Community Life Communique #3

Submitted by: Lois Charlebois

Happy New Year to all of you. You will notice our new themes above. They came into effect January 1st and will be in effect for the next 2 years. They certainly fit with the work of our Standing Committee. In her Communique, National Community life Chairperson, Mary Nordick, wrote:  “The National Executive has decided to focus on two areas – “Welcome Friend” and “Palliative Care”. The League has also declared April 26th, 2009 (the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel) as CWL Day of Peace and Hope. All of us are asked to pray and act for peace and hope – especially on that day.

The annual Share Lent Campaign -the major fundraising project of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace will run from February 25th to April 12th. We must make all members aware of the good work done by this group and encourage support of this Campaign. I gave a copy of some brochures, including the new CWL brochure about the 1% program to each Diocesan President at our Fall Mid-term meeting and asked them to pass them on to you. I hope you have had a chance to look at these brochures and will pass on the information about the 1% Program to the Parish Councils in your Diocese. For 40 years our League members have contributed to the 1% Fund – members should give 1% of personal and luxury spending and Councils should give 1% of all funds raised.From July 1st, 2007 to June 30th Councils donated $77,161.00 to this National Voluntary Fund.  Mary Nordick also said;” Every time we say our League Prayer, we say “Help us to share with others at home and abroad the good things you have given us.” Donating to Share Lent is a good way to put this into practice.

Mary also sent me a copy of a pamphlet “Growing Together-Sustainability: Hands and Feet of Christ in our World”. She obtained this from the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism in Saskatoon. It is very interesting and says: “If we are the hands and feet of Christ, what kind of handprint and footprint are we leaving. We cannot continue to live like we do. The Church (that’s all of us) must choose to take an active role in reducing the impact of our lifestyle on the earth’s resources.” This is certainly something we should all think about.

Your Annual Reports are due soon. I must have them all by February 15th. I wish to say a special “Thank You” to Victoria and Kamloops Diocesan Chairpersons who have already sent me their reports.

Summary of Community Life Work:

I try to keep aware of things that help us in this work through reading and talking to others.

The work of this Committee covers a very large area and we should share any information we have about subjects that are under our “umbrella”. Please share your communiqués with me and also with the other diocesan chairpersons – I hope to learn from you. Please let me know if you are doing something new or special in your Dioceses – I would like to hear from you – and if there is something new or special, I would like to pass it on to others.  My preferred means of communication is by e-mail – but I will gladly send paper copies if you need them.

I pray that Our Lady of Good Counsel will bless all of us as we try to do the work of this Standing Committee to the best of our abilities.