81st Annual National Convention
Calgary, Alberta
August 12 - 15, 2001

Report of Convention by Bonnie Brennan

Report of National President Vivian Bosch

Report of National Secretary Treasurer Sharon Harland

Report of Executive Director Kim Sass

Report of National Chairperson of Resolutions Jackie Lenarduzzi

Report of National Chairperson of Spiritual Development Agnes Bedard

Report of National Chairperson of Organization Marie Cameron

Report of National Chairperson of International Relations Vivian Bosch

Report of National Chairperson of Christian Family Life Joan Hastie

Report of National Chairperson of Community Life Danielle McNeil-Hessian

Report of National Chairperson of Education and Health Phyllis Kennedy

Report of National Chairperson of Communications Lorette Noble

Report of National Chairperson of Legislation Joan Baudais

Report of National Chairperson of Laws Sheilah Pellerin

Open Arms, Minds, Hearts and Open Doors
Report of the 81st Annual National Convention By Bonnie Brennan

Open Arms Calgary League members opened their arms wide and welcomed over 750 members to the 81st annual national convention August 12 to 15. They demonstrated western hospitality at every opportunity. Tours of the Olympic Park, the city itself and Spruce Meadows were enjoyed by many as was the very special entertainment provided each evening. Each musical presentation was an example of ways to present the Gospel to people of our time. Monday night featured the choir of the Drumheller Passion Play. Tuesday it was the modern music ministry of Mark Mallet and Wednesday the classical voice of David Bedard singing hymns, arias and an oratorio.
Open Minds Members were called to open their minds to new ideas and challenges. The resolutions at the national convention are always an invitation to open our minds to new topics but two special women challenged us this year to open our minds to new ways of doing things as well. Joanne Chafe, Director of the National Office of Religious Education led the assembly in a workshop on the "New Evangelization" and Sister Mary Lou Cranston informed the group about questions and problems related to stem cell research.

Using the General Directory for Catechesis as her guide, Ms. Chafe outlined the three stages of evangelization: missionary activity, catechetical activity and pastoral activity. "Missionary activity focuses primarily on those who have not heard the Gospel, those who see no need for the Gospel and those who have drifted away from living the life of the Gospel.", she said. She urged the League to become involved in all levels of activity but reminded members they are already deeply involved in missionary activity through their contacts with government, their community service and in the many opportunities for evangelization they meet in their daily lives.

"Evangelization needs to be revitalized with new goals, new ardor, new commitments, new models, and new skills...and take into consideration the 'soil' of the believer", she said. Giving examples of many opportunities for evangelizing in her own life (doctor's offices, a widows group, a young god child, an aging relative, fellow travelers) Ms. Chafe talked about situations in which we meet others who are expounding values that are not Christian. "We need to take into consideration the real life situation of the person and then find the skills we need to dialogue with them. The first tool we need is a mouth zipper. This gives us time to think, to listen respectfully and compassionately to the person and to find the real reason why he or she is espousing these less than Christian values. Direct teaching, trying to convince the person, kills it. We are not proselytizing, we are offering understanding, compassion and hospitality. The Gospel is still compelling. It is up to us to find new ways to let people of our time know it", said Ms. Chafe.

Within the parish community there are opportunities for the League to "create space where those who have drifted from the faith could be at ease." She suggested: holding luncheons dealing with women's issues; a bulletin board listing the names of people to talk with when facing personal problems; a parish fair to exchange skills and services; and setting aside time at meetings for members to discuss how they might meet some of these opportunities with new skills and approaches.

Sister Mary Lou Cranston is Director of St. Joseph's College Ethics Centre. She too called upon members to find new ways and a new vocabulary to dialogue with those who do not hold the same beliefs as we do about the beginnings of human life. To explain current controversy over stem cell research she outlined the various stages of human life from the egg and sperm to birth, stressing the need to use the commonly accepted medical terms so we can show we know the topic well. Sister then spoke to the current outline of draft legislation before the federal government.

In response to the urgency for the League to become involved in the discussions around the prohibited activities and regulations regarding the health and safety of Canadians, national council passed a motion to write to the federal government listing eleven areas in which any activity must be prohibited. On a related pro-life issue national council also passed a motion asking that a letter be sent to the government of New Brunswick commending its resist to the pressure to fund services performed at private abortion clinics.
Open Hearts Father Tom Rosica and Dr. Katherine Rouleau, two leaders of the World Youth Day 2002 Team invited League members across Canada to open their hearts and their homes to some of the one million young people from 150 countries visiting Canada next year. Prior to the late July events in Toronto, about one third of the pilgrims will be visiting 55 dioceses across Canada. "We ask you to offer two pilgrims a safe, clean environment for sleeping and access to a bathroom and shower", said Dr. Rouleau. "More importantly you will be giving them a chance to see the realities of Canadian Christian life just by your daily witness."

"Your visitors may have spiked hair, dyed a strange colour or wear an earring, but St. Paul reminds us that we may be entertaining angels", said Fr. Rosica. Members were also reminded that the Apostles were probably in their early 20's at the time of Christ.

The presentation was greeted enthusiastically and members expressed their willingness to work with their local diocesan committees and to encourage Canadian youth to participate as fully as possible. In addition the League will help to fund a booklet containing prayers and the Gospel of St. Matthew in five languages. This will be put in the pilgrim kit given to every delegate to the World Youth Day.

Father Roger Formosi of Catholic Missions in Canada thanked the League for our new Evangelization project supporting mission parishes in Canada. He talked of some of the needs these parishes face and of their tremendous witness to faith and fidelity to the Gospel. Twinning with these parishes is another way to open our hearts.

Local League councils generously opened their hearts this year to donate: $20,715.75 to the Coady Institute; $4,990.03 to the Pope's Pastoral Works; $6,832.90 to the Pro-Life Fund; $65,333.75 to Development and Peace; $21,912.62 to Breast Cancer Research Initiative; and $26,850.76 to MaterCare International.

The Open Door A highlight of every convention is the opportunity to express our faith through community prayer. This is obvious in the wonderful Eucharistic celebrations, but it is also very present in the quieter prayer events that open and close sessions. On Monday we opened the door of belonging by recalling our Baptism. Waters from across Canada were brought to the meeting, joined together in one bowl and then blessed. This water was used to bless all members present and made available to be taken home by members. This reminds us "of new life we received through our Baptism. That we have become one and it is through this unity that we are a sign of Christ to the world." Monday afternoon we focussed on Reconciliation and opened the door to being fully alive. Tuesday morning through Eucharist we opened the door to service. Tuesday afternoon, celebrating Benediction, we opened the door to a blessing. Wednesday, reflecting on the Holy Spirit, we opened the door to evangelizing and reflecting on Mary with a wonderful litany showing her as a model for modern women, we opened the door to witnessing.
Last year in Prince Edward Island, we began the theme of the Open Door and our convention won the prize for being the best organized one in the province. This year at the door to the Rockies, Calgary helped us to focus the theme. Next year in Moncton in the midst of Maritime hospitality and joy we will continue to open doors following the Holy Father's admonition that now that the Jubilee Holy Year Door has been closed it is up to us to show Christ as the open door to the world. Hope to see you there!

Oral Report of National President Vivian Bosch

It has been a privilege and a very rewarding experience for me to attend the provincial and diocesan conventions as your National President. I thank you for your hospitality and friendship.

It is very important for me to, first of all, present workshops on our theme 'The Open Door' which you have invited me to do and secondly, it is important for me to feel the pulse of the League across our beautiful country, Canada.

I have truly witnessed the work of Beatitude women in action. All councils experience many blessings and yes, we all struggle at times, but that is the dynamic of the Christian church in action.
We are Alive! We have the capabilities and opportunities to serve, to minister, to be instruments of Jesus 'The Open Door'. What greater feeling of satisfaction is there for any woman?

At the post-convention meeting this year, this past year, I proposed an action plan to the national executive, mainly involving the provincial presidents. Each provincial president was given a project to undertake and come back to the next executive meeting with not only the plan, but the action that could be taken to promote the project.

It soon became evident that both the action plan and the recommendations made by the vision committee called for education and training of League members on all levels.

The provincial presidents participated with great enthusiasm. One project that has been organized by Alberta [MacKenzie] Provincial Council for the membership is the parish membership drive. These materials were received by all councils with the membership mailing in late fall. Many letters of appreciation have been received encouraging the project to continue. At the [pre-convention national] executive meeting we held a few days ago, we all agreed that we will continue this project for the year 2002.

Quebec [Provincial Council] worked on the membership recruitment incentive program and the membership blitz. The outcome of that initiative awarded a new member and her sponsor an all-expense paid trip to attend conventions on the three levels. The diocesan winners were Agnes Fekete and Agnes O'Mara whom I had the privilege of meeting at the Newfoundland[/Labrador] provincial convention. It was just so neat to see them there.

The provincial convention winners were Gail Cougle and Mary Ann Ackerson and I had the honour of meeting them at the New Brunswick provincial convention. Today I invite Joan Bogner and Annette De Boer from Whitecourt, Alberta to please stand. These two members received an all-expense paid trip to this national convention held here in Calgary. One come with her baby. Thank you for coming. Thank you for taking time and bringing your baby, also. A new member for the future.

The provincial councils have been working very hard on their projects and we will be hearing and reading more of their good works in the near future. All projects will be compiled into one manual which will be offered as a teaching tool for all members to use and enjoy.

An ad hoc committee was struck to review the roles and responsibilities of all levels of the League. This was your request at the last convention.
This committee has also worked very hard to bring recommendations to this convention on various issues that would enhance League development and ensure League growth.

[Two members of] this committee will be giving a presentation [following] the organization standing committee [report] at this convention. Barbara Dowding addressed the diocesan presidents at their luncheon yesterday and Velma Harasen addressed the [provincial] president-elects at their luncheon. In all these undertakings, the interest and concerns of members at the parish level are being addressed.

Honorary Life Member Lucille Cullen and I attended the first Canadian Missions Congress in Canada, held in Cornwall. I had expected that the congress would highlight mission work internationally, but was pleasantly surprised that the Canadian church is being called to focus on missions in Canada.

We were pleased to personally meet lay people and religious who are working in our missions. The congress was an uplifting and worthwhile experience.

The national evangelization project, the missions initiative, is already underway by many of the League parish councils. We are honoured that Father Roger Formosi and Linda Syrota of Catholic Missions in Canada are here. Father Formosi will be addressing the assembly after the spiritual development [standing] committee [report] later at this convention.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops convenes an annual forum with national lay associations across Canada. Executive Director Kim Sass and I attended this forum together with clergy, laity, and religious to share a common hope for our young people under the banner of World Youth Day 2002 - The Catholic Church in Canada, Before, During and After. To hear young people share their experiences of how their lives have changed because they were given an opportunity to attend one World Youth Day, touched me deeply. Words such as renewal, rejuvenation, revival and transformation were heard frequently throughout the meeting.

World Youth Day for our youth is a powerful means of evangelization. How do you measure the work of the Holy Spirit in the preparation of the event, in the actual celebration of the event? How do you measure the work of God's Spirit in the hearts of our young people in the future who have been given the opportunity to experience this event?

As I ponder World Youth Day 2002, I become truly inspired knowing that this event is God's special gift to Canada. Our youth are being especially called - they are the chosen ones!

The Catholic Organization for Life and Family held its third annual seminar on biotechnology in the offices of the Canadian bishops. Scientists, theologians, philosophers, lawyers, bishops and other interested Catholics participated in the meeting to examine current issues from a Catholic perspective.

Since four of the national executive were visiting various government ministries at the same time, we were able to attend this gathering. These annual meetings help to create and maintain a network for ethicists and scientists working in these areas and fosters a better understanding of recent scientific developments in this fast-changing domain.

The League is very appreciative of the good works done by COLF, the Catholic Organizationn for Life and Family, to promote respect for human life and human dignity and the essential role of the family. A submission by the Catholic Organization for Life and Family on the draft legislation The Assisted Human Reproduction Act was forwarded to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health.

The League also sent a letter to The Honourable Allan Rock requesting that the recommendations made by COLF be seriously considered.
We welcome Jennifer Leddy, a member of the Canadian bishops staff who is with us during this convention. We have a very, very good support system; and I thank you so much, Jennifer, for taking time to be with us.
We are pleased that Dr. Mary Lou Cranston, Director of St. Joseph's College Ethics Centre, Edmonton is with us also. She will be addressing us later at this convention on recent ethical issues and questions under the legislation [standing] committee.

So, as you can tell, we have a full, full agenda, and an intersting one for you.
As we continue our League journey in faith and action, I urge you to continue to keep your focus on Jesus, 'The Open Door'. As Beatitude Women, we are called to walk on a highway of holiness. I thank all of you for your cooperation and support and I look forward to meeting and journeying with you, all of you, in my second [year] in office.

Oral Report of National Secretary-Treasurer Sharon Harland

Madam President, the finance committee met prior to the [national] executive meeting in February to review the audited financial statements for the year 2000. The year end results were favourable when compared to the budgeted deficit of $86,000. Actually, our deficit amounted to $26,222.
In reviewing the statement of revenue and expenses published in the annual report, you will note that interest on investments was better than budgeted. This was due to a favourable builder bond rate that was issued last June which the League capitalized on. Per capita fees were up, with 531 members more than expected paying dues. Registration fees for the 2000 convention were also higher than expected.

Under expenses, the cost of last year's convention relating to the celebration of the 80th anniversary were somewhat higher than what we had budgeted, and the cost of the magazine was up, due to the decision to experiment with the number of pages after we had changed to the larger size, to the 8 1/2" by 11".

Other expenses were lower than budgeted, and the [national] executive commends the executive director for implementing various controls which helped to lower that deficit.

Proceeding with the recommendation from the [national] executive, $500,000 was moved into equity funds. [Members of] the finance committee are closely monitoring the investment portfolio with reference to ethical investment strategies.

The [national] executive has accepted a recommendation from the finance committee at the pre-convetion [national] executive meeting, that in the year 2002 the budget include $10,000 to be added to the interest earned on the national bursary fund investment.

The draft budget for 2002 has been circulated to the national executive who have been asked to make concrete recommendations with the aim of lowering the proposed deficit and ending up with a balanced budget. We have advanced our five-year forecast, and this is what we have shared with the executive.

A motion was accepted by the [national] executive to support MaterCare [International's] LifeSaver program to December 31, 2001. This will simply put the project in line with our financial year, and reconsideration of the project will be assessed by the finance committee at our fall meeting.
Based on a report from one of the provincial treasurers, the suggestion was put forth to all provincial councils that we might expand an idea to the national level. The idea involves compiling from parish level, to diocesan level, to provincial level, then to national level, the statistics of all monies donated under each standing committee. It was made clear that this would not in any way be a comparison but rather a compilation of information. I felt that this information compiled as a national statistic in the annual report would be of interest and, indeed, a source of pride to the membership. Needless to say, such statistics could be of great benefit on diocesan, provincial and national levels in public relations. For instance, to be able to state on any level, how much money has been donated to education programs, to pro-life, to community projects, et cetera.

Let me share with you the response I have received from four provinces, along with some of the projects supported. To list them all would have me here for a good half hour, and that would upset the president.

Under spiritual development, $163,426 was donated to such projects as missions, parish communion and confirmation projects, church ministries, fellowship of the least coin, receptions for funerals, and so on.

Under Christian family life, $44,983 to pro-life groups, girl guides, save a family, single parent centres.

Community life, $100,680 to shelters, meals on wheels, food for school children, food banks, Christmas cheer.

Under education and health, $73,279 for scholarships and bursaries, donations to needy students, libraries, literacy programs.

These are just a few of the [standing] committees under which the donations were listed. The total from four provinces for the year 2000 amounted to doantions of $553,375. The provinces reporting were Saskatchewan, Newfoundland/Labrador, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Can you even imagine what these statistics would be if all provinces reported?

By the way, the reports from these provinces were not 100%, since many of the parishes opted not to report.

These statistics do not include the voluntary funds which are submitted to national office. But there again, although these are reported under various standing committees, I thought you might like to know what the total is. So the total we donated to Coady International Institute, Pope's Pastoral Works, Development and Peace, the National Pro-Life Fund, Breast Cancer Research Initiative, MaterCare International, National Bursary Fund and the WUCWO Endowment Fund amounted to approximately $160,000.

In my final year as national secretary-treasurer, I will pursue this idea of diocesan, provincial and national donation statistics. I am sure that the four provinces involved were justifiably pleased when these statistics were shared with them.

An interim statement of revenue and expenses for the period January1 to June 30, 2001 is available on your table. Many parish councils have submitted per capita fees on time and this has been beneficial not only to national finances, but also to the provincial and diocesan levels. The finance committee, in monitoring these statements, expects that the projected deficit of $169,800 will be lower than budgeted. This is due, in part, to a restructuring of staff, and to a lowered expense under League development.

Madam President, I have two montions to present. First, that the 2000 audited financial statements of The Catholic Women's League of Canada, as prepared by the chartered accounting firm of Chambers, Fraser and Company be accepted. Seconded by Life Member Agnes Ebbs and carried.

Moved by Sharon Harland, that The Catholic Women's League of Canada retain the firm of Chambers, Fraser and Company, Chartered Accountants of Winnipeg, Manitoba for the coming year. Seconded by Life Member June Gaw and carried.

Respectfully submitted.

Oral Report of Executive Director Kim Sass

Madam President and Sisters in the League.

Most of my previous reports have been impersonal - reporting on process or procedure changes and technology updates that have been made in national office. This report is very personal.

Today I would like to focus on the staff changes that have occurred at national office over the past few months.

At national office we laugh together, we cry together, we brainstorm together, and we even argue together - but we always love each other. We've become very much a family.

In recent months, we lost 3 long-term staff members:

• Doris Blair, our accountant, retired after 15 years of service to care for her grandchild.
• Monica Smith, our receptionist, resigned after 12 years of service for health reasons.
• And Arlene Turner. Arlene passed away on April 26th after serving the League for 8 years. You all came to know her as the voice of wisdom, the voice of respect, the voice of consideration, the voice of constancy, and the voice of discretion on the telephone. She taught me about the League, gracing me with her humour and her insight. I was so proud when she accepted my invitation to join the League. Although she was a member for only three months, her legacy will live on in how she served. No one could ever question Arlene's loyalty. One past provincial president has suggested that Arlene Turner will live on as national office's own guardian angel. I believe that to be true.

I'm so proud of how the remaining staff have handled the loss of Arlene and with how they coped with a real loss of manpower and experience. I commend Darlene Smith, Janet Forbes and Mildred Melnick for assuming additional duties, while we handled the work during the office's peak period. We had to process 85% of the membership remittances, and 70% of the orders by the end of June, with half of the full staff complement. Together, we pulled ourselves through - a little exhausted but still functioning.

Now, we look to the future with enthusiasm and so I would like to introduce you to Doris Simard, our new administrative assistant. Doris, please stand.

Doris just started with us three weeks ago, and is probably overwhelmed right now, but I'm positive she will be a great asset to the League.

In addition to hiring Doris, I hope to hire three term employees to assist us during our busy season next year.

There is only technology change to report this year - that new telephone lines have been installed. The old sets were no longer being serviced by our telephone company and the volume of calls increased to the point that our two line system could no longer cope with the volume. For those of you who reside in Winnipeg, the local numbers have changed. However, the toll-free line will remain the same.

Respectfully submitted.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of Resolutions Jackie Lenarduzzi

You were introduced to the resolutions committee this morning, so I won't repeat their names but would you like to see them stand and be acknowledged? Pat and Becky and Marie and Bishop and Vivian and Joan.

They deserve that clap and that applause, because they were tremendous. We had a four-day working session, pretty well; and we survived, and we still like each other, and we still love each other.

The resolutions committee met in June, and prior to the business sessions again before this convention. The established guidelines for accepting resolutions were followed, and careful review of each one occurred.

We were sensitive to the work of parish, diocesan, provincial councils; as the resolutions became a gift to the national council. We appreciated the work and the quality of resolutions submitted. They were well-researched and carefully done.

We received eight from five provinces. All were accepted, following review for clarity and strength. One resolution was accepted by changing the intent, somewhat.

All provincial presidents have been advised of any alteration or any change of intent.

I now want to present these gifts to you for consideration, as you represent members across Canada. These are gifts from these provinces, so take them with kindness and debate well.

From Nova Scotia, we received a National Strategy for Arthritis, and Edible Vaccines resolutions. From New Brunswick, Hunger In Canada, Quality End-Of-Life Care, Quality of Canada's Water. From Saskatchewan, Discrimination in Regulations Re the Canada Pension Plan. From B.C. and Yukon, Toward a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence. From the Military Ordinariate, Proposed Amendments to Spousal Benefits Under the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act (CFSA).

Now, these resolutions will be presented following the respective committee reports, and the dialogue on Sunday was very successful. It was nice to see such a good turnout. The recommendations that were made are being considered by the committee, and will probably be reflected in most of the resolutions. They were minor recommendations that we can deal with as housekeeping, and anything major will be amendments that are being proposed, and they will be dealt with in that manner.

The other part of my report, which just sort of covers a little bit of work that has been done by this committee in the past few months:

Three other national officers and myself were welcomed through the doors of eight government departments in late February. This is a yearly commitment, and provides the opportunity to discuss resolutions and other concerns. The details of these meetings are reported in the summer issue of the League magazine.

It was with pride that we represented the members across Canada. We had very cordial dialogues with representatives from each department. We received their respect and appreciation for the work of the League. Often our expressed concerns were mutual, especially in areas of justice, health and poverty. We also had the opportunity to reiterate our position in respect of life from conception to natural death.

Last year an ad hoc committee was appointed and as a result of that -- one of the results is that I am here first.

The ad hoc committee was appointed to review the resolution process, specifically in relation to the Standing Rules of Order. The committee addressed this motion and reviewed, as well, the history of the overall resolution process. The national executive accepted their report and recommendations in February. The recommendations are reflected in the rules of order (No. 16) adopted for this convention.

Another recommendation made was that resolution workshops be held at diocesan and provincial levels at least every two years. This will be encouraged, and workshops are being developed.

The resolution process is a historical fact, beginning with the organization of the League. While it poses challenges, many benefits have resulted. Therefore, ongoing cooperation, support and commitment by all members is necessary to keep the door for justice, moral and Christian values open in the future. I hope you will join me in resolving to uphold our tradition.

Respectfully submitted.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of Spiritual Development Agnes Bedard

Madam President and my sisters, it is good to be here today. It is a beautiful day, and I have some beautiful news for you, as well. I have the count of the [Tuesday morning mass] collection; $2,532.17. Thank you, all.

I would also like to invite all the spiritual development chairpersons that are here to stand today. How many spiritual development chairpersons do I see? Any level. Don't we do a wonderful job ladies?

During these last few months I have been very busy, as I know all of you have been busy, you spiritual development chairpersons, preparing your convention liturgies and your parish council liturgies, and your other liturgies; and certainly I was busy with my wonderful friend, Judy Look, preparing the liturgies for this convention. We just have a wonderful time doing it.

We certainly depend on the Holy Spirit, and I think He got tired with us a few times, but we didn't care, we kept asking.

The beautiful and challenging 'Open Door' theme gave direction to spiritual development chairpersons all over Canada, and the reports from the provincial chairs reflect that we really moved this year, and we really spent time developing wonderful programs that reflected Jesus, 'The Open Door'. We spent a lot of time listening to God's word, reflecting on it, and then talking about how we can move out into the world and put this in place. So I thank you for your good work.

Donations to the Pope's Pastoral Works fund for the period July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001 was $4,990.03. A cheque will be forwarded to the Apostolic Nuncio following the convention.

More than 140 countries -- and Canada is one of them -- will be participating in the sixth annual World Rosary on October 6th, and I am sure some of you here are involved. Hands up if you are involved in this.

The initiative was begun as a gift for the Holy Father on the 50th anniversary of his ordination, and it has continued since then. More information about this program is available on the Internet, and the address will be in the minutes when they are written.

The idea of 'world prayer' is very compelling. If you think of all the Catholics in the world praying the same prayer at the same time, giving praise to God at the same time, what a great thing that is. And at the national, we are continuing to promote the Liturgy of the Hours as the prayer of choice for parish/diocesan/provincial and national council meetings. You don't have to write anything, you simply have to open the book and follow it.

We have tried using this. We have used it twice these last few days on the part of the national program, so all of you investigate it, and there are wonderful books out there, wonderful sources that you can access to help you start using it.

World Youth Day 2002, which you are going to hear more about coming up, is less than a year away, and we are asked to pray in solidarity with our youth on specific feast days: September 26th, the Feast of Canadian Martyrs; October 1st, the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux; October 6th, the Feast of the Blessed Marie Rose Durocher; October 11th, the Feast of Blessed John XXIII; November 9th, the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica; and on December 12 the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. And those will be in the minutes, as well.

So pray that all the youth that come here will receive the answers to the questions that they will be asking.

The Relics of St. Therese of Lisieux will be in Canada from September 20, 2001 to December 14, 2001. I am sure most of you know if your diocese is hosting and is on the schedule. However, some of us won't be able to see them -- not to worship them, but to venerate them and to pray at them, so those of you who can, please remember the rest of us. Again, if you want the schedule, it is on the Internet, the CCCB website, for the next three months.

In the last three issues of The Canadian League, we have begun the story of Catholic Missions in Canada. We began by talking about the needs of the missions, and we identify that we probably could help them in two ways; the first way would be to help them in their catecheses program, and it is, of course, ongoing; but because of the distances covered by the mission involvement, it is a very expensive program for the missions to do.

The second way we thought we could be involved with the mission program would be by twinning; twinning one parish council, or two parish councils, to one mission parish.

There are approximately 250 Catholic missions in Canada, and of course you know we are about 1,400 parish councils. We know and we recognize that a lot of parish councils are already deeply involved with other missions. Don't stop. This message is for those councils who are not involved. We want those councils to come on board and get involved in helping the Canadian missions.
We appreciate the councils in Nova Scotia that are involved with specific missions there, and the councils in Manitoba. But there are some of us who have not got that involvement, and so we ask you councils, you are the councils we are speaking to now.

So, Madam Chairperson, I come to the end of my report, and one of the things we want to do at national is address the need of financial support for the catecheses program.

Madam president, I have a motion to present to this body. I move that we establish a voluntary catecheses fund for Catholic Missions in Canada to exist from September 1, 2001 until June 30, 2002 with yearly evaluations. Seconded by Honorary Life Member Lucille Cullen and carried.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of Organization Marie Cameron

Good afternoon. Today, from the organization standing committee, I have four points of information for you.

The first is that the membership drive parts of the national action plan have been implemented, and you will receive new materials this fall for your membership drive in January. At the end of June there were 2,271 more members than at the same time last year, so that membership drive worked.
We still need about 5,000 members more to equal the total membership last year. So every member is challenged to invite one or more new members to help build this membership.

Some women did not renew their membership last year. Why not? Was that member incapacitated in some way, moved to a nursing home, or unable to renew her membership because her parish closed? It is really up to us, each one of us, to make sure that all memberships are renewed, and I am counting on all of you to do just that.

You heard our president's report about our contest to send a new member and her sponsor to a diocesan, a provincial, and here to our national convention. Your national executive has decided to hold this contest next year. All the new members who joined us this year, as well as the rest of us, are encouraged to invite a woman or two, or six, or, as one person in my council did, 23, to join the League. I recommend that you especially invite women from other countries who have moved here, to join the League. Our League is open to all women.

How many mothers here gave their daughter a League membership when she became 16? Great! Encourage your daughters and all female members of your family and friends to become members.

The new Executive Handbook -- this is the third point -- which I hope all of you have read, uses the term "chairperson", rather than "convener". The word "convener", according to the dictionary, means "one who convenes or meets with others, one who convenes or calls a meeting." It really does not mean to look after a whole standing committee, as we have used the term of the past years.

However, "to chair" a committee means to oversee and to look after the details, which is what we do.

I wonder how many of our senior members remember that many years ago, the name "convener" replaced the former name of "councillor", and that our CWL councils were once called "units"?

So, "chairperson" is the term used by all other organizations, and is better understood when we speak with those organizations, bishops, and especially with the government. The latter definitely did not understand what we meant by "convener". So in practice at meeting with government and other organizations, we have been using the word "chairperson".

A welcome kit was prepared by Ontario Provincial Council. A sample copy was given to, or will be given this afternoon, at our meeting right after this meeting, to the provincial presidents-elect, and I showed it to the diocesan presidents, with whom I enjoyed lunch yesterday. I encourage every parish council organization chairperson to present a welcome kit to each new member. This will enable the new member to learn about the League and to have reference materials such as the Constitution & Bylaws, the Development and Peace and Coady Institute brochures, the League prayer, and League brochures, and whatever else you want to put in. We can not expect new members to learn about our wonderful League by osmosis, so please get that welcome kit to our new members.

This is the end of my report, Madam President.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of International Relations Vivian Bosch

The WUCWO [General] Assembly held in Rome in March, 2001 was represented by approximately 650 women who came from 56 countries around the world. The Prophetic Mission of Women was the theme for the offering and it was evident that the women who represented the various countries were very active in their communities, committed to working in the Church and in society, and prophetic in sharing their stories.

Women shared life experiences which were most profound, and very often impossible for me to relate to; and also very overwhelming.

Two phrases which echoed throughout the days were, "For whom are we supposed to walk? For whom, and for what will we take a stand?" Where do we go from here?

I believe the words of Mother Teresa would come into play. She says, "You must first see and analyze the need, then do all in you power to meet it, one step, one person at a time."

I have received letters from women of Kenya and India. These ladies were not making any special requests, just a letter of friendship and contact. Sheilah Pellerin received letters from Ghana and Swaziland. The letter from Swaziland refers to the Coady Institute, which Sheilah had discussed in Rome; and the letter from Ghana, inquired about the MaterCare program.

I will read the letter from Swaziland to you. It was very interesting for me.

"Dear Sheilah:
Greetings in the name of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Sure, it would be fitting to remind you of who I am. I am Gloria. We met at the WUCWO General Assembly in Rome in March. We had a brief conversation about my work, and I work for the Church in Swaziland. One of my areas of operation is to empower women to engage in meaningful development, improve their standard of living. Then you mentioned that you have a training institution where women can be trained to be equipped with skills to run their work efficiently. Please send us the information, document, forms to apply for entry to the institution. I will appreciate if you can give me more information on women empowerment entities in your country. One step, one person at a time."

At the request of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations, the Catholic Women's League of Canada established a voluntary trust fund to collect monies for the Endowment Fund campaign.

Following [our last] convention, cheques received had been addressed directly to the WUCWO Endowment Fund; therefore, the CWL trust fund is no longer necessary. The national office will continue to be the mailbox, but cheques will be made directly to the WUCWO Endowment Fund.

So at the national executive meeting, a recommendation was made to close the CWL voluntary fund, and I would ask Sharon to make a motion.

Moved by Sharon Harland, that the WUCWO Endowment Fund, no longer being needed, is closed. Seconded by Honorary Life Member Claire Heron. Carried.

At the 2000 convention there was a motion adopted that our Resolution 96.5 on Same Sex Marriages be forwarded to the business sessions of the WUCWO General Assembly. I presented this resolution to the assembly and spoke to it, and the resolution was adopted.

On June 22, 2001, a letter was received from the Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice, and I quote:

"I assure you that the Government of Canada remains committed to marriage as the lawful union of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others."

I felt that you would be interested in hearing that.

Now for the petition. A petition has been approved by the national executive to come to this assembly for League signatures. WUCWO is asking League members to sign a petition in support of the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse. The day is November 19, 2001.

This is an initiative taken to support the vital work of child protection.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of Christian Family Life Joan Hastie

Thank you, Madam Chair, and good morning everyone.

I begin my Christian family life report by saying what a great time it is to be the chair of Christian family life. Our theme, 'The Open Door', speaks directly to the mandate of this committee.

• We have recently produced an excellent kit outlining our pro-life work.
• A beautiful pamphlet, Come, Let Us Pray, is made available from the Catholic Organization for Life and Family.
• The government has established a secretariat on palliative care; and,
• of course, World Youth Day presents a wonderful opportunity.

The theme, 'The Open Door', seems to speak to everyone, and have you noticed we have all become theologians? We each have our own interpretation. But we are invited to enter through the door, which is Jesus.

In the standing committee, there are many opportunities to walk with Jesus, as we encounter the youth, the elderly, the married, the single parent, the separated and divorced, the unborn, and disabled; those living in abusive situations, those in need of end-of-life care, the bereaved.

In Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter, At the Beginning of the New Millennium, he gives us a caution:

"We must not only seek the face of Christ, however, but also hear his voice. Christians must learn to make their outward faith in Christ by discerning his voice in the cry for help that arises from this world of poverty."

Nowhere is this more important than our ministry in Christian family life. We need to listen. Our pro-life kit is an excellent resource. It indicates our pro-life advocacy, financial support we have provided over the years, and also outlines the many ways individual members have contributed.

Is the League pro-life? You bet, and here is the tangible proof. Kits are available at a cost of $2.50, and no council should be without one, or several.

At last year's convention in Charlottetown, a motion was approved that the 1999 National Pro-Life Fund be divided between COLF and Care-In-Dying. Subsequently, Care-In-Dying returned our donation of $2,024.76, as they were not continuing their operation.

The amount received in trust from members and councils designated for the National Pro-Life Fund for the period July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001, was $4,808.14, bringing the total amount in the fund at this point to $6,832.90.

Madam Chair, I therefore move that the national council divide the total amount of the National Pro-Life Fund, $6,832.90 equally between the Catholic Organization for Life and Family, and Birthright. Seconded by Ontario Provincial President Joleene Kemp. Carried.

The pamphlet for families, Come, Let Us Pray, is a beautiful and useful tool. It invites families to recognize God at work, in their families, and follow the pathway of family prayer.

In the reports received, one of the councils noted that they had purchased a copy for every family in their parish. I thought that was great.
Christian family life chairpersons are indebted to COLF for the resources that they provided to this particular standing committee, but also for the very positive pro-life presence that they maintain in the Church and in the community.

Health Minister Allan Rock and Senator Sharon Carstairs announced that the government will devote $1 million to coordinate the development of a national strategy on end-of-life care, beginning with the establishment of a secretariat on palliative care. This is an issue of great importance to CWL. Our resolution 98.5, Palliative Care: An Essential Service stated our position very clearly, calling on the Government of Canada to amend the Canada Health Act to designate palliative care an essential service.

There are many aspects to palliative care; home care, pharmaceuticals, training and education, support for family caregivers, research, the importance and availability of pain control. All League members will be following the work of this committee. And we will probably, in particular, be following the direction the senator takes very closely.

But this is certainly a priority for the Education and Health Standing Committee, as it is a health issue; and to Legislation Standing Committee, as they follow the introduction of new legislation. This can be definitely a collaborative effort at every level.

On a sad note, one valuable resource that is important to the standing committee has been the magazine Our Family. Unfortunately, the magazine will cease publication in February, 2002. It would be most appropriate, and I would encourage League members to write to Our Family to express gratitude for the guidance that has been provided through the years in living the message of Christ in the family.

Of course, World Youth Day 2002, will be the major focus as we are challenged to pray, to volunteer, to open our homes, to encourage our young people to attend, and to contribute financially so that we can provide gospel booklets for the pilgrim bags. This will require a contribution of $250,000.
Giving this report, I would have preferred if it could have come immediately after the presentations of Father Rosica and Dr. Rouleau, or following Bishop Collins' homily yesterday morning.

I ask you in your minds and hearts to go back to those moments and recall their words, and the words of the young people who spoke to our hearts. Recall your feelings and your emotions.

World Youth Day is a unique and exciting event which will unite the Church in Canada, indeed, will unite the country. Our young people will be evangelized, and they will evangelize.

Picture in your mind the image that Bishop Collins presented of the swimmers just as they left the edge of the pool before they hit the water in mid air, the moment when they moved out into the deep; and that is the moment now, for us. To move out and become a part of this very exciting event.

Madam Chair, I would move that the national council establish a voluntary fund, and encourage the membership of The Catholic Women's League of Canada to meet the challenge of raising $250,000 for the purchase of World Youth Day gospel booklets, through member and council contributions, by the date of February 28, 2002. Seconded by Military Ordinariate Provincial President Elaine Black. Carried.

I thank you. You know, we often decry the way family life has been evolving, but I think, from what I have said this morning, there are signs of hope; and the young people, the angels who will come to our country next year will be one of those signs, and you are a most definite sign.

I salute you for your commitment this morning, for what you do for the Church, and for the family; and particularly, what we will do together, welcoming the youth to our country, who are the future of our country, and who are the future of the Church.

Thank you.

The adoption of Resolution 01.01, Quality End-Of-Life Care, was moved by New Brunswick Provincial President Ann Doucet, seconded by Edmunston Diocesan President Jacqueline Waye, and carried.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of Community Life Danielle McNeil-Hessian

It is my pleasure to give my first oral report as chair of the community life standing committee.

There is so much to be done and so little time. How do I decide what to act on and what to set aside? How can I do justice to this committee?
These questions plague chairs of committees throughout the League. I now firmly believe in situations where you have no idea of what you are doing, simply trust in the Lord. With that in mind, I set about my work, the work of the League.

History provides us with examples of well-meaning nations and organizations that provided monetary aid or imposed their ideas, values, and/or cultures on countries or peoples in order to improve the situation for those who were believed to be in need. Current thought leans toward involving people, becoming partners with them in order for sustainable change to occur. As League members, we need to continue to become more involved in projects at home and abroad which are proactive, rather than reactive, that provide people opportunities to help themselves for long-term gain. It is important to keep a perspective on what we are doing. Our focus should always be on the self-identified needs of the people we set out to empower.

The new Development and Peace projects have been selected and the new brochure Women Changing the World is being distributed. The amount received from members and councils across Canada for the period July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001 was $65,333.75.

National President-elect Marie Cameron mentioned to me that when she was in Rome at the WUCWO General Assembly, the African women were excited when they learned she was from Canada because of Development and Peace. The women believed that Development and Peace included them as partners in their own development. Development and Peace asked what was needed. If the answer was water, then they were helped to dig wells. I encourage you to promote the need for councils and members to fulfill their responsibility to fund the 1% program in order to support our projects in the developing world. When we do not keep our commitment, it does not affect the League or Development and Peace. However, the projects in El Salvador, Bangladesh, and Nigeria will not reach their full potential.

In spite of the commitment of the Government of Canada in 1989 to eliminate child poverty by the end of the decade, the number of children in poverty continues to increase. It is reported that 1.3 million Canadian children or one-in-five live in poverty in Canada. A coalition of faith leaders have mounted a campaign against child poverty.

One initiative of the campaign was a full-page ad in the Globe and Mail calling for the elimination of child and family poverty in Canada, asking the federal government to use its surplus towards the elimination of child poverty. The coalition is also sponsoring the End Child Poverty Fast, September 27th to October 4th.

As women, we must continue to lend our collective and individual voices as well as our energy to the elimination of child poverty. If the children are our future, and many children in Canada face a dismal future, we need to be very concerned about the future of Canada.

Lobbying government to spend some of its surplus on fighting child poverty is one way we can act. However, I believe that we must become involved in working directly with the poor, to be present with them in order to hear their concerns and to help them find their voices.

In 1991 at our annual national convention, Resolution 91.6, Support for Aboriginal Persons was passed. It called upon diocesan councils to work with Catholic native ministries and native agencies, as well as the local offices of Development and Peace to provide materials for study, discussion, and dialogue with aboriginal peoples. The final resolve asks the members of the League to provide the opportunity, where appropriate, to open the doors to processes leading to an ongoing reconciliation and the healing of wounds.

The president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Most Rev. Gerald Weisner, in his message for Pentecost to Canadian Catholics said:

"As we celebrate this Pentecost movement, I wish to bring your attention to a major breach in our nation's community, that between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians. This breakdown is not only economic and social, although the rates of poverty and suicide, incarceration and infant mortality among aboriginal Canadians are many times greater than the national average. This breach also lies in our hesitant inability to communicate our dreams, hopes, aspirations, and visions for a better future, and so move together to positive action."

The Canadian Ecumenical Jubilee coalition has a campaign, including a petition. Bishop Weisner's letter goes on to say that by supporting the campaign we may consider becoming involved in any of four ways:

• by taking up the land claims cause
• by studying the issues involved and the available research materials
• by dialoguing with others on issues, especially aboriginal peoples
• by praying for a just reconciliation of the rights of all who live in our land.
  

In light of our Resolution 91.6, and in support of the letter from the president of the CCCB, we have included the petition. It is on your tables and it is there for you to sign, if you wish.

The petition reads:

"To the House of Commons in Parliament assembled. Members of The Catholic Women's League of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:
In keeping with the Jubilee theme of Renewal of the Earth, we the undersigned call for a renewed relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples based on mutual respect, responsibility, and sharing. As part of this ongoing process towards a new relationship, we are seeking justice for aboriginal peoples. We join the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Therefore, your petitioners call upon parliament to act immediately to establish a truly independent commission with mandate to implement aboriginal land, treaty and inherent rights."

Just before I close, I want to say that when you are going about your work in the League, and when you go to convention, you need to be ready for the unexpected, and as I said earlier, to put your trust in the Lord.
The other day I was sitting down and one of my friends at the convention had a very forlorn look on her face, and I asked her, I said, "What's the matter?" She said, "Well, I just went to my room. I put my purse down. I went into the washroom, and the toilet was gone. There was a hole in the floor." The unexpected.

I said to the person sitting next to me, I said "Did you hear that? Her toilet was gone." And the next person was her daughter, and she said, "Oh, mom, it's a good thing it wasn't you," she said. "You would be halfway finished before you knew the toilet was gone." And the mother replied, "The Lord is good. He would never do that to me."

The first year of this restructured committee has been an interesting one. I have learned that there is truly no difference between taking on a unfamiliar task at the parish level of the League, and the national level of the League. Both are formidable tasks to the inexperienced. However, with the support of sisters in the League and through prayer, one can accept the challenge of 'The Open Door'.

I thank community life chairs and you, the members across Canada, for the work which is done under this standing committee. I pray that we continue to walk towards Jesus, the Open Door, go through, to cast our nets into the deep.

The adoption of Resolution 01.02, Toward a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, was moved by British Columbia & Yukon Provincial President Margaret Beardon, seconded by British Columbia & Yukon Provincial 1st Vice-President Pat Battensby, and carried.

The adoption of Resolution 01.03, Hunger in Canada, was moved by New Brunswick Provincial President Ann Doucet, seconded by New Brunswick Provincial Chairperson of Resolutions Anne-Marie Gorman, and carried.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of Education and Health Phyllis Kennedy

Madam President,

Good morning everyone. This year, the national bursary awards were distributed to 42 women in eight provinces across Canada. The names have been printed in the summer issue of The Canadian League, along with an article containing the changes that have been made to the criteria and dates. The deadline for receipt of applications has been changed to December 31st this year. In future, the bursary committee will meet at the winter national executive meeting.

From July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001, members and councils have designated $20,715.75 to the Coady International Institute, $21,912.62 to the Breast Cancer Research Challenge Fund, and $26,850.76 to MaterCare International. Cheques will be forwarded directly following the convention.

The Catholic Women's League of Canada recently received a thank you from MaterCare for the work we do for them. MaterCare, along with the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, recently organized a meeting in Rome of 144 Catholic obstetricians and gynecologists, as well as lawyers, ethicists, midwives and theologians from 40 countries. They came at their own expense to discuss the pressures on Catholic obstetricians and gynecologists, in training and in practice; the consequences of the decline in the number of Catholic pro-life ob/gyns, arising from the anti-life philosophy; and policies that currently dominate the practice of obstetrics.

Possible solutions to the situations were considered. They found that many of their colleagues share their concerns about the future of their specialty and the good care of mothers throughout the world. They were also honoured to have a private audience with the Pope, who affirmed them in the work they are doing. They are presently organizing a second meeting that will again be held in Rome next year.

MaterCare is currently working on projects in Ghana, West Africa and Timor. They have been approached by the Archbishop of Sierra Leone to help him in his recently devastated country, as well as by another obstetrician in Rwanda. They think they can meet those needs, provided they have the moral and financial support of agencies, such as the League, not only in Canada, but around the world.

MaterCare is setting up two task forces: one to look at the ethical and practical considerations involved in new reproductive technologies; and the second, to set up an international residency training program. In addition, they have had their Ghana maternal health project refunded by the NGO branch of CIDA, are continuing research for an effective way of managing life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage, and are resubmitting their business plan for a birth trauma centre in West Africa to CIDA.

MaterCare is asking League members to increase the number of clicks on their LifeSaver website. This is not only a means of fund-raising, but it indicates to CIDA and to politicians, the level of public support that MaterCare has in Canada. If they had 7,000 clicks per day, and 12 sponsors, every year they could provide over 720 unfortunate mothers with reparative fistula surgery, restoring their dignity.

As a sponsor of the LifeSaver program, the League donated $1,123.61 last year and has donated a further $756.75 to June 30th this year.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill that will outlaw all forms of human cloning, including procedures used in medical research. The bill, which sets penalties of ten years in prison and a million dollar fine in U.S. funds for violators, passed by a strong margin of 265 to 162. This is the first step in a legislative process that is expected to see the Senate pass a similar prohibition, and culminate in President George W. Bush signing it into law.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that reproductive cloning is too unsafe to be allowed, restraining the U. S. medical lab of the Canadian-based Raelian cult from proceeding with its plan to create a human clone.

In April, a survey by Health Canada found that three-quarters of Canadians want their government to outlaw human cloning. It is urgent that letters be sent to Health Minister Allan Rock, Prime Minister Jean Chretien, and your local MPs, requesting legislation in Canada. Canadians have been living with a voluntary moratorium which is not being respected.

I received a new brochure on the Coady International Institute's Education Innovation Action Plan. It can be ordered from Coady.

The education and health annual report for 2000, printed in The Canadian League, only included the newly combined standing committee for a period of four months following last year's national convention in Charlottetown. Next year's report will better reflect the work that is being done by provincial chairpersons of education and health, and myself, as we begin to feel more comfortable with the parameters of this standing committee.

Respectfully submitted.

The adoption of a resolution entitled Edible Vaccines was moved by Nova Scotia Provincial President Pat Crossman, seconded by Antigonish Diocesan President-elect Joan Bona, and defeated. The resolution was referred to the national executive for further study.

The adoption of Resolution 01.04, Water Quality in Canada, was moved by New Brunswick Provincial President Ann Doucet, seconded by Edmunston Diocesan President Jacqueline Waye, and carried.

The adoption of Resolution 01.05, National Strategy for Arthritis, was moved by Nova Scotia Provincial President Pat Crossman, seconded by Antigonish Diocesan President-elect Joan Bona, and carried.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of Communications Lorette Noble

This has really been an exciting year because I felt as if I have been directly in touch with every single member of the League. And how? Through our League magazine. From the feedback I have been receiving, most members have now accepted the larger size; they have all bought larger handbags.
Amazingly enough, however, even with the larger pages, we still have to watch very carefully how we use the space. There is so much we want to put in.

We welcome the News From the Provinces, the Spotlights on Projects! We hope you have noticed that they have a highlighted background.
Please continue to send us photographs with the spotlights sumbissions whenever possible; and send them by regular mail. We have just found out that sending them via e-mail is not producing as fine a result as we shoud have in the magazine. Make sure they are clear, eye-catching, and hopefully action photographs.

If you develop your film and find that the photograph did not come out the way you wanted it to, try and stage the shot again.

The magazine, as you know, comes out four times a year, and usually information sent in is about an event that has taken place. If it gets into the next issue, it won't be as a news item, but an idea to be shared. Bear that in mind.

Just in case it doesn't get into the magazine, it is always a good idea to try and get it into your local diocesan newspaper or your local press while it is still current so that as many people in your neighbourhood get to know about the League and the things that we do.

One bit of good news - the National Council of Catholic Women has asked permission to reprint the article written by one of our young members from Grande Prairie, Alberta, in this last issue.

One last point about the magazine - only paid-up members receive the magazine, so it is vitally important to get membership fees in by the deadline date of May 31st. Otherwise, your members will not receive their summer magazine with the annual report.

Our magazine is one of the ways we speak to each other. What we refer to as 'the media' are the ways others speak to us, whether it is in print, on television, by films or on the Internet. Pornography, whether it is in written or visual form, tends to lead to undesirable actions. That has been proven. Nearly always it involves women and children.

So after we return home from this convention, we will be beginning to plan our full activities, and I remind you to get involved with the White Ribbon Against Pornography campaign. Let's get everyone in our communities, no only our members, involved. Wear the ribbons, hang them on trees, make wreaths of them; and then send them to the federal minister of justice.
We hear much about the Internet these days; some of it good, some of it bad. Dealing with the bad first - child luring on the Internet. Just this past week, I read in the paper that 100 people were arrested in Washington, DC in the largest known commercial child pornography business ever uncovered. They had all subscribed to Internet sites that, for a monthly fee, provided access to child pornography.

The saddest thing about this story, and every instance of child pornography, apart from influence it has on adults, is what it has already done to the children who have been used to create it. Pornography is a form of violence. Violence, says our Pope, threatens to destroy all that is human.

What we have to do is try to protect our children and grandchildren. The government recently produced a document called 'Illegal and Offensive Content on the Internet.' There is a page with a set of rules, kind of a contract or agreement between children and their parents, on how children should use the Internet, and it is really only responsible Internet behaviour. For example, one of the rules says, "I will not respond to any message that makes me uncomfortable. I will show an adult right away." Another one says, "I will not arrange to meet a friend I have met on the Internet unless one of my parents has been informed and will be present."

I don't know if you have ever written contracts with your children, we certainly didn't, but it is a guideline on responsible behaviour. Your provincial presidents and communications chairpersons know about this booklet, and you can ask them about it. The booklet is free.

But the Internet isn't all gloomy. We have our wonderful CWL website. Keep tuning in. It is updated regularly with profiles of your national executive and provincial presidents, communiqués from the national presidents, full reports, and other useful and interesting information. You have already heard about the daily bulletins that came from Rome, about WUCWO, putting you and us right in touch with each other, right away.

On the Internet you can also find news from the CCCB, COLF and the Vatican; about World Youth Day, and any number of fascinating websites. It is a marvellous learning tool.

And, of course, the Internet allows us to be in quick and cheap contact with each other via e-mail. It was wonderful for me on Monday to meet and have lunch with so many of you who are involved at various levels in this challenging committee; you who are responsible for promoting the public image of the League. Let me assure all the rest of you that these are very competent women.

We agreed that most parish councils now must have at least one member who is connected with the Internet, and who can be the link connecting all of us together. If not, what an excellent way to invite young members to join. We need their skills in this new and expanding area of communications, and I am sure they would be delighted to help.

Finally, I was listening to the ad hoc committee's report yesterday afternoon, and I couldn't help but notice how many times a concern about communications between the different levels of the League was mentioned. And when we look at any situation in our lives, whether it is in our families, in our communities, in our parish councils, within the League, in our country, in our world; when things go wrong or don't work as they should, it is so often because of a breakdown in communication. You might say that a lack of good communications is like a closed door, and if it is so, then good communications is when the door is open.

We need to keep in touch. We need to dialogue. We need to learn how to dialogue effectively. We need to let the rest of the world know about us.

We have many tools at our fingertips. Let's use them, or learn to use them well, and always keep the door open.

Respectfully submitted.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of Legislation Joan Baudais
Madam Chair.

Ignore the women of The Catholic Women's League of Canada at your own peril!

That was the advice from one of our federal ministers to his executive assistant, prior to our meeting with government this spring.

The protection of the pre-born, violence against women, child poverty, better care for seniors, unsafe drinking water, funding of abortion clinics, Canada's involvement in human rights abuses in Sudan, cloning, sweatshop abuses. Members of councils have been letting our provincial and federal governments know of our concerns about these and other issues.

The matter of the establishment of a high-risk offenders registration is always before us. We had a one-hour visit with the staff of the solicitor general. They encouraged us to make use of the national screening program, and for the community to take ownership of rehabilitated criminals.

We have received two brochures on the national screening system and protecting our children from sexual abuse, and these two brochures can be picked up at the back of the room.

In 1997, we had a resolution on restorative justice. Bill C-7, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been passed in parliament, but still needs to be passed through the senate. This act encourages more community-based centres, ensures meaningful consequences and accountability for youth crime. We must ask ourselves, "What is my attitude towards restorative justice?"
Bill C-15, the Omnibus Bill. One of the aspects of this wide-ranging crime bill is the better protection of children from sexual exploitation. To us, the most urgent issue in this bill is anti-luring on the Internet. As an omnibus bill covers so many topics, we recommend that you write to the minister of justice requesting that anti-luring be separated from the rest of the bill.

In 1999, we had a resolution prohibiting the removal of bulk water, including the removal of water for export. Newfoundland may be reconsidering the sale of bulk water. Once bulk water has been sold, it becomes a commodity or product, and it will then be covered under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It will then be a nationwide problem.

We commend Newfoundland members for their action, and encourage councils across Canada to oppose the sale of bulk water.

Immediately following this convention, the national executive will be sending a letter to the Newfoundland government and the federal government expressing our concerns.

Human cloning and embryonic stem cell research are urgent matters. Because we need an immediate letter writing campaign, we need to educate ourselves first. Sr. Mary Lou Cranston, Director of St. Joseph's College Ethics Centre, will speak to us immediately upon the completion of these last two resolutions we have. We will then bring forward two recommendations for action.
In completion, I would like to leave you with the words of Pope John Paul II in his message to WUCWO, and they can be used as the basis for action under this standing committee.

"Keep watch. Be an attentive and strong presence. Never fail to look for Christ. Follow Him, keep His work in your hearts. In this way your hope will not fail, it will spread throughout the world at this promising and challenging time."

I submit my report.

The adoption of Resolution 01.06, Spousal Benefits Under The Canadian Forces Superannuation Act (CFSA), was moved by Military Ordinariate Provincial President Elaine Black, seconded by Military Ordinariate Provincial 1st Vice-President Gabriele Kalincak, and carried.

The adoption of Resolution 01.07, Discrimination in the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), was moved by Saskatchewan Provincial President June Krogan, seconded by Saskatchewan Provincial 2nd Vice-President Joan Petracek, and carried.

Moved by Joan Baudais that the national council of The Catholic Women's League of Canada, in convention assembled, request the federal government to proceed with legislation that: 1) maintains as prohibited, all the activities listed as "prohibited" in the draft legislation on Assisted Human Reproduction; and 2) bans the use of embryos, no matter how obtained, for stem cell research and/or therapeutic stem cell use. Seconded by National Chairperson of Resolutions Jackie Lenarduzzi and carried.

Moved by Joan Baudais that the provincial and diocesan councils of The Catholic Women's League of Canada provide the necessary education so that all members of the League will be informed of the content of this legislation, and then write letters or make submissions to the federal government. Seconded by National Chairperson of Resolutions Jackie Lenarduzzi and carried.

Oral Report of National Chairperson of Laws Sheilah Pellerin
Madam Chairman.

I am happy to report to you as national past president of The Catholic Women's League of Canada. For one thing, I am not as busy as before; and for another, it gives me the opportunity to delve into the history of the League.

Our history is what makes us what we are today. Last year was our 80th anniversary, and at all levels we took the opportunity to look back at what we had accomplished since those women of vision in 1920 took the gigantic step of forming a national organization of Catholic women.

A quote from Honorary Life Member Heather Kolla:

"Remember that an archive is a permanent institution, not a special one-time project. The work you do will make a difference, and it will remain in place long after you have left your term as archivist, for your contribution will aid in the preservation of the history of the organization."

I, therefore, want to take this opportunity to remind all of you that we need council archives. Later this year I will be sending out suggestions or reminders on what you might want to retain in your archives.

While in Winnipeg for a national executive meeting, I took the opportunity to have a closer look at the materials archived at national office. Although the room is not climate-controlled, the files have been placed in acid-free protective storage boxes to prevent damage from dust and light. We also have minutes, report books, and magazines bound and sent to the provincial archives in Manitoba for safe storage. I will be making arrangements to make sure we are up to date with those materials.

Records are the memory of the organization. Records of tomorrow are being created today, and by their very nature are unique. Once destroyed, the information they contain is lost forever. Think of what we would be missing if those records from 1920 onwards had not been carefully kept. We would be missing so much of the richness of what has made the League what it is today.
For instance, in February at the 200th national executive meeting that was held in Toronto, the minutes of the very first national executive meeting were read.

As I sated in my written report, I have answered many laws questions, as well as questions on procedure. In some instances, answers could be found in the National Manual of Policy and Procedure; however, they were not always as clear as they might be, and I have proposed clarification to be included in the next set of revisions. Thank you for those questions. We need to be aware when a procedure is not clearly stated, so that the proper explanation can be made in our manual.

Two proposed amendments to the Constitution & Bylaws were received by the deadline of December 1, 2000. An amendment committee consisting of myself, National President Vivian Bosch, National President-elect Marie Cameron, Honorary Life Member Irene Lefort, and National Spiritual Advisor Bishop Doug Crosby, reviewed the submissions, and they were presented to the national executive. Neither one will come forward at this time.

The door was opened 81 years ago, and a steady stream of devoted women have kept out history alive for us. We must keep our written records to ensure that our historians of today, and those who follow us, will also be able to point with pride to what we are doing now and into the future.

BUSINESS SESSIONS ADJOURNED

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