League Has 12 New Branches

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31190, 14 October 1966, Page 2

League Has 12 New Branches

Twelve new branches and one subbranch of the Catholic Women’s League were formed during the year, bringing the New Zealand total to 188 branches and four sub-branches, said the annual report presented at the league’s Dominion conference in Christchurch yesterday.

All four dioceses were now decentralised. Auckland had 62 branches and three subbranches and Wellington had

70 branches and one subbranch. There were 26 branches in Christchurch and 30 in Dunedin. The Gisborne branch had been responsible for the preparation of a monthly newsletter sent to Tonga and was congratulated for its contribution towards better understanding of island people. This year the Sockburn parish would continue publication of the newsletter. Pupils of St. Bede’s College would translate the letter into the Tongan language, before dispatch to Nukualofa. During the year the league had applied for money from the Golden Kiwi lottery fund to further charitable work already begun in the community. A cheque for £lOOO had been received and the money allotted to the four dioceses for distribution to branches i making suitable applications. The league’s annual donation of £lOO had been forwarded to the Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, for the education of Fijian students in the priesthood. All branches of the league

had assisted New Caledonia with the education of its future priests. Two seminarians from Noumea were sponsored on a visit to New Zealand for six weeks each year. The first two weeks were spent at Greenmeadows seminary, Napier, to enable students to improve their English and to take part in the life of New Zealand seminarians. Later they were the guests of each diocese in turn. New President Mrs J. D. Lang, of Wellington, was elected Dominion president of the league.

Mrs Lang has been a member of the league for 13 years and has served on the Wellington Archdiocesan Council for 12 years, including a four-year term as president. She was made a life member at the Dominion conference of the league last year. The new national secretary. Mrs J. J. Taylor, is also from Wellington. Mrs B. O’Brien, of Wellington, will serve a further term of office as international officer and Mrs F. O. Fox, of Invercargill, is the new mission secretary.