St. James Assiniboia Catholic Women’s League Contributes to End Homeless Winnipeg Expo with 1,100 Welcome Bags

In September 2019, St. James Assiniboia CWL was offered the opportunity to help the homeless in Winnipeg.  End Homelessness Winnipeg, an organization that coordinates all the efforts of homelessness in Winnipeg, was hosting a one-day service event called Gizhe Was Ti-Sii-Win Expo.  Service providers across different sectors come together to deliver essential, dignity-enhancing services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The event was originally planned for June 24, 2020.  St. James Assiniboia CWL was asked to provide the welcome packages  - 1,000 for adults and 100 for children.  When the request was made, the executive enthusiastically replied, “Yes,  we can do this!”   It was decided to make this our 2019 Centenary project - celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Catholic Women’s League organization.

It was important to inform members and other parishioners about the work of End Homelessness Winnipeg  and our upcoming initiative therefore a presentation was arranged. It was essential that the project be environmentally friendly so it was decided to sew cloth bags to contain the welcome package items rather than using  plastic.

We asked members and parishioners to donate fabric.  Kits containing templates, cut material and instructions were distributed.  Our volunteers accomplished the amazing feat of sewing 1,100 cloth bags.

Our next challenge was obtaining items for the Welcome Bags. St. James Assiniboia CWL is comprised of four parishes.  Each parish undertook to collect 1,000 of one specific item:  St. Charles collected new reusable water bottles, St. John XX111 collected socks, St. Paul the Apostle and St. Ann collected hairbrushes and combs.  There was a substantial financial donation from the St. Charles Ladies’ Association and a generous contribution of reusable water bottles from the Manitoba Metis Federation.

In March 2020, Covid-19 brought everything to a halt, and over the following few years, items were stowed away.  Finally, the event was rescheduled for June 24, 2022, at Siloam Mission in Winnipeg.

At the general meetings in April and May,  CWL members  filled 550 bags (totalling 1,1000 bags).  Each tote bag contained a reusable water bottle, a pair of socks, a brush or comb, a granola bar, miscelaneous toiletries, and a card with greetings from the CWL.  End Homelessness provided two bus tickets and passes to city recreational facilities.  The children’s bags contained coloring book, crayons, small toys, socks, reusable water bottles, granola bars, fruit snacks and a city recreational pass.  The monetary value of each adult bag was $30.00 and the child’s bag was $5.00.  When calculating the value of the 1,100 bags,  it totaled an astounding  $30,500.00.

It took four vehicles to transport the Welcome Bags to the event location.  Catholic Women’s League members volunteered as the welcoming committee and distributed the Welcome Bags.

The event’s name, Gizhe Was Ti-Sii-Win, aptly means “working with love, kindness, and generosity for others” in Anishinaabemowin.    This was an opportunity for CWL members, as well as other parishioners, to be involved in many capacities.  The project was done in the true spirit of the event -  kindness, generosity and love for our  less fortunate brothers and sisters.

A Safe, Healthy, Vibrant Community for Women and Families

Members of the Father Allan Hall Knights of Columbus #8604 promote the 40 Cans for Lent campaign.

On April 18th, the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre was the grateful beneficiary of the 40 Cans for Lent food drive spearheaded by the Father Alan Hall Knights of Columbus #8604 from St. Charles Parish.  Throughout Lent, the mountain of food grew until it reached 1,244 pounds.  Thank you to St. Charles Catholic School for donating over 300 pounds of food.  The North Point Douglas Women’s Centre also received a $900 cash donation to purchase much-needed items.

Grand Knight, Jim Turnbull, wished to thank all those who donated food and money.  Jim said, “The donations were received with great happiness and enthusiasm as their shelves were almost empty at that time!!”

St. Charles Parish and St. Charles Catholic School helped fill the empty cupboards at the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre.

About North Point Douglas Women's Centre Inc.

North Point Douglas Women's Centre is a community resource centre in one of Winnipeg's oldest neighbourhoods.  It provides a drop-in space five days a week that responds to basic needs (safety, food security, phone, clothing, computers, information, counselling, spiritual guidance, connection, etc.).  It seeks to support and empower women and their families as they address issues in their lives.

A Spring Fling – Ukrainian Fundraiser

St. Charles parishioners wanted to show their support for Ukrainian people in their fight to save their country from the Russian invasion.  April 23rd, we had a Spring Fling social.   After adding ticket sales, a 50/50 draw, a silent auction, and donations, we raised $5,600.00.

The event chairperson, Colleen Bevan, expressed her appreciation to all who helped.  “A special thanks to the organizing committee, the parishioners who donated the silent auction prizes, and those fabulous karaoke performers.  Well done St. Charles!”.

Filling the Bassinet for Twenty-Five Years

During February, St.  Charles Ladies’ Association collected gifts for young, pregnant moms and their babies. These new items were given to Villa Rosa and Crisis Pregnancy Centre. 

The first Ladies’ Association President, Verna Baccari, remembers when filling the bassinet became a St. Charles Parish tradition twenty-five years ago.  “We felt so blessed as a parish we wanted to reach out to the less fortunate”.

Project Coordinator, Anna Desilets, was impressed with the overwhelming support from parishioners.  “This week we will deliver the bounty of love you have provided for young moms and their babies. The bassinet overflowed with dozens of sleepers, onesies, blankets, sweaters, diapers, knitted goods and more as well as thoughtful personal gifts, as requested, for their moms.  In this time of limited church attendance, your generous response is overwhelming!”

Here is some information about both these worthwhile organizations.

Crisis Pregnancy Centre

Women have the legal right in Canada to seek and obtain an abortion. Women have the right to make moral choices about their own lives. At the Crisis Pregnancy Centre, they understand this and believe this makes it imperative that women also be given the right to all the available information regarding the impact that their decisions will have.

Villa Rosa

Villa Rosa provides shelter, education, support and programming for pregnant women and new mothers with babies. A pregnant woman or new mother may access their services free of charge. Services offered include shelter, breastfeeding support, medical care, on-site schooling, Aboriginal Studies, Early Literacy Programs, cooking instruction, addictions awareness, anger management, parenting programs, adoption awareness, budgeting, nutrition, and post-natal housing. 

Jesus said, “What you do for these little ones, you do for me”.

Parishioners Demonstrate a Generous Spirit

Every Sunday from September to May, the Immaculate Conception Soup Kitchen, 181 Austin St N in Winnipeg, serves a nutritious meal to hungry people.  On February 6,  it was our turn to provide the food for their Sunday meal.  

As usual, the big-hearted parishioners of St. Charles Parish demonstrated their generous spirit.  The meal consisted of homemade chili, buns, bananas, bottled  water, juice boxes and cookies. 

Steve, a volunteer at the soup kitchen,  stated because of the generous amount of food they were able to,  “serve  200 individual meals and nine family hampers.  There was lots of chili and we had enough for about half the people to get two bowls with leftovers”.

The St. Charles Ladies’ Association wishes to thank the many parishioners who helped supply the meal for the Immaculate Conception Soup Kitchen.  Thanks to those who made chili, bought groceries, donated money, baked cookies, transported food, and prayed for its success. 

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

“It’s not about how much you do, but how much love you put into what you do that counts.”  Mother Teresa

The Way of the Cross

 "O Lord, make this Lenten season different from the other ones. Let me find you again. Amen.” Henri Nouwen

The Way of the Cross, also known as The Stations of the Cross, is a spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of the Passion of Christ.  It grew from imitations of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem which is a traditional processional route representing the path Jesus walked from the house of Pontius Pilate to Golgotha, the place of Christ’s crucifixion.

Approximately twenty-five years ago, St. Charles parishioners, under the leadership of Deacon Robert Gate, presented the “Living Stations of the Cross”, tableau format, each Friday during Lent.  This continued for several years.

Lorraine Thibert, a parishioner, felt called to revive the Living Stations of the Cross at St. Charles.  She stated, “I thought it was so effective and moved so many people I wanted to bring it back”.   With COVID-19 restrictions, doing a live performance did not seem advisable, therefore it was decided to do a video to be broadcast on the St. Charles YouTube channel.

Lorraine approached former participants and new parishioners who wished to be involved.  The narrative remains the same, however, Lorraine composed new, original music.

All involved are parishioners.  Lorraine composed the music, did the photography and edited the video.  Celeste Thibert directed.  Greg Chase did the lighting and the green screen.  The voice talents were Logan Ryner, Ian Michaluk and Kathy Decle.  Eleven St. Charles parishioners were actors.

This long, complex process was a true labour of love.  After many hours of post-production work,  Lorraine has created this forty-five-minute presentation which will be launched on Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022.

Why would these people spend so much time and energy on this project?  It is their hope that presenting this video will help Christians to re-discover and appreciate more fully the meaning and scope of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ and thus unite their own earthly suffering with His.

The video will be launched on the St. Charles website and on the St. Charles YouTube channel on Ash Wednesday and will be left up until Good Friday. Click link The Ways of the Cross

Members from St. Charles Parish who participated in the making of “The Way of the Cross”.

Evergreen Workshop Profits to North Point Douglas Women's Centre

Thank you to Dodie Labbe for facilitating our recent Evergreen Wreath and Centrepiece Workshop.  Thank you to Chad Labbe from Shelmerdine Garden Centre for giving us the evergreen boughs free of charge. The  $360 profit was forwarded to The North Point Douglas Women’s Centre. This charitable non-profit organization is located at 221 Austin St N in Winnipeg.  Since 2002, the Centre has been working to create a safe, healthy, and vibrant community for women and their families.

A Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name

St. Charles parishioners were looking for a way to celebrate the feast of our partron St. Charles Borromeo (November 4).  Typically a very active and sociable parish, the pandemic  brought all social activities to a standstill.  

Colleen Bevan and Jamie MacDonald  organized previous St. Charles’ Dinners.  Despite  all the uncertainty and rules changing continually, they decided to take a ‘leap of faith’ and start  planning a parish social.

COVID restrictions complicated the process of selling the tickets, serving the food, setting up the hall and providing the entertainment but with faith and determination they worked through all the obstacles.

When November 6 arrived, 93 parishioners attended and 29 people got  ‘take out’ dinners.

St. Charles hall looked elegant with autumn decor, lights dimmed and centrepieces flickering on the tables.  The kitchen crew worked all day preparing a delicious turkey dinner with all the trimmings.  

A video production of “St. Charles - Dancing With the Stars” featured ten musical numbers starring St. Charles parishioners.

Ron Labbe was our fast-talking auctioneer at the cake auction.  Seven beautifully decorated  and delicious cakes were sold to the highest bidder.

The evening concluded with karaoke.  Who knew St. Charles Parish had such talent!

This event was not intended to be a fundraiser.  The objective was to have fun and revive the spirit of our parish after many months of social isolation with COVID restrictions.  Coming together with members of our faith community  helped to remind us that we are not alone in this world - the St. Charles Parish family is the  place where we belong.

"It is not good that man should be alone.” (Gen. 2:18)

Our New Pro-Life Banner

L - R: Jamie Macdonald, Jim Turnbull, Richard Nichol and Norbert Thibert. Taking the picture and helping out was Dan McInnis.

As with many other events this year, the 2021 Pro-Life March was cancelled. The Manitoba State Office of the Knights of Columbus, with the approval of the 3 Archbishops and in partnership with "Life's Vision", is pleased to promote this initiative by asking all Councils in Manitoba to purchase and display the new Pro-Life Banner on Parish property.

Father Allan Hall Council is participating and has erected the banner for display on the grounds of the St. Charles Parish Church.

“Life’s Vision is working to create a new narrative on what it means to be prolife. A narrative that equips individuals, communities, and businesses to support the value of life from the beginning to the end, and the years in between. ”

— lifesvision.ca

40 Cans for Lent Food Drive

Again this Lent,  Father Allan Hall Knights of Columbus invited St. Charles parishioners to help feed the hungry.  Beginning on Ash Wednesday and continuing the 40 days of Lent, canned and dry goods were collected for the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre which is located in Winnipeg’s North End. 

North Point Douglas Women’s Centre

When the Lenten season finished, food donations totaled 1,854 lbs with 486 lbs coming from the students, parents, and teachers of St. Charles Catholic School.  The $695.00 in cash donations was used for most needed food items at the centre.  

Knights of Columbus Grand Knight, Jim Turnbull, wishes to thank everyone for their generous support.

Jim Turnbull Grand Knight of the Father Allan Hall Knights of Columbus at St. Charles Parish

Food Bank Use in Canada

• Over 840,000 Canadians seek help from a food bank every month.

• Almost two in five are children and youth.

• 1 in 6 households seeking help are working.

• 1 in 10 walking through the doors each month are helped for the first time.