"I believe in the genius of women. Even in the darkest
periods that genius is found, which is the leaven of human
progress and history."
The Venerable Pope John Paul II
On behalf of the Bishops of Australia, Archbishop Denis Hart recently installed the new National Executive of the Catholic Women’s League Australia (CWLA) in a beautiful and moving Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne. A great chorus of women, who had journeyed from all parts of Australia in support of the new National Executive, joined with the Archbishop in prayer as he asked the Holy Spirit to enlighten the minds of the new leadership team and to guide all their actions so that they may be strengthened in faith, sustained in hope and united love.
Following the Mass, a celebratory luncheon was held at the
Australian Catholic University with League members, family and
friends. Brenda Finlayson, Vice President General of the World
Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO), presented
a gift of a relic of St Maria Goretti to CWLA.
The relic of St Maria Goretti had come unexpectedly into the
possession of Gillian Badcock, the then WUCWO General Secretary,
in 2006. Because of the friendship that had evolved between
Gillian and Brenda, Gillian decided to gift this important relic
of St Maria Goretti to the CWLA in recognition of their devotion
to this beautiful young saint.
The CWLA is a member organisation of WUCWO and shares in its
aim to promote the presence, participation and co-responsibility
of Catholic women in society and the Church, in order to enable
them to fulfill their mission of evangelisation and to work for
human development.
WUCWO represents over five million members from Catholic
women’s organisations on every continent. WUCWO speaks on
behalf of its worldwide members at major forums around the globe,
including the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations;
the International Labour Organisation (ILO); the United Nations
Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO);
the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO); and the Council of
Europe.
WUCWO will celebrate its 100th anniversary at an international
conference in Jerusalem in October 2010. WUCWO’s current
priority is to develop a culture of peace, with special attention
to education and the alleviation of poverty.
In 1948, WUCWO was a force in the creation and adoption of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today, it is still present
as a strong voice defending the dignity of the human person.
Each member of the new CWLA leadership teams brings unique
gifts to the task of enabling women to participate more
effectively in working for and building the Kingdom of God on
earth.
The new National President is Madge Fahy. A mother of five
children and grandmother of eight, Madge has previously served as
the General President of CWL Victoria and Wagga Wagga, the
National Social Issues Convenor and the National International
Secretary where she represented the League at the United Nations
for six years.
As the National President of CWLA, her prayer is that the
extraordinary work of the League will become better known by
bishops, priests, and the laity. It is also her hope that younger
women will join the League in larger numbers and help to promote
the ‘feminine genius’ as enunciated by the late Pope
John Paul II.
Pat Coloe and Gertie Mangan are the new Vice Presidents of CWLA. Pat has great love for the League and have been inspired by the dedication, encouragement and support of its members over the years. Pat feels that the CWLA theme for the next 2 years, “It is never too late to touch the heart of another, nor is it ever in vain”, is exactly what the League is all about and her hope is that all League members endeavour to keep it in mind and grow spiritually as a result.
Gertie’s vision for the future of the League is focussed at the Branch level, the foundation on which the whole organisation depends. One of her goals is to ensure that League members will continue to develop a better knowledge and understanding of authentic Catholic teaching pertaining to their daily lives in matters of faith, ethics, justice and morals.Ann Robinson, Louisa Ashton and Robyn Fahy are three younger
members of the League.
Ann is the new National Secretary. She has a Masters of Theology
and works as a pastoral associate. Robyn is undertaking the Juris
Doctorate program at Monash Law and also works as a management
consultant. She brings extensive experience in project
management, risk management, corporate governance, marketing and
public relations, as well as a passion for social justice, to her
role as the CWLA Public Relations and Community Engagement
Officer.
Louisa is the new National Treasurer. She works as a full-time
accountant, is a member of the Emmanuel Community in Melbourne
and has been an active volunteer for the Catholic Archdiocese of
Melbourne for many years. Louisa has led young people on
pilgrimage to the 2002, 2005 and 2008 World Youth Days, is the
current co-ordinator for the Six30 Holy Hour for young people
(held each Thursday in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne)
and is the Honorary Treasurer for the Anima Women’s
Network.
Louisa says: “The charisms of the Emmanuel Community of
Adoration, Compassion and Evangelisation are the way I try to
live my call to holiness which is the vocation of every baptised
Catholic. Through Adoration of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament
we grow in Compassion for our brothers and sisters in the world
and desire to Evangelize so that all might come to know the
saving love of Jesus. I hope the little I can do for Our Lord in
prayer and action will bear great fruit.”
The new National Spiritual Director is the Rev. Fr David
Cartwright. The parish priest of St Fidelis, Moreland, grew up in
Burwood and first sensed his vocation when he was a student at St
Dominic’s Primary School, Camberwell.
Fr Cartwright’s understanding of the priesthood is
continually evolving. “The wonderful thing about the
priesthood is that you can never say ‘I now fully
understand it and I know what it’s about’,” he
said. “There’s always something new: another aspect
or dimension, a greater unfolding of the mystery, whether
you’re a priest for one year or 50, because we are trying
to be Christ. We can’t fully understand the Lord until we
see Him face to face. Whatever we do on Earth is trying to bring
the presence of the Lord to people.” He said his commitment
to a daily hour of prayer had also been essential. “I know
if I don’t spend the hour in adoration and prayer then life
just doesn’t quite seem right. It really gives meaning to
what I am doing and I draw strength from that every day. I have
been very constant in prayer since seminary times.
Since becoming parish priest I have been even more aware of the
need for it. The busier you are, the more prayer you need.
It’s the Lord’s work we are doing.”
The new CWLA National Bioethics Convenor is Anna Krohn. Anna
Krohn is an educator and educational writer, and is currently a
tutor in ethics and spirituality in the Department of Nursing at
Australian Catholic University, Melbourne. She is also the
Academic Advisor to students at the John Paul II Institute for
Marriage and Family and, a writer for the Catholic Record in
Perth and other religious media.
She has worked for many years in the areas of publishing (print
and online), educational resource writing and editing, public
speaking, professional training and in the research of health
ethics at the Southern Cross Bioethics Institute (Adelaide) and
at the former Bioethics Centre at St Vincent's Hospital
Melbourne.
Anna is also currently an honorary co-ordinator of volunteers and
collections the Caroline Chisholm Library in Melbourne. She is a
member of the Board of Trustees for Campion College for the
Liberal Arts in NSW and a founding member and convenor of the
Anima Women’s Network.
She has trained in library and information work, and has
completed a Bachelor of Theology at the Melbourne College of
Divinity. She is currently completing a Ph D in Theology.