I hated school and academically I did not do well. My father was the principal of the high school I attended, and my mother was also a teacher there. To get me through school they had to mercilessly shove an education into me – for which I am now very grateful. I gained just enough grades to get to university.At this point things started to look up and my next four years of study gained me an honours degree in Mathematics (which I think would be the equivalent to a Masters in North America). This gave me an opening to work in the ‘Lloyds of London’ insurance market as an ‘information analyst’. With technology advancing and the economy booming this was a good time for the Lloyds market and for many of us who were working there. Yet I would look at the colleagues I worked with and wouldn’t see people who looked like me; we were having fun, but I wasn’t feeling fulfilled.

Into PriesthoodWith nothing to lose I sold up and went off to seminary. And again, while I struggled to recognise an image of myself in the somewhat aloof and very academic priests who taught us, I started to see in the Church’s description of priesthood a vision of something attractive, enticing and meaningful. So, I spent six difficult years at seminary. Many see their college years as good years, I didn’t; I couldn’t see Christ’s face in the rigidity of this institution. But ordination to the priesthood was not an end point, it was very much a starting point.

For my first ten years of ministry I worked in my home diocese of Plymouth, which covers the South-West of England – the counties of Devon, Dorset and Cornwall. I had the most wonderful bishop anyone could have, Bp. Christopher Budd, who retired in 2013. He was a real father to me and to the whole diocese.Our diocese had traditionally supplied a number of priests to parishes in Kenya, but as time went by they weren’t needed, so Bp. Christopher decided to offer a priest for ministry in another part of the world where there was a shortage, and that was Canada. As I knew Canada well – having travelled from coast-to-coast-to-coast – I was the priest chosen for this mission.

For my next ten years I served in the Prince George diocese, in the north-eastern corner of B.C. in the mountainous area around Chetwynd & Tumbler Ridge, up to the dams near Hudson’s Hope. Here I first met people from the First Nations community and could not believe how warmly they embraced me. I would have happily stayed in these parishes for the rest of my life, that was how much I felt at home.

Then nine years ago I was moved to the diocese of Nelson where I looked after the Slocan Valley for seven years and more recently the Elk Valley which includes Fernie and Sparwood, where I now reside.For the vast majority of my ministry I have served in smaller communities, and this has meant serving three, four or even five churches at the same time. My boast when I was in Chetwynd and Tumbler Ridge was that my parishes in Canada covered a greater area than my bishop’s whole diocese in Britain! My current parish is the smallest I have had in Canada as it is only 130km from the most northerly church to the most southerly one. Thankfully I like driving.

Travel and SolitudeAnd it is not just driving but travelling in general is something I have enjoyed. My parents were great travellers and took me all over Europe and beyond. Also, I took a year off between school and college (as one does) and went around the world – literally – getting as far as New Zealand. By the time I was twenty-one I had visited twenty-one different countries. Since then I have lost count!But at some point, perhaps as I passed my thirtieth country, I lost the travel bug. What I like doing now is going somewhere and stopping there; ‘Let’s not just see a place, let’s really feel it!’ And that place is not a city or a tourist centre, for me the smaller the place the better. Using my 4×4 or my mountain bike or my canoe, me and my dog have found some very hidden and deserted places.I think this is because since I was young my real love in life has been solitude. ‘Heaven-on-earth’ for me was a three week stay up in the north of Sweden, by myself in a cabin where I saw no one and spoke to no one. The only way this trip could have been better would have been if it had lasted longer. My ‘If I won the Lottery…’ dream is not a flash car or yacht, but a small, simple cabin in the middle of nowhere – oh for stillness and silence!

MinistryAs I get older I think I am getting more introverted, or at least, I enjoy peace and quiet more and more. My sister-in-law says that I am definitely “on the spectrum” somewhere (but she thinks all males are on the spectrum somewhere!) And if I am, I am! Certainly, I do like to celebrate the liturgy precisely – just ask the sacristan how I like the altar breads to be neatly arranged.As a priest there is so much I am not good at: paperwork, meetings, organising, and much more; but I try to exercise the ministry of presence – just being there for people. Liturgy along with the scriptures are the parts of my ministry I enjoy most. And I have an overriding belief that it does not depend upon us, we are channels for God; we should let the scriptures and the liturgy be the voice, and trust that God will speak through His Word and touch people through His Sacraments, I so much believe that if we as a worshiping community, priests and people together, could get these right, then others will know, understand and believe.

I feel it is a privilege to be the B.C. and Yukon Provincial Spiritual Advisor.

She is married with four children and 12 grandchildren. She joined the Catholic Women’s League in 1975 in Mackenzie. This was a very good way to meet more catholic women in the community and be involved in the church.

In 1985 they moved to Salmon Arm where she became very in involved with the community as well as in the church. Sharon held many positions on the parish CWL executive before becoming president and then chairs of spiritual development, family life and organization on the diocesan level before becoming diocesan president.

Sharon is now working at the church as Faith Formation for Children coordinator, RCIA coordinator and catechist as well as being involved in adult education.

On the provincial level she has held the chair positions of spiritual development, christian family life, resolutions, 1st vice-president and president-elect/organization. Sharon loves the League and working with people.

Catherine spent her summers at Rosen Lake near Cranbrook in the Nelson diocese. She graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She and her husband, Art, have been married for 49 years and they have five children and 16 grandchildren. Catherine has been an active member of the League for 26 years and has always been on the executive at either the parish, diocesan or provincial level. Today her home parish is St. James in Vernon.

After the children left home, Catherine spent more time volunteering in her community and parish. She enjoys the sisterhood very much because the women are pious, selfless, hardworking, humorous, creative and intelligent. Catherine likes belonging to an organization that is seeking to transform the world through justice, harmony, and love. She believes that the solution to every problem is love and to spread that love around because God is Love. League members need to talk about God to everyone because He is our hope and salvation. Catherine’s interests include public speaking, leadership, hiking, swimming, and hanging out with God, family and friends.

It is her great honour to serve as president-elect for the 2021-2023 term.

She married Ray in 1970 and they purchased their first home in Scarborough, Ontario. Sylvia joined Holy Spirit Parish and was invited to become a member the Catholic Women’s League in 1971. Since then, she has held most positions at the parish council level and was also communications chair at the Toronto regional diocesan level with chairperson, Betty Ann Brown, who is now a past national president. Betty Ann was, and still is, a tremendous influence in mentoring the vision of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada and in her words “Its members are a beautiful tapestry of women who work wholeheartedly for God and Canada”. Her words still ring true to Sylvia today.

Sylvia is one of the founding members of REAL Women of Canada and is currently an advisory board member at Camp Quality Canada, a camp for children with cancer.

She lost her husband to cancer in 2015 and is now devoting her life to the Catholic Women’s League of Canada and as a “sister of service” at her home parish, Our Lady of Lourdes, in West Kelowna, where she serves on the pastoral council, as the coordinator of the ministers of the word, and in the altar server ministry. She is also a lector, minister of the eucharist and a dedicated minister of communion to the sick.

Sylvia has served on the Nelson diocesan council as resolutions chair, president-elect and organization, president and past president.

She is passionate about the League and believes that a personal invitation to all catholic women to become members is key to its continuing sustainability. Sylvia believes that leading by example and enthusiasm will encourage seasoned members to step up into leadership positions to grow our organization to its true potential over the years to come.

It has been her privilege to serve on the BC & Yukon provincial council as second vice- president and chairperson of communications for the 2018 – 2021 term, and it is an honour to be first vice-president and chairperson of community life for the current 2021-2023 term where she plans to network with all chairpersons of community life to expand the role in the communities and worldwide.

Sylvia is looking forward to being with her sisters in our wonderful organization as we embrace the vision of the future together for many years to come!

Her education and over 30-year work history were primarily focused on management, marketing, sales and training. She developed, implemented and managed marketing programs and provided strategic direction and relationship management to clients. Since retiring, she has had consulting contracts focused on change management and the development of policies and procedures.

Christa joined the Catholic Women’s League in 2008 at St. Claire of Assisi in Coquitlam and soon became organization chair and president. After moving to Nanaimo in 2013, she joined St. Peter’s CWL council and held positions in resolutions, communications, organization and president. In 2019, she helped to launch a new council in her home parish, Holy Trinity. In 2020, she was awarded the Maple Leaf Service pin.

Christa served as Victoria diocesan president for three years and during her tenure, she worked at implementing changes to meetings to make them more participatory and interesting by focusing less on reports and more on round-table discussions and personal testimonials. She developed and delivered several educational workshops including Mentoring and Communications and facilitated Catch the Fire and League of the Future. She has written several articles that have been published in The Canadian League magazine and The Diocesan Messenger, a Victoria Diocese publication. Christa served as co-chair when the Victoria diocesan team hosted the 2019 BC/Yukon provincial convention Nanaimo.

As a member of the marketing and communications implementation committees of the national board’s strategic plan, Christa is fully engaged in helping to deliver CWL’s five-year strategic plan. She believes that the League is built on a solid foundation but needs to adapt so that it remains relevant to today’s catholic women. In her position on the BC/Yukon provincial council as 2nd vice president and communications chair, Christa plans to showcase the strength of catholic women who are grounded in faith and always ready and willing to act.

She has been married to Michael for 43 years, and was blessed with one child, a daughter Katherine, who with her husband Mark, have blessed them with four grandchildren, David, John, Esther and Joseph. Linda worked at Canada Post for 35 years and retired in 2015. After a year off, she worked at the Canadian Mental Health store in Salmon Arm for almost two years. She volunteered with “Friends at Christmas”, where 17 of the churches in Salmon Arm donate money and food, and feed approximately 200 people who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day. In the summer of 2021, Linda worked at two campgrounds, doing housekeeping, yard maintenance, working in the store and office, and pretty much anything they asked or trained her for.

Linda’s hobbies have included cross stitching, knitting, crocheting, but her heart always steers her to doing photo albums and quilting. Being out in nature, going for a walk with a friend in the cool mornings or even the rain, kayaking beautiful Shuswap Lake, or just having an iced tea under the shade of a tree has always bought her great joy and peace. Travelling has always interested her, from the east coast to the west coast, but she looks forward to the day of venturing to all the corners of BC.

2020 changed a lot of lives and as we try to find our new normal, Linda is open to seeing all blessings the Lord has in store for her. The past year and a half have not been easy, but she is living in hope and finding her daily blessings in the small and big happenings in life.

She is a past president of the Vancouver Diocesan Council. Sharon has served in many leadership positions on her parish, diocesan and provincial councils, including chairs of spiritual, education and health, resolutions and community life. She now looks forward to her term serving as treasurer.

Sharon believes in stewardship and has supported her parish community for many years serving in the ministries of religious education, Squirettes of Mary Leadership, lector, eucharistic minister and RCIA coordinator. She is proud to be a founding member of her home parish, St. Clare of Assisi. Her most recent activities include being active with one refugee family, and as a member of the board of Talitha Koum Society and the Archdiocese of Vancouver Anti-Human Trafficking Committee.

She credits the structure and vision of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada in providing her with opportunities to make a difference in Canada and the world, which included representing the League at the Federal Government Justice & Human Trafficking Committee hearings in Vancouver in early 2018. Sharon knows that she has grown from every leadership role but found community life fulfilled her passion for taking action in assisting the marginalized of the world.

Sharon created and facilitated many courses over the years, but it is the Catch the Fire workshop, which she delivered on 13 occasions, that ignited her passion for the League and her call to ministry. She is now honoured to serve as lead of goal 4 and chair of the implementation committee of the CWL national board’s strategic plan.