Communications Communique #2

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans 

Dear League Sisters and Father Tien:

Tomorrow will be the first Sunday in Advent, a time in which we prepare ourselves for the birthday of Jesus. As women we are extremely good at multi tasking, and communicating, but do we take the time to spend with God? During the advent season I challenge all of us to take some extra time to improve our communication with God.

Welcome to Sandralynn S., our Nelson Diocesan Communications Standing Committee Chairperson.  A gentle reminder to all Diocesan Communications Standing Committee Chairs, when you send out your communiqués send a copy to me via email or regular mail (see the footer at the bottom of the page for that information).

The Fall Provincial Newsletter has been given to Diocesan Presidents and emailed to the communications chairs. If anyone was not able to open it let me know. The deadline for the spring newsletter is March 1, 2009 to give me time to compile and have ready for the 2009 Diocesan Conventions. I would like to hear from as many parishes/dioceses as possible. The newsletter is used as a means to share information and as tool for teaching. Will you kindly pass this information onto all parish communications standing committee chairpersons? I need/want information from the parishes/dioceses about what is going on, the new things you have tried, the events you have celebrated. Digital pictures are preferred, but I will do my best to scan film pictures as long as they are clear.

News Release – Nov. 9, 2008 – from our National Communications Standing Committee Chairperson – Betty Anne Brown. The National executive of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada has declared April 26, 2009 a national day of action, a CWL Day of Peace and Hope. President Danielle McNeil-Hessisan and her team encourage members to celebrate on this day with faith, fun and fulfillment.

The over 1,300 parish councils across the country will be challenged to take action to spread PEACE, with a particular focus on palliative care, and HOPE, with a particular focus on outreach under the heading “Welcome, friend!”

A tool kit will be prepared with material from each national standing committee chairperson and mailed in February 2009 to all parish councils. The kits will provide concrete activities that parish councils may use to plan an activity for that or any other day in the coming year. End of News Release.

To me this is exciting that our National Council is providing us with an action plan of work we will be able to work on in our dioceses as we celebrate our 2009 National theme – Women of Peace & Hope. Look for the tool kit in February and set some time aside in your councils to take action. I encourage you to send me write-ups of your diocese plans as I plan to include the information in our next newsletter, or for our fall newsletter for activities that are planned for the fall. I would like to have a section of pictures and write-ups to share with the rest of the province. How about it ladies?

Web Site: If a parish or diocesan council is planning on putting together a web site I would ask you to review National Policy found on the national web page at www.cwl.ca under Recent Updates – Sept. 11, 2008 – Website Guidelines. Click on Website Guidelines and it will take you to the document. This document will be included in the next National P & P update.

Hoax: Currently there is a petition being circulated regarding the removal of the Catholic Mass as well as campaigning to remove all Christmas programs and Christmas carols from public schools. This has been confirmed as a Hoax.  For any petition you receive research it prior to emailing it out. Go to www.snopes.com enter the petition number to verify whether it is a hoax.

In closing let’s do our best to improve our communications with God, our neighbour, with our Provincial Spiritual Advisor Fr. Tien and especially our sisters in the League. From my house to your house I wish you a very Happy, Safe and HOLY Christmas. Let’s do our part to keep Christ in Christmas. Remember our new national theme goes into effect January 1, 2009 – WOMEN OF PEACE & HOPE.

May Our Lady of Good Counsel guide us in all the work we do.