In 1980, a group of individuals who represented various sectors of the English-speaking Catholic community and its organizations met with the idea of consolidating our human and material resources for the development of our community. This led to the formation in July 1981 of the English Speaking Catholic Council (ESCC) with a mandate to act as a focal point in coordinating the English-speaking Catholic community of Greater Montreal. Over the years, the English Speaking Catholic Council has assumed a higher profile which now extends throughout the province and beyond. Existing by-laws define membership to consist of any individual living in the Province of Quebec who considers himself/herself as belonging to the English-speaking Catholic community, has paid any requisite membership fee and whose application has been approved by the Board of Directors.
In keeping with the mission of the Church, the English Speaking Catholic Council focuses its efforts primarily in the educational, health and social services, community animation, social justice and cultural domains. Among the Council's specific functions are the following: To develop a sense of community identity and common purpose, to encourage development of leadership in the community, to assist in coordinating human resources and to ensure effective representation before government bodies and on various boards, committees and councils.
The ESCC is a federally registered non-profit organization. (Date of Letters Patent is July 15, 1981). Its Head Office is located at 2005 St. Mark Street, Montreal. A volunteer twenty-five member elected Board of Directors, made up of generous and dedicated men and women from both the private and public sectors, and assisted by two full-time staff members, governs it.
The ESCC is an important organization within our community for the very reason that its objectives correspond to the teaching of the Church on the role of the laity in the modern world. Its contributions for the past twenty-seven years of its existence have been tested time and time again on a variety of issues and it has been accepted as a credible voice at the local, provincial and national levels of government.
The Council is financed largely by donations from Pillars Trust Fund Inc., other community foundations and a grant under the Development of Official-Language Communities Program, Community Life Component, Department of Canadian Heritage.
June 2008