Nelson: President’s Report 2009

Submitted by: Alice Hallgren

Our Diocesan convention held at Holy Cross in Creston, went well and was well organized. I received many positive comments regarding the convention as a good social and learning experience. We said our goodbyes to Fr. Jim Ratcliffe; our Spiritual Advisor who has retired after ten years of giving us much valued guidance. Fr. Rex Velmonte is our newly appointed Diocesan Spiritual Advisor; he will be officially installed in September.

We had the honour of having Marianna Caldwell, Provincial President attend our convention, and, assisted by Sandra Stajduhar presented a workshop “Changing the World” a how-to do a resolution. This was well received and I might add a pleasant experience as we went through the process. Let us pray it bears much fruit next year and in years to come with Resolutions from our Diocese.

Last year at this time the Diocesan Council did not have a full slate of officers, however, the positions were filled by the time of our Fall Executive Meeting in September. I am pleased to say we have a competent and enthusiastic executive working together in a cooperative and loving manner.

Since becoming President I have attended Council Anniversary celebrations and most of the Executive meetings required and Conventions, thus great experiences with wonderful women.

The Diocesan Policy and Procedure Manual is to be updated/ revised. There is a need to have practices reviewed to be current and easily understood.

The Nelson Diocesan convention format was challenged. A survey was produced and sent to parish presidents for responses and suggestions on ways to improve the format and to reduce attendance costs.

In future we hope to have resolutions submitted, as currently we do not do well in that area.

The concerns are mainly ongoing issues of filling executive positions at the parish level. Most councils are doing well and carrying on with our work “For God and Canada”. We have increased our membership in 2008.

The Bishop of Nelson John Corriveau outlined three challenges we can work on in our local Diocesan Church: the faith development of our youth, a culture of Catholic family life, reaching out to alienated members of our Catholic community and to those, who profess no formal religious affiliation. He wrote: Women of hope and peace, serving with faith and joy can make a qualified and irreplaceable contribution to each of these challenges.

We have been given a job to do and with God’s help, and the intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel we shall do good!