2007 Annual Report of The past year was filled with both joy and sadness. Some parish councils experienced the death of dedicated members whose contribution to the League will never be forgotten. Annual reports indicated the significant contribution the parish councils have made to the League, parishes, communities and the world. The spiritual development of members continued to be a priority. As always, meetings began and ended with prayer. Members: participated in monthly masses, prayer services, reflections, Stations of the Cross, the rosary, the Living Rosary, the crowning of Mary, ecumenical prayer services, fellowship evenings, retreats, World Day of Prayer, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, special prayer services to welcome the Ark of the New Covenant and for the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel, the Feast of the Assumption, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the National Women's Prayer Wave and Christmas hymn sings; distributed mass cards to bereaved families; held memorial and candlelight services for deceased members' families; and, formed honour guards at funeral masses for deceased members. Members were active in parishes and participated in all ministries encouraging cooperation with the Legion of Mary and the Knights of Columbus. It was also heart warming to see that parish councils contributed financial support and prayed for the success of the 49th International Eucharistic Congress to be held in June 2008. League development was another priority. Workshops provided opportunity for growth and educational development. Members were given the opportunity to participate in these workshops in order to enhance their knowledge of the League and develop leadership abilities. All councils were encouraged to host workshops. Membership continued to be a focus. There were 944 members in 28 parishes and 11 life members. Members: participated in orientation programs and special ceremonies for new members; held installation ceremonies for new executives and membership drives; gathered at the end of the year to prepare annual reports; prepared inserts for parish bulletins to outline the purpose and activities of the League; completed telephone membership surveys; extended personal invitations to women to join the League; discussed articles in The Canadian League; utilized local newspapers and parish bulletins; and, spoke at weekend masses to promote the League. Parish councils: prepared yearly calendars for projects; encouraged visibility by wearing League pins and scarves; presented maple leaf service, 10 and 25 year pins to members; corresponded with the Elizabeth Project partners; and, presented anniversary videos and certificates of merit to members. Councils celebrated anniversaries, attended the annual provincial convention and fall meeting, discussed the disposition of League pins when a member dies, hosted and co-hosted the annual provincial convention, and prepared posters for provincial convention and crafts for We Will Love with Open Arms. Members: participated on parish councils, in card parties, bake sales, Christmas dinners, carnations for Mother's Day, year-end socials, a farewell reception for a seminarian, and birthday parties for parish priests; held a 25th anniversary party for a parish priest's ordination, a Tely 10 fundraiser, a pajama party fundraiser, wake-a-thons, monthly bowling and many other social events. Members placed emphasis on social issues and continued to financially support and volunteer for many worthwhile organizations such as MaterCare International, Coady International Institute, Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, right-to-life groups, St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Janeway Children's Miracle Network Telethon, Elizabeth House, The Gathering Place, the Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador, school breakfast programs, literacy programs, family aid, Daffodil Place, Single Parents' Association, Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, breast cancer research, Emmaus House, the Dr. Leonard A. Miller Centre, Her Majesty's Penitentiary, Seniors' Resource Centre, Canadian Diabetes Association, Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child, Grace Sparkes House, Catholic Missions In Canada, a cancer relay, Pope's Pastoral Works Fund, Adopt-a-Mom campaign, Christian Children's Fund, Alzheimer Society of Canada, World Youth Day, Iris Kirby House and the Friends of St. Eugene. Members wrote letters and signed petitions on issues of concern such as child poverty, human trafficking and brothels and prostitution in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics. Members also visited the sick, elderly, lonely and shut-in; held luncheons for widows of the parish, socials for seniors, garden parties, annual fall fairs, Christmas bazaars, afternoon teas and bingo party for the visually impaired; volunteered at nursing homes; contributed to parish food hampers and gifts for children; attended and hosted birthday parties for members; made personal telephone calls and visited members who were sick; sent sympathy and mass cards to members with sick or deceased family members; and, brought communion to the sick and shut-in on a weekly basis. Members participated in church cleaning and decorating; morning coffee after mass, pot-luck suppers, pancake breakfasts, card games, daily mass on Vision TV, wreath laying ceremonies on Remembrance Day, luncheon for volunteers at the local Habitat for Humanity, parish Christmas giving tree, turkey board and numerous other parish functions. Members also: looked after the flowers for church; knitted and sent Izzy dolls to children in Afghanistan; purchased prayer books for a parish to distribute to sick parishioners; and, prepared Halloween treat bags for children of the parish. Members contributed financially to other members experiencing family health problems and the 2009 annual national convention to be held in St. John's. Members participated in the Good Friday Prayer Walk, March-for-Life, annual Good Friday pro-life vigil at the Health Sciences Centre and Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults programs. They: assisted with mass at seniors' homes, pastoral care, parish ministries and funeral of a pastor's mother; acted as catechetical coordinators; financially supported and provided materials for sacramental preparation programs, celebrations for first Eucharist, confirmation and penance, National Family Week, parish food banks and socials; and, provided gifts on Mother's and Father's Day. Members: donated to the National Pro-Life Fund, Catholic Missions In Canada, needy of the parish, and a mission in the West Indies as well as sending it school items; purchased rosary beads and gifts for children receiving the sacraments, ribbons for children's liturgy, baptismal bibs and crosses for babies; and, placed a prayer for National Family Week in parish bulletins and Catholic literature in church. Members: attended a pro-life conference; discussed national communiqués; took part in bible study programs, pilgrimages to Basilica of Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, Notre Dame du Cap de la Madeleine and St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount-Royal, novenas to Ste. Anne and Our Lady of the Cape, prayer night, hymn sings and Knights of Columbus light up for Christmas program. Members kept up-to-date on issues concerning health and education by distributing information on risk factors and lifestyle changes related to heart attack and stroke, Canada's Food Guide, AIDS, breast examination, and the use of Styrofoam products. Speakers provided information about diabetes, tai chi, elder abuse, World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations, citizenship and immigration, poverty, palliative care and protection from fraud. Members: supported a petition to the Canadian Cancer Society to create a fund for patients requiring financial assistance; donated air miles to MaterCare International; wrote letters to the prime minister, federal minister of health and members of parliament (MPs) urging the federal government to integrate palliative care into federal health care services; contributed to scholarship funds; presented citizenship and public speaking awards to students; and, participated in a workshop on ecology. Members actively participated in the Ribbon of Signatures Campaign, sending the signatures to the federal government together with letters and petitions. Parish councils used bulletins, local newspapers, telephone and community television channels to inform the general public and members of League activities. Minutes of meetings were delivered or sent to members who could not get to regular monthly parish council meetings. The Canadian League, as well as national and provincial websites, played an integral part in educating members and were promoted regularly. Letters were sent to former members inviting them to rejoin the League and members were contacted for meetings and other special activities. Councils provided members with a list of resolutions adopted at the annual national convention and encouraged them to discuss them at regular monthly meetings. Parish councils supported the resolutions, wrote letters and signed petitions to ensure protection for religious communities and leaders concerning their beliefs regarding the definition of marriage, sanctity of life, euthanasia and assisted suicide, abortion and the age of consent. Members continued to monitor current legislation and wrote letters to MPs to make them aware of them their interest in these bills. The provincial president represented the provincial council at the annual national convention and fall national executive meeting. She was privileged to have participated in the workshop in Corner Brook and attend the 25 th anniversary celebration at St. Thomas of Villanova Parish Council in St. John's. . |
