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

Submitted by: Sharon Geiger

To begin, turn back the pages to last year’s convention in Williams Lake. Did you all complete your “CWL Life in a Jar”? We hope you enjoyed going down memory lane as you answered your questions.

Members sharing gifts, talents, inspiring and encouraging each other resulted in Kamloops Diocese recording another year of challenges and successes including an increase in membership.

Hosting the 2008 Provincial Convention proved both challenging and rewarding. It instilled awareness that communicating and working together results in success – and confirmed conventions are a wonderful learning tool and offer a variety of opportunities for growth.

Promoting active leadership became a priority in most councils. Members used reference material for direction, clarification, guidance and inspiration as they encouraged growth of members both individually and collectively.

Noted accomplishments were the founding of a Catholic Girls League in one council, the praying of the Novena for Struggling Councils and one struggling council actually deciding not to disband after sincere prayer and reflection.

We chose a new Diocesan theme: “Rooted in Love”. It seemed a natural conclusion to “Women of Peace & Hope” and “Serving with Faith and Joy”.

Highlights of the convention included an excellent workshop on Resolutions that was presented by Marianna Caldwell and Nancy Simms, our guest speaker was Agnes Bedard who spoke on “CWL and the World” and constantly had the members in stitches. Many presentations were also made including Nancy Simms becoming a Life member and our first Bellelle Guerin award, which went to Marguerite Leblanc of St. John Vianney, Kamloops.

At our ‘Day of Spiritual Reflection’ guest speaker –Archbishop Emeritus Adam Exner – confirmed that we must encourage spiritual growth, support and affirm one another and remain ‘Rooted in Love’.

The dedication, commitment and enthusiasm of each member has once again confirmed that councils are bearing ‘fruit’ as they continue their CWL journeys.

Future plans include a big learning curve for me as I grow in my leadership role as President of the Kamloops Diocese as well as developing and building upon the Public speaking workshop that we had last year. Also having a workshop presented by BC & Yukon Provincial Council on “Realizing the Beauty Within, Maintaining Peace”.

My goals for the next two years would be the continuing communication of our members. In order for members to be involved they need to know what the League is about and that they need to be excited about a fantastic organization.

Another goal would be to continue with the Spiritual growth in our Diocese. Even though there is a lot of Spiritual development happening, there is a lot more to accomplish. We would not be able to achieve all that the Catholic Women’s League has done and I would not be standing here before you if it wasn’t for pray and Spiritual growth.