The AGM Weekend of the Catholic Women’s League
October 30th – November 1st 2009 - Torquay

Pat Lockeridge, President of Cornwall, carries in the banner of one of the host Regions

After long journeys made by members from all over the England and Wales, Friday evening opened with a warm welcome for our President Doreen Pooley by Elizabeth Rodgers, the Conference Officer.  What was to be a weekend that concentrated on our armed forces personnel was opened with a prayer for soldiers. 

Ita Flach, Social Awareness Team Co-ordinator, started proceedings by introducing the Social Awareness Team Report and informing us that Prisoners’ Week would start on 15th November and that 30th January was a day for Poverty and Homelessness.
During the course of the excellent reports given by the various officers, we learned that last year there were 262 requests for help from Relief and Refugee; that
better communication, conformity and uniformity were needed in the care for the elderly; that  2010 is WUCWO’s Centenary and the World Assembly for that year will be held in the Holy Land, the theme of which will be “You will be my witnesses”, Our Lord’s own words.   We learned more about European MPs making a big impact on our laws and it was confirmed how Mental health is as important as physical health and that we need to strive even harder for Justice and Peace.

Margaret Richards (Services Committee) thanked Birmingham Branch for arranging the Day of Dedication of the CWL bench at Alrewas. The Westminster Pilgrimage had been memorable for the Rededication of the Cross there.  The Reports of the Social Awareness Team finished by saying that Prayer is absolutely necessary.

Attention then moved on to the Promotions Team, headed by Co-ordinator, Elizabeth Rodgers. Eileen Carkett, the CWL Editorial Assistant, reiterated the importance of clear photographs for the paper; Jean Clarke, Web Content Manager, informed the meeting of the forthcoming opportunity for Branches to modify their own Members’ page and Breda Ford, Stock Officer, spoke about the shop.  Elizabeth Rodgers had been to Birmingham to consider holding the 2012 Catholic Women’s League AGM there. She felt that Birmingham is central, with good roads, good rail links and good hotels. 
Elizabeth Upsher, Promotions Officer, spoke about a Recruitment/Information Pack which will be available to Branches and Sections at the Officers’ Annual Meeting.
The evening closed with prayers led by Nottingham Branch.

The sun shone on Saturday as 609 members and our guests made their way to the Riviera Centre and took their places in time to welcome Councillor Martyn Hodge, Chairman of the Torbay Town Council. Following his address, the Business of the Day commenced.  During her welcome speech, we were recommended by Carol Gregory – Dorset Branch President – to sample the County’s famous cream teas.

The National Treasurer, in her usual excellent manner, gave a comprehensive financial report during which she informed us that currently our various accounts are suffering enormously from interest cuts.  Margaret told us that our own charities need more support and gave us a detailed list of the same, and the purpose for which they are used.

Her position as National Treasurer was ratified by the meeting as was the reappointment of the auditors and then Mrs Doreen Pooley was confirmed as our National President for 2009-2010. 

The Mass of the AGM

The Mass of the AGM was celebrated by the Bishop of Plymouth, the   Rt. Rev. Christopher Budd and concelebrated by our own chaplain, Bishop Peter Doyle of Northampton and also by Bishop John Crowley and other priests.  Bishop Budd told the League not to underestimate itself! The CWL is a powerful force within the Church. It was a wonderful thoughtful and prayer provoking occasion, with the homily being given by Fr Paul Donovan, QHC Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain (Naval) and Vicar General for the Bishopric of the Forces.

The afternoon session was opened by one of our Principal Speakers, Mgr Paul  Donovan. The conference fell quiet as he thanked the CWL for all that it had done in supporting the Armed Forces.  We were told that there are 9000 British Armed Forces in Afghanistan and the stationing of forces in other parts of the world. The main focus of the Talk was the current situation in Afghanistan and we learned there are twelve British chaplains there, two of whom are Roman Catholic.

Monsignor Donovan has spent two years accompanying the dead to RAF Lyneham, and told us of the immense uplift that it gives to the soldiers to get the sort of welcome that they do receive when they come home. He spoke of the ‘decompression’ time that the troops spend in Cyprus, a sort of wind-  down time in transition to going home. Here they can relax, have their clothes laundered, and be in good form to meet their families back home.

He spoke of the Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes, where the salute was taken by three men injured in Afghanistan and again we were shown pictures of this.  And he told us of the help that the troops have given to unmarried mothers at the Mother Teresa Refuge in Manila.

Monsignor asked the CWL for their prayers, to remember the troops at Sunday Mass. He suggested that we shake hands and greet the soldiers when we see them and to support them through the Charities. 

The next speaker was David Gammell who told us about the charity ‘Help for Heroes’, a non-political charity which in spite of only being up and running for two years has raised an enormous amount of money to help the injured military.  He told us about the work being done at Headley Court where the wounded are cared for, and the £6,000,000 swimming pool there.

At the end of these two most moving addresses, both speakers received a richly deserved standing ovation.  The National President then announced that her charity for the next year is ‘Help the Heroes’.

Gill Moodie and Margaret Richardson, the two nominees for the National Presidency, gave their reports.  Gill Moodie, a convert who has been a member of CWL since 1984 and who ran the Centenary Pilgrimage, said that change will be inevitable, and spoke about the spirit of past and future members.   Margaret Richards has been a member since 1968, and is the present chairman of the Services Committee. The mother of seven children, she hopes that the CWL and the UCM can start discussions about coming together and forming one good group of Catholic women.  Now it is up to each of us to use our vote wisely.

Sunday morning dawned with heavy rain and winds, but nothing daunted the members as they made their way to the Riviera Centre with all luggage in tow. The principal celebrant for our Mass for the Feast of All Saints was our own chaplain, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Peter Doyle, and again we were able to enjoy a special time of prayer.

After Mass the CAFOD Speaker, Sarah Smith-Pearse, took the floor.  She told us about the 50th Anniversary of Family Fast Day in March 2010 and how, since its inception, CAFOD has raised £65,000,000.  She related the highly amusing and true story of ‘The Pampered Poodles’ an incident that occurred in 1961.

Our last speaker of the weekend was Sheila Bailey who spoke of the Apostleship of the Sea.  She reminded us that everything in our homes that comes from abroad is brought here by ship, and that the Merchant Navy is the forgotten service, where the seafarers are at sea for a stretch of ten months at a time. Seafaring is the 2nd most dangerous occupation and the Apostleship of the Sea is an agency of the Catholic Church that offers help to sailors in our ports.  2010 is to be the International Year of the Seafarer.  Sheila made it clear that all Seafarers need our prayers and our support.  

Sunday morning was rounded off with Members’ Suggestion Time. Many good suggestions were offered for discussion: recruitment in the Scottish Borders as there is not a CWL presence in Scotland anymore; the personal approach to be made for new members (one member had joined because of a personal approach – by her husband!); psychiatric hospitals to be built instead of prisons for prisoners with mental health problems to mention a few.
The session wound up with a comment from an East Anglia member:
“I have just seen a sign ‘Men at Work’.  Women always work.  Why do men have to put up a sign to tell us when they are working?”

It was indeed a very friendly, informative and worthwhile weekend.

Ellen Sandy
Birmingham Branch Vice President.

L to R: The Rt. Rev. Peter Doyle, The Rt. Rev. Christopher Budd, The Rt. Rev. John Crowley

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