Provincial Convention 2008: President’s Oral Report

Submitted by: Barbara Dowding

How to wrap up a year in the life as provincial president in four short minutes?! Its been a time of teaching, evangelizing, animating and motivating. A most recent highlight is the incorporation of a second provincial midterm meeting. This is a first for us and so good for a number of reasons, the most important of which is that it gives us more opportunities to get to know one another better, to brainstorm, network and have time for workshops. All of which helps us to grow in our own personal confidence and spirituality which should in turn benefit all of you! We’ve explored our different traits and characteristics and learned how to understand the way another thinks, works and reacts. Meeting together around the provincial table is productive, interesting and fun especially with more time to really get into the important things.Another significant high point was the Leadership Development Days. It was really wonderful to see the reaction and interaction as we crammed all that learning into one day. The most exciting part was the request for more and longer workshops – how good is that?! The results speak for themselves and you’ll be hearing more about that later.

For me, traveling to the other dioceses has been the best part of all. It has grounded me so totally in the belief that the CWL is alive and well in all corners of our province and territory. While it may look different in some places and sound different too, the underlying solid truth is that our members truly love the League and are doing everything in their power to keep it strong. You’ll soon be hearing how our National council is working a new marketing strategy that will benefit us all. As we begin to craft a new story about who we really are and why we are, I can assure you that the women I’ve met in BC & the Yukon know this already!

Diocesan conventions are well attended and members are happy to gather, share and tell their stories. Everyone had workshops and speakers but what I marveled at most was hearing parish presidents report. From the smallest of councils with 10 or so members in remote places to those with nearly 200 in major cities – so much work is being done and done well. I am inspired and proud of all that you do in your parish councils. Looking around at our parish presidents, I see something very wonderful. I see dynamic, strong and confident women, many of whom have only recently come to know the League. Much of this, I believe, is a fruit of the National Convention in 2005 and while it takes time to work on up through the diocesan and provincial levels, we are soon to have a bumper crop of candidates ready to stand for office, of this I am sure. Great things coming!

Having the opportunity to attend the conference in Rome sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Laity was a major highlight that has impacted my League life. I came home filled with the desire to support, affirm and share with each and every one my League sisters the importance and necessity to know and believe that we, women, hold the key to hope, that we have the necessary gifts to build peace in our world. John Paul II and Pope Benedict ask us use our feminine genius to collaborate in the building up of society. How can we not?

Meetings, conventions, travel, letters, e-mail and phone – every connection and contact with you my League sisters has given me so much to be thankful for and has touched me deeply. I loved walking with you humbly before our God and I hope and pray you will continue to love one another as you serve God and Canada.