Organization Communique #3

Submitted by: Barbara Dowding

Dear League Sisters,

Happy New Year to you all!

Annual Reports – I trust by now you are working toward collecting the annual reports from your parishes. As the reports filter in you will be amazed at what is going on and has happened. I am confident that the new forms will generate really interesting reports that will enable you to also paint a brilliant picture of the activities and well-being in so many of our parishes.

Please be sure to adhere to the deadlines (parish reports are due to you January 15 and your reports to provincial by February 15). If at all possible contact those parishes from which you don’t hear. While this may be time-consuming and somewhat tedious, it is so very worthwhile – you’ll be amazed what you find out, and the fact that you called will go a long way toward encouraging responses.

Membership drives and February 28 deadline – please continue to focus and assist Organization Chairpersons and Treasurers at this important time. As previously mentioned, membership is going to be a topic for discussion as well as a possible per capita increase over the next months. I look forward to hearing how you are going to react to the challenge of tracking membership in your diocese (see last communique if you’ve forgotten!).

While this is the time to ‘market’ let’s keep in mind our target audience – those dedicated and loyal members we already have who need to be nurtured; those who have left the League and then ALL the rest – Catholic women everywhere who haven’t heard about the League, who deserve to belong. We need to preach the good news of the League – using words only when necessary! It’s up to each one of us.

Associate Membership – don’t forget to tell your members about this and consider offering gift memberships to non-Catholic friends or relatives. The National Manual of Policy and Procedure states that a non-Catholic woman 16 years of age or over may become an associate member, with voting privileges, but without eligibility for office by election or appointment.

Provincial Development Fund – applications for subsidy to travel to the Provincial Convention in Victoria are being accepted now. Please be sure everyone has the new forms – we won’t accept applications on the old ones.

National Development Fund – All levels are encouraged to take advantage of the National funds available for education and training. I trust you all have a copy and will remind parishes that they, too, can apply. Forms and information are available on the CWL website.

Standing Committee Restructuring – this will be the topic of diocesan workshops throughout Canada. More information will be forthcoming after the national midterm meeting March 1. I hope the response to Danielle’s survey was good. Do you have any further thoughts that you want me to take forward?

Pin Protocol – Danielle McN.-H. has asked that parishes talk about pin protocol. She states: The fact that the question of pin protocol on the death of a member was asked indicates that it should be an item on the parish agenda in order to inform members that they should be indicating their wishes to other League and family members.

Provincial Registration Packages and Parish registers – Please encourage Organization Chairpersons to work closely with the Secretary at parish level to ensure that all registers of the elected officers and standing committee chairpersons are mailed to Doreen G. immediately following parish elections or by February 1 at the latest.

You are doing a wonderful job in your dioceses – keep up the great work, excellent communications and lively enthusiasm for our League. I love to get your communiques and hope you are sharing with each other. If there is anything I can do to assist you in any way, please just ask.

If you need anything [while I am away], please contact Pat B.

Teach, Evangelize, Animate and Motivate!
Barb D.