Most Rev. Martin Currie
Spiritual Advisor

Danielle McNeil-Hessian
President & International Relations

Velma Harasen
President-elect & Chairperson of Organization

Betty Anne Brown
1st Vice President &Chairperson of Communications

Cecile Miller
2nd Vice President & Chairperson of Education and Health

Peggy Roche
Secretary-Treasurer

Lorette Noble
Past President & Chairperson of Laws

Terri Scott
Chairperson of Spiritual Development

Pearl Bridgwater
Chairperson of Christian Family Life

Mary Nordick
Chairperson of Community Life

Barbara Dowding
Chairperson of Resolutions

Judy Lewis
Chairperson of Legislation

Kim Scammell, CA
Executive Director

Fran Lucas
Alberta Mackenzie Provincial President

Nancy Simms
B.C. & Yukon Provincial President

Susan Bernier
Manitoba Provincial President

Barbara Thuen
Military Ordinariate Provincial President

Joyce Green
New Brunswick Provincial President

Agnes Kenney
Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial President

Janice Peddle
Nova Scotia Provincial President

Shari Guinta
Ontario Provincial President

Zita Cameron
Prince Edward Island Provincial President

Diane Lemay
Quebec Provincial President

Gerri Holmes
Saskatchewan Provincial President

Most Rev. Martin Currie
Spiritual Advisor

Danielle McNeil-Hessian
National President

Danielle is a member of St. Ignatius Parish Council, Bedford, Nova Scotia. Since joining the League in 1983, Danielle has held executive positions at all levels. Highlights of her experience in the League include that of charter president of St. Ignatius Parish Council, Halifax Diocesan President, and Nova Scotia Provincial President. She was awarded life membership in national council in 2000. The standing committee chairs of organization, legislation, community life, spiritual development, education and health and resolutions have all contributed to Danielle's growth in the League.

Danielle is committed to life-long learning and received her university degrees as a mature student at Mount Saint Vincent and St. Mary's University. She has been a classroom teacher, a school principal supervisor and is currently a coordinator of school administration. As a professional educator, she has been involved in planning for improvement throughout her career and over the years has been involved in professional development, presenting leadership workshops, conflict resolution, modules for administrators and effective teaching in-services for new teachers.

Danielle is a widow and parent of four adult children, Shannon, Robert, Kelly-Marie and Eryn. She is also the oldest child of 17 children, 11 boys and six girls. Family continues to be a very important part of Danielle's life.

Coordinating and facilitating Spirituality: A Day of Discovery, experience animating Project GROW and membership on the national executive have provided opportunities for Danielle to serve the League and to develop herself both spiritually and personally. Danielle is grateful for the opportunities she has been given through membership in and service to the League.

Velma Harasen
National President-elect and Chairperson of Organization

Velma joined The Catholic Women's League of Canada as charter president of St. Gerard Parish Council in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Upon moving to Regina, she joined St. Martin Parish Council where she continues to be active. Velma held executive positions on both diocesan and provincial levels and served as Saskatchewan provincial president from 1999 to 2001. She assisted in the amalgamation process when the province went from five to three dioceses. She coordinated Project Grow in her province and was a facilitator. The completion of Leading the League and chairing the ad hoc committee was a fulfilling experience. In 2002, she was awarded a life membership in national council.

Velma chaired the 1993 anual national convention in Regina which drew record attendance. For this, the Regina Archdiocesan Council presented her with a maple leaf service pin.

It is believed that Velma is the first woman anywhere to serve as president of a parish pastoral council. She is active in parish ministries including Eucharistic minister, lector, prayer line participant and also enjoys the weekly bible study group in her parish.

Velma organized the women's program for two Knights of Columbus state conventions and accompanied her husband, Lorne, to six supreme conventions. The Harasens were honoured twice as Council Family of the Year and once as State (provincial) Family of the Year.

Velma has served as volunteer, advisory board member, and chairperson with Birthright. Currently, she is a frequent volunteer at Visitation House, a safe shelter for women under the sponsorship of the diocese. She is also a member of the Regina Symphony Women's Association. Her summer activities include a lot of golf, a little bit of gardening, and a lot of walking! Winter finds her curling twice a week and knitting. Spending time with family and friends is a blessing.

Professionally, Velma was an administrative assistant with the Regina Health District which included work in long term care, respite care and day programs, as well as convalescent and palliative care. She continues with palliative care as a volunteer.

Velma and Lorne have three grown children and five wonderful grandchildren.

Betty Anne Brown
National First Vice-President and Chairperson of Communications

• member for 36 years, (since 1972) life membership awarded in 1993
• education - graduate biochemist, worked in field of drug research
• CWL past president on parish, regional, archdiocesan (Toronto) and provincial (Ontario) levels of the League
• past national chairperson of the spiritual development and resolutions standing committees
• CWL activities include: prepared Christian Family Life Study Kit (ON); national sub-chairperson for vocations; animator for Spirituality: A Day of Discovery; national convention chairperson; member of national resolutions committee
• parish and community: director/member of community boards and advisory groups; vocation awareness committee (called by name); Catholic charities allocations and communications committees; Toronto Archdiocesan jubilee committee.
• national representative to various ad hoc committees (our response to the Romanow commission report and to Catholic Health Association of Canada's year of visioning)
• amateur grape grower, retired, widow, mother of five and grandmother of 10

Cecile Miller
National 2nd Vice-President and Chairperson of Education and Health

Cecile was born in North East Margaree, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and was a charter member, along with her mother, of the CWL council formed in her home parish of St. Patrick, in 1983. She became charter president and so began a long career in the Catholic Women's League.

Besides being president at the parish level, she has served as secretary, treasurer, chairperson of spiritual development, organization, a member of education and health, Christian family life and community life committees.

Cecile served as president of the Antigonish Diocesan Council and as chairperson of Christian family life and organization standing committees. At provincial level, she served as chairperson of education, communications and organization standing committees. Cecile has attended eighteen national conventions.

Cecile retired in June 2002, after 34 years of teaching. During this time she also completed a diploma in Ministry Course and a Lay Ministry Formation Course. She loves the outdoors and in the spring and fall, can be found in the family garden or on her two and a half mile daily walk. In winter, she may be found downhill skiing, weaving, snowshoeing or reading.

Cecile was presented with her life membership in national council in 2000. In addition to her involvement in the League, she is active as a lector and choir member in her parish, brings the eucharist to the sick and shut-in, and is involved with the Cursillo and Challenge Movements. Cecile has been working hard with other board members of Sunset Funeral Co-operative to have this member-owned co-operative open in the near future.

Peggy Roche
National Secretary-Treasurer

In 2009, Peggy will celebrate 43 years of marriage with William. She is the proud mother of two and the grandmother of three.

Peggy's primary and high school education was received from the Sisters of the Presentation and Mercy Congregations. Later, she enrolled in the Public Administration Program at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador and was successful in completing the courses and obtaining a certificate.

She has been involved with the League since 1990, having served at the parish level as organization chairperson and president. On the provincial level, she served as chairperson of communications, resolutions, legislation, and organization and as president. She is a life member and currently resolutions and legislation chairperson for her parish council, a member of the parish senior choir, a cantor and lector. Peggy is also a founding member of the Holy Trinity Family Aid Group

At the provincial level, Peggy facilitated spiritual reflections, workshops and presentations, while bringing the League to members in the more remote areas of her province. She worked closely with a provincial committee developing a brief on the Gulf Ferry Service and presented this brief to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Public Forum, on behalf of the provincial council. When Peggy became provincial president, she continued to build on the work of her predecessors with the CWL provincial archives.

Peggy has assisted national committee members with research for projects on the environment and homelessness. As chairperson of the Position Paper on Waste Management Ad Hoc Committee, Peggy oversaw research and compiled a draft, which was submitted to the national executive and approved. In reviewing the National Manual of Policy and Procedure, Peggy provided input through draft only proposed recommendations to the national chairperson of laws for consideration. In consultation with members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Archivists Association, Peggy submitted suggestions on how to set up and maintain archives to the national chairperson of laws for information purposes.

In 2002, Peggy retired, having worked with the Provincial Government Agency as a payroll auditor for the Workplace, Health, Safety and Compensation Commission. Her duties included contacting new employers for registration as well as auditing payroll records, T4s, financial statements, and reviewing any other financial records of businesses for the purpose of payroll audit, rate structure, assessment category and collections. She offered suggestions to management to help educate them in the various aspects of the Act, as it applied to their business. During her term, she was seconded for a period of time as an executive assistant to the provincial premier. In 2007, Peggy was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Newfoundland and Labrador Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.

In 2008, Peggy was elected to the Board of Directors for the Northern Avalon Tourism Association. Peggy is a town councillor for her home town of Torbay, a founding member of the Torbay Tourism Association and council liaison and active member of the Northeast Avalon Joint Councils.

Peggy has served on the Torbay Town Council Finance Committee for the past seven years. She has been the secretary to the St. John's East Conservative Association for four years and has 18 years experiences as treasurer for the St. John's East, Federal PC Association. Peggy has 20 years experience as secretary to the St. John's South PC Association. During that time she was also secretary to the Provincial PC Association for four years.

Peggy hopes to continue her contribution to parish, community, province and nation by keeping her interests varied and true. She relies on Our Lady of Good Counsel to guide her along her faith journey with her companions, her sisters in the League.

Lorette Noble
National Past President

Lorette joined the League in 1980, and was honoured to receive a life membership in 1995. She has served in community life, education, communications, resolutions, and organization at national level before her present position as national president.

She has been an elementary school pastoral animator for 20 years, and was responsible for preparing children in her parish to receive the sacraments for 30 years. In September 2006 she received the diocesan Order of Merit in recognition of this work. Over the past 26 years Lorette has started the Candiac Wednesday Group, which has weekly meetings with guest speakers, and also produced a weekly half-hour community television show which aired for 11 years.

In 2000 she was appointed by the bishop to be regional animator for the English-speaking parishes of the diocese, a position she held until she became national president in August 2006. She continues as a lector and Eucharistic minister in her parish.

Lorette and Christopher have two daughters, two sons and nine grandchildren. A Sacred Heart alumna, Lorette got her university degrees attending evening courses while her children were growing up. She loves reading and travelling, music, art, the theatre, films and television, but most of all being with her family.

Terri Scott
National Chairperson of Spiritual Development

Upon marriage at beautiful Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, British Columbia, and shortly thereafter a military transfer to Kingston, Ontario, Terri attended her first Military Ordinariate (MO) CWL meeting in 1977. She thought that, once you were married, you had to join to make perogies for funerals! Since then, she discovered the camaraderie and support of the many fine women in the League across Canada and Germany. She has held a variety of positions and serviced as parish council president in Cold Lake, Alberta; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Lahr, West Germany (where they were blessed with a son); and again in Cold Lake, where she was presented with the Maple Leaf Service Pin. Terri joined the MO provincial executive as resolutions chairperson in 1994.

In 1996, while living in Winnipeg, Terri's husband was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away shortly thereafter. After 20 years with the MO, Terri transferred to the Manitoba provincial executive, where she again embraced the resolutions standing committee for another two terms. She was also the spiritual development chairperson and the organization chairperson before becoming president. Terri is currently a member of St. Peter Parish Council.

Terri served as Religious Education Coordinator at 17 Wing Chapel in Winnipeg. She assisted in the revision of the national Executive Handbook, conceived the idea of the Air Miles collector card for MaterCare International and assisted in setting up the program.

After seven years of part-time studies, and on the afternoon of the same day that she assumed the office of provincial president, Terri graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a Bachelor of Arts and was among the first to graduate in the field of Rhetoric and Communications.

Terri was born in Ituna, Saskatchewan, the oldest of six siblings. Her Ukrainian heritage has led her to appreciate many traditions and cultures. She enjoys travelling, cooking, gardening and scrap-booking.

Pearl Bridgwater
National Chairperson of Christian Family Life

Pearl was born in Diego Martin, a village about six kilometers from the capital of Trinidad, West Indies. Her mother was Catholic; her father a convert. Trinidad, named for the Trinity, was a great place to be Catholic. From elementary school to teachers college, Pearl was educated by nuns. Carmelites in elementary school, Holy Faith nuns from Ireland in secondary school and Holy Name sisters in Catholic Women's Teachers College. Add to this the unequal fervour of her father, Pearl was reminded daily to be grateful and to appreciate the value of prayers.

Pearl has three surviving children, two daughters and one son. Her eldest daughter lives in Pennsylvania and owns an interior decorating firm. Her youngest daughter is an oncology nurse clinician at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal and her son is a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer living in Vancouver. Her first child, a boy, died at birth. She is blessed with six grandchildren, two girls and four boys.

In 1967, Pearl came to Canada to teach for the Sault St. Louis School Commission of LaSalle, Quebec. She was required to pass a proficiency test in Quebec law in order to obtain a permanent teaching certificate. After completing a McGill University program, she obtained both a bachelor and masters of education degree. After completing her education, Pearl became the only teacher with integrated special education students at the Kindergarten level in her Commission.

In 1984, Pearl , who had never heard of the CWL, was approached by a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish Council in Candiac. She was invited to its Communion supper and, later that month, to her first CWL meeting. She is proof positive that the personal approach is the way to go.

Pearl has been organization and spiritual development chairpersons at parish, diocesan and provincial levels, and community life and education chairpersons at the provincial level. It is as provincial secretary, her most challenging position, that she experienced the most growth. She received her life membership in 2000.

Pearl is actively involved in her parish as a lector and catechist. She is a member of the parish orientation committee and liturgical committee and, until this year, was the chairperson for the diocesan executive and parish representative for the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace.

In her spare time, Pearl sews for her family and close friends. She made both daughters' wedding and bridesmaids' dresses. In “jack-of-all-trade-fashion,” she has also upholstered chairs, made drapes and painted, and she has been told that she's a great cook.

When Pearl 's term as provincial president ends, she'll be better able to focus on her h ob bies. She will always be grateful to her CWL sisters. The religious sisters taught her to be a Catholic lady, i.e., "to be seen and not heard," but the CWL taught her to be a Catholic woman "with a voice," which should be used to speak, especially for those unable to speak for themselves.

Mary Nordick
National Chairperson of Community Life

Mary Nordick is third generation CWL, following her mother and grandmother. Inspired by her mother’s work on the 1983 annual national convention planning committee, Mary with four other women worked to reactivate the League in her home parish, became a member and was elected president. Needless to say, she learned quickly about the League! She has served on diocesan and provincial levels as organization, resolutions, community life and spiritual development standing committee chairpersons, and as archivist on the diocesan level. She has developed and facilitated workshops on leadership and social justice.

Mary has a passion for resolutions, having researched and written several, and advised on others. She served a term on the national resolutions committee. For Mary, the League is a marvellous opportunity to broaden horizons beyond the parish to diocesan, provincial, national and even international levels, especially in community life.

Mary is active in her home parish of St. Philip Neri, Saskatoon, serving as lector, communion minister to the sick, chair of the social justice committee, on parish council and singing in the five o’clock and resurrection choirs. She is, and has been, involved in refugee sponsorship, ecumenical activities, and diocesan social justice.

Mary teaches first year English at St. Thomas More College (STM) and the College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan, and previously taught English, French, and Christian Ethics in Saskatoon Catholic high schools. She has served on the Board of Governors for STM and on various committees in both professional and volunteer capacities. In her spare time, she indulges her love for theatre at the college and in two community theatre groups.

Mary is the proud mother of three sons and one daughter who was born in the year Mary joined the League.

Barbara Dowding
National Chairperson of Resolutions

Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Barbara attended St. Augustine's parish. In 1969 she married Alan. They have three sons, Ian, Michael and Robert. After a term in England, they settled on the North Shore where Barbara first encountered CWL through a Stitch and Coffee group of young mothers. She joined in 1978 at St. Stephen Parish Council and still has friends from those earliest CWL days. She is an avid golfer, enjoys holidays with Alan and likes to run. Spending quality time with and spoiling her grandchildren Devon and Maya continue to be a priority.

Barbara accepted parish council presidency in 1990 and went on to become archdiocesan president in 1997. Barbara's goals at that time, (1) encourage all members to say, "Here I am Lord, use me!" and (2) assist in the recognition and appreciation of each other's gifts, continues to be her passion. She was instrumental in forming three new parish councils and still enjoys speaking at parishes (the heart of the CWL) taking every opportunity to talk about the League and facilitating workshops and presentations that promote the big picture.

Barbara has been community life, resolutions, and organization chairperson at the provincial level. She served on a national ad hoc committee that produced Leading the League. In 2003, Barbara received her life membership as well as the maple leaf service pin. She chaired the 2000 provincial convention and 2005 national convention committees, crediting their success to the awesome committees. She served for many years on the board of Our Lady of Good Counsel Society and is an active member of her parish.

Barbara worked in the retail sector, at a public library and in a Catholic high school. She spent three years in the Marriage Tribunal, before becoming the coordinator of Jubilee events and the Archdiocesan Synod in 1997. In 2004, she was named Vice Chancellor for the Archdiocese of Vancouver, a position she currently holds.

Barbara credits her love for the League and person development to the many League sisters who affirmed and challenged her. Recent experiences at the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations Study Days in Arlington, Virginia, and the conference on Mulieris Dignitatum in Rome have made her even more focussed on helping women appreciate and embrance all the League has to offer.

Judy Lewis
National Chairperson of Legislation

Judy joined the League in 1984 at St. Paul Parish in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. She served as organization chairperson for four years, parish president for two years and two years as past president. In 2003, her parish council presented her with a maple leaf service pin. She served four years as treasurer, and two years as organization chairperson on the provincial council.

Judy served on the committee for the Fire in the Rose pilot project. The Church Council on Justice and Corrections created the three-year project to bring awareness, through the churches, about the different forms of violence in the home. The project was unique, as seven different denominations participated in Summerside.

She taught catechism for over 10 years, served as Eucharistic minister and is currently a lector in her church. She belongs to an ecumenical ladies group who meet each Thursday afternoon to reflect on the power of prayer in their lives and where they see the Holy Spirit leading them. She is currently secretary for the Central Bedeque Women's Institute.

Judy lives in North Bedeque and has been married for 37 years to Robert. They have four grown children, two boys and two girls. Denise, Craig (daughter-in-law Crystal), Brent and Ann. Their grandson, Connor, is the apple of their eye!

Judy served on the Summerside Christian Council, an ecumenical group in Summerside, including one year as chairperson. She collected for the Canadian Cancer Society, and the Flowers of Hope for the mentally challenged. In 1996, she returned to Holland College for a two-year program to obtain diplomas in business management and sales management.

Judy attends aqua fitness classes three times a week for exercise and to maintain a health back after having two back surgeries. Her hobbies are reading, walking on the beach and socializing with friends.

Kim Scammell
Executive Director

Kim was born and raised in Winnipeg, Man. Her education and work experience has been varied and interesting. To support herself while attending university, Kim worked at four part time jobs concurrently. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science (Honors) with Distinction in 1988, majoring in genetics. Prior to graduation, she accepted employment with a public accounting firm and committed herself to becoming a Chartered Accountant (CA).

Kim spent five years at an accounting firm performing audits, financial reviews and tax assistance for clients in various industries. Many of her clients were not-for-profit organizations and she thoroughly enjoyed these audits. As a CA student, in addition to receiving practical on-the-job training, she was required to take accounting courses, two of which earned her Gold Medals.

After receiving her CA designation in 1991, Kim found employment in industry where she has been employed as a controller for the past six years. Her responsibilities have included all aspects of finance and administration, giving her the opportunity to develop a keen business instinct.

Kim has volunteered with various organizations over the years, primarily those which support and increase awareness of the mentally and physically challenged. In her parish, she has also volunteered as a catechist and is currently on the school board.

Kim is married to David and has one son, two daughters, and two step-daughters.

Fran Lucas
Alberta Mackenzie Provincial President

Fran was born raised on a farm near Chipman, Alberta, to parents of Polish descent. She has one brother and one sister and is the youngest child. Her eldest sister, along with 16 other high school students, was killed in the Chipman-Lamont school bus/train accident in 1960.

Fran is married to George and have one son, Andrew, who was married this July. Fran's parish is St. Joseph Basilica where she has volunteered her time at the parish office as well as coordinated wedding rehearsals. She has been a Eucharistic minister for the past 10 years and continues to find it a very rewarding ministry.

For a number of years Fran had her own consulting company delivering training sessions for Alberta Tourism. Looking for other challenges she was recruited by Northlands in 1991. After years as its training manager, she is now the manager of volunteer services. To relax, Fran enjoys walking and reading and wekend trips to the mountains are wonderful escapes for her and George.

Fran has been a member of the Edmonton diocesan fieldworkers for the past eight years; she was on the Spiritus committee, Archbishop Collins Strategic Planning Committee on the Definition of Marriage and the committee that recommended the revisions for the Catholic Girl's League (CGL) Administration Manual; and is currently on the Catholic Conference 2010 planning committee. In July 2004 she started a new group of young League women who chose the name for their group to be the "Bizarre Women". The definition of this "bizarre" is "strikingly out of the ordinary". The challenge for these women was and continues to be to look at ways the League can successfully recruit and retain members. They remain strong members at their parish councils, many of them having been the president. In 2005, while Edmonton diocesan president, Fran was instrumental in the start up of a council at St. Joseph's College at the University of Alberta. This is still the first of its kind on Canada. In january 2007, she organized a CGL at the Jean Forest All Girls Leadership Academy in Edmonton.

Over the past 20 years, the League has offered Fran a wealth of opportunities to grow spiritually, make new friends in a number of provinces, and in the past three years to work with young women and girls who have a love for the League that should be bottled and sold!

As the newly-elected provincial president, Fran is humbled to represent the Alberta Mackenzie membership and is prepared to work hard in support of the 10,000 plus members she represents.

Nancy Simms
B.C. & Yukon Provincial President

Comming soon!

Susan Bernier
Manitoba Provincial President

A charter member of Notre Dame de Lorette Parish Council in 1989, much to her own surprise, Susan Bernier came home from that organizational meeting as president-elect, serving the new council with her family, one sister-in-law as charter president and the other as convener. Since that first meeting, Susan has let her name stand for election with a willingness to serve where called, having held an executive position at some level of the League for all but one year of that time.
Susan has also served the League as an animator for Project Grow, public relations and publicity chairperson for the 1999 and 2008 annual national conventions and convention guest journalist for five years. Awarded the maple leaf service pin by her parish council and life membership by the St. Boniface Archdiocesan Council, Susan now serves as president of the Manitoba Provincial Council.
Celebrating 30 years of marriage to Leo (and his very large extended family), they are parents of four and very proud grandparents of their first grandchild Sebastian, born just two days before the provincial convention this spring. Working full time as an office administrator for a general contractor, Susan balances her time by living family life fully in faith and hope gathered in celebration for any and all occasions, and moments stolen away, reading on the deck in summer or curled up cozy in the winter.

Barbara Thuen
Military Ordinariate Provincial President

Coming soon!

Joyce Green
New Brunswick Provincial President

Coming soon!

Agnes Kenney
Newfoundland and Labrador

Agnes grew up in Conche, Newfoundland and Labrador, the oldest girl of nine children. Her community was known for the importance of the practice of one's faith, an emphasis on pursuing a good education, working hard, and giving back to society. This was much appreciated by Agnes when she later moved on and continued her career in other parts of the province. Her heart was set on being a nurse; however, she taught for three years in her parish and then decided to enter the presentation order, known for excellent teaching. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia , followed by a Master in Education with a major in high school English at the University of Maine in Orono.

When the role of the laity received more prominence in the church, Agnes left the religious order 25 years later. She continued to attend daily mass and use some of her spare time in reaching out to others in need. She is also an important part of her nieces and nephews lives — all 18 of them and, now, her grand nieces and nephews — 19 of them and more to come! She has been a volunteer at one of the city hospitals for 21 years, 15 of these spent in palliative care and finds this work very meaningful.

In her parish she has been chairperson of the parish council, served on the hospitality committee, bereavement team and catechetical team, as choir member, lector, Eucharistic minister, has ministered to the sick, prepares for and attends the liturgy in her parish nursing home and leads the rosary before daily mass.

In 2000 Agnes joined the League and was elected that year to her parish council executive. After six years with her parish council, she was approached to take the position of chairperson of a standing committee with the provincial executive and served two years as chairperson of Christian family life. She was next approached to take on the responsibility of president-elect/organization which she did after prayer and deliberation!

Janice Peddle
Nova Scotia Provincial President

Coming soon!

Shari Guinta
Ontario Provincial President

Shari Guinta is a resident of Waterloo, Ontario with her husband of 35 years, Peter. They have two adult children, Andrew and Sarah.

Shari started her League journey in 1986 at Sacred Heart Parish Council, Kitchener, Ontario when there was a membership drive and although she had never heard of the Catholic Women's League, it sounded like something she wanted to know more about. At her first meeting she was asked to serve as recording secretary on the executive and by 1991 she was serving as president. Following that, she served on the diocesan council for 14 years and was president from 2001 to 2003. While diocesan president, she started the first diocesan vocations mass, a mass celebrated in Hamilton diocese each year to profile and pray for vocations.

Over the years, Shari has presented workshops and was a presenter for Project GROW. Her latest workshop, “Trying to be a Mary in a Martha World” was first designed for a provincial convention; she has presented it many times since and says it is her favourite.

Once elected to the provincial council, she served as treasurer, chairperson of both spiritual development and organization and is now president. She was awarded her life membership in 2005 from the Hamilton Diocesan Council.

Shari is involved in her parish, St. Michael, Waterloo as minister of the word and member of the building and maintenance committee. She also assists in coordinating the confirmation program.

She is also a member of the KW Serra Club, an international organization that fosters, promotes and prays for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Being a business woman and owning a busy property management company makes for a hectic life but she always has time for the League. She says, “I get so much more out of the League than I could ever put into it.” She is thankful to have the opportunity to meet so many intelligent, spiritual women through the League and looks forward to her continued journey.

Zita Cameron
Prince Edward Island Provincial President

Diane Lemay
Quebec Provincial President

Diane was born and raised in London, Ontario. She grew up in an extended family of her maternal grandparents, parents and one brother.

Diane joined the Army Reserves while still in high school and after five years decided that it was time to spread her wings and see the world so she transferred to the Regular Force (Air Element). Her first posting was to Clinton, Ontario, 40 miles from London. So much for seeing the world! Her next posting took her to Trenton , Ontario where she met her husband Mike.

Two years after Diane and Mike were married, they were moved to CFB Greenwood in the beautiful Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. Diane's two children, Michael and Elizabeth were both born in Berwick and they consider themselves to be Nova Scotians. It was in Greenwood that Diane was first introduced to the League. As a stay-at-home mom it was a great way to spend an evening without the children.

Soon it was time to move again. This time to Lahr, West Germany. Diane transferred to the council in Lahr and started on a journey that has spanned 32 years. She has been a member of five parish councils, one diocesan council and two provincial councils.

After returning from Lahr, Diane once again joined the Military and stayed until she reached retirement age. After retiring she decided that she would go back to school and with the help of the National Bursary Fund she was able to complete a certificate in pastoral ministries. Since learning is a life long process, Diane decided to continue her studies and received her Bachelor of Arts – Major in Theology from Concordia University in 2009.

Diane is employed as a pastoral agent in the Diocese of St Jean Longueuil. She is responsible for faith education of children and adults in four parishes.

Diane is proud to be a member of the League and is thankful for all that the League has given her in the way of friendships, self confidence and the chance to grow spiritually.

Gerri Holmes
Saskatchewan Provincial President

Coming Soon!