Download the September 2017 Communique

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Hi! Let me introduce myself. I am Judy Look your new president-elect and chairperson of organization. My home council resides in Holy Spirit Parish Calgary where I have lived out my entire CWL life. Each new committee I served on gave me the opportunity to grow in the knowledge of CWL and self- knowledge. Each gave me the opportunity to strengthen my relationship with God as I would say, “Help me Lord. What have I done to myself?” Each time I would hear the same answer,” Don’t worry, you and I will handle it just fine. Put your trust in me and turn to my Mother and we will do great things together.”

So here we go - all of us doing great things together.

I know that most of you have been hard at it since January when you were elected, looking after memberships, members and leadership development.
I know that many of you are concerned with dwindling memberships, an aging population and just members who are too tired to want to do anything more. Those three things can take the air out of an organizational chairperson. So as we let the air out and catch our breaths let’s breathe in the Holy Spirit. Let us ask him to give us a breath of fresh air… the air that gives life. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to give us a new lease on our CWL life; one that says put your trust in me and I will grow your membership, I will give you leaders, I will be there with you every step of the way if you invite me to the event.

My first call to action is prayer. I know that might appear strange as you may be saying I am not the Spiritual Development Chair, I am the Organizational Chair but our reality is if our chair is not rooted in God through prayer we are going nowhere fast. I have copied the Chairperson’s prayer so that we can reflect on it as we begin this awesome journey together.

CHAIRPERSONS’ PRAYER

Dear Lord, make me appreciative of the dignity of my standing committee and its many responsibilities. Never permit me to disgrace it by giving way to coldness, unkindness or impatience.
Please bear with my faults, looking only to my intention, which is to serve You in the person of each member of the Catholic Women's League.
Increase my faith, bless my efforts and work “For God and Canada.”
Amen

I highlighted one line as I want to change it to read:
Let me always be hospitable, kind and patient.

The prayer now reads:

Dear Lord, make me appreciative of the dignity of my standing committee and its many responsibilities.
Let me always be hospitable, kind and patient.
Please bear with my faults, looking only to my intention, which is to serve You in the person of each member of the Catholic Women's League.
Increase my faith, bless my efforts and work
“For God and Canada.” Amen .

We have now read the prayer twice. I want us to do it one more time reflecting on how the words speak to us. How am I hospitable, kind and patient? How do I serve you in each member of the League?

As Organizational chairpersons our committee work must reflect that prayer. Each time we meet a member we must be hospitable, kind and patient. We must ask ourselves how am I serving that member? How am I making that member feel special? What do I know about that member? What are her needs? How can our whole membership help her in her need? How can I
use her gifts and talents to help other members?

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As Organizational Chairs we are charged with growing our membership and promote leadership .Our Provincial Council gives us two incentives which may encourage our councils to work on both: The Father Walter Krewski Awards and The Elsie Yanik Award.

The following two articles give some information on Walter Krewski and Elsie Yanik. Please share them with your parish council counterparts.

Father Walter Krewski Membership Awards

Since 2007 all councils have been invited to participate in the Father Walter Krewski Membership Awards but who is this Father Walter Krewski?

To the many who had worked with him he was “Father Walt”. Born to Polish immigrants he was educated in Oyen and then later at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmonton. He served as spiritual advisor on parish, diocesan and provincial CWL councils. He left the provincial council in 1995 having served with them for 15 years. He was a spiritual advisor who would travel with the officers when they would make visits across the province. He was famous for his legendary stories and jokes. Those who knew him personally
still chuckle when you mention his name. He was a great promoter of CWL. In his obituary dated November 4, 2008 Father Walt was referred to as a priest’s priest as his whole ministry was devoted to the people of God. It is indeed an honour for a parish CWL council to receive this award as it represents the true spirit of CWL – a spirit rooted in God and its members.

Action:
Talk to your council about this award.
When you win this award share with your members Father Walter’s story.
Have a Mass said for him in thanksgiving.

Criteria for this award is on the provincial website.

Elsie Yanik Award

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Alberta Mackenzie Provincial Council, the Elsie Yanik Award was initiated (in 1997) to commemorate the leadership and ministry/service of Elsie Yanik to the Catholic community in the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith.

Why have an award named in her honour?

The following is a snippet taken from the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to her in 2015 to help answer that question.

“Elsie received an honorary Law Degree from the University of Alberta in April 2014. She has spent most of her long life spreading kindness, preserving Indigenous heritage and promoting health and education in her community. She began work as a nurse’s aide at 17 and has spent 80 years spreading kindness as a minister, mentor and volunteer. Her community commitment has included terms as president of the board of Voice of Native Women of Alberta, 10 years of service with the Young Offenders Board, and
work with the Nunee Health Authority in Fort Chipewyan. Her efforts have earned her a blessing from Pope John Paul II, a Governor General’s Commemorative Medal, and the duty of Olympic torch-bearer for the 2010 Winter Games. At 97, she still works with Keyano College as an elder and occasionally teaches classes at the Golden Years’ Society. She has received numerous honours from her community.” She died November 27, 2016

“Make a difference. Create a better world by being kind. Kindness is enduring. Kindness is contagious. Kindness makes everyone feel good.”

Just in case you are wondering she was a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. For her biography go to our provincial website.

Ladies we have many women in our councils who exude the spirit of Elsie.
We just need to look around and see the accomplishments of our sisters not only in the parish but in the community as well.

Please go to the provincial website, read the criteria and nominate one of your sisters. The Provincial Council has added to the criteria that each nomination form of a member who is not chosen will be held for three consecutive years and in those three years their name will come forward for consideration. It will not be necessary to resubmit their form again.

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Membership Development

Often we want to have a workshop or encourage our members to take courses but our councils lack the available funds to make these things happen. Two Funds are available to councils to help in these circumstances.

National Development Fund

The CWL makes funds available once in a calendar year for councils at all levels to help with League development.

Requests for funding will be evaluated on an individual basis by diocesan and provincial presidents and the national chairperson of organization as outlined on the application form.

Requests for funding should be submitted for:
• assistance in the organization of parish councils
• assisting parish, diocesan and provincial councils to promote League leadership training and other development workshops
• promoting League development through spiritual development

Criteria is found on the national website cwl.ca. Hit Resources; Forms; National Development Fund package.

National Bursary Fund

In 1988 the league established the National Bursary Fund. The Bursary Fund is used to provide financial assistance to members needing funds to pursue studies, courses, seminars, workshops and diploma/degree programs in areas of
• spiritual growth
• adult faith formation
• youth ministry
• ministry to patients in palliative care
• ministry to shut-ins
• parliamentary procedure
• literacy tutoring

Courses must be pursued in Canada.

Applications must be made on the official form, which is available online at cwl.ca. The application form, with two letters of recommendation should be sent to:

CWL National Office
C-702 Scotland Avenue
Winnipeg MB, R3M 1X5
Toll Free Fax: (888) 831-9707
E-mail:

A T4A slip will be sent to all bursary recipients.