Edmonton Diocesan CWL
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  • Home
    • History
    • Our Lady of Good Counsel
    • Awards >
      • Doreen Melton Scholarship
      • Elsie Yanik
      • Bellelle Guerin
      • Maple Leaf Service Pin
      • Father Walter Krewski Membership Awards
  • Events
    • Diocesan Convention >
      • 2023 Diocesan Convention
      • 2022 DIOCESAN CONVENTION
      • 2021 DIOCESAN CONVENTION
      • 2020 Diocesan Convention
    • FALL MEETINGS >
      • FALL MEETING 2022
      • FALL MEETING 2021
    • Regional Workshops & Events >
      • Edmonton - Jasper Region
      • Edmonton - Provost Region
      • St. Albert - Lloydminster Region
      • Red Deer Region
    • Special Events >
      • CWL Book Project
  • News
  • Info from National
    • Annual Reports
  • Forms
  • Links
  • Archives
    • Photos
    • Past Events
    • Policy Documents
  • Contact Us

Awards

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​Bellelle Guerin


Bellelle Guerin

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​The Guerin family crest dates back to France in the 700s A.D., with members of the family immigrating to Ireland in the 17th century and Thomas Guerin coming to Canada where he founded the Canadian branch of the family. His eldest daughter, Mary Ellen Guerin, was born on September 24, 1849 in Montreal.
She was educated at the Mount St. Mary Convent of the Congregation of Notre Dame where she became renown throughout Canada as a writer and poet of distinction. It was during this time that she adopted the name of Bellelle Guerin.
Bellelle never married but assisted her brother, widower Dr. James Guerin, in raising his two children and served as Lady Mayoress when James became the mayor of Montreal in 1910.
By 1917 Bellelle became president of the Catholic Women’s Club, formerly the Loyola Club.
By 1920 the Montreal branch grew to 440 members and and by June, at Bellelle’s instigation, a meeting was called to unify the branches of the CWL. She was elected first president of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada.
The following year at the first national convention, held in Toronto, Ontario, she expressed her belief in the future of the organization. “we may be said to be laying the cornerstone of an edifice that will arise fair and beautiful, strong and proud before the eyes of the world.”
Bellelle’s role in the League was recognized in 1922 at a meeting of the International Union of Catholic Women’s Leagues in Rome, where she became the first woman in Canada to receive the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal. She said, “I hold the honour as belonging to every individual member of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada.”
Mary Ellen (Bellelle) Guerin died in 1929 and is buried in Cote-des-Neiges Cemetary.
Award Forms
Bellelle Guerin award form
Bellelle Guerin award disclaimer
Previous Award Winners

Bellelle Guerin Award 2020

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On October 7th, St. Vital Parish Council (Beaumont) gathered for an awards ceremony. Rose Goudreau was presented with the Bellelle Guerin award for exemplary service in the League, having served for 45 years.



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