REPORT OF NEW BRUNSWICK PROVINCIAL PRESIDENT
YOLANDE PERRYAll four diocesan council presidents attended and enjoyed the national convention in London, Ontario and returned home with great impressions.
Four diocesan councils held at least one regional meeting in the fall, the larger Diocese of Saint John also held one in the spring.
The diocesan presidents and I had a good working relationship and kept in touch by telephone, and e-mail.
It was evident that parish councils were very active and presented a wholesome spiritual side. They were constantly standing at the side of their parish churches supporting them in all aspects. Following were a few examples
- involved in bible studies
- provided communion breakfasts
- planned funeral receptions for bereaved families
- provided receptions following healing masses
- led Stations of the Cross before mass during Lent
- set-up prayer partners over the summer
- participated in the Proclamation 2004
- supported the religious education programs in parishes where it was needed
- held a special mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel and the Feast of The Immaculate Conception
- participated at funeral services for deceased council members
Honorary Life Member Vivian Bosch presented a workshop entitled Mentoring to members in the Fredericton area. She, along with the provincial council executive, attended the ?Prayer Breakfast,? a yearly fundraising event for St. Dunstan Parish Council. Following this, the executive and Vivian went to St. Francis of Assisi Parish Council in Lincoln for the fall executive meeting, which happened to include a policy review for the provincial council. Vivian had a first hand view of how provincial council meetings are run. After attending the Saint John Diocesan regional meeting with St. John Diocesan President Joyce Green, Vivian had a chance to meet with the members from the region. Vivian, St. John Diocesan Past President Mary Pilgrim and I visited the Edmundston Diocese where we visited the Tobique First Nation at Perth-Andover, as well as St. Mary of the Angels Parish Council. This area receives very few visits and I felt it was important that they had this opportunity.
There were two 50-year anniversaries, as well as two diocesan conventions that I attended.
Provincial council executive members were plagued with illness and operations in 2004. The secretary's husband was very ill with heart problems and she herself became so run down that she also became ill. Just to give you an idea, at the spring executive meeting instead of 16, only 11 members were able to attend. However, we expected that everyone would be on the mend by the time June 10th rolled around for the provincial convention in Moncton, and we continued to journey together by walking together.
The diocesan presidents were very hard working and felt both honoured and privileged to serve the League. One diocese reported 55 new members. The provincial council had a website with Life Member Gertrude Nowlan as the web master. Communiqués were sent and a newsletter was prepared twice a year. The conventions were very well attended.
One parish council knitted more than 40 teddy bears, which were sent to poor countries such as Haiti . Living near CFB Gagetown, arrangements were made to send the bears via military plane. The last time I spoke to that council, they had another 25 ready to go.
My report contained only some of the good works done by the parish councils as they cast out into the deep.
