Under the strong leadership of my predecessor, Pat Deppiesse, the Catholic Women’s League in the Vancouver Archdiocese continued to grow. Our four joy-filled General Meetings featuring topical presentations were regularly well attended. Members and priests enjoyed the Priests’ Appreciation Dinner with many councils generously sponsoring guest priests. Although on that night we were supposed to be the hosts, we received our fair share of appreciation in the gracious words of Monsignor Lopez- Gallo.

During her term Pat had installed two extra councils and witnessed the start up of a third. Two other councils were re-invigorated and gained full executives. A League Development Team was formed to be available on request for the training of councils, whether new, experienced or struggling. One of its first presentations dealt with Standing Committees, demonstrating their potential to bring alive and continually restate the mission of our League. By October we had aroused enough interest in our members to hold a two day Training Workshop with a Registered Parliamentarian, John Noonan, who took the fear out of Robert’s Rules of Order. Those present became better educated about efficient ways to run meetings and had a lot of fun doing so. Several council presidents began applying these principles in their own councils to good effect. In the New Year we anxiously awaited the return of the revamped annual report forms. While the number of reports did not improve dramatically, the quality and organization of the contents did. More recently we learned that we could add one more name to our list of Life Members, that of Marianna Caldwell.

These concerns about the well-being of our League did not overshadow our concerns about the needs of those at home and abroad. We responded generously to a request from the Sisters of Atonement for sheets and clothing for the homeless in Vancouver. We helped promote the play Lost In Traffic, an attempt to educate the Canadian public about the trafficking of women and children. We supplied the orphan children of Uganda with dolls and balls, and also expanded this collection with school and church supplies.

Three weeks ago when I was installed as Diocesan President at Westminster Abbey, Mission, B.C. some of my goals were clear, and since meeting with my talented new executive I have been able to devise a fourfold plan. First and foremost I aim to encourage my executive and our fifty councils in all their endeavours for God and Canada. Second, I will support and promote the work of the League Development Team entrusted to the capable leadership of its founder, now contentedly equipped with our recently purchased power point projector and happy in the knowledge that the funds returned to us from Vancouver’s 2005 National Convention may be accessed for the furtherance of this project. Third we intend to persuade the thirty+ pastors without CWL councils in their parishes, that the presence of our League in their parish will not only ensure that our synod’s proposition # 34 will be truly adopted, for the CWL has an strong tradition of time, talent and treasure stewardship, but also that legislative concerns will be addressed. And finally, we need to investigate better ways of serving our smaller councils e.g. by reducing the paper trail.

Inspired by the example of our Archbishop, Raymond Roussin, the care of our Spiritual Advisor, Father Craig Scott, and fortified by our new Diocesan theme, “Let Your Heart Take Courage”, Vancouver Archdiocesan CWL can face the future with much hope.

May Our Lady of Good Counsel guide us.

Evelyn R…. (Vancouver Archdiocesan President)

Dear Sisters in the League and Father Terry,

A heartfelt big hug to all of you as we embark on another amazing League year. Welcome back to Doreen G…… (Kamloops), Dodie B….(Prince George), Gloria G……. (Vancouver) and Murielle B…… (Whitehorse). Special welcome to new past presidents: Joyce S…… (Nelson), and Mary L……… (Victoria) who join me in learning the contents of this new (to us) standing committee. When I receive permission from all of you due to the privacy issues, I will send complete information, i.e. addresses, telephone and e mail numbers to you all so you can all exchange communiques and information about happenings in your diocese. I look forward to this new role in the League. Every office that we hold in the League is another step in our development both personally and especially in the knowledge of the League.

It has struck me over the years in reading past president and other annual reports and listening comments from past president that there have been two main themes:

The first is a feeling of abandonment, being cut off and never being consulted as to the activities of your particular level of council.

The second common comment is that past presidents have a strangle hold on the council and keep putting a veto on anything new that is suggested out or planned; at times, we embarrass our president by making public comments about how they do things.

We do not want to be either of these people. We have climbed an amazing ladder rise up to president of whatever level we have held. For most of us it has been a an awesome and positive experience all the way. Hopefully we have made good long and short-range goals. Now we have handed over the presidency to someone new who deserves to experience this growth in her personal prayer and League life and to advance the League with her ideas.

Our job now:

Yes, to help the president learn by discreet and soft mention of something that she MIGHT have mistakenly done but never in public to cause her any embarrassment.

To be at the ready to do WHATEVER our presidents ask of us,

To be a mentor to anyone who asks us

To perform a teaching role whenever possible, to market the League by our personal demeanor,

To perform our tasks with great joy and happiness in our membership in our League.. By your very presence anywhere you represent the League.

Above all, always be kind to whomever we meet attempting to see the Face of Christ in all we meet.

Our duties are very well described in several League publications. I know that many of you have these items but some may have had them in the Presidents “Box” and perhaps you might be interested in purchasing them for your own reference:

The Constitution and Bylaws

page 12, Article X Section 2 -”Officers” states that past president are officers of the executive level.

Page 18 Article 11, Section 7 very clearly states our duties.

And page 32 Article 15, Section 3 may or may not pertain to us. In some Diocese, the {resident names the Past President as the Chair of the nominating committee but this is not written in stone. Please just tuck this away in case you receive this privilege

The National Manual of Policy and Procedure 2003

Page 41 outlines our duties as an officer

page 85 of the same publications describes Rules of Order which are necessary to conduct meetings in an orderly manner and should be a reference to us.

It is great to have some knowledge of parliamentary procedure in this position. We are fortunate here in Vancouver to be able to attend a course by a registered parliamentarian in October and this would be a most useful exercise. If you do not have access to this, I can give you the address of the National Parliamentarians Society and you can gain some help by correspondence if you are interested.

National also has a great little book written by Edith Mockler, Life Member and a registered parliamentarian that you might want to purchase.

Leading the League is also a most useful resource. And for those of you lucky enough to be old enough to have purchased

Training Part 1 and 2 from National office will have a wealth of resources for past presidents. Unfortunately it is no longer available.

The Executive Handbook September 2000 also contains a very accurate description of our duties, Please refer to these publications.

As you can see, we have much to do in our own portfolios as being always accessible to our president in the chair. She holds an office that should be very highly respected and is bringing new richness to the League by her personality, experience, ideas and spirituality. Please assist her in her onerous position in any way that you can.

I will attempt over the next two years to highlight one of our responsibilities in each communique. Of course this does not mean that we are not responsible at all times for each duty described but perhaps might assist you to some extent in formulating your short and long term plans.

I would like to highlight the study of the Constitution and Bylaws this month. I feel strongly that we should spend some time on this subject at each meeting and we should carefully plan what section of this document is most pertinent as the particular time of our League year. Please ask your president if you can have time on her agenda to do this and plan this time expediently. Some of you are starting this year with new executives, some are the second year but it would be advantageous for both groups to review the objects of the League on p.2 Article IV and the duties of Officers and Standing Committee Chairpersons. This perhaps could be broken down into two meetings to cover all the material and also to sable time and keep to time on the agenda. Very good and pertinent information for all levels of the League.

My next communique will cover the contents of Archives, another most important section of our League life.

I wish you God’s blessings on your new role and second year role in the League. I know that Our Lady of Good Counsel will be with us as we do her Son’s work and as we try our very best to perform the duties prescribed to us. Please review Barb’s motto at the beginning of this communique. It should be ever present in our minds for every League member whatever their position in the League. God bless you in your work for God and Canada.

Much love…..

Pat