Diane Miedema
Diane and her eight siblings were raised in a devout Catholic family; two of her sisters are nuns. Her early years were spent in a farming district in Saskatchewan; and she lived in Revenue and Saskatoon before moving to Lethbridge as a pre-teen.
After graduating from Lethbridge College, she worked for the Alberta Motor Association and City of Lethbridge. During her 36 years with the City, she coordinated advertising, processed school-age child care registrations and subsidies, and managed the City’s auto, property, and third party liability claims.
Diane tutors adult English language learning, is a member of the local Remembrance Day Committee, and occasionally volunteers for the Kinettes, soup kitchen, and food bank. In her free time, she enjoys baking, knitting, and reading.
She is a member of St. Ambrose Parish in Coaldale and served as Parish Council Chair and taught Sunday School. She currently serves as Eucharistic Minister, lector, collection counter, and on the Finance Committee.
When Diane was 27 years old, a dear friend invited her to join the CWL. Since then she has served her parish council as treasurer, president, past president, and membership administrator, along with several standing committee roles. When activities get frenzied, her friend often quips, “Aren’t you glad that I invited you to join the League!”
Diane values her experiences as Registration Chair for the 2016 Diocesan Convention in Lethbridge and on the Liturgy Committee for the 2019 National Convention in Calgary. She is enthusiastic about the League’s future and enjoyed working with four other members across Canada to develop the Strategic Planning resource, “The Joy of Leadership Through Engagement in Ministry” (resource #630 on the national website).
She was welcomed to Calgary Diocesan Council in 2017 and has chaired Resolutions, Communications, and the 100th Anniversary Planning Committee. She has now accepted the position of Treasurer and looks forward to enhancing her financial literacy skills while serving her sisters across the diocese.
Diane and husband Otto have been blessed with two children, Justin and Ashley, and three incredible grandsons: Kaison, Carter, and Jaden. She also feels blessed by the supportive sisterhood, comradery, and lifelong friendships that the League offers. Her mother was a member in Lethbridge and Sister Jean is a member in Stony Plain. Diane is grateful for the opportunities to enrich her faith and personal growth alongside other Catholic women in her parish, diocese, and country.
Contact her
- by email at
- 403-345-3974 Home
- 403-892-2244 Cell (texts)
Father Pilmaikén Lezano
Father Pilmaikén Lezano was born in Puno, Peru, the youngest of the children of Nidia and Percy.
After completing his bachelor degree in 2012, he felt blessed to have been asked by Bishop Frederick Henry to join the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary as a seminarian. Upon his arrival in Calgary, he was sent to St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton for formation and enculturation.
On June 20, 2015, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Frederick Henry at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary. Since then, he has served as Associate Pastor at Ascension Parish, St. Michael’s, and Holy Spirit, and Administrator of St. Anthony’s Parish. Currently Pastor of Our The Shrine Church of Lady of the Rockies Parish in Canmore.
Bishop William McGrattan appointed Father Pilmaikén as Calgary Diocesan Spiritual Advisor effective January 1, 2021. Father Pilmaikén states when asked by Bishop McGrattan to be the Diocesan Spiritual Advisor, he accepted the appointment knowing he would be working alongside devout and fervent women, building up God’s church.
Contact him at Spiritual Advisor
Dr. Rose Geonzon
Dr. Rose was born in the Philippines and immigrated to Canada in 1975, spending more than half of her life in Calgary. She is married with one child and two granddaughters, ages 16 and 13, and both are studying in the Catholic school system.
She was first exposed to CWL while in the Philippines. She was a family doctor who volunteered at the CWL Charity Clinic every weekend for three years. She realized her passion for the League when she was invited to join in 1984. She was busy with her profession as a family physician and didn’t become active until eight years ago when she joined the executive at Holy Trinity, Calgary as Education & Health Chair. She then served as President Elect and Organization Chair before her term as President from 2016-2018.
Despite being very busy in her medical practice, Dr. Rose is involved in various ministries at Holy Trinity. She served as Parish Council President, as well as music director of the 11:00 a.m. mass. She coordinates the “Christmas Concert around the World” at Christmas; and coordinates and directs the “Passion Play of Jesus Christ” on Good Friday. After attending the Eucharistic Convention in Montreal in 2002, she introduced the “Children of Hope” to Holy Trinity Parish. She is involved in fundraising for church renovations; and is happy to serve, in Jesus’ name, to share her hobbies and passion for music by singing in the choir and teaching music to children.
Dr. Rose is also active in the Lions Club, serving and helping people to improve their lives. Her involvement in the Filipino Canadian community helps people to preserve their heritage by sharing and teaching young generations its rich heritage and culture.
Although she is slowing her medical practice, Dr. Rose is still greatly involved as clinical preceptor at the University of Calgary for the “International Medical Graduates,” helping them qualify to practice medicine in Canada.
Contact her at Christian Family Life
Dorothy Boras
Dorothy was born in Calgary and moved around to several cities before settling in Lethbridge where she graduated from Catholic Central High School. She attended the University of Lethbridge and graduated with a BA, majoring in French. After working for a year in Ottawa, she attended St. Francis Xavier University and earned her Education Degree.
Dorothy moved to Calgary to begin her teaching career; and also taught in Lethbridge, Vulcan and Dawson Creek, BC. She then moved to Pincher Creek where she taught in the public system for 25 years. She taught in Australia during a one-year teachers’ exchange in 2002.
Upon retiring in 2012, she moved to Lethbridge to live with her mother. Her interests include travelling, scrapbooking, reading, quilting and playing guitar.
Her CWL involvement began by helping her mother with CWL activities in Lethbridge. She joined in Dawson Creek and helped with the church music ministry. When she moved to Pincher Creek, she joined the CWL to meet ladies in the parish and held various positions. Since moving to Lethbridge, she has served her parish council as President Elect, President, and Past President; and is currently serving as Resolutions and Legislation Chair.
Besides CWL, Dorothy is involved in Girl Guides. She went through the program as a child and continued as a leader for the past 40 years. She has held various positions in the District and Area; and organized a trip to Switzerland for a group of 10 Girl Guides in 2018.
Dorothy’s goals are to learn how to write a resolution and help ladies in the diocese draft resolutions for the Diocesan convention. She feels blessed to serve the League in this position.
Moving to Lethbridge...President, Past President and is now Resolutions and Legislation chair.”
Contact her at Resolutions
Dorothy Boras
Dorothy was born in Calgary and moved around to several cities before settling in Lethbridge where she graduated from Catholic Central High School. She attended the University of Lethbridge, graduating with a BA majoring in French. After working for a year in Ottawa, she returned to university at St. F.X.U. and earned her Education Degree.
Dorothy moved to Calgary to begin her teaching career. She taught in Calgary, Lethbridge, Vulcan and Dawson Creek, BC before moving to Pincher Creek to teach in the public system for 25 years. In 2002 she taught in Australia for a year as part of a teachers exchange. Upon retiring in 2012, she moved to Lethbridge to live with her mother. Her interests include travelling, scrapbooking, reading, quilting, and playing guitar.
Dorothy has been involved in Girl Guides for many years. She went thru the program as a child and continued as a leader for the past 40 years. She has held various positions in the District and Area. In 2018 she organized a trip to Switzerland for a group of 10 Girl Guides.
Her CWL involvement began with helping her mother with CWL activities in Lethbridge. She joined in Dawson Creek and helped with the church’s music ministry. When she moved to Pincher Creek, she joined the CWL to meet ladies in the parish and held various positions. Moving to Lethbridge she became President-Elect, President, and Past President.
Dorothy was Resolutions Chair for the past three years and helped a council draft a resolution which was adopted at the 2022 Diocesan Convention and sent to the Provincial Council. She is now the Legislation Chair and is looking forward to learning about this position. She is blessed to have met so many sisters in the League.
Contact her at Legislation
Consuelo E. Munar
Consuelo was born in the Philippines, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature from the University of the Philippines. In 1972 she married her husband, Oscar. In 1975, they and their two-year old daughter migrated to Canada where their two sons were born.
In Calgary, Consuelo's work in accounting broadened her knowledge, and she pursued a Business Management Diploma Program at the University of Calgary, and took courses in Petroleum Accounting at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
For five years, Consuelo opted to be a stay home mom making the well-being of her three growing children her priority. She volunteered at their schools and helped her children in their academic endeavours as well as in their various out of school activities. She proudly saw her daughter become a leader of the Youth Ministry at Holy Trinity Parish which allowed her to attend the first World Youth Day in North America in Denver, Colorado. Her two sons travelled to several countries including Finland and Russia as Calgary’s Ambassadors of Good Will and as members of the Calgary Boys Choir. They were also altar servers, and accompanist and cantors of the Holy Trinity Parish choir.
In 1999, Consuelo and Oscar moved to the United States. She worked and took courses improving her knowledge of policy and assisting her as a Compliance Coordinator and Compliance Analyst. While in San Diego, CA, she was a parishioner and lector at the Good Shepherd Parish, a huge multicultural Catholic community. A devotee of the Sacred Heart of Jesus since 1967, she joined the Sacred Heart Apostolate group that prayed together every first Friday of the month. She also continued her weekly Wednesday devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
By 2010, they returned to Calgary. Having taken early retirement and dreading boredom, Consuelo volunteered for several organizations including Feed the Hungry, TD Read with Me, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Peter School, and UP Alumni Association of Alberta. Committed to Holy Trinity Parish, she served as Eucharistic Minister, lector, and chair of the Stewardship Committee.
She joined the Holy Trinity Parish CWL in 2011. Although a CWL newbie, she enthusiastically attended the 2012 CWL National Convention in Edmonton. There she realized the opportunity to “make a difference” and returned to her parish council to serve as Legislation and Resolutions Chair. In 2019, as President she developed the council’s first policy and procedure handbook and a spiritual retreat to increase Marian devotion. She encouraged her CWL sisters to deepen and strengthen their faith by actively participating in the parish spiritual activities and devotions.
Consuelo strongly believes in leading by example, and that daily integrating our lives with Jesus and His Blessed Mother is the key to faith fulfillment and genuine service to others.
Secretary
Anthea Berdan
Anthea was born in the Philippines to a Catholic family and studied in a Catholic school.
Her dream of living in the United States of America brought her to work in Saipan, CNMI, USA where she actively participated in church ministry activities as a Lector, and writer/contributor of The North Star, a local newspaper of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa. She was also a member of the Couples for Christ – Singles for Christ (Saipan), and the Head of Information and Publications Ministry of the Light and Salt Catholic Charismatic Community under the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa.
After a decade of working abroad, she migrated to Canada in 2004 to join her family in Calgary with a belief that this was the place where God planted her to bloom. With this mindset, it did not take long for her to look for a community to grow her faith and serve God. She easily adapted to the Canadian culture and found her community again in Couples for Christ – Singles for Christ Calgary. She served as a lector and choir member of CFC-SFC in St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Calgary.
In 2007, Anthea married Cesar who she believes is “God’s Gift”. While waiting for him to arrive in Canada, she actively participated in CFC Handmaids of the Lord.
In 2009, she joined the Lector Ministry at St. Mary’s Cathedral. She “followed the voice” of the Holy Spirit and walked the path leading her to join CWL in April 2017. At her first meeting of St. Mary’s Cathedral CWL she was asked to do the minutes, and later became the Secretary. At the time, little did she know that she would play a vital role in the council, building relationships. She responded to God’s call for greater responsibility by serving as President from September 2017 to December 2019. And as the Past-President she was called to serve in her new position as the Calgary Diocesan CWL Secretary.
Contact her at Secretary
Jan Myhre
Jan has been a member of the League since 2006. She is married to Jim and has a blended family with 7 children and 15 grandchildren.
Moving back to Calgary after being away for 25 years, Jan wanted to meet new friends and so decided joining St. Peter's CWL would be one way of building new relationships. She has always been involved in the parishes she belonged to, in various capacities, so when she joined St. Peter's CWL, she decided she was going to take a break, just pay her membership, and not be an active member. So she told herself. Well, it wasn't long before Jan took on the role of treasurer. She didn't really know what the CWL was all about until she became a member of her council's executive. She was treasurer for 4 years, then agreed to become President-Elect in 2010, and her role of council President was from 2011 – 2013. By attending the Calgary regional meetings, the Diocesan Fall Meetings and Conventions, she quickly picked up on the fact that the CWL isn't geared only around her local council, but throughout the diocese, province and country!
She attended her first National Convention in 2012 in Edmonton after a resolution St. Peter's presented was passed at both the diocesan, then provincial convention, and from then on, her involvement and love of the League has grown. Jan was appointed diocesan secretary in 2013, took on the role of diocesan communications in 2015 then let her name stand for diocesan president-elect in 2017. When Jan became diocesan president in May 2019, little did she know the pandemic would change the world, and her two year term became three.
Jan is now diocesan past president and is looking forward to a new challenge as the upcoming changes in the Constitution & Bylaws shapes the future of the League.
After a 14 year career in the oil and gas industry, Jan is now working at the Catholic Pastoral Centre, and remains active in her parish at St. Peter’s in Calgary as well. She loves spending time with the kids and grandchildren, and hopes to get back to travelling.
Contact Jan at Past President/ History & Archives
Theresa Duncan
Theresa was born in Sarnia, Ontario and grew up in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. After completing a Bachelor of Commerce at UBC in Vancouver, she returned to Alberta and has lived in Calgary for the past 17 years.
Despite being a cradle Catholic, she only joined St. Paul’s Airdrie CWL in 2014. Shortly thereafter she joined the Executive as the Chairperson of Resolutions & Legislation. After the council was discerning about leadership, she took the role of President for two terms’ 2017-2021. In addition to her new duties as a Diocesan Officer, she is now mentoring her council as Past-President.
She has always enjoyed scriptural study and attending and organizing spiritual retreats. She has led a Bible Study at St. Paul’s Parish for many years. To further advance her knowledge and progress her faith journey, she enrolled at Newman’s Theological College. She is very proud to have achieved a Certificate of Theology in Sacred Scripture in December of 2021. This included ten university classes in theology and sacred scripture. She is very much looking forward to applying this newfound knowledge to her role as Diocesan Chairperson of Spiritual Development.
The loves of her life are her four nieces (three on earth and one in heaven) and her little dog Lucy. In her spare time, she loves to quilt, read voraciously and travel.
Contact her at Spiritual Development
Education & Health
Margaret Inkster
Margaret was born in Manitoba, graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in Yorkton, Saskatchewan and went on to Teachers' College in Winnipeg where she met her husband, Ray. When they came west to Calgary and Banff on their honeymoon Margaret knew then that Calgary would one day be their home. She wanted to be close to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. After their second son was born, they moved to Calgary. Since then, they have been blessed with five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
When the Calgary Catholic School Board was short of teachers, Margaret applied and spent thirty-three years with Calgary Catholic. Fortunately for her, she was granted a Sabbatical Leave during which time she worked at completing her degree in Education. Margaret went on to pursue a Religious Education Degree from Newman College when it was being offered in Calgary. With this degree she qualified to become a consultant in the Religious Education Department for four years.
After her retirement she worked at Corpus Christi Church as their Religious Education Coordinator for the Children's programs for five years.
Not really knowing much about the Catholic Women's League she joined St. Mark's Council during one of their membership drives with the idea of supporting them and just being a member. Several years later in 2013 Margaret received a personal phone call from the newly elected president wanting to know if she would be willing to be the Health & Education Chair. After considering this invitation, Margaret thought, yes, maybe she could do that. Then someone told her that she should be Vice President, even though she had no idea what that title meant! This was just the beginning of her executive career. She moved up to President Elect, President and is presently the Past President of her council.
Contact her at Education & Health
Communications
Gail Poshtar
Gail was born in Fort St. John, BC and moved to Edmonton to attend University. She met her husband, Ron, in a computing science class! After completing her Bachelor of Education, she taught in several Edmonton Catholic Schools. When Christopher and then Stephen were born, she taught night school, summer school and then adult education day classes for Edmonton Public Schools. Ron’s work required a move to Calgary in 1992. Gail joined Holy Spirit CWL to meet the women of the parish. Gail found work with Calgary Catholic Schools in 1993. She taught Mathematics at Bishop Grandin, Father Lacombe and Bishop McNally. Her love for the league grew after helping with 2001 National Convention in Calgary. She has attended many conventions since. When Ron died in 2003, Gail decided to join Holy Spirit’s executive. She has filled many positions - secretary, membership, spiritual, communications, President and Past President twice. Projects include the used book sale, craft sale, and comfort dolls for Agape Hospice. Gail retired from teaching in 2016 and this allowed her more time to help her family, Mom and Dad and Mother-in-law, in Edmonton. Her passion for crafting finds her working on cards for IWIN, Mission Council, and quilting. She is an avid reader.
She looks forward to her term as Communications Chair for the Calgary Diocesan Council. The Joy of the Lord is our strength.
Contact her at Communications
Jan Morel
Jan was born in Edmonton and later moved with her family to Whitehorse, Yukon where she grew up. She attended the University of Guelph studying BComm, Hotel and Food Administration.
After graduating from university, she started her career in Edmonton where she met her husband, Pierre while working for CP hotels (now Fairmont). They have one son, André (28) who is an ER nurse at Peter Lougheed Hospital in Calgary. Their hospitality careers took them across the country to Ottawa, Halifax, Calgary and now Lethbridge.
For over 30 years, Jan has worked for a large contract food service company, Compass Group Canada. She has held senior management positions at Dalhousie University and the University of Calgary; and throughout the Maritimes and western Canada. The company transferred her to the University of Lethbridge in 2018.
Jan became a Catholic through the RCIA program shortly after André was born. She joined St Luke’s CWL in 2006 when they moved to Calgary. She thought that it would be a good way to meet new people and make some friends. In her first year, she was “encouraged” to join the executive and accepted the role as Treasurer. She also held positions of Communications Chair, President Elect, President and Past President. She joined the Calgary Diocesan Council as Treasurer in 2017 and has just begun her second term in this role.
Most of Jan’s spare time is taken up by family, travel, yoga and CWL. Continuing her CWL journey as Diocesan Treasurer is very exciting; and she feels truly blessed to be among all the wonderful women of this very special League.
Contact Jan at Treasurer
Julie Rose
Julie was born in New Westminster and has lived her life in the province of British Columbia except for 2 years in Toronto and the last 4 years in Lethbridge.
She moved to be with her only child and two granddaughters as well as a great-nephew, whose mother passed away from breast cancer two ½ years ago and asked to help her daughter with legal guardianship. Two of the children are in grade 9 and the youngest in grade 7 at St. Francis Junior High.
When questioned about how she would adjust to not knowing anyone and leaving long time friendships she responded, “I always have the League and the friendship of its members”. Our Lady of the Assumption CWL council welcomed her with open arms! She is their Spiritual Chair and looks forward to being our Calgary Diocesan Treasurer.
Julie has been a CWL member since 1995. Shortly after becoming parish president, she was invited to join the Vancouver Diocesan council and served as the Treasurer for two terms and Spiritual Chair for one term. Having retired she moved to Vancouver Island where she was appointed Treasurer on the BC & Yukon Provincial executive. She would have liked to continue but was called to be with her family.
Julie has worked in a variety of administrative positions including banking, provincial and federal government, and manufacturing. Before retiring 9 years ago, she held her most rewarding position as the school administrator at a Catholic Independent School in Maple Ridge, B.C. She was the only office staff and worked closely with the Parish Priest who ran the school, the principal, teachers, and School Board members. She was responsible for the general accounting with a budget of over $1M and the registration of all 230 students annually, including international students. Her duties involved student fees, attendance records, parent participation assignments, staff pay and benefits, and reporting to the elected parish school board, Vancouver Catholic Independent School board and Ministry of Education for BC. During her 25-year career, she knew over two thousand students and built strong relationships with several families.
Julie enjoys travelling across Canada and internationally, over a 13-year period she visited her daughter’s family, when they lived in California. Also, she enjoys creative painting as well many other crafts.
Contact Julie at Treasurer
Kathleen Winter
Kathleen was born In Dublin, Ireland. Her father came to Canada in 1957 flying directly to Calgary to find a job. Kathleen came to Canada with her mom and my older brother, Jim; first by train from Dublin to Cobh and then by ship. It took 6 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean and their ship docked at Montreal May 1958. From Montreal, they journeyed by train for 3 days to get to Calgary where she has lived ever since. Her sister Alice was born in Calgary, and she has the red hair. There has always been a redhead in the family in every generation.
Kathleen attended Bishop Grandin High School and then attended Hollingshead Business College. She got her first “real” job at Calgary Power where she met her husband, Willis. They have been married for 47 years and have two daughters who are both married. They have four grandchildren (3 boys: Zach, Aidan and Ruari and 1 girl: Gaia).
Kathleen and Willis have been members of St. Bonaventure Parish in Calgary for 46 years and they usher at the Sunday 10:30 AM Mass. Willis Is the President of the Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation.
Willis and Kathleen have taken the Great Adventure Bible Study, the Gospel of Matthew and the Acts of the Apostles and have signed up for the Book of Revelations this fall.
During their leisure time, they have season tickets to Theatre Calgary and Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. They ride bikes in Fish Creek and around Calgary daily. For the last 4 years they have biked from Canmore to Banff, a round trip of 48 km, stopping in Banff for lunch before the return trip. They hope to travel further afield this summer.
Kathleen has been a CWL member with St. Bonaventure Council in Calgary since 2004 and has held the positions of Circle Leader, Secretary, Communications and Correspondence, President, Past President and Secretary. She was the co-chair for the 2013 Diocesan Convention in Calgary.
On Diocesan Council, Kathleen has served as chair of Legislation, Resolutions, Education & Health, and Spiritual Development. She is looking forward to being your President Elect and the upcoming changes to the Constitution and Bylaws as the League continues to rollout their strategic plan.
Contact her at President Elect
