Provincial Convention 2010: Education and Health Oral Report

Submitted by: Jeanne Wilson

Education and Health is a very active standing committee dealing with education and health in six areas.

First is Catholic Education which includes Catholic schools and catechesis. Our members are very engaged in these two areas -whether it is teaching in the Catholic schools, serving on school councils, advisory committees or school boards or teaching catechism or raising funds for our Catholic schools.

Education and Health chairs also monitor the BC Department of Education website as to developments and changes in curriculum.

Second area is literacy and continuing education.

Under our theme of Peace and Hope, we are asked to reach out to women of other cultures and backgrounds. One ways is help immigrants with reading and writing. The CWL was established in 1920 to provide support for immigrant women and girls and the work is continuing today in parish councils. Members are supporting new Canadians by acting as tutors and assisting adult learners.

Adult faith formation classes are provided in most dioceses and all members are urged to attend classes to strengthen their faith.

Third area is scholarships and bursaries.

Some parish councils, all the diocesan councils and the provincial council and national council give bursaries. Life Members have established a bursary in the area of arts and culture. What a wonderful way for the CWL to promote education of its members and member’s children and grandchildren.

Fourth is wellness and sickness/disease – always a big focus for our members.

Provincial is a member of the Catholic Health Association of British Columbia and I would urge parish councils and individuals to join this organization. Membership supports the protection of Catholic health care in BC.

National has been focusing on palliative care and the National chair has completed her report on palliative care in Canada. In 2008, all the diocesan education and health chairs were asked to do a survey of palliative care in their diocese during 2009.Unfortunately not all provinces responded. Cecil Miller, National Education and Health chair, was able to put together a report summarizing the responses she received. One of her suggestions is to educate our members on palliative care using the DVD, Ethics for the Journey by Fr. Mark Miller, a speaker at last year’s National Convention. One parish council reported that they purchased the DVD and facilitated and hosted an open meeting to view and discuss the information with parishioners, other faith communities and care and respite facility staffs. Good palliative care reduces the demand for euthanasia.

Fifth is the environment.

We are to encourage our members to be good stewards of the earth and show, by example, how to be good stewards of God’s creation.

National has asked us to eliminate the use of Styrofoam especially in our parish activities. Remember that that Styrofoam that you use today will still be in the landfill 500 years from now.

One diocese is urging its members to plant a garden. What a wonderful idea – even a small pot with a tomato plant is a start.

And finally, the sixth area is genetics.

This area has caused concern in some councils as they say they do not have enough information to discuss this matter.

Genetics is based on the scientific study of heredity. Scientists are now able to understand much of the workings of genetic material and breed new organisms with ease. This is the positive side of genetics, which, for example, has led to the development of crops yielding much more grain than was ever possible before or disease resistant plants. On the negative side, we must be vigilant, that genetics is used to protect the dignity of human life and not used in evil ways such as cloning or for new diseases for biological warfare.

One council had a presentation on Genetically Engineered Foods, telling which of our foods have been genetically modified, the pros and cons of this and the Vatican’s stand on genetically modified foods.

Members are to be commended on the great amount of work that has been accomplished in this chair in 2009.