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

Front Row Left to Right: Marianna Caldwell, Doreen Gowans, Nancy Simms, Pat Deppiesse, Evelyn Rigby, Sandra Stajduhar Back Row Left to Right: Dodie Bond, Lorrilee Jordan, Jeanne Wilson, Caroline Ann-Alter, Betty Hoskins, Lois Charlebois Insert: Fr. Tien Tran, Provincial Spiritual Advisor

RICHMOND – The 63rdAnnual Convention of the BC & Yukon Council of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada was held at St. Monica’s Parish and hosted by Region 1 of the Vancouver Archdiocese, May 27 – 29, 2010.

Most Reverend Michael Miller, CSB Archbishop of the Diocese of Vancouver gave the Keynote addressing the CWL theme “Women of Peace & Hope” and challenging the CWL members to be “Heralds of Hope”. He offered a reflection on how CWL members can be women of hope and witnesses of hope to all the different communities they are associated with by understanding the concept of eternal life, the relationship between purgatory and hope and being able to share that hope with others. Further speakers included: Denis Boyd, M.A. registered Psychologist, who gave a compelling presentation entitled “Communication in a Great Relationship” offering practical tips and proven strategies to enhance listening skills, beat stress and communicate better; Daphne Gray-Grant spoke on “Beating Writer’s Blank” opening our imaginations to ‘mind-mapping’ a concept to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas; and Fr. Tien Tran Provincial Spiritual Advisor gave an enlightening talk explaining many of the nuances that will be coming from “The New Roman Missal” which will affect us all. This workshop format and the many questions and concerns were addressed with clarity. Reports from the Executive, Standing Committees and the 6 Diocesan Presidents were informative as well as educational. Two Resolutions came to the floor and were passed. The resolution entitled “Safe Haven Law” will be forwarded onto the CWL National Council to be considered for presentation at their convention in August, while the other resolution “Strategies for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias” will be sent to our Provincial & Territorial Governments.

Members previewed The Catholic Women’s League of Canada’s 90th Anniversary celebration by dressing in 1940’s attire and by singing and listened to music from that period as together they celebrated the day with fun, faith and fulfillment. At the National convention in Ottawa each Province and the Military Ordinariate will represent a different decade.

The newly elected officers and executive include President Nancy Simms, Kamloops, Past President Marianna Caldwell, President Elect (Organization) Doreen Gowans, Kamloops; 1st Vice President (Education and Health) Dodie Bond, Prince George; 2nd Vice President (Resolutions) Pat Deppiesse, North Vancouver; Secretary, Evelyn Rigby, Powell River; Treasurer, Sandra Stajduhar, Trail; Standing Committee Chairs: Betty Hoskins, Duncan (Spiritual Development); Lois Charlebois; Surrey (Christian Family Life), ; Caroline Ann-Alter, Kelowna (Community Life); Jeanne Wilson, Whitehorse, YK (Communications); Lorrilee Jordan, Armstrong (Legislation); and Sheila Quinn BC & Yukon Life Member Liaison.

The Executive and table officers were installed in the presence of Most Reverend Michael Miller, Archbishop of Vancouver, Bishop David Monroe, Bishop of Kamloops, Fr. Tien Tran Provincial Spiritual Advisor, Coquitlam, Fr. Dale Normandeau, Kamloops Diocesan Spiritual Advisor, St. James, Vernon, and Fr. Tony Boniface, St. Monica’s Parish, Richmond.

Life Member Pat Battensby presented the BC & Yukon Life Member’s Arts & Cultural Award to Lucille Schaubroeck, from Williams Lake, BC. She is a talented musician and is studying to become a high school teacher. Lucille also received the Molly Boucher Bursary presented by Jeanne Wilson, Provincial Education & Health Standing Committee Chair.

Both President Nancy Simms and Past President Marianna Caldwell together with the executive are educating members to reach out to their parish and communities in Peace and Hope serving our members with Faith and Joy.

For more information, please visit our web site www.cwl.bc.ca

Respectfully submitted,

Doreen Gowans, BC & Yukon Prov. Communications

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans

As women of peace & hope we are asked to be God’s hands and feet here on earth serving His people.  Have we communicated that to all of our sisters in the league?  Have you shared the  “Peace And Hope Activities Kit” with your members? What treasures have you found in the league that has given you excitement of being a member?

As communication chairs it is our responsibility to promote council activities with an added dose of faith, fun and fulfillment.  We have been challenged to welcome everyone into this wonderful organization we know as the catholic women’s league of Canada.   We need to communicate our enthusiasm with everyone we meet and invite them to follow us.

To inform our members we have many venues at our fingertips. For example we have our league magazine with excellent articles from our national, and provincial leaders as well as members and guests.  These articles inform and challenge us to be and do the best we can to inform and promote the league.  Another avenue is the e-newsletter, which can be subscribed to or viewed on line on our Catholic women’s league national web site at www.cwl.ca.

This is a monthly newsletter, which is a supplement to the league magazine.  The BC & Yukon council has it’s own newsletter entitled “the communicator”, which is the responsibility of the provincial communications chair to collect compile and distribute to the provincial council, diocesan presidents and diocesan communications chairpersons who then forward onto the parish councils.  The communicator is published twice a year, once prior to the diocesan council conventions and once in the fall.  The purpose of our provincial newsletter is to be a teaching aid to educate and share ideas both from the BC & Yukon provincial council and from and to our members.    The spring edition can be viewed along with the recent communiqués on our provincial web site at www.cwl.bc.ca. I have thoroughly enjoyed putting together this newsletter and it has been by far the most educational and fun aspect as communications chair.  World communications day is the 1^st Sunday in June, which this year is June 6, 2010. » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans

Dear League Sisters and Father Tien:

This will be my last communiqué as BC & Yukon Provincial Communications Standing Committee Chairperson as my term is up at our Provincial Convention in Richmond at the end of the month.

I would like to thank my current Diocesan Communications Standing Committee Chairpersons: Kamloops – Linda Hogg and Marguerite LebBlanc, Nelson – Sandralynn Stone, Prince George – Karen Gierc, Vancouver – Vinola Aguilera, Victoria – Margaret Beardon and Whitehorse – Edna Lorenzen. Your help and contributions have made my Standing Committee easier to manage. You’re a wonderful group of ladies and my prayer for each of you is that you go forward and continue working for the betterment of our Catholic Women’s League as we reach out and do our part to make our world a better place for the League and especially our children and grandchildren.

Welcome to our new 2010 Diocesan Communications Standing Committee Chairpersons:

Kamloops Diocese: Marguerite Leblanc

Nelson Diocese: Joe Lauer

Prince George Diocese: Maureen Sander

Vancouver Archdiocese: Vinola Aguilera

Victoria Diocese: Dorothy Griffin

Whitehorse Diocese: Edna Lorenzen

Another prayer is that you have fun and enjoy this Standing Committee as much as I have. Thank you for saying “Yes” to our Catholic Women’s League.

Newspaper Addresses: Following the 2010 BC & Yukon Provincial Convention in Richmond, I will be sending out a “Press Release” and therefore I have a request, will you send me your Archdiocesan/Diocesan Catholic News Paper’s correct name, mailing address and email address so I can send the “Press Release” for publication?

C.A.S.E.: Encourage all councils to take out a membership in C.A.S.E. (Canadians Against Sexual Exploitation). Reminder of the White Ribbon Against Pornography Campaign this fall.

Our current National Communications Chair is Betty Ann Brown and in one of her Communiqué’s she stated, “Realize what the League does best and run with it; in promotion of council activities, communications chairpersons are reminded to add a dose of faith, fun and fulfillment. This year, be inclusive – offer a hand of welcome to anyone who might need it. Remember the vision: ‘Welcome, friend’ and palliative care, both deeply rooted challenges from society; what can be done about them?

Auxiliary Bishop Peter Hundt, of Toronto, urges the faithful to be “the yeast in society”, to listen to the Holy Spirit and be aware of the call to be sacred signs of Christ in the world. We are women of this moment in time, followers of Jesus. What tools are available to assist in that challenge?”

Peace & Hope Activities Kit: Review the activities kit as you plan your activities in your council. There are many good suggestions for you to use as Communications Chairperson. See how many you can complete by this time next year. Have FUN!

ZENIT: The World Seen from Rome is a free on-line news service at www.zenit.org/english. It is a non-profit international news agency that has presented the latest in Catholic world news since 1997.

All the best for a term of Faith, Fun and Fulfillment as we all work together to make our League the best it can be and we work for God and Canada.

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans

Dear League Sisters and Father Tien:

I hope everyone had a wonderful spirit filled Christmas season and learned to appreciate the baby Jesus and what the season of Christmas really means! My welcome back prayer for everyone is that we continue to communicate with one another, sharing our ideas so we can make our Catholic Women’s League a better organization that meets the needs of all of our members. A friend of mine said the way she has found to increase her prayer life is to communicate with God as though she was talking to her best friend. We talk to our friends often in respectful, formal and yet at times casual ways. We too can communicate with God in the same manner, but we must remember to take the time to listen to God so we can follow in his footsteps.

Annual Reports

Just a friendly reminder the deadline date is February 15, 2010. If you have yours ready please forward to me at your earliest convenience.

Communiqués

I encourage you to forward your communiqués to your Diocesan Communication Standing Committee counterparts with a copy to me as well. We can learn from one another.

BC and Yukon Provincial Newsletter

Thank you to everyone who has sent the survey from the fall newsletter. I appreciate your participation. If you have not sent your survey and would like to be included in the results please email or mail it to me ASAP. Both my email and regular mail addresses are at the bottom of the page. I look forward to using some of your suggestions for our next newsletter. Next newsletter deadline is March 1, 2010. I invite and welcome all of your articles you would like to submit. Share with us the events your diocese has accomplished or are planning to hold using our CWL Peace & Hope Activities Kit. How is your diocese planning to celebrate our Day of Peace and Hope Monday, April 26, 2010, the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel? What did your diocese do to promote C.A.S.E. and the war against pornography? Do you have any suggestions for information or articles you would like to see in the next newsletter? » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans

Dear League Sisters and Father Tien:

Welcome back to our communication standing committee chairs Margaret Beardon, Edna Lorenzen (Whitehorse Dioc. President), & Sandralynn Stone, with a happy welcome to a Karen Gierc, of the Prince George Diocese, returning after a brief leave, and a special welcome to two new comers for the Kamloops Diocese Linda Hogg and for the Archdiocese of Vancouver Vinola Aguilera. As women of Peace and Hope we welcome you! I encourage you to review Communications Standing Committee section in our Constitution & by Laws 2006 Pg. 24, and your roles and responsibilities as stated in our Executive Handbook as well as your Communication Box you received from your predecessor. There is a wealth of information to get everyone communicating.

URGENT -WHITE RIBBON OF SIGNATURES CAMPAIGN – OCTOBER 18 – 25, 2009: CHALLENGE – can we have 100% of our CWL parish councils involved?

C.A.S.E. or Canadians Against Sexual Exploration will have the “Ribbon of Signatures Kit” available again this year for a suggested donation of $25.00. The date for the 2009 Campaign is Sunday October 18 – 25, 2009. As a result of the proliferation of pornography and its alarming growth on the Internet, the ribbon campaign will focus on Internet Service Providers (ISP’s). For more information, or to order your 2009 kit, or to make a donation, go onto the C.A.S.E. Web site at www.4case.ca and download the information provided. Or contact by telephone (416) 412-6065. I strongly urge every parish council to get involved and promote this worthy cause in your parish community. As stated by our National Communications Standing Committee Chair Betty Anne Brown in her Communiqué #5: “This is an issue of safety and responsibility. Families need to be protected from the victimization that pornography can create. Images of extreme abuse are made and sold for other people’s pleasure. We must not remain silent. Members are urged to speak out against pornography and its resultant horrors for children:

Remind members of parliament about concerns regarding pornography and its effect on children, especially on the Internet.

Obtain and use the C.A.S.E. kit containing a petition form that can be presented to the government. » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans

Madame President, members of the League and guests:

In my first year as Provincial Communications Chair I found the term to be filled with faith, fun and fulfillment as well as challenging and educational. Starting my term last June, and on to the National Catholic Women’s League Convention in Winnipeg last August. I was met with my first challenge as we were informed that C.A.S.E. or Canadians Against Sexual Exploration were unable to send out the annual “Ribbon of Signatures Kit” due to lack of funding. Returning home I researched the dilemma, wrote letters to C.A.S.E. and our new National CWL Communication Standing Committee Chair Betty Anne Brown, sent out a communiqué informing everyone that C.A.S.E. suggested we make our own kits. I am happy to report that most councils responded in a positive manner. This year C.A.S.E. will once again be supplying the “Ribbon of Signatures Kit” for a suggested donation of $25.00. The date for the 2009 Campaign is Sunday October 18 – 25, 2009. As a result of the proliferation of pornography and its alarming growth on the Internet, the ribbon campaign will focus on Internet Service Providers (ISP’s). For more information, or to order your 2009 kit, or to make a donation, go onto the C.A.S.E. Web site at www.4case.ca and download the information provided.

I invite you to browse our National Web site www.cwl.ca, and our own Provincial web site, www.cwl.bc.ca as they contain a wealth of information. If you are looking for something to report on under your standing committee or just want to be educated and informed, go to one of the web sites and you will amazed at what you will find. Currently on our Prov. Website you will see a picture of Sheila Quinn – Provincial Legislation Chair, Nancy Simms – Provincial President Elect, Marianna Caldwell – Provincial President, and Sandra Stadjuhar – Provincial Resolutions Chair along with various MLA’s as they met together with our Provincial Government. Find out more about the issues raised at the meeting on the web site. The picture and a write up also appear in the BC Catholic. The League Magazine features excellent articles written by Barbara Dowding and Nancy Simms – make sure to take the time to read these informing articles. » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans

The 62nd Annual Convention of the BC & Yukon Council of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada was held in Prince George, BC hosted by the councils of the area, May 27 – 31, 2009.Reports from the Executive, Standing Committees and the six Diocesan Presidents were informative as well as educational. Six resolutions came to the floor, were passed with five going forward to the CWL National Council for presentation at its convention in August. Fr. Tien Tran, Provincial Spiritual Advisor spoke on “Prayer and Worship”, while National President Danielle McNeil Hessian made a presentation on the new theme “Women of Peace & Hope”. Other presenters were Sean Murphy on “Protection of Conscience & Religious Freedom.” Members watched a DVD by Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk entitled “Cutting Through the Spin” which examined the science and ethics of stem cell research and cloning. Life member Pat Battensby and Past President Barbara Dowding gave an educational presentation on Trafficking. This included an overview of the Provincial CWL’s involvement in the trafficking issue since 2004 and recognition of the BC and Yukon Bishop’s Pastor Letter on Human Trafficking as well as “Buying Sex is not a Sport” the initiative to raise awareness as the 2010 Olympics in the city of Vancouver draws near. This was followed by a moving meditation of Stations of the Cross for Trafficked Victims.

Life Member Shirley Armillotta presented the Life Member’s first Arts & Cultural Bursary to Kayla Perrin, from St. Ann’s Academy, Kamloops, BC. The Molly Boucher Bursary went to Pat Carter from Duncan, BC.

During the closing Mass the Executive and table officers were reaffirmed in the presence of his Excellency Most Rev. Gerald Wiesner, OMI, Bishop of Prince George, Fr. Tien Tran, Coquitlam, Fr. Frank Franz, Duncan, Fr. Tony Ackerman, Armstrong, Fr. Terry Brock, Terrace, Fr. John Garden, Prince George, and Fr. Richard Beaudette, OMI, Prince George.

Educating and encouraging members to reach out in their parishes and communities as women of Peace and Hope serving with Faith and Joy is the goal of President Marianna Caldwell and her executive for the following year.

For more information or to view reports, please visit our web site www.cwl.bc.ca

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans

Dear League Sisters and Father Tien:

Approaching 2009 as “Women of Peace and Hope” which our National Theme so beautifully states, we need to stay connected to one another through prayer and communication.  Lets do our part to communicate to one another at all levels within the League.  If I can be of assistance to anyone contact me.

CWL Day of Peace and Hope Tool Kit

Our National Executive has produced a “CWL Day of Peace and Hope Tool Kit” for each parish council to use.  Your parish council president should have received it.  The kit contains short, medium and long project ideas for each standing committee with the idea, that they are to be used to enhance our National Theme at your parish council meetings and especially to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel on April 26, 2009.  A suggestion is to plan your meetings for the year, and take one or two standing committee suggestions and act on those ideas throughout the next two years.  Communication Chairs responsibility is to promote the use of the tool kit in a positive, enthusiastic way.  Help your sister have fun while traveling together on a positive faith filled journey.  See what spiritual or community minded activities your council can accomplish.  This will be a way of bringing all of your parish sisters in the league together.  Have Fun! » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans 

Dear League Sisters and Father Tien:

Tomorrow will be the first Sunday in Advent, a time in which we prepare ourselves for the birthday of Jesus. As women we are extremely good at multi tasking, and communicating, but do we take the time to spend with God? During the advent season I challenge all of us to take some extra time to improve our communication with God.

Welcome to Sandralynn S., our Nelson Diocesan Communications Standing Committee Chairperson.  A gentle reminder to all Diocesan Communications Standing Committee Chairs, when you send out your communiqués send a copy to me via email or regular mail (see the footer at the bottom of the page for that information).

The Fall Provincial Newsletter has been given to Diocesan Presidents and emailed to the communications chairs. If anyone was not able to open it let me know. The deadline for the spring newsletter is March 1, 2009 to give me time to compile and have ready for the 2009 Diocesan Conventions. I would like to hear from as many parishes/dioceses as possible. The newsletter is used as a means to share information and as tool for teaching. Will you kindly pass this information onto all parish communications standing committee chairpersons? I need/want information from the parishes/dioceses about what is going on, the new things you have tried, the events you have celebrated. Digital pictures are preferred, but I will do my best to scan film pictures as long as they are clear.

News Release – Nov. 9, 2008 – from our National Communications Standing Committee Chairperson – Betty Anne Brown. The National executive of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada has declared April 26, 2009 a national day of action, a CWL Day of Peace and Hope. President Danielle McNeil-Hessisan and her team encourage members to celebrate on this day with faith, fun and fulfillment. » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Doreen Gowans

As fall is fast approaching we anxiously look forward to reuniting with fellow Catholic Women’s League sisters from our parish, diocese and provincial councils as we do our best to promote and to serve the League in whatever capacity Our Lady of Good Counsel guides us. I am honoured to be your BC & Yukon Provincial Communications Standing Committee Chairperson, however keep me in your prayers that I will be able to serve you to the best of my ability.  No doubt there is going to be a big learning curve as my predecessor, Sandra Stajduhar along with Rebecca Gebeshuber (our web master) have done an excellent job of revamping and updating our BC & Yukon Catholic Women’s League Web Page.  Thank you to both Sandra and Rebecca for all their work to make our web page the “best ever”.   I hope everyone has had an opportunity to look at and use some if not all of the information posted.  If you have any ideas for articles or information you would like to see on our new web page please forward your ideas to me, and if possible we will include them.

PORNOGRAPHY – ACTION ALERT:

The following is a quote from LifeSiteNews.com

OTTAWA, August 15th, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – “This week another Canadian pay-television pornography channel was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the Canadian federal government’s broadcasting sector.  In its proposal, “Northern Peaks,” produced by Real Productions, differentiates itself from the handful of already existing pornographic channels offered in Canada in that it is “Canada’s first adult video channel offering significant Canadian adult content.”  It promises that at least 50% of its pornography will be produced in Canada.”

Our own Catholic Women’s League Executive Handbook states: Pornography dictates that the satisfaction of one’s own desires is all that matters.  It leaves in its wake broken marriages, estranged and molested children, shattered young people and deteriorating neighbourhoods.

As your BC/Yukon Provincial Communications Standing Committee Chairperson I am asking you to ask our members to immediately write the CRTC, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and our MP’s stating our Catholic views against pornography.  I encourage you to have an article printed in your parish bulletin and invite the parishioners to join us in our letter writing campaign.   Send a letter to your local cable provider (name and address available on your monthly bill).  Write the CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2, or Fax: 819-994-0218.  We know we CAN and WILL make a difference by voicing our views as individuals.  We must remember that we are not speaking on behalf of the Catholic Women’s League, but we are speaking on behalf of ourselves as individuals.  How many letters can your council send out? » Read the rest of this entry »