Christian Family Life Communique #3

Submitted by: Marilyn Van Dongen

Dear League Sisters,

During this time of lent we reflect on Jesus’ life, suffering and death. I ordered leaflets titled Living, Suffering and Dying: what for? from the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF) <www.colf.ca> and will mail them to the Diocesan Christian Family Life Chairpersons. I will also mail the brochure and leaflet order form from COLF; they have many good titles.

Towards a New Sexual Revolution
COLF are putting together their first National Symposium on the Theology of the Body. It will be held June 15 – 16, 2007 in Edmonton, Alberta. It is titled Towards a New Sexual Revolution. The symposium will be promoting Pope John Paul II’s teachings on the true meaning of life, love and sexuality. Free advertising material is available. Contact Lea Singh, COLF’s Assistant Director, by phone at 613-241-9461 ext 162 or by email at lsingh@colf.ca. The registration fee includes a buffet lunch on June 15 and a continental breakfast on June 16. It will cost $89 for adults and $69 for students before May 2, after May 2 it will be $109 for adults and $89 for students.

Marriage and Family
On December 7, 2006 a motion to reopen the debate on the definition of marriage was defeated. The opinion of some MPs was that the motion was vague and misleading. It called for legislation to restore the traditional definition of marriage while at the same time respecting existing same-sex marriages. This was a clear and impossible contraction leading to MPs who voted against the redefinition of marriage in 2005 voting against the motion to reopen the debate in 2006.

In Ann D.’s Communique #3 [CWL National], she stated that a decision by the Court of Appeal for Ontario recognizes three legal parents for one child. The following was copied from Ann’s communique.

A statement was released by COLF on January 8th entitled “Three parents for one child? Time has come to pause and reflect.”

A letter using the COLF statement as reference was sent to the prime minister and the minister of justice on behalf of the League under the signature of the national president expressing “profound concern and distress” with respect to this ruling. The letter states in part that “The Catholic Women’s League of Canada considers that legislators historically have had the responsibility of defining social policies and strongly urges the federal and provincial governments to assume their responsibility in making responsible, thoroughly studied decisions regarding the structure of the family. Furthermore, the League contends that these policies need to promote the natural two-parent family model. The effect of redefining marriage and parenthood needs to be thoroughly examined and studied in view of its future impact upon children and upon society itself.”

Our Sunday Visitor has a new hybrid mini-magazine, Take Out: Family Faith on the Go. This eight page mini-magazine will engage, inform and inspire family members to live their Catholic faith. Each issue includes new and unique ways to meet families’ real needs with fresh, fun, must-try ideas for connecting their Catholic faith with real life. If you have questions or would like further information, contact Amy Thomas, Marketing Coordinator, at (800) 348-2440 or athomas@osv.com, or see the website.

Sanctity of Life
Two reminders from the National sub-committee chairperson Margaret B.

• 10th Annual National March for Life – May 10 in Ottawa – Organizers are hoping to have 10,000 in attendance to mark this event.
• Pro-life search engine – It works like Google and is run by Google, but every time www.prolifesearch.com is used, a donation is made to a pro-life charity. Please promote the use of this pro-life tool.

More information that Ann D. is passing on:

Ontario Provincial Council is asking each diocesan council to declare the month of April 2007 as Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Awareness Month. I encourage other provincial and diocesan councils to follow their lead. Councils could be encouraged to have guest speakers at council meetings during this month. Priests, doctors and palliative care workers could be considered as presenters. We are still waiting for the DVD Fighting for Our Lives, due to be released this month by the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC), at a cost of $50.00. The DVD is being sent along with a presentation format. The presentation material allows people who care about the sanctity of human life and vulnerable Canadians to present to groups without being an expert on end-of-life issues.

Ministry to Youth
While working on this communique I have been working on scheduling the lectors for the month of April for my parish. The Palm Sunday and the Triduum need extra readers. At the Easter Vigil in my parish all seven readings are used with two readers alternating. I have an adult and a teen reading them. Another teen has a part in the Good Friday passion. I know they will both do very well. We need to encourage youth to take part in liturgical services in their parishes. They need to feel they are accepted, that they belong. Support youth rallies, days of recollection and other functions for our youth. Our youth will be running our country someday; support now can help them make major decisions throughout their life, many of these decisions will be how, as adults, they treat us as seniors.

Ministry to Seniors
I will also mail the enclosure Trust and betrayal in the golden years by Kyle G Brown; he is a freelance writer based in Calgary. I received this article from Ann who got it from the January 27, 2007 Globe and Mail. “Just when they’re needed most, a growing number of children are turning on aging parents – taking away their nest eggs and their independence. But as KYLE BROWN reports, getting justice is no easy task.”

This next paragraph from Ann Doucet’s communique is not just for seniors but it does have a real impact on seniors.

“How Will You Say Goodbye: To Someone You Love?” features articles on palliative care, elder abuse, disability concerns, etc. If you would like to order this paper, telephone (877) 439-3348. Elder Abuse, Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide – Must we consider the link? It was researched and written by Philip Prins, a free-lance researcher and Research Director for the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) in London, Ontario, and prepared by the EPC for Niagara Region Right to Life. Copies may be ordered for $15.00 each from the EPC, Box 25033, London, ON N6C 6A8; telephone (519) 439-3348; toll-free (877) 439-3348; or e-mail info@epcc.ca.

Vocations
Read my article on the family in our Provincial Newsletter #14. This newsletter isn’t published yet but hopefully your Diocesan President will receive a copy to give to each Parish President in her diocese at the Diocesan Conventions. This article is not about vocations, but if we can return family life to what it should be we will have more vocations. If families respected and appreciated each family member, respected and appreciated those in the ordained ministry and consecrated life, respected and appreciated our church, we would create a vocation culture.

Visit to Victoria – Presentation to our Provincial Government
March 28 a delegation of four will be bringing our resolutions to our provincial government. The delegation includes Sheila Q. 1st Vice-president and Resolutions Chairperson, Gloria G. Legislation Chairperson, Nancy S. Education and Health Chairperson, and myself 2nd Vice-president. Usually the Provincial President and President-elect are part of the delegation but our president is away and we do not have a president-elect. All four of us will get together the day before to go over our presentation. The next day we will have to be at the Parliament Building before 8:30 am as we will meet with the NDP caucus from 8:30 – 9:30 am. We will then rush to another area of the building to meet with the Liberal caucus from 9:30 – 10:30 am. You will then find us rushing to the Ministry of Education Office for an 11:00 am to discuss the Correns case. Next we will go to Jonathons at the other side of the Parliament Building for a 12:30 pm lunch meeting with Robin Pike to get an update on trafficking. From there we will proceed to the Legislative Gallery to view the House in session. It will be a busy but fulfilling day. Please remember to pray for us while we represent The Catholic Women’s League.

Communicate – Share ideas
Thank you very much for your annual reports. It is so uplifting to see how much has been accomplished by our League sisters. I always look forward to receiving the diocesan and provincial convention books and the League magazine to see what everyone across my diocese, my province and across Canada are accomplishing. Let people know what we do. It is not personal bragging, it is promoting our League. Also share what we are doing with our League members, you may give them ideas they hadn’t thought of.

Your Sister-in-the League,
Marilyn V.