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Community Life
Directive #3 Jan/10 | Directive #2
Oct/09 | Directive #1 Jul/09
Directive # 3 January 2010
Chair: Wilhelmina (Willy) Wicha
To you all,
I wish you once more the very best in the New Year of 2010 and May our God be gracious and may you be blessed as you continue to do God’s work here on earth. Mary Nordick in her New Years greeting to me expressed her concern for Bill 268 on Trafficking. This bill seems to have been stalled in the Senate. The Olympics are at our doorstep so to speak and expressions of concern to Senators may help to get it back on the table for further debate. More on Trafficking information further in these pages. Also, funding for KAIROS has been cut. KAIROS is an ecumenical social justice group. For more information on KAIROS check out their website www.kairoscanada.org and do consider taking action.
Dignity and rights of persons
Most of you have received my report on the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA) Conference which I attended in November. Much was learned by attending. As many as 150000 people are suffering abuse in one form or another, be it from monetary deceit or physical and mental/verbal abuse. There are many forms of abuse and some I will list here;
- Some will kits sold on the websites are worthless and will not hold up in any Court of Law
- Telemarketers who pressure older persons in purchasing unwanted/needed items
- Fraudulent and/or bogus investments sold by unscrupulous brokers
- Younger women who strike up a relationship with older gentlemen and who are coercing these people into depleting their bank accounts
- Drugs confiscated from seniors by either family members or relations/friends
I am sure you can name some more items for this list. Sad but true. Contrary to the above there are many positive things all people have: the right to freedom...disability rights...the right to proper housing...the right to food...but most of all we have the right to choose. Let us all do our best to keep the people we have contact with and whom we know, in a just and humane way and let the God of justice work through each and everyone of us to keep them from harm. There are all sorts of help methods available. Below some helpful phone numbers and websites which can be accessed 24 hours a day in case of emergencies:
- ONPEA Seniors safety line 1-866-299-1011
Waterloo Region Committee on Elder Abuse 1-519-883-2280 website: elderabuse@wrps.ca
Social and economic justice
TRAFFICKING
The CWL has recently passed several resolutions dealing with human trafficking, namely:
- 04.05 End Trafficking of Children
- 08.01 Preventing Human Trafficking at 2010 Olympics
- 09.02 Protection and Support Services for Foreign Victims of Human Trafficking.
Each of these resolutions may be accessed from the national website at www.cwl.ca and we suggest that you make a difference in someone’s life by picking up your pen and writing. It is urgent that you do so NOW with the Olympics being hosted in our country next month. Women and children are being trafficked into Canada for the sex trade where they become slaves.
Many comment that the structural causes of human trafficking need to be addressed through monetary and international trade policies that support eliminating the debts of poor countries and redistributing wealth. There is also a need to promote the protection of human rights, particularly workers’ rights, around the world. Try to include these ideas in your letters as positive solutions.
Immigration, refugees and citizenship
There is a new Information Guide available for immigration. Some often asked questions as below will be answered for you by logging on to: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp
Canadian Catholic Organization of Development and Peace (CCODP)
February 17th – April 4th 2010 Share Lent Campaign is the annual campaign of CCODP. Our gifts which we share through this Lenten program will assist people from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Their annual goal for this year is $10 million. You are invited to gift with love.
“Love is God’s greatest gift to humanity;
It is God` promise and our hope.”
Pope Benedict, Caritas in Veritate
The Haitian crisis
Three million people are in anguish in the Capitol City Port-au-Prince in Haiti. The earthquake (with a magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale) which hit Haiti has been noted the worst in 200 years. Up to 50000 may be dead as of my writing and an anticipated 500000 may be the total of people who died in the rubble, according to President Rene Preval. Only with much love and prayer can we be a consolation to the many left behind. Our actions will stream forth from that. The Canadian Catholic Conference of Bishops is encouraging all to put forth a special effort to donate to Development and Peace which is actively supporting the cause in Haiti. Michael Casey Executive Director for CCODP says that the task of laying the foundation for our work in assisting to rebuild lives, livelihoods and communities in this stricken country has begun. I trust we too shall be generous and meanwhile thank our good God for all that we have and so shall learn to share. The following organizations are taking relief funds for Haiti;
- Development and Peace (CCODP) Through our councils we may donate as usual or you may send funds marked “Haiti Relief”
- Red Cross Society 1 800 418 1111
- www.worldvision.ca/giveagift.
- Unicef 1 800 567 4483
Our Military embarked on a major campaign for food rations and CFB Trenton has been teaming with activity for the relief efforts.
Our own Governor General Michaelle Jean tearfully announced: “It is as if an atomic bomb fell on Port-Au-Prince. “ These are sad times for that part of the world and our sympathies are with all of the survivors and their families. From here we must pray and give what we can.
The document: Appeal to the Pastors and faithful of the Catholic Church in Canada, prepared by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) on the website |
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Developing Countries
From Pope Benedict’s Encyclical: Caritas in Veritate
“27 Life in many poor countries is still extremely insecure as a consequence of food shortages, and the situation could become worse: hunger still reaps enormous numbers of victims among those who, like Lazarus, are not permitted to take their place at the rich man’s table, contrary to the hopes expressed by Paul VI[64] . Feed the hungry (cf. Mt 25: 35, 37, 42) is an ethical imperative for the universal Church, as she responds to the teachings of her Founder, the Lord Jesus, concerning solidarity and the sharing of goods. Moreover, the elimination of world hunger has also, in the global era, become a requirement for safeguarding the peace and stability of the planet. Hunger is not so much dependent on lack of material things as on shortage of social resources, the most important of which are institutional.”
The Pope continues on a directive plan from Governmental institutions to network and to create infrastructure to help the poor in underdeveloped countries. The encyclical is posted on the website and provides good reading. I suggest for all to download the document and read all of its content.
“Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone;
and do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come.
Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.”
Ida Scott Taylor
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Directive
#2 - 3 October 2009
Chair: Wilhelmina J (Willy) Wicha Women of
Peace - Rooted in faith "I will pour
my spirit and my blessings on your children. They will
thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank." (Isaiah 44:3-4) As I started to look for
items to report to you all, I was overwhelmed with the complexity and
enormous task of looking after the Community Life portfolio. A big task is ahead of us and we are in
need of prayer and follow the actions that our God wants us to pursue. And then, I realized the vast
information, ideals and ideas, which can be found by researching various
websites. Not to forget our own communiqués from National office. The above quote from Isaiah sums up the
promise of God for all His children, and we are here to make some of it
come to pass. Through faith, hope
and love we can, and shall accomplish much of what is needed. Mary Nordick, National Community Life
Chair recently visited Zambia in Africa with the Development and Peace
organization. Dignity and rights of persons Human Dignity "Every human being is created in the
image of God and is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the
human family." The Human
trafficking resolution of 2008 should be our first concern. "The
body of Catholic social teaching opens with the human person. Individuals
have dignity; individualism has no place in Catholic social thought. The
principle of human dignity gives the human person a claim on membership in
a community, the human family." There is much to be said about the dignity
in life each person has a right to. We must constantly find ways to make the life of our 'neighbours'
more comfortable and make people more at ease. Find out various ways to give comfort to
those you see suffering, and try and provide their needs through the love
and peace we have been given as Sisters in Christ. Use those 'giving hands' in our Community
Life Logo and use them for God's purpose to those in need.
Immigration, refugees and Citizenship Check
out information on the website for immigration on the 2010 winter
games www.cic.gc.ca Canadian Organization of Development and Peace (CCODP) Mary Nordick, National
Community Life chair, had the opportunity to visit Africa together with the
"Bishops Mission to Zambia" in Africa through the help of CCODP and "Put Africa on the map." A care
story from the days Mary Nordick spent in Africa: The basic needs basket. Every month, the Jesuit Centre for
Theological Reflections (JCTR) publishes a study called the Basic Needs
Basket. Raphael Sailoto Phiri
shops in several food markets and checks the prices of eggs, milk sugar,
tea etc. which are the basic needs for a family to live on each month. He also inquires for prices of charcoal,
soap and lodging for a typical family as well as many other basic
needs. He then calculates the
average monthly wages for the farm labourers and finds it falls short of
the cost of living for a family to live on. This study by the Jesuits (JCTR) has become an important tool for
the unions and other Zambian organizations to campaign for human dignity.
Credibility is achieved with political leaders by studying the needs of
people to earn enough money to sustain their own families. "The
basic needs basket" gives
credibility with the political leaders and decision makers. Climate action now Global warming is still one of the greatest threats
to human life on earth. A petition
is available for parishes to sign. By website: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5654/t/6906/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=433 Some points of action are:
-
Set a
national target to cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 25 per cent from
1990 levels by 2020.
- Implement
an effective national plan to reach this target and help developing
countries to reduce their emissions and adapt to climate change.
-
Adopt a
bold, strengthened second phase of the Kyoto Protocol at the pivotal United
Nations climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Encourage your MP and MPP
to serve the people of our communities, and to bring to the government the
opinions of the people. Developing
countries Please do not forget the 1%
program to which CWL has been committed for so many years. Your generous support is appreciated by
many.
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Directive #1 - 15 July 2009
Chair: Wilhelmina Wicha
By means of introduction to you I wish you to know that my birth country
was The Netherlands.
Born the 4th daughter of 5 plus two
'older' brothers, we led a simple but very happy life. I immigrated
to
Canada
when I was 22, met and married my husband Richard and we are blessed with
three daughters. This coming October marks our 45th year of marriage.
We are also the proud grandparents of Kaitlyn-Rebecca who lives in
Kelowna
BC
with her mother Natalie-Anne, the
youngest of our three daughters.
I became a CWL member in 1978, have served as spiritual life chair,
treasurer, resolutions and legislation chair. I was elected president of my
parish council in 2000. From there I served at diocesan council for
10 years two terms as Treasurer, served as Christian family life chair,
newsletter editor, pres-elect/organization and it seems now my CWL career
is only just begun. I still hold the past president position at diocesan
council at this time, as well as serve as treasurer at my parish
level. I was also counselor for the CGL in my parish for 2 years.
I am the proud recipient of the Maple Leaf Pin. In my parish I served
for 30 plus years in the music ministry/produced a weekly church bulletin
for quite a few years and was a reader of the Word at Mass. For many
years my husband and I were active as the 'social committee' in our parish
of St. Francis of Assisi in Newcastle.
The Community Life portfolio is a 'new' challenge for me and with God's
help I shall fulfill all the duties attached to this committee.
As Women of Peace and hope-Rooted in Faith we do our best to love and serve
our God, who is first and foremost in our life. Community life is
just that, a special committee for service to others and looking after
other peoples needs, be it at home, our community, the Province, or out
there in the wide world, where-ever a service is needed we shall serve to
the best of our abilities. CWL Provincial Council has given me the
opportunity to attend a conference on Elder abuse this coming fall and I
will surely pass on the ideas and thoughts which I will receive at that
time, to all of you.
The "Executive handbook' states the following:
Community Life Standing Committee responsibilities:
Dignity and rights of persons. It is our responsibility, as
Christian women and members of a national organization, to play an active
role in opposing discrimination wherever and in whatever form it appears
Social and economic justice; We must be active in making sure the
most vulnerable members in our society are protected with love and justice
Refugees, immigration and citizenship; Canada and the League has a
long standing tradition of welcoming new citizens
Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP)
CCODP is Canada's official Catholic overseas development organization,
launched by the CCCB
(Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Developing Countries: To help a family become economically
independent is to help a community become economically independent.
(Quoted from" The Executive handbook" pages CL-1 and CL-2)
We must constantly find ways to make the life of others easier. It is
a part of our Baptismal promise to make life better for others by means of
improving their lifestyles.
There are many resources available in CWL by means of searching the website
or perusing the "Executive Handbook" and "Leading the League." If we are
serious about our theme being "Women of Peace and Hope - Rooted in Faith
then service in the name of Jesus to look after the marginalized or any of
those in need of our care should come first and foremost in our
lives.
I sincerely trust that Our Lady of Good Counsel guides and directs you and
ensure those who are in need around you, will be taken care of
Through the help we give.
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