project see that it gets sent to her before that. I just received news yesterday that Beverley Reid of Coming Home Films won First Prize in their division Documentary Film or Video. We offer our congratulations.

Still on the topic of Africa, read the following from Pope Benedict XVI: » Read the rest of this entry »

Can now be viewed as a PDF. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.

Please see this entry at our National site regarding a recent letter sent to Prime Minister Harper on Bill C-22, the Age of Protection.