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The League’s Monthly E-newsletter

May 2014

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Table of Contents

BA’s Bonne Aventure ......................... 3 St. John the Baptist Parish Council ..... 4 St. Patrick Parish Council .................... 5 Anniversaries and Service Awards ..... 6 May Quiz ............................................ 7 April Quiz Answers and Winner ......... 7-8

From the Editor

“This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad.

Alleluia!”

Greetings,

Spring has sprung; the grass is turning green and flowers are

appearing. We are filled with joy!

I have much to rejoice in as I have just returned from an

awesome pilgrimage to Rome. It was a short one, but filled with many

memorable experiences that I shall treasure for many years to come. I will

name a few highlights.

The pilgrimage included visits to St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Paul Outside the Walls, the

basilica of St. John Lateran and the basilica of St. Mary Major; a guided tour of the Vatican

Gardens, the Art & Faith Tour of the Vatican Museums, a presentation at the Vatican

Observatory at Castel Gandolfo, a tour of the Colosseum; participation in mass at the

Catacombs and a day spent in Assisi, which included mass in a crypt below the tomb of St.

Francis. We were in Rome for the feast day of one of the newest saints, Saint-François de

Laval, and the group was privileged to celebrate this day with the rector and others at the

Canadian Pontifical College. Pope Francis was seen three times―at the Wednesday papal

audience, at mass on Sunday when he ordained 13 priests, and at the Sunday Angelus. There

were many signs the Catholic church is very much alive, including 300,000 students from

schools across Italy who had travelled to Rome one day to meet with Pope Francis.

In this issue, St. John the Baptist Parish Council (New Glasgow, Nova Scotia) shares

with us their experience of a Lenten retreat.

St. Patrick Parish Council (Sturgis, Saskatchewan) shows us how members live out the

League prayer: “Teach us to share with others at home and abroad...”.

I want to remind members there will be a June issue of Be League, but the number of

submissions for July will determine if there will be one that month. I am hoping we will hear

from councils celebrating diocesan and provincial annual conventions. Also, are there any

more reports of Catch the Fire! presentations to be shared? The deadline for June’s Be League

is May 31st.

How well do you know the women of the

Bible? Test your skills with the quiz this month and

see how many you do know.

May all of you continue to enjoy the

blessings of the Easter season!

God bless,

Cecile Miller

National Chairperson of Communications

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In early April, surrounded by her friends, Honorary Life Member Mary Matthews (1974-76) celebrated her 99

th birthday. The sun

streamed into her home as her parish council friends, her bridge partners, Honorary Life Member Jean Mahoney (1982-84) and Mary’s children shared stories and marveled at the accomplishments of this amazing woman. Mary blazed the trail as “the first woman to…” in so many nooks and crannies of the Catholic church and Canadian society. The League’s leadership training courses, World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations participation, female laity representation on Vatican committees and the act of taking resolutions to government are just some of the fruits of her efforts. One person certainly can make a difference!

Alberta Mackenzie Provincial President Dorothy Johansen and I journeyed to Hay River (Northwest Territories) to celebrate the 50

th Mackenzie annual diocesan convention. “Come to the table”

is an unspoken motto for these women who travel great distances to be together. Each year, the host council honours a member by naming the convention after her. This year, Marilyn Green, member of Assumption Parish Council (Hay River), was recognized for her gifts of hospitality, deep faith and openness, much to her surprise. Monica Leonard, an artist and a member in Hay River, interpreted the League theme We Have Seen the Lord! in a magnificent oil painting of the Hay River, its waterfall and surrounding forests, with a woman in the foreground, hands and heart open to the Lord. Honorary Life Member Vivian Bosch (2000-02) presented an intimate theme workshop full of personal stories, reflective images, wisdom and song.

We all benefitted as two members, Aboriginal survivors of residential schools, spontaneously shared their stories of inner healing. One member, Georgina, could really speak for all of us as she now imagines God not as a fierce taskmaster but as an old man, like a grandfather, sitting in front of her. “Hold my hand,” He says tenderly. “What is wrong, Georgina? I need to hear it from you. What is happiness for you? Why can’t you do those things? Let it be.” Then, when she dies and approaches the gate of heaven, He is there waiting for her with outstretched arms and says, “So, how was it Georgina?” To observe the loving inclusiveness of these members made the trip north an unforgettable experience for me.

We were graced with the presence of Bishop Mark Hagemoen (Mackenzie – Fort Smith) who shared in our joy and included us in the Chrism mass with diocesan priests.

Easter was a tough, yet glorious renewal of all that really matters to us. Our hearts wept over the deaths of the university students in Calgary and the passing of the husbands of two provincial presidents. In prayer and sisterhood we walked with Barb MacFarlane (Prince Edward Island) as she bid goodbye to her husband, John, and with Monica Brechka (Manitoba) as her beloved Jimmy returned to his heavenly home. Beginnings and endings, April was a bittersweet month.

At the end of the month, the convention season swung into gear. Upon arrival in Winnipeg, Manitoba, I was able to attend a diocesan banquet before Manitoba President-Elect Faith Anderson drove me to Lorette for the St. Boniface annual diocesan convention. I touched down at home long enough to re-pack before driving to Windsor to join London members in convention. The month of May will find me at the annual diocesan conventions for Vancouver, Victoria, Sault Ste. Marie, St. Catharines and Pembroke. I should have a lot of adventures to recount for you next month!

May the Lord bless us and keep us in His loving embrace,

Betty Anne Brown Davidson National President

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On Saturday, March 29th

, the parish council was pleased to sponsor a Lenten retreat for the parish. All other councils in the region were invited to attend and almost 50 individuals came on a beautiful spring afternoon. Sr. Jovita MacPherson of the Sisters of St. Martha (Halifax) spoke on the topic, “An invitation to joy: how can one say no? A reflection on Pope Francis’ writing: The Joy of the Gospel.” She asked the group to consider the difference between happiness and joy, and discussed how joy will be found in knowing God and doing His will through following the actions and teachings of Jesus. She included a guided meditation for encountering Jesus in everyday life and shared treasured stories about the people she works with in Halifax. The afternoon concluded with a dinner of six varieties of soup and a build-it-yourself sandwich bar, provided by council members and visiting councils. “The social time of visiting and sharing capped off an afternoon which well reflected the joy in our hearts,” wrote member Gill Atwood. “We offer our thanks to all, especially to God, the source of all our joy, as we continue our journey,” she said.

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Aileen Lubiniecki (member of St. Gerard Parish Council in Yorkton) reports the council spearheaded “Dress a Child Around the World” in late February with the goal of making 100 dresses for girls in need. One month later, a traveler delivered a suitcase packed with 65 dresses and 11 pairs of shorts (a small portion is pictured, below) to those most in need in Ghana, Africa. Parishioners have joined the council’s weekly “sew-day” where they grow in friendship, sewing skills and the desire to answer God’s call. The council hopes to send another suitcase full of clothes in June. “We have an awesome God who opens wide the doors of love if we step forward to do His work!” Aileen wrote.

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60th Anniversary Sacred Heart Parish Council Delaware, Ontario

40th Anniversary St. Matthew Parish Council Edmonton, Alberta

Bellelle Guerin Award Eileen Bouvier St. Joseph Parish Council Smithers, British Columbia

50-Year Pin Estelle Bachand St. Mary Parish Council Prince George, British Columbia

Emma Couckuyt Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Council Grand Bend, Ontario

Winnie Gayton Holy Family Parish Council Grimshaw, Alberta

40-Year Pin

Margaret Cottreau Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish Council Halifax, Nova Scotia

25-Year Pin Maryn Anderson Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish Council Halifax, Nova Scotia

Maria Markovics St. Mary Parish Council Prince George, British Columbia

10-Year Pin Nadine Aucoin-Titus Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish Council Timberlea, Nova Scotia Karen Campbell Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish Council Timberlea, Nova Scotia

Margaret Cornelius Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish Council Timberlea, Nova Scotia

Anne-Marie Desgagne Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish Council Timberlea, Nova Scotia Glenna Goddard Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish Council Timberlea, Nova Scotia

Eva Lohnes Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish Council Timberlea, Nova Scotia

Liz Muller Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish Council Timberlea, Nova Scotia

Certificate of Merit Gera Peters Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Council Grand Bend, Ontario Joan Rosehart Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Council Grand Bend, Ontario

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(Women of the Bible)

1. What wicked queen wanted to kill the prophet Elijah?

2. She turned into a pillar of salt after she looked back while fleeing the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

3. This relative of Mary was also the mother of John the Baptist.

4. She was the mother of Moses.

5. What Jewish girl married a Persian emperor and helped save her exiled people from extermination?

6. Name Ruth’s sister-in-law.

7. Who was Jacob’s first wife?

8. Which woman gave birth to the twins Jacob and Esau?

9. Who left Bethlehem “full” but was “brought back empty” after losing her husband and sons in Moab?

10. Which queen traveled far distances to meet Solomon face-to-face?

1. On Easter Sunday in Scandinavia, children go door-to-door dressed as what to receive candy?

a) bunnies b) witches c) eggs

2. In Norway, what genre of television shows and books is most popular, and traditional, around Easter? a) romance b) cartoons c) murder mystery

3. In Bermuda, what are flown at Easter to represent Christ’s ascent into Heaven? a) Kites b) Paper planes c) Jets

4. In Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches, what colour are Easter eggs typically dyed? a) Blue b) Gold c) Red

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5. In France, church bells are not rung for how many days before Easter? a) Three b) Seven c) Twelve

6. Pysanky refers to what in Ukrainian? a) Lambs b) Decorated eggs c) Rabbits

7. In which country is the nazareno, a tunic with a conical hood that conceals the face of the wearer, typically worn during its Easter processions? a) Switzerland b) Germany c) Spain

8. Who brings Easter eggs to the children of Australia? a) The Easter Bilby b) The Easter Kangaroo c) The Easter Emu

9. In what country are men not allowed to participate in the making of Easter bread, because if they do their mustache will turn grey and the dough will fall? a) Russia b) Poland c) Brazil

10. What giant dish is prepared on Easter Monday in France? a) An omelette (often made with over 10,000 eggs) b) A baguette (often made with over 3,000 lbs of flour) c) A croissant (often made with over 1,200 lbs of butter)

The next deadline for submissions is May 31

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Please submit your stories and photos to communications@cwl.ca or by fax to (888) 831-9507.