The Catholic Women's League is a national organization of Catholic lay women. With its roots in England, the first Canadian council was founded by a group of Edmonton women in 1912. Initially, their goal was to work together to assist immigrants, but this expanded to include a wide variety of works for church, community and society at large. The League was organized nationally in 1920 with the motto “For God and Canada.” In Saskatchewan, the first council was formed in the archdiocese of Regina at Holy Rosary Cathedral in 1919, and their first work was the establishment of a Catholic women's hostel, later named Rosary Hall. CWL councils were formed in many parishes in the ensuing years. The first Regina CWL diocesan convention was held in 1923, and the diocesan council of Prince Albert and Saskatoon was formed in 1924. By 2003, Saskatchewan had 9,100 CWL members in 179 parish councils. Over many years, Saskatchewan CWL members have offered their service - locally, provincially, and nationally - in the areas of health care, family, agriculture, education, the environment, farm safety, genetics, social justice, child poverty, human dignity, ecumenism, evangelization, spirituality, church teachings, and faith.
June Krogan