Fran Lucas, National Past President, January 17, 2024
FOR: Past Presidents at All Levels
The arrival of a new year brings with it a need for discerning what we, as past presidents, want to concentrate on and what to start with. Your list may include the following:
- Conduct an annual review of the council’s policy and procedure manual. This review identifies suggestions for additions, deletions or corrections and is brought to the executive (diocesan/provincial) and membership (parish) before finalizing. With the many changes to the structure of the League, this is an important task.
- Ensure copies of the soon to be available Constitution & Bylaws is offered to all members. Where possible, supplying a hard copy is encouraged. Find an opportunity to familiarize all members with this manual, as it is a valuable resource to guide informed discussions.
- Support your president, as referenced in my fall 2023 article in The Canadian League. Some presidents are still finding their way during these trying times, so offering moral support in the way of collaboration will likely be appreciated.
- If this is an election year (diocesan/provincial), you may have been called to chair the elections committee. The National Manual of Policy and Procedure (Section 7) is your go-to resource to assist you in this role.
The Unity Outreach results have revealed the need for all levels to continue to build relationships to reinforce a strong executive and membership. The new theme, Here I am Lord, send me, reminds us to reach out to help others or to help ourselves.
Your sister in the League,
Fran Lucas
National Past President