75 years of Saint Clare’s council in Longueuil

Quebec Diocese Oral Report

DIOCESE OF QUEBEC

Provincial Convention

MAY 25, 2013

Madame President

The Diocese of Quebec Council will disband on June 1^st. 2013.  The council would have celebrated its 83^rd year in 2013 unfortunately we are unable to continue.  Quebec Diocese has only two councils and we are not able to present a slate to continue.

The Provincial Convention May 24-26, 2013 is in Quebec City; our two councils are working hard to prepare for a very interesting week-end.

The members of the C.W.L. continue to assist in the daily work of the parish as readers, Eucharistic ministers, and servers.  Easter is a special period in the church this year as we celebrated the installation of Francis our new Pope.

The two councils in Quebec continue to contribute to the English community of the Greater Quebec area.  They support education and health by giving Bursaries and Academic awards to the graduates of the high schools.  Community life one council has a birthright Tea clothes and money collected are given to the Maison Zoe Blais to support young single mothers.  One council holds a community breakfast and flower sale to support the Shannon Dancers.

Our Lady of Good Counsel was celebrated at the 11:30 Mass April 26^th and everyone attending were invited to a lunch in the parish Hall.

The two counsels support the local senior’s residents with visits and gifts at Christmas.

Birth cards, get well cards and sympathy cards are sent to all members and their families.  We had one deceased member this year Rita Kane Egan.

I wish to thank all the members of the two counsels for their support during a difficult time for me.  The closing of The Diocesan Counsel and my move to Montreal without many helping hands it would have been very difficult for me.

This concludes my Report

Nancy Thomas

Diocesan President

Quebec Diocese

St-Jean-Longueuil Diocese Oral Report

Diocese of St-Jean-Longueuil

St-Jean-Longueuil Diocesan Council

Contact:  Dorothy Guha @ 450-465-3249  dorothyguha@yahoo.ca

President’s Report

January 1, 2013 – May 24, 2013

The highlight of the council’s year so far was our Diocesan Convention held on April 27^th at St. Mary’s Parish in Greenfield Park.  The preparation for the convention was marked by what have become bywords for our St-Jean-Longueuil Diocesan Council, cooperation and collaboration.  St. Mary’s Council is a very vibrant and youthful council but with a relatively small membership.  They provided us with a meeting room beautifully decorated in blue and silver, a delicious lunch, small gifts as well as door prizes but above all with a very warm welcome.  Good Shepherd Council provided for the coffee break.  During the Eucharistic celebration members of the executive and standing committee chairpersons reaffirmed their commitment to the League for the coming year.  With our guest speaker, Cathie Macaulay, Coordinator of Pastoral Home Care Services for the Archdiocese of Montreal and a spiritual director connected with the Ignatian Spirituality Centre of Montreal, we explored the League’s theme for the next two years, “We Have Seen the Lord.”  Cathie invited those present to look at the theme in the light of faith, hope and love.  Through stories, both personal and from books and films, we reflected on how growing in these virtues we become persons who have seen the risen Lord.  At the post-convention meeting, members of the diocesan council decided to divide the money collected during the Eucharistic celebration between a theatre group for youth with disabilities, I Can Dream, and an orphanage in India that we have been supporting with donations for several years.

The coming year will present some difficult challenges for our council as two of our parish councils are facing a diminishing and aging membership.  As a diocesan council we shall have to see that our members who are shut-ins, whether at home or in a residence, remain connected as members of the League until the day that they are enrolled in the Book of Life as an attestation to their many years of faithful service to the Catholic Women’s League of Canada.

This concludes my report.

Montreal Diocese Oral Report

Montreal Diocesan Council

President’s Oral Report

66th Annual Convention

Quebec Provincial Council

May 24-26  2013

Beverley Baxter, President

166 Braebrook Avenue

Pointe Claire,QC. H9R-1T9

514-428-8753

In April we held our 91st Montreal Diocesan Convention. We opened the day with the singing of our National Anthem and ended the day singing ” God Save the Queen.”acknowledging the Queen’s reign of 60 years.  A woman of Service in good times and bad.

Our new Executive was installed on this day, and I am pleased to  report that we have nine members on our Executive, with our Spiritual Advisor  Father Gilles Surprenant at our side.

At our ” Diocesan Evening of Reflection ” in November  Bishop Thomas Dowd was the Guest Speaker. His words gave us a better understanding of Vatican ll  and The  Year of Faith. There were 107 ladies present to hear the Bishop , This was a good Event to begin  the Season of Advent… The Joyful Waiting of our Savior’s birth

We have nine Parish Councils in the Montreal Diocesan Council. Each Council is involved with acts of Charity and kindness in helping others. Examples  The Native Women’s Shelter.. Meals on Wheels..  Chez Doris …Benedict Labre House and Birthright..( who sadly closed its doors)   to name a few. We are aware of the Human Trafficking problem. We have signed petitions  and some of the members have physically demonstrated in protest , during the  time of the Grand Prix , on St. Catherine’s Street,  in downtown Montreal.

No matter how large or small in number the Council may be, the members are dedicated women who want to be a part of  the Catholic Women’s League.

The Councils that are struggling.. we must pray for them. and offer them our support.

Truly and Humbly I say : We are not just the ladies  who know how to bake cookies and squares. We are Treasurers .. Secretaries.. We are the women who are the planners and organizers of our Events.. We are involved in Social Justice. We submit Resolutions to our Governments.   We support the Dignity and Sanctity of Life..This we do while Living our Faith and Values through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are    The Catholic Women’s League of Canada …. and

WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD !

Montreal Diocesan President

Beverley Baxter