ST. PETER’S CWL HOSTS DR. LUCY MILLER

In celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Calgary Catholic School District, St. Peter’s CWL was pleased and honored to have Dr. Lucy Miller, District Chief Superintendent, as a guest presenter on Wednesday evening, March 17 at St. Peter’s Church, Calgary. In her soft Cape Breton burr, Dr. Miller was an inspired speaker, keeping her listeners enthralled, in stitches, and occasionally in tears as she began by describing her early childhood in a small village in Nova Scotia. She told the story of how she was able to pursue her dream of attending St. Francis Xavier University, where she held 3 jobs and even managed to send money home to her family. Drawing from her personal experience as well as that of an educator, she went on to describe how blessed we are to have a relationship with God - “Knowing God is like having a dog – you are never alone and you are never afraid”. However, she reminded her listeners, this gift comes with responsibilities, which might not always be convenient. But that by giving each other permission to not be perfect, by modeling forgiveness & reconciliation, by sharing our gifts, and by recognizing opportunities in our path to bring God’s love into the world, we can share in the role of shepherd. After all, she pointed out, Jesus did not work alone; He assembled a “motley crew”, not a perfect one. And since every day is a new day, we only have to be open to what God needs us to be, so that we can play our part in His plan. In lieu of the usual speaker’s honorarium, Dr. Miller graciously accepted a donation to the Catholic Education Foundation of Calgary, which was also the recipient of a free will collection at the door. Following Dr. Miller’s talk, members of the audience, which included several guests from other CWL councils in Calgary, retired to a lively and enjoyable social, secure in the knowledge that the Calgary Catholic School District is in the hands of a very able shepherd indeed.