Victoria: President’s Report 2007
Submitted by: Agnes G.
My past year as Victoria Diocesan President has been a learning year for me, for the upcoming year I would like to focus on education of members.
2006 – Starting with our summer meeting, our executive studied their workbooks with information on writing communiques and each person’s job description. For the three Diocesan Newsletter I have done an educational component on MaterCare International, Coady Institute and Trafficking.
In the fall, we started our year with a Diocesan retreat to refocus our CWL life on the one thing that distinguishes us from other groups – SPIRITUAL GROWTH. Our Diocese has three retreats during the year, the Fall Retreat in Nanaimo and two in Victoria – one in Advent and one in Lent.
At the 58th Annual Provincial Convention, May 28th, 2005, with a Declaration on Trafficking we pledged “to implement resolutions that hold our governments accountable, to work with likeminded organizations, in particular religious communities of Sisters, to stop the trafficking of children and women and to be personally responsible for adhering to Church teaching in regard to the dignity of all persons.”
Continuing at Prov. Convention in Whitehorse in 2006, we learned more about the international problem of trafficking of women & children from Sister Pierrette Boissé, Social Justice Coordinator of The Congregation of Notre Dame.
On March 30 & 31, 2007, I attended the Workshop “Reusable Commodities – Trafficking of Human Beings” at Ascension Parish in Parksville facilitated by Sister Marie Zarowny ssa, a member of UNAMIA International, a UN NonGovernmental Organization (NGO) comprised of Roman Catholic Religious Women (nuns) that works towards understanding the causes of the increasing poverty in our world and in particular how that contributes to Human Trafficking, and Victor Malarek, author of “The Natashas – Inside The New Global Sex Trade” and senior investigative reporter for W5.
On Sat. afternoon we were challenged to come up with an action plan. The CWL members present joined as a group and came up with three actions.
- Produce postcards to send to local, provincial and national politicians with the message “STOP – do not legalize prostitution”, with a supporting statement on the back. At our Diocesan Convention May 7 & 8, 550 postcards were distributed to the Parish Councils to sign and send.
- Draw up a letter commending Air Canada for showing videos on international flights Against Sex Tourism. Letters were written to Air Canada and Air France thanking them for their initiative.
- Speak to the Knights of Columbus and youth groups about the growing sex trade. Information has been passed to our local K of C Councils. Video presentations on the workshop will be available shortly and we will share this information with the other dioceses, the K of C and our youth groups.
At our Diocesan Convention we had a hands on presentation from one of our smaller councils, Our Lady of the Rosary on “Prayer Shawls”. This is a fast growing ministry – where shawls are made, blessed by the members of the Councils and then taken to those suffering from loneliness, loss or illness and presented by CWL members with a prayer ceremony. There are many websites devoted to this ministry, the best one being shawlministry.com
The highlight of our Diocesan Convention was the presentation of Sheila Q….’s Life Membership.
Parish Councils are encouraged to promote the four categories of membership, and to gift their daughters with a membership to the CWL – Port Alberni signed up 21 new members. Past Diocesan Pres., Mary L……. formatted an application form, which was passed on to the Parish Councils.
For our upcoming year we will continue to focus on education and our spiritual growth. At our summer meeting we will implement an education program for our Fall & Spring Interim Meetings rather than repetitive reporting. We have a very knowledgeable new member from St. Peter’s in Nanaimo who has offered to give us workshops on Parliamentary Procedure and Running Effective Meetings; we have accepted her offer to share her expertise at our upcoming Diocesan Meetings.
My goals for the Victoria Diocesan Catholic Women’s League continue to be:
1. Increased education with workshops & mentoring
2. Increase of members
3. Spiritual development
I renew my commitment to working with my team to achieve these goals!
Our Diocesan theme “Live With the Spirit” will be our guide as we “Love One Another” and “Walk Humbly With Our God”!
Respectively submitted, Agnes G…..
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