Life Members/Honorary Life Members

  Margaret Tipping’s CWL service includes the Diocesan President for Toronto, the Ontario Provincial President, and President of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish. 
     She taught school for 35 years, as well as at the elementary level in Nigeria (Uwani) Africa. She became the Holy Childhood Person for all of Canada, which entailed visiting Uganda, South Africa, Madagascar, Zambia, Kenya, Eritriea Philippines, Thailand, Argentina, Uruguay, and Thailand. These were all the countries where our Canadian Catholic Children (elementary school) gave money to help the children there.

  Life Member 

Margaret Ann is a retired teacher who lives in Elmvale, Ontario. She is married to Michael, who currently publishes a local newspaper from their home, and is the mother of three adult sons. She is also a grandmother to Ethan and Sean, who live in Cochrane, Alberta, and Sophie, Mazie and Porter, who live in Hamillville, Ontario.

Over the years Margaret Ann has been actively involved in her church as a lector, Eucharistic minister, minister of hospitality and counter. More recently volunteer work includes nursing home visitation, Birthright, Women’s Institute and of course helping with the newspaper.

Karen was born in Kirkland Lake Ontario. The eldest of five, she grew up in Northern Ontario and Quebec and has been a League member since her teens.  She was married in 1963 and belonged to Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Etobicoke, then moved to St. Patrick’s Parish in Mississauga two years later where she became more active in the League and still is to this day.  Over the next few years, as her children grew, she served on the executive in different positions, eventually becoming President and Past President during which time the prayers of her CWL sisters sustained her through a bout with breast cancer.

She courageously let her name stand for the Diocesan Council and was elected to Corresponding Secretary Position where she was in the company of Betty Anne Brown (Historian) and Moira St. Marie (President) Also on the executive at that time were, Patricia Beattie, Dorothy McGuigan, Margaret Anne Jacobs and Mary Ellen Stinson.  At the Diocesan Council she also held the positions of Spiritual Development, Christian Family Life, President Elect /Organization and Historian after serving her term as President in 1999. During her term as President she suffered a heart attack and again with breast cancer in 2001 and once again the support and prayers of her League sisters carried her through.

 Mary Ellen is married to Vaughn and is the mother of two, Michael and Simone.  Simone resides in B.C. and has gifted them with two grandchildren, Sierra and Logan,

She joined the CWL at St. Joseph’s Parish, Leslie St., Toronto in 1976 and over the years proceeded to serve the League in many chair positions, in her parish Council, Toronto Region and Diocese.

Mary Ellen received her Life Membership in 2005 from her mentor, Mary Dobell, who was a Charter Member of St. Joseph. At the time, she was serving at the Provincial Council as Corresponding Secretary and as Treasurer the following term.

Toronto Archdiocesan President 2003 - 2005
Member since 1971
Life Member 2007

Celestine belongs to the St Dunstan CWL council, Scarborough.

These are the Executive positions held and level during her time in the CWL: at the Parish level- president-elect/organization; president; past president; treasurer.

At the Regional level- treasurer; organization; resolutions; communications; regional chair; past regional chair.

And at the Archdiocesan level- recording secretary; resolutions; spiritual development standing committee chair; president-elect/organization; president, past president

Patricia Cross was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, the eldest in her family with two younger brothers.   She moved to Toronto in 1963 as a young married woman with one infant son, eventually to have five children - two boys and three girls.

Patricia joined the Catholic Women’ League through the invitation of a friend in 1974, so has been a League member for more than 45 years, always active and a willing worker. 

  Life Member 

 Marlin joined St. Paul the Apostle Parish - Alliston CWL in September 1979 and served as President of St. Paul’s council from 1987 to 1990.

She served as committee chair on 3 Standing Committees on the Northern Region before serving as Northern Regional Chair from 1996 to 1998.

  Life Member (1970)

   Donna Shaddick is a retired teacher of 36 years and has been married to her husband Alan for 50 years, together they have two sons and five grandchildren.

Donna started her CWL journey in 1977 in Pembroke Ontario and was Parish Council President three terms before serving as Past President, Secretary, Communications Chair, Christian Family Life Chair and Community Life Chair.

She served the Pembroke Diocese as Recording Secretary, Communications Chair, Christian Family Life Chair and Education and Health Chair before being elected as Pembroke Archdiocesan President (2005 – 2007) and Past President following that. She was awarded her Life Membership in 2009.

  Mary was born and raised in Toronto.  Mary and her husband Vince were married in 1978, have two children and are blessed with three beautiful grandchildren.  She retired from a career with Bell Canada in 2011 where she had worked for over 36 years. 

Mary joined the CWL in 1992 at her home parish of Nativity of Our Lord after hearing an appeal from the pulpit during an annual membership drive.  Soon after joining she was asked to fill the position of Spiritual Development Chair and this was the beginning of her CWL journey. 

  Life Member 

A retired Nurse Educator and practising Parish Nurse, Shirley is a passionate member of the League since 1991.  She has worked tirelessly, sharing her gifts and love of the League at the parish, diocesan and provincial levels.