ARCHDIOCESAN PRESIDENT’S REPORT TO CONFERENCE 2008
 

Congratulations ladies.     Once again we have had a very successful year one to be proud of.   Giving to the Missions is up and to the At Home Appeal too.   As well you have raised funds to send young parishioners to the World Youth Day in Sydney in July,  and filled 22 boxes for the Samaritan Purse Appeal, both extra charges on time and finance.    I am constantly amazed at the generosity of our league members. Costs keep rising in our home budgets on all fronts, and I can’t see Mr Cullen giving us much in his famous tax cuts.

 

We had several deaths of members and family members over the year, the shock of our past National President Geraldine Scott in July, then Noeline de Courcey, Kitty Vidal and Maureen McBride.  Noeline was responsible for a lot of the history of league especially in the South.  It was uplifting to see so many members at the requiem Masses for them and our prayers go out to their family in their sad loss.

 

The past year has been busy for your Council.  They meet every other month for a full day meeting.   This way we can keep travel costs down.   I have attended four regional meetings, and was sorry not to have made the Hutt City day as my grandson now 7 months old, was getting baptised.  I did not dare suggest a change of date, or he would never have been baptised.   My faithful secretary, Therese, drives me about the province and I know she enjoys meeting up with her many friends in league.   Paraparapumu  Branch celebrated  their 50^th jubilee a happy day, which we enjoyed, and  a certificate was presented to Paraparaumu to mark the occasion.

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National Board meetings are held twice yearly in Christchurch.   They are busy times, but I enjoy the friendship of the other members and come back with great suggestions and some wonderful reflections and a few problems solved.    Am still not the world’s keenest flyer.

 

Your officers will cover in their reports all the facts and figures of their work, so I will not repeat that.   I must give a special mention to our WUCWO ladies  Jacqui Gilligan and Lynn Szpetnar, who relieved Jacqui of that role after she fell ill.   A very special thank you to you both.   Ethne Wyndham-Smith, Social Concerns and Bio Ethics and Anne Lumb your Archdiocesan Mission Officer and all Regional Representatives work hard keeping branches in their regions up to date with news from our council meetings and deserve a vote of thanks for their hard work and dedication.    Our Chaplain, Sr Mary Gordon prepares a reading/reflection for each of our meetings and has given reflection days to some branches, which I know are much appreciated.    Thank you Sister for giving so much time to us all.   Also to my Secretary Therese and Patricia my Treasurer a big thank you.

 

To our Archbishop John and all the priests in the dioceses our grateful thanks for any help and support you give to our work and last but not least, to you the members of league, a special thank you and all God’s blessings to you and your families.  Keep up the good work especially for your Mission Stations.   

 

God bless and thank you.