Catholic Women’s League of Canada | BC and Yukon Council

Submitted by: Carol Penno

Spring has arrived and what a wonderful time of the year with new life springing up around us.  Our season of Lent is nearing an end with only two weeks remaining until Holy Thursday.  I wish the remainder of Lent be prayerful and joyful and may your Easter be truly joyous and blessed.

April 26 is a special day for the CWL as it is the feast day of Our Lady of Good Counsel.  Our National Council named it a day of action for Peace and Hope. The activities kit that each parish received is designed to make the CWL more visible and active in the parish.  Be sure to invite your fellow parishioners to participate in your celebration. The National Council will have Mass offered by Arch Bishop Martin Currie, Esk Omi and Scarboro Missions prior to April 26th with the Mass intention for the success of the CWL’s day of Peace and Action.  You are encouraged to join in prayer prior to the 26th as well.  Another suggestion would be to partake in a  Novena to Our Lady of Good Counsel .  A novena is a succession of prayers for nine days prior to a feast day.  National Council heard that the NCBC (National Catholic Broadcasting Council) was in financial difficulty and decided to help out by booking a Mass on Vision TV for April 26th.    This was a fallacy as the NCBC is completely booked for 2009 and into January 2010. This is good news for the shut ins who watch the Mass on Vision TV.  The National Council has booked a mass for April 23, 2010.

Deceased Members  January 15, 2009  was the final date that National would accept names for the 2008 Book of Life.   Our lists for BC were sent in and National cross referenced and sent a list of names back for checking.  National had many more names than I had and then the Diocesan Chairpersons had other names not on the list.  It was a bit of a nightmare.  All parties concerned have been communicating to come to an agreement.  The 2008 Book of Life has been submitted for printing and if you find missing names be sure to inform your Diocesan Chairperson and they will be entered in 2009.   It is extremely important to report deceased members immediately.  In the case of members who haven’t paid dues for a few years because they are in nursing homes please submit their names to National as well and also to your Provincial and Diocesan Chairperson of SD  so we can be sure these members names are included.  We endeavour not to miss anyone.

We  encountered many problems  in 2008. in receiving the names  of deceased members from the parishes.  Earlier in the year National advised that they were using a new format to hopefully have more accurate reporting of deceased members.   Please use the 2008 revised report form which advises you to send one copy to National Office.  This form can be found on the National Website under forms and is the very last item and you also have a copy in the Manual of Policy and Procedure.  National has designated one staff member to maintain the data base and in she in turn will send copies of the deceased to the Provincial and Diocesan Spiritual Development Chairpersons periodically so the Provincial and Diocesan Books of Life can be compiled.

National has a new prayer service for Women of Peace and Hope.  It was presented at the Provincial executive spring mid term meeting  March 5-8, 2009.  Your Diocesan President has a copy of this prayer service.  Perhaps she has already passed a copy on  for you to send on to the parishes.

Your Diocesan Conventions are quickly approaching I wish you every success with your spiritual programmes and reports.  May it be a time of spiritual growth for all attending. Please try to use the suggested hymn “Peace ” found on page 478 of the song book Breaking Bread.  Permission is needed to use it.

Thank you for your annual reports which were informative.  Spirituality is a major part of your councils as it well should be.    Reporting on  Women in the Church was weak so that is an area that we should focus on.

May Our Lady of Good Counsel continue to guide us in our work for God and Canada. God bless you.