We certainly are in a different place then a year ago. Last year, we had our CWL Christmas evening at Rivers's Edge Golf Course. This year, we will all be in our homes with fairly empty social calendars.
We will have a Christmas Coffee Celebration on our regular meeting day of December 8th, Tuesday, at 1:00 p.m. It will be virtual, over Zoom.
Tueaday, December 8 at 1:00 p.m. click on the link below to join the meeting. How easy is that?
Meeting ID: 767 7626 2882Passcode: w9r15X
If you need help a few days prior with Zoom, please call me at 268-4529 or Barbara at 268-1972.
It is really easy, ane we can assist you.
Advent starts tomorrow. Above is my creation of an advent wreath.
Hope is theological based virtue.Being one of three Christian virtues, Hope is a combination of desire for something and expectation of receiving it. The virtue is hoping for Divine union and so eternal happiness. Another view is that it is an appetite towards future good although hard to obtain, is a possible attainment.
As we celebrate Advent 2020, we face moments of darkness and anxiety; we are surrounded and immersed in pandemic uncertainty with global political and cultural madness!
In our secular society it is easy to become overwhelmed, disillusioned and in fact loose sight of hope. We may have been physically separated from the grounding of our faith by parish closures, meeting and gathering cancelations. This is a time to broaden our idea of WHERE THE CHURCH IS, as it is certainly more then a building. Advent is a time to reflect on our faith and a time of joy with our Christian families.
Barbara had a wonderful idea. Well, we received our first Christmas card- thank you Henia. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all share a Christmas wish to all of the CWL members connected on the internet? And also think of others that are less connected to send other Christmas cards. via snail mail? I will post all the wishes that I receive during Christmas week. You have 3 options- send a picture of your card to my email address, leave the card in the rectory door labelled CWL, or mail it to Box 444, Beausejour.
Thank you ahead of time for the effort in reaching out to your fellow CWL sisters!
I am extending, on behalf of the CWL, hearfelt condolences to Mel on the loss of her sweet older sister Laura this past week and also to Pat on the loss of her husband Andy on November 5th.
As we age our table often gets smaller and smaller with the missing special people in our lives. Mel and Pat, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
To
CWL Parish Council Presidents
Winnipeg Diocesan Executive
Albertine Moran, Liaison - Life Members
I recently received this from Eva Arsenault of St. Charles Parish who is our Communications Chair on Winnipeg Diocesan Council. We want to share this beautiful meditation and prayer service with you. Just follow the link Eva provided.
Blessings,
Pat Ward
President
Winnipeg Diocesan Council
Subject: Taize Worship Service at St. Charles Retreat Centre.
This live-stream runs about 30 minutes. The first 3 minutes are silent video of the icon and then the following service.
Eva
Legislation
Date: November 17, 2020 Communiqué #11
Date: November 17, 2020 Communiqué #11
Care for Our Common Home
TO: Provincial Chairpersons of Legislation
CC: National Executive (for information)
FROM: Betty Colaneri, National Chairperson of Legislation
ENCL: Submission to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights by the
CC: National Executive (for information)
FROM: Betty Colaneri, National Chairperson of Legislation
ENCL: Submission to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights by the
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops on Bill C-7: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)
“
My dear League sisters,
government introduced the bill (sponsored by the minister of justice) and vowed to
he federal
Be sanctuaries of respect for life, proclaiming the sacredness of every human life from
conception to national death” (Pope Francis).
Time is of the essence! Bill C-7 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)
has passed second reading in the House of Commons and has now completed its public hearing
before the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. T
move it quickly through parliament. It has done precisely that. Chairpersons, please reach out with urgency to your diocesan counterparts and ask them to stress to members that it is imperative to contact their local members of parliament to voice their concerns.
On November 9th, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops submitted a brief on C-7 to the the proposed legislation of Bill C-7 remains deeply flawed, unjust, and morally pernicious. The Bishops of Canada continue to call on Catholics and all people of good will to make their voices heard in opposition to this Bill. Similarly, every Canadian legislator should recall that no law that permits the taking of innocent human life can ever be morally justified. Such a law would always violate the intrinsic dignity of the human person.” The complete document is enclosed for your
information and reference.
Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. According to the document, “
“Bill C-7 would allow assisted death for Canadians who are not dying, by removing the requirement that a person’s death must be ‘reasonably foreseeable’ in order to be eligible for assisted suicide and euthanasia. The bill establishes two streams of eligibility: those whose natural death is foreseeable, and those whose natural death is not foreseeable. For those whose death is reasonably foreseeable, Bill C-7 would remove some key safeguards that were established in 2016, such as a 10-day reflection period between the request and the hastened death, and the requirement
that a person is able to consent at the time of the hastened death. The bill also sets additional conditions for hastened death for those who are not dying. ... The bill specifies that mental illness alone cannot make someone eligible for assisted death” (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, “Bill
C-7 to expand Medical Assistance in Dying”).
In response to legislation in favour of euthanasia being adopted by a growing number of governments worldwide,
the Holy See posted, “Letter ‘Samaritanus bonus’ of the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith on the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life, 22.09.2020” on the Vatican website. The letter refers to the parable of the Good Samaritan that teaches us that “even when a cure is unlikely or impossible,” medical, nursing, psychological and
spiritual care “should never be forsaken.”
Under the heading “III. The Samaritan’s ‘heart that sees’: human life is a sacred and inviolable gift,” it states, “abortion, euthanasia and wilful self-destruction (...) poison human society, but they do more harm to those who practice them than those who suffer from the injury. Moreover, they are a supreme dishonor to the Creator.” Another important reference can be found under the heading “IV. The Cultural Obstacles that Obscure the Sacred Value of Every Human Life”. “In this connection, Pope Francis has spoken of a ‘throw-away culture’ where the victims are the weakest human beings, who are likely to be ‘discarded’ when the system aims for efficiency at all costs... In this culture of waste and death, euthanasia and assisted suicide emerge as erroneous
solutions to the challenge of the care of terminal patients.”
I highly recommend that you read and advise your diocesan counterparts to refer members to the letter. Reading it confirms what Christian ministry is all about. Christians are all meant to be like the Good Samaritan. One of the paragraphs in the letter sums it up beautifully, “It is proper for the Church to accompany with mercy the weakest in their journey of suffering, to preserve them the theologal life, and to guide them to salvation. The Church of the Good Samaritan regards ‘the
service to the sick as an integral part of its mission.’”
Take action—voice your concerns. The vulnerable are counting on the League.
Betty Colaneri
National Chairperson of Legislation
National Chairperson of Legislation
October 30, 2020
Organization
Care for Our Common Home
Communiqué #13
TO: Provincial Chairpersons of Organization
CC: National Executive (for information)
FROM: Fran Lucas, National Chairperson of Organization
CC: National Executive (for information)
FROM: Fran Lucas, National Chairperson of Organization
It is said, “change is good!” There is no shortage of change these days, including the weather in Edmonton. The city has quickly gone from warm weather to a skiff of snow, from minus 10 degrees for morning temperatures to a forecast of plus 19 degrees for next week! And so it goes.
The following are updates (some time-sensitive) that require your attention and sharing with your diocesan counterparts and on.
- 2020 National Annual Report Survey will be available to parish councils effective November 1st. The October 9th parish mailing included the access links and instructions on how to complete them. Paper versions of the survey are available on the national website under To Organize – 1000 Series: Annual Report Surveys or by contacting Marion at national office. The documents can be printed but are not fillable. As well, if you have any questions or experience problems accessing, etc., please contact Marion at info@cwl.ca or (204) 927-2310 during regular business hours. The survey was adapted as much as possible to reflect how members were working within COVID-19 restraints. This year, one really great new feature is those who received the memo electronically from their president can click on that link and go directly to the survey. Please encourage your diocesan counterparts to share this information with members. Your follow-up on progress closer to the deadline dates of December 15th for paper submissions and January 15, 2021, for electronic submissions would be appreciated.
The implementation committee for the national strategic plan will be seeking volunteers for the next round of working groups for Year 3 strategies. Please discern now on the opportunity to apply for one of the positions, and then monitor Facebook, The Canadian League and the strategic plan section on the website (cwl.ca/implementation-of-the- strategic-plan/) in February for details.
Keep safe. Keep well. Keep connected.
We light the first candle to remind us of all the HOPE that we have for our families and friends for the coming year. Loving and gracious God, open our hearts and minds. Give us the hope and strength to journey ever closer to you and your Son, Jesus Christ, during Advent.