Catholic Women’s League New Zealand Inc  
Annual Report 1 May 2007 to 30 April 2008
THE HIERACHY OF NEW ZEALAND

NATIONAL BOARD MEMBERS
National President Tui Pasco Invercargill
National Secretary Mary Race   Invercargill
National Treasurer Elizabeth Maere  Christchurch

Diocesan Presidents  Janet Presland  Auckland Margaret O’Connell Palmerston North
Madeline Masters  Hamilton Judith Curry  Wellington Jennifer Muschamp Christchurch
Deirdre Jolly  Dunedin
National Mission Secretary Maureen Kerr  Wellington
International Secretary Fae Robertson Dunedin
National Social Concerns  Pat O’Neil Hamilton

It is my pleasure to present the Annual Report of the Catholic Women’s League of New Zealand for the year 2007 to 2008.

Board meetings have been interesting to say the least. The discussions are always stimulating and all of your Presidents represent your point of view very ably. The National Officers also present their particular interests very well.

These meetings are a forum for the concerns and issues of branches and councils where they are aired and discussed.

I commend all the members of the National Board for their participation and dedication to the Catholic Women’s League. You the members from around New Zealand are truly blessed to have these women representing you.

I personally thank them for the support they give to me and to my executive.

DIOCESAN CONFERENCES.

These Conferences give me as the President the opportunity to meet and share with so many members throughout New Zealand. Due to my husband’s illness I was unable to attend the Conferences this year and I must say I missed the opportunity to meet you on your home patch.
When National Officers visit your Conferences please take full advantage of having them with you. They are able to help with any matters you may be concerned about. Each National Officer at the invitation of the Diocese should visit each Diocese during her term of office.
As we finished a theme this year and introduced our new one I am sure that there was a focus on these themes at all Conferences. I commend you for the work that you do for the themes.

 MISSIONS
Missions has always been one of our main focuses in League and the amount that is raised each year is quite staggering. The work that you all put into raising these funds also creates a community that only comes from people working together for a common good. Maureen Kerr, National Mission Secretary will give you more detail on the giving in her report. I wish, at this time to sincerely thank Maureen for the outstanding work she has done for the Missions through her involvement with Catholic Women’s League. As you know Maureen recently visited Samoa to visit the stations there. On her return she sent an account to the branches who support the stations she visited. She also gave a very full report to the Board meeting in February and one is posted on the website.
When I read reports that I receive from all over the country I realize that as well as supporting the Missions in the Pacific branches also support many local charities.
The At Home Appeal this year is for the Dyslexia Foundation and I am sure that for a number of you this could be very close to you because through out the country a large number of children have been diagnosed with this problem and now that the Ministry of Education recognizes it as a learning disability, help will be available to a larger number of children. Once more I wish to thank Maureen for her contribution to the Board and to League over the past four years as your National Mission Secretary.

NATIONAL SOCIAL CONCERNS.
This is an extremely large area. Bioethics comes under this umbrella as well.
Pat O’Neil the National Social Concerns Officer makes many submissions on our behalf and I urge you to respond to her when she sends out questions etc, for your consideration. Thank you Pat for your dedication to this very worthwhile position.  A number of the submissions we deal with come from NCW and sometimes the timeframe is very tight but please do your best to give your point of view. Pat will give us a more detailed account of her work in her report.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES
In February of 2000, 50 years of National Board History of the Catholic Women’s League was handed over to the Alexander Turnbull Library. Four years prior to this it had been decided to put together our history. Josephine van Montford volunteered with the help of 3 members from Christchurch to complete this task. They worked in shocking conditions at the start but they hung in there and they did a marvelous job.
Boxes and boxes of paper were sent to Christchurch and so it began.It was envisaged that every five years Archives would be sent to Wellington to the Alexander Turnbull Library.
 The ladies from Christchurch have continued to complete this work and earlier this year more boxes were sent. Josephine and her team feel that they have worked on this for long enough and that it is time for someone else to take it on. Josephine has said that she is happy to assist the new group in setting it up. I am grateful to Josephine and her team and I am hopeful that we have someone to take on this very worthwhile work.

WUCWO
 Our knowledge and understanding of the World Union of Catholic Women’s  Organizations continues to grow. We all need to have an interest and knowledge of this large organization which has a strong representation at both the United Nations and the Holy See. Many branches now receive the magazine from WUCWO called Women’s Voice. This is always very worthwhile reading and I encourage you, if you do not already receive it to consider doing so.
 It is amazing to think that we are a part of an organization where members come from over 60 countries from 90 organisations.
 For the past four years Fae has been our International Secretary and she has represented us well. I will leave her to give more detail in her report. I thank her for her contribution to the Board over the past four years and I wish her well as I know she is taking on some new and worthwhile interests.

 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.
This organization is a very important part of Catholic Women’s League.  We have great representation throughout our membership and this is vital to us. Our members are able to give the Catholic perspective on a wide range of issues.
 Last year we were represented at the Annual meeting by Tini Wetting and I thank her most sincerely for this and also for the comprehensive report she wrote which is available on the Website. This year the Conference is being held in Masterton in October and I hope to be able to attend this.
LONE LEAGUERS.
 Thanks to all Lone League Convenors. I am sure that the ladies you are in contact with appreciate the cards and letters that you send to them in order to keep them up to date with and organization they dearly  love being a part of. Please remember the Lone League members in your prayers and, where possible, if they have been a member of your branch it would be nice to have some communication with them. 
LOTTERY GRANTS.
We continue to receive money from this source. As expenses rise for all of us it is important that we make use of agencies who have money to give to organizations such as ours. Please try to use all the money that you ask for and remember that you need to present an accountability for the money you receive.

Congratulations to all members who have been honoured in any way this year, be it a Civic or Church award. We are very proud of you.
Congratulations to Dioceses or branches who have celebrated special occasions this year.
Over the past year many of us have mourned the passing of family members and League members May they rest in Peace.
To members who represent the Catholic Women’s league on outside organizations, we extend grateful thanks.
To any member who has represented the National president at meetings or functions thank you. Your willingness to represent the League is important to us.
 At this time I wish to make special mention of the Chaplains, be they priests, religious or lay people at Diocesan or Branch level. The guidance and support that they give is of the greatest importance to us and I wish to thank them on your behalf.
A special thanks to the members of the National Board, The Special Officers and the Diocesan Presidents. I am grateful for the support they give to me. Also my Secretary and Treasurer who both work untiringly for you all.
Lastly I thank you the members for your friendship and support. I am proud and honoured to lead such an outstanding group of women.
In Faith and Service
Tui Pasco  National President