"So How does your Council...?" Monthly Zoom Meetings

Ideas generated from So how does your Council organize your Yearly Calendar of Events? September 2025

Resources:

• The calendar on calgarycwl.ca is a great way to see what other activities at other councils and in the Diocese are planned
• The webmaster can put your activities on the calendar to advertise your events

Different Councils Seem to Handle the Schedule in Similar Ways:

• Many councils said that the Executive presents ideas/calendar in September to the membership.
• Most councils have some standard events that rarely change
  o Christmas and end of the year socials in December and June
  o Budget in January
  o Stations of the Cross during Lent
  o Most members know to expect these and changing them would be problematic and probably lead to some negative feelings   
• Changing the schedule can also be challenging since the parishes are so busy

Some Council Differences that Were Noted:

• Some councils purposely leave months unplanned to give time for new ideas / activities that come up; usually a result of a parish initiative but sometime based on what Diocesan advertises   
• Trying to find activities that are interesting to their members that haven’t been done before (one council is learning how to fold napkins in fancy shapes in time for the holidays)
• As councils experience continued struggle to fill leadership roles, there is more acceptance to be less planned out
  o Not always a monthly meeting
  o Some monthly gatherings are not meetings at all; just fellowship
  o THIS IS OK!!!!
• The key is to have fun and promote faith & fellowship.

Ideas generated from So how does your Council honour our deceased sisters and perform an Honour Guard? April 2025

Book of Life and Memorial Mass

• The Book of Life has been a scrapbook but can also be digital. Some councils have their Past President (archives) take care of it and others have their Faith Chair
• Pictures, obituaries, copies of Mass cards
• Some keep the Book at the church office; others in one of the Executive’s homes
• Memorial Mass is often in November (but doesn’t have to be) and sometimes a joint Mass with the Knights
• The names are read, rose for each name is brought to the front
• Pictures of projected on the screen as names are read
• When a member passes away, many councils have a Mass read for her and send a note to the entire membership letting them know she has died and whether or not there will be an Honour Guard

Honour Guard

• First thing, talk to the family to make sure they are ok with it. Next, talk to the priest or deacon organizing and the funeral director. Many funeral directors are used to Honour Guards and will assist with the logistics and the organizing
• The Honour Guard is very dependent on the configuration of the church
• Some councils have candles (or battery powered candles). Others said that their priest doesn’t allow it. Some councils hold roses instead
• Each council will have different idea of what to wear; Some wear black pants, white shirt, blue sashes or scarves. Some wear white sashes. Some wear coats since they’ll be lining up outside. No right, no wrong, just coordinate with the ladies ahead of time
• Many councils have sewn sashes or stoles and stitched the CWL crest to be kept at church only for honour guards and CWL functions
• Feel free to send webmaster a note to put in the Calendar of Events of the member’s funeral
• Talk to the membership about this; it’s difficult to discuss out death but it is important that everyone know it’s an option and that they should let their family know
• Once council practices Honour Guards at one of their meetings each year. This does two things: it is a practice before there is a funeral to let everyone get comfortable with the where to stand / sit / walk and it also provides and opportunity to remind members that this is a service that we want to provide
• There has been a change at National in the last couple of years. Members do not need to be paid up at time for death to receive an Honour Guard or be in the Book of Life. At the council’s discretion, if a woman was a CWL for years and for some reason her membership lapsed (maybe she was in long term care and her family didn’t realize), she can still be remembered as the CWL lady that she was.

Ideas generated from So how does your Council organize 12 Hours of Prayer for Palliative Care? March 2025

• The kit on cwl.ca is fulsome but a lot; feel free to tailor it for the needs and abilities of your council
• Engage the priest in the parish; make this a parish (not just CWL) event
• Doesn’t need to be at church; ladies can sign up for an hour that works for them. They may come to church but they may also be a home or work or wherever
• Video and coffee social after the 12 hours
• Social afterward to speak about the experience
• Have a speaker come in… may be more personal. Sadly, most of our CWL councils have women who have walked with their husband, parents, children in
  their final days and hours. If they are willing, have them share their story
• Invite palliative care health care workers to speak about their experience
• Invite other Christian churches and faith organizations to also pray with us
• Do the Stations of the Cross from a caregivers point of view https://www.cwl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/A-Physicians-Way-of-the-Cross- Brochure-pdf
• After morning Mass, assemble together and pray together and then everyone goes about their day with their hour assigned
• Talk about it…. Organize sessions on wills, Greensleeves, telling families about wanting Catholic funeral Mass and no MAiD

Ideas generated from So How Does Your Council honour Our Lady of Good Counsel? February 2025

Catholic Women in Business written by Mindy Eddington. And I think it explains exactly why CWL would ask Our Lady of Good Counsel to be our patroness. The gift of counsel is the ability to walk with another and grow in holy friendship. It means building a community and orienting our heart outside of itself and outside of our front door. It requires intimacy, vulnerability, and time. Who is Our Lady of Good Counsel? Who better to give advice than a mother? Especially the perfect mother of our Lord and the Church. Here is a short video from EWTN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9SxeuOWBZY

• Pray the Litany of Our Lady of Good Counsel
  
• International Rosary in multiple languages represented in our membership
• Sunday brunch on the day closest of Apr 26
• During that daily Mass, wear your scarves and if he is amendable, ask your parish priest / Spiritual Advisor to mention OLoGC during the homily
• Have a fun quiz
• Living rosary with battery powered candles when speaking
• Do your service pin awards in April to coincide with her feast day

Ideas generated from So How Does Your Council Market the CWL in your Parish? January 2025

Resources Available for Marketing at https://www.cwl.ca/promotional-material

• Invitation Cards A and B
• CWL Testimonial Video
• Welcome (Why Am I A Member) Brochure
• Ideas for Following Up with Lapsed Memberships
• Alba Appuzzo (member of St Bonaventure CWL and Secretary/Treasure of Calgary Region) put together a presentation for Creating a Marketing Plan for your CWL

Ideas generated from So How Does Your Council Run your Membership Drive? November 2024

Ideas for Running Membership Drives:

• Show the inspirational videos from National 5 weeks prior to the membership drive
• Make personal contact (phone calls and in person at Mass) before Christmas
• Have “Did You Know?” articles in the bulletin – telling what has been done nationally
• Have a gift draw for renewed memberships; “early bird” prize
• Mail out renewals with Christmas cards
• Be visible during and after Mass wearing our scarves
• Ensure there is email and website available. Ensure email is monitored in case women email asking questions
• Ensure meeting dates and times are ALWAYS in the bulletin to let women know when next meeting is
• If your pastor is receptive, have him promote the League during the announcements. Specifically ask him to say something, to invite the women of
  the parish join the League. Have him explain why he values the CWL
• If your pastor is receptive, have announcements after Mass with personal testimony. Why you joined CWL and make a personal invitation for other women.
  Speak from the heart
• When women show interest but are hesitant, invite them to come to a meeting just to see. Look for them and make them feel welcomed. Invite them again to the Christmas social
• To demonstrate that the CWL is more than just a parish group, invite CWL members from other council or Diocesan to participate in the membership drives

Ideas for Following Up with Lapsed Memberships

• It takes time and effort (maybe form a small working group) but call or speak in person to lapsed members and invite them to re-join. Maybe they forgot or are having trouble financially
  • Have a confidential “angel fund” to pay for those who can’t afford it
• Be aware of ladies who don’t have / read email; phone them and remind them that memberships are due
• If women say they can’t re-join because of other commitments, ask them if they can remain and be Prayer Warriors

Ideas generated from So How Does Your Council Invite and Recruit New Members to Executive? October 2024

What Leadership Traits Are Successful for CWL:

• Organized
• Formula: 33% Faith, 33% Social, 33% Business
• Focuses on having Fun!!!; Could be a speaker or activity
• Is welcoming and extends personal invitations to join both the general membership and the Executive
• Recognizes the gifts of others and asks them to share those specific gifts in their specific role on Executive and then acts as a mentor
• Conducts an effective and timely meeting
• Not all presidents are good recruiters but they find a member(s) who is
• Enthusiastic
• Relationship focused
• Ensures all members are engaged and have an opportunity to speak – ie) at the start of the meeting say one think about yourself or one good thing that happened this week
• Brings a different style of leadership to the council

What Leadership Traits are Challenging for CWL

• Too caught up in the details
• Poor at communication
• Not able to read their audience

Why women do not let their name stand for leadership

• Think it is too much of a commitment
  • Be honest in that it does take some time and energy. However, be clear that Executive is not the “doer” of all the events.  In fact, they shouldn’t be as the entire Council should feel invested in the various activities
  • Share the blessings and benefits of being on the Executive
• Health and health of their spouse (Where are they in their life journey?)
  • Hold space for them in their time of challenge
  • Perhaps when they are in a different stage of life, they will be more able to be more active in Leadership. Let them know the invitation stands
• Expectations of prior president and council if they do not do the same things
  • Be clear that just because past President / Executive did it that way doesn’t mean current must
• “I won’t be as good as the past Executive.”
  • Let them know that everyone has different gifts and charisms that the League needs
  • Different doesn’t mean not as good
  • Ask prior Executive to be a mentor and encourage those past Executive to let new ideas be tried. It’s hard but sometimes we need to consciously watch something be done differently and not be threatened by that
• Not feeling confident in their abilities
  • Be specific in the gifts and skills you can recognize and point them out
  • It could be that you need to ask them a few times before they believe you

Small Changes that Can Be Implemented / Tried to Fill Current Vacancies or For Upcoming Elections:

• Reduce or simplify the number of activities a Council does (do not have to do everything the prior Executives did)
• Ask some past Presidents and/or some members who know the membership well to be in charge of recruiting (not necessarily the current President)
• It will take time to convince some people of their skill and ability; start the process months before elections
• Offer to have prospective new Executive come to current Executive meetings to get a feel for what is required. That way they will feel more confident knowing what is expected
• Make connections – invite new members from other cultures to participate. Be open to new ideas that may be different from previous Executives
• Provide information about the expectations/duties in an honest manner including the time commitment and skills needed. But also share the benefits and blessings. 
  • Share your testimony about what good has come about as a result of taking on Leadership

The Final Straw:

It is perfectly ok to say “This is my last meeting.” If you have been trying to find a replacement and no one is stepping up, this is actually the healthier option.  Not only for you but for your council.  It will stop you from getting resentful and burned out but will also “force” the council to fill the role.  And by bringing new perspectives and fresh ideas, the council will be rejuvenated

Prayer from Myrna C of Holy Name Parish

O Holy Spirit, please help me discern the Eternal Father's will for the Executive of our CWL Council.  May I glorify Him in whatever work I do to serve in the CWL.  If this office is not for me Lord, please help us find Your chosen daughter to fill this position.  Amen.

Pray this prayer and encourage your entire membership to do so as well.  Thank you, Myrna, for sharing; it’s perfect for this topic.

Ideas generated from So How Does Your Council Engage and Involve New Members? Sept 2024

Thank you to everyone who joined our first meeting on September 30 for So How Does Your Council Engage and Involve New Members?  We had 21 CWL members join, both Executive and non-Executive alike.  Feedback was very positive; especially the opportunity to move into breakout rooms to discuss ideas & share learnings in a small group setting.  Here is a summary of the conversations:

Meeting Format:

• Have it be less meeting-ish and more of a gathering
• Do the Socializing first and business afterward
• Keep business to a minimum; reports can be emailed and most business can be done at Exec.
  • Shorten the business. Presidents should look at their agenda before they send it out to the members and if there are 5 business items see if you can reduce it.
  • Presidents should allocate time on the agenda for introductions of new members and guests, have it on the agenda so it is not forgotten, it makes welcoming a priority.
• Have everyone wear nametags (those dollar store sticky ones if people forget or don’t have a CWL nametag). Every meeting
• Lean into Faith and Social; that is why most women join
• Invite your Spiritual Advisor; give him a duty/task to make him feel included and have a purpose
• Consider having meetings during the day or on Zoom during the winter months so that people don’t have to drive / be out in poor and dark weather
  • Virtual meetings enable members in other towns (hard to drive in winter) or senior homes (shut-ins) to join
• Consider having a meeting in person and virtual at the same time
• Have the agenda, minutes, any spiritual programs handouts and sign-up sheets in one place for the ladies to pick up when they arrive

Ideas:

• Have a buddy system; someone “assigned” to sit with a new person, get her number, text her about upcoming meetings/events, look for her at the next gathering
• Someone outside of Exec who “meets and greets” women as they arrive and anyone new, bring over to some established ladies to sit with
• Introduce and welcome new members or anyone who hasn’t been around for a while
• It may take sacrifice to remove yourself from your group of friends to sit with someone new. Without meaning to, we can be cliquey and we need to make a conscious effort to not be; offer to be a mentor
• The meeting before, advertise a “bring a friend” event. That way, they’re not by themselves
• Learn about the new members’ skills and interests. Make an intentional effort to match those to skills and interests to upcoming events.
• At membership drives use forms to indicate “What do you want to sign up for?”
  From those answers, create spreadsheet and then personally phone and invite to meet outside the church, i.e. for coffee
• Meet with younger groups in the parish to tell them about the League, why they may join, find out what they like to do. Sometimes younger groups would like CWL to babysit, this may or may not be feasible
• Create and provide new members with an orientation booklet or package, letters from the Spiritual Advisor, President, calendar of events, etc.
• Use games or ice breakers to meet other members
• Prayer Partners – monthly draw a member to pray for (see below), or have a secret prayer partner all year and “reveal” the partners at Christmas social

Monthly Prayer for All CWL Members
Dear Lord God,
I thank You for all Gifts & Blessings You have given to me.
I especially thank you for the love & support of other Catholic Women through the Catholic Women’s League! I ask You to Bless all CWL members. Especially Bless________________________________.
Grant her and each member Your Grace & Wisdom, Peace & Joy!
May all members always keep You, Lord God, at the centre of their lives.
We ask this in Jesus Holy Name. Amen