Canadian Religious Conference General Assembly Concludes with Reenergized
Commitment to the Vows

MONTREAL, June 2 /CNW Telbec/ - Leadership representatives from more than 200 religious congregations, from across Canada met in Montreal May 27-31 to take a close look at their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and to elect a new Executive team and Administrative Council for the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC).

The more than 325 women and men religious participating in the CRC General Assembly examined their vows in the context of the modern multicultural world guided by the Assembly theme of Seize for God the Energies of Love: Choose to Live the Vowed Life.

Sr. Mary Finlayson, RCSJ, of the Ontario region was elected CRC President while Alain Rodrigue, CMM, from Quebec was elected as Vice-President and Abbott Peter Novecosky, OSB, from Western Canada was elected Secretary-Treasurer.

The new Administrative Council, the main CRC governing Board for the next two years, includes: Josephine Badali, CND; Denise Lachance, REJ; Anne Lewans, OSU; Rosemary MacDonald, CSM; Isaac Martinez, MSA; Pauline Lally, SP; and Past president Yvon Pomerleau, OP, who will sit on the Council for the next year.

The General Assembly concluded with the adoption of a new CRC Declaration which will guide the Conference over the next two years in carrying out the CRC priorities as determined by the Administrative Council. The Declaration urges Canada's religious to use their vows to live in love and compassion with all creation so that they can read the signs of the times in new and creative ways and therefore be challenged to be pathfinders and bridges into a hope-filled future.

A summary of proceedings from the 2010 General Assembly has been posted on the CRC web site at: www.crc-canada.org.

For further information: Louise Stafford, Communications Portfolio, [phone]/109; Cell: [phone], [email protected]; Bill Kokesch, Contractual Communications Associate, [phone], [email protected]