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.

The Catholic Women’s League of Canada was organized nationally on June 17, 1920 and granted federal incorporation on December 12, 1923.

The League is officially recognized by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) as a lay association of women and is affiliated with the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO), a world-wide federation holding membership in the conference of International Catholic Organizations (ICO) and having consultative status with agencies of the United Nations.

The objects of the League shall be to unite Catholic women of Canada:

• to achieve individual and collective spiritual development.
• to promote the teachings of the Catholic church.
• to exemplify the Christian ideal in home and family life.
• to protect the sanctity of human life.
• to enhance the role of women in church and society.
• to recognize the human dignity of all people everywhere.
• to uphold and defend Christian education and values in the modern world.
• to contribute to the understanding and growth of religious freedom, social justice, peace and harmony.

On Oct. 2, 1881, a group of men met in the basement of St. Mary’s Church on Hillhouse Avenue in New Haven. Called together by their 29-year-old parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, these men formed a fraternal society that would one day become the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organization.

They sought strength in solidarity, and security through unity of purpose and devotion to a holy cause: they vowed to be defenders of their country, their families and their faith.

These men were bound together by the ideal of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the Americas, the one whose hand brought Christianity to the New World. Their efforts came to fruition with the incorporation of the Knights of Columbus on March 29, 1882. They were Knights of Columbus.

The Order has been called “the strong right arm of the Church,” and has been praised by popes, presidents and other world leaders, for support of the Church, programs of evangelization and Catholic education, civic involvement and aid to those in need.

There are 68 Knights in the Robert Wicks Council #09936

Contact information: Grand Knight – Lawrence Mac Lellan  248-2180

St Patrick’s Workshop

At the suggestion of Fr. Hugh A. MacDonald, pastor from 1974-1976, our sewing group started in October 1974.

Members of the group over the years include: Mary McDaniel, Catherine McDaniel, Gladys Ross, Jessie Tompkins, Jessie Murphy, Dianne McDaniel (Tompkins), Marie Casey, Susan Woodford, Christena Hannigan, Mary L. Burton, Shelia Fortune, Sharon Fortune (Hart),Betty Fortune, Mary Doiron and Margaret Rose Fortune.

Mary McDaniel started us on quilting, knitting, crocheting, and needlepoint.  We started off in the old hall until it got too cold.  Many nights we had to keep warm by putting our feet in the oven!

The next year, we moved to Mary and Catherine’s home.  We made at least one quilt and a couple of afghans each year.  We put them on tickets to raise money for our Church and hall.  It is a good thing that the quilts and afghans can’t talk!  Ha! Ha!

The first money that we gave was $500 for oil for the hall.   We also paid for carpet around the altar, curtains for the wall behind the altar, a storm window, a church pew, two stools, two baskets for the collection; the blue chairs for the meeting room, the dish washer, the steamer, two fridges, blinds and curtains for the hall.

We have been giving $1 000 to $1 500 every year since. 

This year, we gave $500 for famine relief in Africa.

Now, we are down to four members.  We are still quilting and selling tickets to make money for the Church and hall.

Mary L. Burton, Margaret Rose Fortune, Shelia Fortune and Sharon Hart