Dear Sisters in the League,

 

When I spoke at the Diocesan Convention many people asked for information about the Foundation.  I am happy to share it with you here.

 

Honourary Life Member Betty Anne Brown Davidson wrote:  “Whether we like it or not, our names have been called.  At our baptism, Jesus said to us, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.  And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.”   To emphasize the point, our confirmation sealed that covenant with a once and for all ‘brand’:  the flame in our hearts, burning with love, desire, energy, enthusiasm and the gifts of the Holy Spirit to help make it happen.  The fruit that we are called to bear is our responsibility to make a difference in the world.  This is our time on earth to shine and to leave the world a better place by our passing through it.” 

 

In response to the call to ‘make a difference’, The Catholic Women’s League of Canada in partnership with the Sisters of Service, established the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation in 2012.  Registered under the laws of the Canada Corporations Act, the first Board of Directors was established in 2015 with the responsibility of developing women’s leadership capacity – building programs of the highest quality that are consistent with Catholic values. 

 

Our world is changing at incredible speed. Mostly driven by technological innovations, which open new ways to communicate, innovate and automate, we now learn and work in different ways.  We are more connected with global issues and global thinking.  With such pressure for change, more responsible leaders are needed who can be transformative agents of desired change. 

 

Our world has not tapped into a deep resource of leaders.

•      Approximately 51% of Canadians are women 

•      Women make up 47% of the Canadian labour force 

•      Women hold 35% of Canada’s management positions and only 8.5% of the highest-paid positions in Canada's top 100 listed companies 

•      Half of the companies listed on the TSX have no women on their Boards 

•      39% of Canadians identify as Roman Catholics 

 

Empowering Catholic women to be transformational and influential leaders where they live and work - that is our mission.  We dream of a world where women and men hold equal roles of leadership and influence and where the impact of women is reflected in business, politics and throughout our communities.

 

Since the Foundation was created, its Board worked concurrently on multiple fronts to give itself the means to achieve this mission. Thanks to volunteers across the country, we have: 

•      Initiated a $1.5M capital campaign, which will be completed this year

•      Partnered with Saint Paul University in Ottawa to develop a specialized leadership training program 

•      Issued a call for program candidates and selected the first group of participants who will begin classes this June 

•      Launched the leadership program 

 

The Certificate Leadership Program consists of online modules, with a one-week residence session at Saint Paul University in Ottawa at the start of the program in June 2018 and another week of residency one year later.

 

Study topics include 

·       the integration of spirituality with leadership

·       Catholic social teaching on ethics

·       challenges of faith and culture

·       ecological responsibility

·       power      

·       integrity

Participants will benefit from structured coaching and mentoring. A Catholic faith perspective informs the entire program.

 

The Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation Board is honoured to announce the inaugural cohort 2018.  Fourteen outstanding, talented women from across Canada will form the class of the first Certificate program in Catholic Women’s Leadership developed in partnership with Saint Paul University’s Providence School of Transformative Leadership and Spirituality.  They began their studies in May this year.

 

The first participants of this program come from across Canada, among them, 1 from the Edmonton Diocese, 1 who originates from the Calgary diocese and 1 from the NWT!  These women are from different backgrounds. professions and age ranges. 

 

The Foundation will cover the education costs of the program, including travel to/from Ottawa and residence and meals while in Ottawa for each participant. With the contributions pledged so far by generous donors during our first capital campaign, the Foundation’s national volunteer board has been able to form a Fund Development Committee to further strengthen its financial profile.

 

We invite you to invest in Canada’s future by helping Catholic women become transformational leaders. This initiative is a truly Catholic organization building for the future and one that I am proud to participate in.  I have more information available if you are interested in personally donating to or applying for this great cause.

 

I would like to propose that the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation be on the list of recipients of your council’s generosity and that we donate a certain amount every year on an on-going basis.