Vancouver: President’s Report 2007

Submitted by: Evelyn R.

Under the strong leadership of my predecessor, Pat Deppiesse, the Catholic Women’s League in the Vancouver Archdiocese continued to grow. Our four joy-filled General Meetings featuring topical presentations were regularly well attended. Members and priests enjoyed the Priests’ Appreciation Dinner with many councils generously sponsoring guest priests. Although on that night we were supposed to be the hosts, we received our fair share of appreciation in the gracious words of Monsignor Lopez- Gallo.

During her term Pat had installed two extra councils and witnessed the start up of a third. Two other councils were re-invigorated and gained full executives. A League Development Team was formed to be available on request for the training of councils, whether new, experienced or struggling. One of its first presentations dealt with Standing Committees, demonstrating their potential to bring alive and continually restate the mission of our League. By October we had aroused enough interest in our members to hold a two day Training Workshop with a Registered Parliamentarian, John Noonan, who took the fear out of Robert’s Rules of Order. Those present became better educated about efficient ways to run meetings and had a lot of fun doing so. Several council presidents began applying these principles in their own councils to good effect. In the New Year we anxiously awaited the return of the revamped annual report forms. While the number of reports did not improve dramatically, the quality and organization of the contents did. More recently we learned that we could add one more name to our list of Life Members, that of Marianna Caldwell.

These concerns about the well-being of our League did not overshadow our concerns about the needs of those at home and abroad. We responded generously to a request from the Sisters of Atonement for sheets and clothing for the homeless in Vancouver. We helped promote the play Lost In Traffic, an attempt to educate the Canadian public about the trafficking of women and children. We supplied the orphan children of Uganda with dolls and balls, and also expanded this collection with school and church supplies.

Three weeks ago when I was installed as Diocesan President at Westminster Abbey, Mission, B.C. some of my goals were clear, and since meeting with my talented new executive I have been able to devise a fourfold plan. First and foremost I aim to encourage my executive and our fifty councils in all their endeavours for God and Canada. Second, I will support and promote the work of the League Development Team entrusted to the capable leadership of its founder, now contentedly equipped with our recently purchased power point projector and happy in the knowledge that the funds returned to us from Vancouver’s 2005 National Convention may be accessed for the furtherance of this project. Third we intend to persuade the thirty+ pastors without CWL councils in their parishes, that the presence of our League in their parish will not only ensure that our synod’s proposition # 34 will be truly adopted, for the CWL has an strong tradition of time, talent and treasure stewardship, but also that legislative concerns will be addressed. And finally, we need to investigate better ways of serving our smaller councils e.g. by reducing the paper trail.

Inspired by the example of our Archbishop, Raymond Roussin, the care of our Spiritual Advisor, Father Craig Scott, and fortified by our new Diocesan theme, “Let Your Heart Take Courage”, Vancouver Archdiocesan CWL can face the future with much hope.

May Our Lady of Good Counsel guide us.

Evelyn R…. (Vancouver Archdiocesan President)