DATE: May 31, 2025
FROM: Betty Colaneri, National Vice-President
TO: Provincial Presidents and Secretaries
CC: National Officers, National Life Member Liaison
Please forward this message to vice-presidents
according to your provincial communications protocol.
A recurring question has arisen regarding when a nominee for life membership officially becomes a life member. Is it upon approval by the board or when the life membership is presented during a ceremony at a meeting or convention?
The National Manual of Policy and Procedure is currently under revision, including this section. The board has agreed the revised policy will state:
Following approval by majority vote of the board, the submitting provincial and diocesan executives, the nominee’s parish council as well as the recipient of the life membership will be notified. A life membership pin and scroll will be sent to the nominating diocesan or provincial council prior to the anticipated date of presentation.
To further clarify, the revised policy will include:
As soon as the board approves a life membership, that member is considered a life member with all the rights and privileges associated with life membership regardless of when the presentation is made by the nominating council.
This revision clarifies that a nominee becomes a life member immediately following the board vote to approve the nomination, allowing the new life member to assume her rights and responsibilities immediately without delays due to meeting or convention schedules.
The revised wording in the National Manual of Policy and Procedure will be available in October by logging into cwl.ca.