The Catholic Women’s League of Canada
VICTORIA DIOCESAN COUNCIL
From: Christa Grillmair, President
Dear Sisters-in-Christ and Father Alfredo: A few days ago a friend showed me a photo of myself in high school. When I shared it with my daughter, she asked: “What do you feel when you look at it?” After the initial, “where did the last 50+ years go?” I thought about her question more deeply. Who was I then? What were my hopes for the future? Am I now where I wanted to be? C.S. Lewis said it best: “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” So I tell the 16-year old me: I know that life has thrown me many curves that forced me to re-direct often, but I know, for certain, that today I am in the place where God has led me and I am continually working on who He wants me to be.
September has always been the beginning of our CWL activities and I hope we will continue to proceed with plans, although the carrying out of those plans will look totally different.
1. Member Meetings: I have been asked when can we actually have in-person meetings again since we are all longing to connect. At our last Zoom call, some councils mentioned having tail gate meetings in a parking lot or mini meetings in backyards. All are good – we just have to adhere to our provincial guidelines of no more than 50 people in a public space if there is sufficient room for a minimum of 2 meters between people. In a private place/home, the maximum is 10, again, keeping social distance in mind. And the current directives from Bishop Gary are that our churches and halls may only host Eucharistic celebrations – no meetings.
ACTION: Continue to be creative in connecting but please stay within the guidelines and stay safe.
Christa Grillmair, President
Websites – National: cwl.ca, Provincial: bcyukoncwl.com, Diocesan: cwldov.org
2. Zoom Meetings: We have held several virtual meetings with our Diocesan team and I am so happy that some of you are also planning to use this communication tool to connect with your executive and members. If you need help setting up for the first time, YouTube has some good information. Just make sure the instructions are recent since Zoom keeps evolving.
You can discuss anything and I encourage you to make notes and distribute them to those that cannot attend but these meetings are not to be considered official meetings since our bylaws do not allow virtual meetings. Anything that requires member approval, such as budgets and elections cannot be decided on. I am hoping that by the time we need to address those items in 2021, we will be able to meet.
3. Elections of Officers: As for elections, the carification I have received is that whoever was in the position on March 6, 2020 has a three-year term. For example, I was elected in April 2018 and was in my position on March 6th. My term would have expired in April 2020. Now that I have a three-year term, my term ends in April 2021. If any of you were elected in 2019, your term would expire in 2022. This ensures that not all positions end at the same time and that we have a mix of experienced and new executive.
ACTION: Encourage your executive to keep recruiting. Mentoring is the best way to build confidence for both the mentor and mentee! 4. National Speaker Series If you haven’t taken advantage of the opportunity to watch the webinars and listen to these dynamic speakers, please do so and make sure you encourage your members to do the same. In the past, we had to travel far to hear convention speakers. National has made it possible for us to sit in our comfiest clothes while sipping wine or other beverage of choice and listen to dynamic speakers.
ACTION: Go to www.cwl.ca and click on Summer Speaker Series and prepare to be amazed.
5. League of the Future, Year 2: Part of the Speaker Series (Da 4) was Fran Lucas’ update on the Strategic Plan. Pre Covid-19, Laurel, Kathy and I travelled the Island to present the Year 1 Update to all our councils. Unfortunately, we cannot do that now. The presentation on the national website (www.cwl.ca) brings you up to date on all the activities of the many volunteer committees.
a) Welcome Program As part of the strategy to “include and affirm”, a welcome program has been developed. This program is designed to not only welcome new members but to ensure existing members are valued.
b) Marketing Initiatives The marketing committee is working on several marketing programs to promote our League. These include 10-second vignettes and a 100-year celebration video. These will be available soon. A campaign is also in the works for launch in 2021. c) Reorganization This strategy is currently being worked on and the recommendation will be presented to the National board to be ratified, by instructed vote, at the 2021 National convention.
Christa Grillmair, President
Websites – National: cwl.ca, Provincial: bcyukoncwl.com, Diocesan: cwldov.org
ACTION: Promote the presentation so that your members are up to date on the plans. Check out the Welcome Program Video (www.cwl.ca) and watch for the full program to be launched very soon.
6. As we continue to work on our Strategic Plan ad marketing initiatives, we need more photos and videos of our councils’ actions for our vignettes and videos.
ACTION: Please keep sharing your photos and videos by sending them to our Communications Chair, Gerry Heywood. She will post them on our diocesan website and forward those of national interest to our national marketing team. PLEASE NOTE: if you are taking photos or videos of your members, you must get permission to use externally – i.e., posting on websites and Facebook. We will never use names to identify the person.
7. Season of Creation: Pat Darling, Spiritual Development Chair sent out a very detailed overview of the Season of Creation. This is an opportune time to reflect on our theme Solid Rock, Living Waters and the national theme Caring for our Common Home and celebrate the wonders of God’s creation.
ACTION: Please share Pat’s communiqué with your members, reflect on the responsibility to care for our environment and discuss how you can develop ideas into action within your parish and community.
8. Human Trafficking Webinar: The success of the Summer Speaker Series has given us the encouragement to continue to offer you opportunities to participate in more educational webinars. Barbara Renaud, Vancouver Diocesan President and Sharon Ciebin, Provincial Resolutions Chair are Members of the Anti-Human Trafficking group based in Vancouver. They have offered to present a 1-hour webinar in October or November – currently Saturday, October 17 or October 24 are being considered.
ACTION: Please let me know whether you/your members would be interested in participating.
9. Women in Mission – Spiritual Retreat – September 16, 2020 at 10 am (PDT): Join members from across Canada for this online spiritual retreat with our own Bishop Stephen Jensen, Bishop of Prince George and National CWL Spiritual Advisor. ACTION: Go to www.cwl.ca and register for the retreat.
10. Next Zoom Meeting: Our next Zoom team meeting (Victoria Diocesan executive and Parish Council Presidents) is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30th at 11 am. Please send me any agenda items you wish to include.
ACTION: Join us at our virtual meeting – we need to stay connected to support each other.
Let us remember to be kind, be calm and be safe.
Many blessings,
Christa Christa Grillmair, President
Websites – National: cwl.ca, Provincial: bcyukoncwl.com, Diocesan: cwldov.org