Spiritual Communique #1 September 11, 2023

Dear Sisters in the League and Fr. Mike,

It is with joy that I accepted the Chair of Faith at our Diocesan Convention held in Victoria.   I look forward to our journey together for 2023 – 2025.   For those of you who do not know me, I have been a member of the League for 40 years at St. Peter’s Parish, Nanaimo.     I held the position of Diocesan Spiritual Development Chairperson beginning in 2014.

Many changes in the way the League is structured have taken place since that time.   We all have been part of the process and the end result is very exciting.    

Victoria Oppertshauser is the Faith Committee Chairperson for BC & Yukon and her first Communique reminds us to:

“Know our Responsibilities

  • Spiritual growth of members

  • Study of Catholic teachings

  • Role of women in the church

  • Evangelization and mission assistance

  • Lay ministries

  • Ecumenism and inter-faith endeavors

  • Vocations

Suggestions

  •   Download or print the resources for Faith chairpersons at www.cwl.ca such as:

  • Handbook for Chairpersons of Faith, Service and Social Justice #614

  • Toolkit for Faith (Printable Documents) #640 A

  • Toolkit for Faith (Workshop PowerPoint) #640B, and

  • 6 or more Faith -related manuals

  • Your council determines the topics and/or activities it would like to work on for

the year, then your committee along with the other 2 standing committees

could develop a coordinated approach to making an action plan. Each

committee has its own responsibilities, but they overlap.

  • Create a sub-committee so the work is distributed.

  • Provincial, diocesan and parish councils are refreshingly unique and find

distinct ways of doing things. And so, see what works best for your councils

then share your successes and even your difficulties with other councils in

your diocese. They may benefit from the information. Keep the lines of

communication open.

Reminder:

Let’s continue to pray for our clergy and find new ways to show them our appreciation for the work they do in our parishes and for the League. St. Charles

Borromeo, patron saint of seminarians, priests, bishops, and religious leaders feast day is on the 4th of November.

Also, please keep more accurate records of your councils’ departed members. Every sister and spiritual advisor should be accounted for and remembered in our Book of Life.”

I look forward to seeing you all at the Fall Interim meeting at Church of the Ascension Council, Parksville, on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.

May Our Lady of Good Counsel continue to bless you in all that you do for God and Canada.

Kathy Fadum