Peace Begins At Home

St. Charles Ladies’ Association President Kim Zapotochny welcomes Pam Hadder, presenter from Willow House.

On October 18, at the St. Charles Ladies’ Association general meeting we had guest speaker Pam Hadder.  Pam is from Willow Place  and spoke on the Violence Prevention Shelter Program.

In Canada, every six days, a tragic statistic unfolds: a woman falls victim to violence at the hands of her intimate partner. This alarming reality forces over 6,000 women and children to seek refuge in shelters on any given night, as their homes are no longer safe havens. Domestic violence casts a long shadow over the country, with over 40,000 arrests annually stemming from this deeply concerning issue, constituting approximately 12% of all violent crime in Canada.

To combat this pervasive problem, the Family Violence Prevention Program is actively engaged in planning and cultivating community initiatives aimed at eradicating family violence. This program allocates funding to community-based organizations dedicated to providing specialized support for women and their children facing abuse, as well as for men grappling with family violence.

Within Manitoba, 33 agencies stand as pillars of support for those affected by family violence, collectively forming a network of assistance. These agencies encompass a range of services, including ten women's shelters, a provincial toll-free crisis line designed to promptly connect individuals with the nearest shelter for immediate safety, and nine women's resource centers.

Willow House offers a comprehensive range of services to those in need, including

  • Protective Housing: Providing a secure and confidential location, ensuring the safety and privacy of residents.

  • 24-Hour Staff Support: Ensuring round-the-clock assistance and care for residents.

  • Nutritional Support: Supplying all meals and snacks to meet dietary needs.

  • Linen and Hygiene Supplies: Providing clean linens, towels, and essential hygiene supplies for personal well-being.

  • On-Site Laundry and Shower Facilities: Equipped with facilities for residents' convenience.

  • Family Violence Information and Education: Offering resources and knowledge to address and combat family violence.

  • Protection Order Preparation Support: Assisting individuals in preparing protection orders when needed.

  • Community Support: Facilitating connections with relevant community resources for holistic support.

  • Assistance with Legal Aid and E.I.A.: Supporting residents with legal matters and Employment and Income Assistance (E.I.A.) as required.

  • Housing Support Services: Providing assistance with housing-related matters to ensure stability and independence.

  • Counseling Services: Offering both individual and group counseling for emotional and psychological well-being.

  • Children's Counseling Services: Tailored support for children, recognizing their unique needs.

  • Activities and Cultural Support: Fostering a sense of community and identity through various activities and cultural resources.

  • On-Site School (SunRise Tutoring): Ensuring educational continuity with an on-site school for grades K-8, offering a supportive learning environment for children.

If you wish to help, here is a list of needed items:

HOUSEHOLD ESSENTIALS

Bath towels and cozy blankets

Durable stainless steel flatware

Unscented laundry pods and fabric softener sheets

Kleenex tissue boxes, paper towels, and single-ply toilet tissue

FOOD ITEMS

Breakfast cereal, coffee, tea, and spreads like jam and jelly

Peanut butter, fruit cups, and granola bars for children's lunches and snacks

INFANT CARE NECESSITIES

Infant wipes and essential diaper supplies

Urgently needed: New infant bottles, soothers, and toddler sipper cups

Sizes 5 and 6 diapers

PERSONAL CARE ITEMS

Toothbrushes for adults and children (Urgent!)

Women's underwear in sizes S, M, L, XL, and XXL

Travel-sized and full-sized toiletries, deodorant (Urgent!), and body lotion

PROGRAM AND ACTIVITY SUPPLIES

Stocking stuffers for Christmas activities, suitable for women, teens, and children

Craft kits and art supplies for women, teens, and children

Sporting equipment such as sports balls, hula hoops, and bowling sets

Children's non-toxic washable paint, markers, small canvases, paintbrushes, and acrylic craft paint (available at Dollar Store)

Adult and child coloring books, crayons, pencil crayons, and sharpeners

GIFT CARDS

Winnipeg Transit tickets for women, teens, and children

Gift cards for groceries, outings, and general supplies (e.g., Walmart, Shoppers, Safeway, Sobey's, PC, etc.)

To donate, please call Renee at 204-615-0313, ext. 231 or

Pam at 204-615-0313, ext. 237

““The heart of our work is healthy relationships”.”
— Pam Hadder, Willow Place

Be a Food Rescuer 

The Canadian food system is one of the most wasteful in the world. We throw out a quarter of our fresh food and release about 21 million tonnes of greenhouse gases every year, just in food waste.

On May 17, Julia Kraemer, Winnipeg City Coordinator for the Leftovers Foundation, was the guest speaker at the St. Charles Ladies’ Association general meeting and potluck.

The Leftovers Foundation is a registered charity founded in Calgary in 2012 and is Western Canada’s largest charitable food redirection organization. The Leftovers program reduces food waste by picking up food from stores and restaurants and delivering it to service agencies such as food banks, community housing initiatives, and shelters. These service agencies receiving donated food can redirect funding from their grocery bills into education and rehabilitation programs. 

“In 2022, Leftovers in Winnipeg diverted 539,123 pounds of food from the landfill and provided 460,262 meals. It had 34 food donators and 53 active volunteers.”
— The Leftovers Foundation

Leftovers is a non-profit and does not charge donors or recipients for food rescue and services. Donors have the satisfaction of knowing they are making a valuable contribution to those in need in the community. Every province in Canada has a law that protects a business or organization from liability when donating good food.

Leftovers is currently operating a Home Harvest Program in Winnipeg. This program connects community members who have excess produce from backyard gardens to service agencies in need. 

Volunteers can 

  • connect with donors 

  • rescue food before it ends up in the landfill

  • redirect rescued food to service agencies

For more information check out the website rescuefood.ca.

If you would like to help in any way, please contact Julia Kraemer, Winnipeg City Coordinator  juliakraemer@rescuefood.ca or call Julia at 204-770-3303.

Julia is thanked by St. Charles Ladies’ Association President Elect Kim Zapotchny.

Filling the Bassinet Again

Thank you St. Charles folks for your generous outpouring of love towards new babies and their moms. St. Charles Ladies' Association chose two worthwhile organizations to support this year.

Villa Rosa provides lodging before and after childbirth. Its mission is to support single mothers, babies, and their families. It offers a wide variety of programs in a safe and nurturing environment. Unmarried, pregnant women, or new parents in need may access their services. Villa Rosa was grateful for the bulging carload of beautiful, new baby clothes, blankets, handmade items, diapers, personal hygiene products, and more.

The second recipient was the Family Support Center on Broadway West. The Family Support Centre is a Christian organization providing non-judgmental, compassionate care and companionship to women, men, and children facing difficult situations. It offers a wide range of supportive services that are free of charge and completely confidential. The Centre has been around since 1985 and has helped thousands of women, men, and families. They were delighted to receive several cases of formula to fill their nearly bare cupboards.

St.Charles Ladies’ Association Hosts Winter Retreat

Sixty-six women and men attended the retreat.

This year’s retreat theme, Finding God in Our Everyday, attracted 66 women and men from a number of parishes.  This included participants from as far away St.Theresa’s Point - a distant 1,038 kilometers!

The day opened with a welcome, a prayer, and a smudging offered by Beatrice Chartrand of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish. Beatrice explained the significance of the smudge in clearing our senses and our bodies so that we can notice the good and do it throughout our day. The chant, Open Our Eyes Lord, was sung during the smudge.

Our presenter was Sister Cathy Laviolette from the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.   Sister Cathy led meditations inspired by scripture, shared words of wisdom, audiovisuals, and practical examples of God's awareness. “God”, she emphasized, “is present in the NOW. God’s name is I AM: not I WAS: not I WILL BE.  It is essential, therefore, that we are in the present and aware of God with us.”

The retreat included times of animated sharing and individual meditation on The Beatitudes.

Following a lunch prepared by the hosts, St. Charles Ladies’ Association, Sister Cathy challenged all attendees.  She said, “You are the Church. God is in you - the Church, and God wants to get out not just to family and your circle, but also to the larger community in order to bring about Justice”.

One Thousand Pounds of Food Collected for Emergency Hamper Program

Again this year, Father Allan Hall Knights of Columbus Council #8604 at St. Charles Parish, spearheaded a 40 Cans for Lent event. They collected 1,000 pounds of food and $600 in cash donations from St. Charles parishioners and students of St. Charles Catholic School.

Brandy Bobier, CEO and Community Connector for Community Helpers Unite Inc., thanked the group for their generous donations. She said, “We will be utilizing these donations in our emergency hamper program, as well as our youth mentorship program, for youth in independent living or aging out of the Child and Family Services system”.

Thank you to our Knights for a job well done!

“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ ”
— Matthew 25:37-40 

PRAYER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS TO MARY

Cathy Bouchard, National Chairperson of Spiritual Development for The Catholic Women's League of Canada, requests that we pray for the health of Pope Francis.

O Mary,
You shine continuously on our journey
as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who, at the foot of the cross,
were united with Jesus’ suffering,
and persevered in your faith.

“Protectress of the Roman people”,
you know our needs,
and we know that you will provide,
so that, as at Cana in Galilee,
joy and celebration may return
after this time of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform ourselves to the will of the Father
and to do what Jesus tells us.
For he took upon himself our suffering,
and burdened himself with our sorrows
to bring us, through the cross,
to the joy of the Resurrection.
Amen.

We fly to your protection,
O Holy Mother of God;
Do not despise our petitions
in our necessities,
but deliver us always
from every danger,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.


St. Charles Ladies’ Association Newsletter 2022

Our mission is to assist the parish, under the guidance of the Pastor, to develop a sense of community among women, which promotes the development of the spiritual and social life of the parish.

St. Charles Ladies’ Association 2022-23 Executive

Back left Denyse, Annette, Kim, Anna, Lynda Ann.  Front left Florence, Diana, Eva.  Missing Rita Tully.

Introducing our new Executive

President Diana Hooper

President Elect Kim Zapotochny

Past President Florence Weber

Secretary Eva Arsenault

Treasurer Lynda Ann Smith

Spiritual Convener Anna Desilets

Kitchen Convener Annette Kohut

Events Convener Denyse Lafleche Turnbull

Communication Convener Rita Tully

Past Events

Funeral for Father Terry - The funeral Mass for our former pastor, Rev Terrance P. McGrath, was held at St Charles on September 7, as per Fr Terry’s wishes.  Archbishop Richard Gagnon presided and many priests from the Archdiocese concelebrated.

Many family members and friends from out of town were unable to attend.  The Mass was live-streamed and viewed over 345 times.

It was an honor and a privilege for the ladies to be asked to prepare the funeral luncheon for over 200 people.  In decorating, we paid tribute to his deep Irish roots.

St. Charles Night - November 5, the parish hosted a dinner dance to celebrate  our patron St. Charles Borromeo.  The Ladies’ Association wishes to thank all the women of the parish who contributed to its success - selling tickets, setting up the hall, donating cakes for the auction, running the ‘Gift Card Tree’, selling sponsorships and much more.  With our help the parish raised much needed funds.

The Christmas Bake and Craft Sale - December 3 and 4. We earned a  profit of $1,757.50 which was donated to the Catholic School of Evangelization in St. Malo.  The funds will be used by the CSE to help in renovating  their kitchen.  CSE hosts summer and winter camps for youth who want to grow in their Catholic faith.

Evergreen Workshop - Dodie Labbe facilitated the workshop on December 14 in the parish hall.  The participants spent a fun afternoon creating center pieces and wreaths. Funds raised were donated to the Christmas Cheer Board.

Upcoming Events

Post-Christmas Pot Luck Lunch & Gathering -  Saturday, January 21, doors open at 11:30 am and lunch at 12:00 pm.  A short meeting and fellowship will follow this.

Chili Sunday - February 5 -  The Ladies’ Association has committed to providing two meals per year for 300 people at the Immaculate Conception Soup Kitchen.  We invite parishioners to bring in Chili or make a monetary donation towards the meal.

In February, 2022, our parishioners donated enough chili to fill 8 large pots.  They used the leftovers to make ‘chili dogs’ at a later date.

Assisting Mothers and Babies - Again this February, the Ladies’ Association will collect items for babies i.e. diapers,  clothing and formula which will be donated to pro-life groups - Crisis Pregnancy Centre and Villa Rosa.

“Christmas Blessing
May you be filled with the wonder of Mary, the obedience of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the determination of the magi, and the peace of the Christ child.”
— Author Unknown