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Communiqué #4 - Spiritual Development

Laura Novecosky, Provincial Chairperson of Spiritual Development

May 2023

  

Our mission statement invites us to ‘journey together’ noting that the Catholic Women’s League “calls it’s members to grow in faith.” Our Provincial Council continues this invitation with our theme “Walking Together.”

  

Cathy Bouchard, National Chairperson of Spiritual Development expands on this theme in her recent memo. She quotes Pope Francis’s document “Gaudete et Exsulate” to facilitate our growth in holiness. Cathy notes that “we are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves.” One of the ways we can embrace this call to be holy is by “Walking Together.”

  

Pope Francis says, “To be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious”.
Aspiring to be holy sounds like an insurmountable goal. So, how do we ‘grow in holiness’ and what are some of the signs that point out to us that we are on the right path? One of these signs is that growth in holiness is a “journey in community, side by side with others.” We do this by caring for each other, by walking together. As we walk with Jesus towards holiness, let us call on Mary, our Mother to walk with us and be our guide. Let us call on the Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds and help us encourage each other as we walk together.

  

The podcast “Abiding Together” has a 3-part book study on Pope Francis’s “Gaudete Et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glade) that may be of benefit to your council. Visit abidingtogetherpodcast.com and look for for Season 3, episodes 21-23 to access the podcast.

  

There will be a Virtual Reconciliation Rosary held on National Indigenous People’s Day (June 21). It will be a GOTO webinar and the information will be posted on our Provincial website once the details have been finalized.

  

Let us continue our journey together as Catholic women, walking together as we grow in faith and holiness with our sisters in the League.

    

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Communiqué #3 - Spiritual Development

Laura Novecosky, Provincial Chairperson of Spiritual Development

January 2023

We are continuing our journey into the new format for our League. We will need each other’s support and prayers as we journey together. Spiritual Development will transition into the new Faith pillar. This new standing committee will be responsible for the spiritual growth of members, study of Catholic teaching, role of women in the church, ecumenism, inter-faith endeavors, sanctity of life and vocations.

 

There are many ways to help our councils make this journey as we grow in faith together and strengthen the faith of each of our members through the spiritual development opportunities that are provided for them. A few practical ideas for this are: initiate a bible study, volunteer to bring the eucharist to shut ins, offering to assist in faith development (reflections, discussions, retreats, faith as well as Marian devotions). An excellent resource is The Calendar of Social Justice/Catholic Teaching in the church which is available on CWL.ca. It is number 622 and available for download from the National website.

  

The Affirmation-Welcome Program makes the following statement: “It is important to let members know their service to the League is Noticed, Needed and Valued! Let us take this to heart and look for opportunities to let the members of our council know how important they and their service is - to not only our councils but to the League.

   

I encourage each of you to continue your spiritual growth both personally and as members of your
council and the Catholic Women’s League of Canada.

May God richly bless your work “For God and Canada”

The International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking will be held on Wednesday, February 8th—the Feast Day of Saint Josephine Bakhita.

A Prayer from Resource 824 —Trafficking of Women and Children

Jesus, You call each of us to join You, to follow Your teaching and share in Your life mission.

As our friend and teacher, You ask us now to open our minds and hearts to the sorrows and sufferings of others in our world

- to make room in our consciousness for the pain that others bear
- their fear and shame, their despair and terror.

Give us the courage we need to listen to their stories with hearts united in solidarity; to inspire in us Your own compassion and resolve.

  

As we hear of their plight, may we also hear Your voice directing us to action for their cause.

  

Amen

 

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Communiqué #2 - Spiritual Development

Laura Novecosky, Provincial Chairperson of Spiritual Development

October 2022

My dear sisters in the League

  

As I write this communique, we are enjoying a fabulous fall with gorgeous weather. Each day is such a blessing and a reminder that we are slowly moving into a time of slowing down and preparing for the winter season.

  

There has been a feeling of renewal as we slowly move out of the restrictions placed on us by the corona virus. I strongly encourage you to go to the CWL website at cwl.ca and click on the prayer corner. The Novena of Hope is calling all of us to renewed hope in our personal and spiritual lives and I encourage you to participate individually and perhaps as a council in this Novena. Our days are slowly getting shorter and many of us do not feel filled with hope as this happens. We can focus on retaining our hope as we participate in this Novena.

  

The Catholic Council of Bishops also has a liturgical calendar online. The address to access this web-site is https:www.cccb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021-2022-1.pdf.

  

October 1 is the National Day of Prayer for Canadian Home Missions. There is a prayer at CWL.ca that I encourage you to use in your Council this fall. The prayer is in the Spiritual Communique #7.
Daily prayer is the center of our spiritual lives. It is very powerful to pray with our Catholic brothers and sisters by following the daily readings of our liturgy. There are several daily Mass readings and meditations available in print form and online. The Word Among Us and Living with Christ are 2 that are often available in our churches and I know there are many more available both online and in print form.

  

One of the objectives of the League is to achieve individual and collective spiritual development. This is a vast area and it can be hard to know where to start. The Spiritual Development communiques on the cwl.ca website has many suggestions to lead us in our development of our spiritual lives.
May our God graciously bless you all this fall.

  

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Communiqué #1 - Spiritual Development

Laura Novecosky, Provincial Chairperson of Spiritual Development

July 2022

  

The recurring conversations surrounding reconciliation have been at the forefront of news and discussions in Canada. The upcoming Papal Visit by Pope Francis to advance the reconciliation journey with Indigenous People of Canada is a hopeful sign that this journey will bear much fruit. The Holy Father will come to Edmonton from July 24-27, to Quebec City and Ste. Anne -de-Beaupre on July 27 and to Iqaluit on July 29.  Please continue to pray for open dialogue and healing during his meetings with the representatives of the people he has journeyed here to meet.

  

Pope Francis has also named 3 women to the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops. This committee is responsible for identifying future bishops globally. This marks the first time women have been appointed to this group. This also marks the first appointment of a laywoman to this group.

  

Summer is a great time to reflect on reconciliation in our own lives. We often have time for a vacation and can find time for reflection and enjoyment. The slower pace of summer often provides time for reflection. It is a good practice to end our days with a few minutes of time thinking of how we were able to enact the spirit of reconciliation in our days, in our interactions with family and with others. As we identify these trends in our lives, we can take action to support our efforts, and make adjustments to our practices and thinking that does not enhance reconciliation.

        

Laura Novecosky

  

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