2007 Annual Report of Written reports were received from 11 of 15 parish councils. One president attended the Northern Region Toronto Archdiocesan meeting and hosted the Our Lady of Good Counsel dinner, provided active leadership and information on current issues and encouraged participation in events that supported the League, church and spiritual growth of women. One parish council became inactive, but to its surprise managed to have a training session, participated in the base Recycling Exposition and organized the collection of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Many members met for brunch on Sundays. A team was entered in the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life by a parish council for the second year to honour the memory of a spiritual advisor who passed away in 2006. Parish councils embarked on new adventures and relied on past activities that faithfully served communities. Councils served the base chapels and civilian parishes as well. One of the parish councils had several new members ? new mothers and new to the League. These members were mentored and the president was sure they would accept the challenge of an executive position in the future. Five masses were offered by a parish council for deceased relatives of members and for the father of one of its priests. The council held a Lenten reflection on forgiveness, heard Fr. Bill Wilson from Queenswood give a sincere, heart-wrenching talk, and coordinated the making of a plaque listing all the presidents from 1958-2006. Several members attended retreats and workshops at sister civilian councils. A council president talked about the League to participants in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults program and traveled to Trenton, Ontario, for MaterCare International training. Members spoke about MaterCare International at the diocesan convention, local Knights of Columbus and the Women's Inter-Church Council of Canada. Members attended a discussion hosted by the provincial attorney general's department on human trafficking. Parish councils continued to follow through on the theme of Love One Another. The spiritual aspect of meetings was the most important segment and set the tone. One council was pleased to receive an invitation from a civilian council to join in a presentation. One parish council ministered to at least two parishes within its city. Members served as extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, lectors, on pastoral care teams, and the Legion of Mary. They served mass in retirement homes, did regular Eucharistic adoration, attended civilian League meetings, and spoke on behalf of MaterCare International. A new spiritual advisor from Ghana was welcomed by one council. Serving only since the summer, he has shown that he considered the League an important part of the parish. The council participated with the parish and donated small Christmas items to Among Friends, a group with mental illness, and raised funds for ?Fill a Stable? with enough money collected to fill a stable with live animals in a developing country. Members of one parish council were astounded at how much they actually did within their parish and community. The annual reports help to visualize everything accomplished as a group and individually. The council focused on support for the community and adopted a theme which was Share the Load. One parish council had an increase of five members. Its spiritual advisor was new to the military and learned to speak English when he joined the parish. After mass each Sunday the council had a social lunch with the parishioners. Group outings were planned by a parish council and its members visited seniors' homes and celebrated birthdays. Several parish councils participated in bowling for the Sick Children's Hospital and Right to Life activities. Most councils were involved in sacramental preparation, as Eucharistic ministers, lectors, hospitality, World Day of Prayer, commentator for mass and trained altar servers.
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