By Laurel Phyall Diocesan President-Elect and Chairperson of Organization.

Last fall, at the urging of the Bishop of Victoria, Gary Gordon, I contacted Father Dino Villadiego, pastor of the North Island Parishes regarding evaluating the interest of his parishioners in establishing a Catholic Women’s League Council within those parishes. Father Dino responded positively to have two members of the League travel with him, as he celebrated Mass in each of his four parishes. He agreed to allow us time following Mass to make a short presentation and to socialize with the women attending. With this in mind, I applied for a subsidy from the National Development Fund to cover the cost of travel, accommodation and supplies. The subsidy was granted in mid March, but due to a family situation, I was unable to go forward with the travel plans in the spring. In June, Father Dino left the North Island Parishes and they were without a priest for the summer. Fran Lucas, National President-Elect and Chairperson of Organization, agreed to extend the subsidy to the end of the 2019 year. In October, Father Krystian Golisz, SDS was assigned the missions of Northern Vancouver Island. He would only be travelling to visit and celebrate mass at the North Island Parishes the first weekend of each month. I quickly made arrangements with him to travel on the weekend of November 30/December 1. Diocesan President, Christa Grillmair, and I drove to Port Hardy on Saturday, November 30, stayed overnight and attended 9:00 am Mass at St. Bonaventure Parish, where we were able hand out information, speak with the women of the parish and join them for coffee and refreshments. We then travelled to Port McNeill, where Father Krystian was celebrating 11:00 am Mass at St. Mary’s Parish. Again we were able to hand out information, speak to the entire congregation and join them for a potluck lunch. We then returned home, to Campbell River and Nanaimo respectively. I thanked God for giving us two sunny days, dry roads, spectacular scenery and a terrific travelling companion for this trip. Women often feel isolated in smaller communities. It was our intent by taking the message of the Catholic Women’s League to them, they would know they are not alone, that we are thinking of them, praying for them and letting them know there is a place for them within our sisterhood.