Catenians herald new era at their annual conference History was made at the weekend when the Catenian Association allowed a woman to attend their Millennium Annual Conference in Bournemouth.
Wives go shopping or sightseeing while the men discuss business.
Jo Siedlecka, from Independent Catholic News, was invited in her professional capacity as a journalist, national press officer Hilary Sutton explained to the 401 brothers present. The conference was a lively one with several proposals on the agenda raising heated discussions. Probably the most dramatic of these was the debate on proxy voting. Currently the 10,500 Catenians around the world can only vote at conference in person. This means that most members, including those who live abroad, in Australia, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, New Zealand or Malta, or those unable to travel for health reasons, never have their voice heard.