Mission Statement

The Catholic Women's League of Canada is a national organization rooted in gospel values calling its members to holiness through service to the People of God.

Personal and spiritual growth, friendship and fun can all be found through the Catholic Women’s League (CWL).  The largest organization of Catholic women in Canada, the CWL provides leadership development through their commitment to the Christian family and the community.  Currently, we have over 100 members at St. Michael’s parish.

Our parish league is a member of the Hamilton Diocesan Council. There are over 10,000 members within the 103 parish leagues in the Hamilton Diocesan council. There are over 1,300 parish councils all over Canada. Please see the Catholic Women’s League of Canada website for details regarding our organization.

Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month in the rectory meeting room after the 7:00 p.m. Mass. We invite all catholic women, 16 years of age and older, to journey with us in a sisterhood of faith, fulfillment and companionship. A nominal membership fee contributes to the administrative expenses of our diocesan, provincial and national councils. The Canadian League magazine, included in your membership, is published three times a year and it will keep you informed of League happenings across Canada. An on-line monthly newsletter Be League also provides up-to-date council news and information on the history of our league.

What do we offer for the spiritual development of our members and other parishioners?

• We offer Lenten meditation programs such as Journey with Christ on Palm Sunday in 2011 for parishioners to meditate on the Life of Christ during Lent. In May, we offer rosary- praying sessions with the crowning of Mary.
• We organise prayer groups and an up-coming study group on the Beatitudes and how that apply to our lives.
• We gather to pray and socialize through outings, such as our trip to Martyr’s Shrine in Midland in September 2010 and Christmas dinners, to form a strong community.
• Together with other parish councils in Waterloo, we have an annual retreat for our members.

How do we contribute to the society?

• We hold fund-raising activities through our bake sales, raffles and special programs to contribute to worthwhile causes in the society. Since 2004, CWL has donated over $10,000 to various charitable organizations, including St. Vincent de Paul and Out of the Cold.
• We adopt resolutions and advise those in the government about our concerns. For example, the national council of the Catholic Women’s League adopted a resolution in 2010 to urge the government to implement a tax credit for children’s participation in arts and cultural activities similar to the tax credit available for fitness activities.

How may we uphold and defend Christian education and values in the modern world?

• We assist our parish education liaison in the students’ retreats and confirmandi interviews.
• We attend our parish schools’ opening masses and pray for the students.
• We offer awards to encourage students to live out their faith in their schools, parish and the community.
• We invited speakers in the past to inform our sisters on the history of the Separate School Boards in Canada.

In what other ways do we contribute to our parish?

• We organize movie showings for families, card parties and games night in the parish centre.
• We raise funds for the needs of the parish, such as a dishwasher for the kitchen, TV for the St. Michael’s room, cupboards for the Guardian Angels Room, etc.
• We host receptions for different church functions, including First Holy Communion, Confirmation and Funerals.

Our patroness is Our Lady of Good Counsel. We celebrate her feast day on April 26.

Our current executive members, upcoming activities, membership fees and more information on our league are listed here.

Please feel free to contact us at cwl@stmichaelw.ca for additional information.