Catholic Women's League of Saskatchewan

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National Convention Report 2011


Chantal Devine
Regina Diocesan President


“(For) where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” MT. 18:20.
There were 656 people registered for the 91st Annual National CWL Convention in Toronto, Ontario on August 14-17, 2011. Christ’s presence could be felt whether we were at mass, listening to speakers, discussing the business of the League or studying resolutions. One of the most important aspects of attending a CWL convention is that it provides us with the opportunity for spiritual renewal. However, whether we’re at a National Convention with hundreds of CWL members, or at a council meeting in small town Saskatchewan, we should remember that Christ is in our midst and strive to make each gathering an opportunity for spiritual renewal.


At the opening Eucharistic Celebration within the ornate walls of St. Paul’s Basilica in downtown Toronto, the celebrant and homilist, Most Reverent Thomas C. Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, reminded us of Pope Benedict’s directive that we are living in a time of “new evangelization” and that we should “go and bring the light of Christ into the world!” Archbishop Collins suggested in his homily that we do this by living out our CWL theme of “Centred on Faith and Justice” by anchoring our lives on three principles;


  1. Fidelity - being faithful in living our faith day by day. We should believe what we read in the bible, teach what we read, and live what we read. This is the “new evangelization”.
  2. We need to boldly proclaim the message of Christ and bear witness to Christ in our world. Profess our faith by making the sign of the cross before grace at meals in public.
  3. Be compassionate and allow charity to be the center of our life. The marks of the CWL are fidelity, boldness and compassion. In every council in Canada, members in their daily service of loving acts bear witness to Christ.

The unselfish dedication of members was evident in the five resolutions presented at the 91st National Convention. Countless hours of thoughtful deliberation go into formulating a resolution. The four resolutions adopted at this year’s convention were:

  1. 2011.01 Prohibition of Practices re Human Reproductive Material
  2. 2011.02 Children of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women
  3. 2011.03 National Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Registry
  4. 2011.04 Caffeine in Energy Drinks

Please explore these resolutions online at www.CWL.ca, the National CWL site.


From the Annual Reports presented at the convention, I made note of several practical suggestions local councils could use;


  • Pray together as a council it unite us
  • Attend a Leadership Training Workshop when one is offered in your area. The goal of these workshops is to increase the leadership qualities in each of us.
  • $250.00 will be given to the first two councils who send in their registration money to National Office either electronically or by mail, January 1st,, 2012.
  • Suicide Prevention Day is September 10th, pray for those in despair.
  • Councils are encouraged to send in their local news to be published in the National online newsletter Be League. This newsletter is online on the 15th of each month. May I suggest that one member from each council, print it off and take it to their monthly meeting to share the information with other members.
  • Stay informed about provincial, national and international issues and have one person on council spearhead writing a letter to a government official at each meeting. Keep a record of the number of letters written, to whom, and answers received. Record information in annual reports under the proper chair.

Our national spiritual advisor, Archbishop Martin Currie suggested that at the beginning of the year, the council President should meet with the spiritual advisor to give him the dates of all meetings and to discuss possible topics they would like him to speak on at their meetings throughout the year. Archbishop Currie also suggested we set aside a fund to help grassroots member attend conventions.


I was grateful to take part in the post-convention activity which was a two hour trip from Toronto to Midland, Ontario to visit the Martyrs’ Shrine. I was moved by their mission statement which reflects similar sentiments as our objectives in the CWL, I quote, “Martyrs’ Shrine is sacred ground where men, women and children come to pray and to be healed by touching the lives of the Canadian Martyrs. Martyrs’ Shrine is sacred ground where people of many nations and cultures gather to enter into communion with those all over the world who sacrificed their lives for faith and for justice. Martyrs’ Shrine is sacred ground where people come searching and leave challenged to go out to proclaim their faith, to inspire hope and to build a civilization of love for everyone.”


Attending the National Convention in Toronto, Ontario was an inspiring experience which reinforced my belief in the League and in the value of each member at the grassroots level. The strength of the League depends on each one of us. Next year, Edmonton will be hosting the 92nd Annual National Convention of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada on August 12-15. Mark your calendars and plan to have at least one member from your council attend. Did you know that the first CWL meeting was held in Edmonton in 1912?

God bless you and your family