Last Updated: Tuesday - 01/04/2011

CWL urged to take more public stands

New president supports call for more resolutions

RED DEER — The new president of the archdiocesan Catholic Women's League says it's time the league's grassroots went back to the practice of submitting resolutions to the archdiocesan convention.

It's important that the CWL develop official stands to present to the government, Dorothy Johansen told the WCR.

Such resolutions must originate at the grassroots level, Johansen said. "The (archdioc-esan) executive cannot do it."

Johansen, a 38-year-old chemical engineer and member of Edmonton's St. Thomas More Parish, automatically became president at the league's April 20-22 convention in Red Deer.

She had been president-elect for the past two years and replaces Mary Lou Veeken of Sherwood Park as president.

About 260 people attended the event at the Red Deer Lodge. The league put an emphasis at the convention on encouraging local councils to develop resolutions for consideration at future annual meetings.

Resolutions convener Jan Dunnigan and past-president Becky Kallal ran a workshop for delegates on how to develop good resolutions.

In her report to the convention, Dunnigan urged councils to make presentations to the upcoming summit on Alberta's future and to the national commission on medicare.

"Without a doubt, we will all be affected by this summit," Dunnigan said. She urged local councils to form committees to discuss the future of the province. "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to help shape the future of Alberta."

"The government has a lot of money," Dunnigan said referring to the government surplus that could top $10 billion. "That money can't be handed out willy-nilly. But there are a great number of needs in this province and this is where we can come in."

CWL councils should talk to their MLAs about how people's needs can best be met, she said.

And with only nine opposition MLAs in Alberta, "We need to be monitoring all proposed government legislation carefully," she said.

She also encouraged league members to consider becoming candidates in municipal elections on Oct. 15. She singled out elections that will elect two-thirds of regional health authority boards for special emphasis.

Johansen, the new president, said she became involved in the league because of the example of her mother who has been a CWL member in Leduc for 40 years.

"My mom said being part of the league was a great way to meet people," she said.

So Johansen joined the CWL 15 years ago just before the birth of her daughter Jamie. "I haven't regretted a single moment ever since. What a wonderful way to relax!" she said.

Johansen said another priority for the league will be World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto.

The archdiocesan CWL hasn't established what role it will play in World Youth Day. But it did invite archdiocesan coordinator Andrew Papenbrock to speak to the convention and delegates later took time to discuss possible ways of being involved.

Those elected to archdiocesan executive at the convention were:

President-elect: Fran Lucas of Edmonton.
Vice-president: Mable Solomon of Edmonton.
Secretary: Cathy Bouchard of Red Deer.
Treasurer: Yvette Foster of Sherwood Park.
Conveners: Pam DeLuca of Edmonton, Gwen Elliott of Camrose, Gloria Sirski-Bates of Devon and June Fuller of St. Albert.

As well, the league announced that its Doreen Melton Scholarship for a seminarian went to Jason Goertzen of Lacombe.

The CWL's provincial convention will be held in Sexsmith June 1-3 and its national convention will be in Calgary Aug. 11-14.

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