Fall is now upon us, and I can scarcely believe the time is passing so very quickly. Did I actually see on the news there was snow in Calgary?
Directly following the national convention so ably hosted by the Calgary Diocesan Council, I boarded a plane from Calgary to Atlanta, Georgia for the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) convention, along with Fran Lucas, President-Elect. It was comforting to have a travel mate while flying into an airport of which I was not familiar, and having to travel close to 50 kilometres to the hotel. I may have been very nervous otherwise, but we had a lovely chat with our driver, who collected us on Saturday afternoon for the return trip to the airport. He may have become somewhat acquainted with the League.
Following the conference, the next stop was the annual plenary assembly of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), held in Cornwall, Ontario. As it was my second time, I got my bearings easier this year at the NAV Centre. Last year, I simply followed anyone in a black suit, I am sure, most of the time. The presentations were excellent and will be reported in the international relations report for 2019. I took advantage of the weekend prior to the CCCB plenary to enlist the assistance of one of my children and two of her children for the Saturday cleanup to support the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations’ objective. Fun, educational and affirming that children want to care for creation, and do it so naturally and enthusiastically.
Between Atlanta and Cornwall were several teleconferences related to the work of the implementation committee year one working groups and one regional meeting in my home province where the membership heard and saw the updated strategic plan PowerPoint with accompanying text. The information and the questions indicate members are very interested in the process. I sat in on a two-hour webinar on dementia. Isn’t it amazing that we can be part of something so important and get so much information from the comfort of our home? There were thousands of people from around the world who tuned in to hear four representatives from four Canadian political parties address issues related to dementia from a non-partisan position.
Reports to write, questions to answer, reading, reading, reading to complete, phone calls to make and receive, teleconferences to keep abreast of the strategic plan, and to conduct a brief administrative committee meeting are all done in conjunction with an amazing office staff that keeps on top of everything.
Next year’s huge milestone centenary convention in Montreal, Quebec is on my mind almost daily. It will be wonderful, as our Quebec sisters work and pray to make it a memorable event. My, my, I am only beginning my second year, and it feels as if I am almost finished my term. The Good Lord willing, I will continue to enjoy the many graces received until I pass the president’s pin to my successor. What a journey so far! Who knows what God has in store for those who love Him.
My next adventure is the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada’s national congress.
Until then…