DATE: September 15, 2025
FROM: Madonna Clark, National Chairperson of Service
TO: Provincial Presidents and Secretaries
CC: National Officers
National Life Member Liaison
Please forward this message to chairpersons of service
according to your provincial communications protocol.
As national chairperson of service, I’m excited to work with my provincial counterparts over the next two years. If you are curious about me, please see my biography on the national website under Meet Our Executive. My role is to be your voice at the national level, and with your input, I know we can make a real impact. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for support, and I encourage chairpersons at other levels to do the same with their immediate counterparts. The heart of this organization is in the work members do every day, and I’m proud to share and celebrate all that is accomplished for the League.
Please share the following service project ideas with diocesan and parish council chairpersons of service, and encourage them to review the Leagues Toolkit for Service (#637) available on the national website.
Suggestions/Ideas for Service Projects (October–December)
National Seniors Day (October 1st):
- Create and deliver Thanksgiving cards to nursing home residents.
- Organize a telephone call or visitation ministry to reach out to homebound members and parishioners.
- Invite seniors for a lunch or tea after Mass (with transportation support).
- Collect winter essentials (like blankets, slippers, or socks) for nursing homes.
National Children’s Hospice Palliative Care Day (October 9th): The Horizons of Hope: A Toolkit for Catholic Parishes on Palliative Care is a resource from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), helping parishes reflect on and provide palliative care through a faith-based, community-centred approach. It’s designed to educate and empower parishioners, caregivers and pastoral teams; foster compassionate community care grounded in Catholic moral and pastoral theology, and offer support through illness, death, suffering and bereavement.
Available materials include: A facilitator’s guide, video content, social media images, posters and four thematic modules.
World Mental Health Day (October 10th):
- Host a mental health awareness event or prayer service focused on hope and healing.
- Share resources and prayers for mental wellness in your bulletin or social media.
- Organize a self-care package drive for local mental health shelters or support homes.
Purple Thursday (October 19th) during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. People are encouraged to wear purple to show support for survivors of domestic violence and raise awareness about “the intersection between brain injury and interpersonal violence.” The colour purple symbolizes courage, peace and survival, and wearing it helps to show survivors they are not alone and that a supportive community exists for them.
Note: A fall webinar on intimate partner violence featuring University of New Brunswick Professor Dr. Cathy Holtmann is in the planning stages. More details will be shared soon!
World Day of the Poor (November 16th): In his message for World Day of the Poor, Pope Leo XIV calls on Christians to see the poor not merely as recipients of charity, but as protagonists of hope. Drawing on the Psalms and lived experiences of poverty, he emphasizes the need for “new initiatives to support and assist the poorest of the poor” during the jubilee year. He highlights that “Labour, education, housing and health are the foundations of a security that will never be attained by the use of arms.”
- Coordinate a “blessing bag” outreach with essentials (toiletries, snacks, socks) to give to people in need.
- Partner with a local soup kitchen or shelter for a volunteer day.
- Hold a clothing or food drive, especially for winter items.
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women/White Ribbon Day (December 6th):
- Hold a prayer vigil or rosary for victims of gender-based violence.
- Partner with a women’s shelter to collect needed items (hygiene kits, diapers, gift cards).
- Invite a speaker or advocate to educate about domestic violence prevention.
- Promote White Ribbon Campaign awareness within the parish.
International Migrants Day (December 18th):
- Host a community potluck featuring dishes from different cultures—celebrate your parish diversity!
- Collect warm clothing or household starter kits for newcomers to your community.
Feast of the Holy Family (December 28th):
- Host a family-centred activity or service project, like assembling care packages.
- Launch a “Sponsor-a-Family” Christmas drive, if not already in place
In closing, I hope this information will be helpful to you as you plan your fall meetings. Please feel free to use whatever works best for you and your council—these are simply ideas offered for your consideration.
Blessings as we journey together.