FAITH & SERVICE
"Faith in action is love, and love in action is service."
Mother Theresa
Give me a heart of gratitude which is so filled with thanksgiving that worry and concern have no room.
THE CATHOLIC WOMEN'S LEAGUE
How we help
The Catholic Women's League is a dynamic force for community support, weaving compassion into every stitch and gesture. Through dedicated knitting projects, we extend warmth and comfort to those in need, crafting items for charities and schools that serve as tangible expressions of care. Beyond the needles, the league actively engages in uplifting the community by assembling thoughtful care packages, operating second-hand shops, and spearheading fundraising efforts for local charities. This multifaceted approach showcases our commitment to making a positive impact, demonstrating that the league is not just an organisation but a compassionate network of women actively working to enhance the well-being of those they serve.
THE CATHOLIC WOMEN'S LEAGUE
Knitting for schools
Regularly, members from the Hutt Valley Region engage in ongoing knitting sessions to create hats, slippers, and gloves for lower decile schools. This collaborative effort exemplifies excellent teamwork, with some members contributing by providing the necessary wool, while others showcase their knitting skills.
THE CATHOLIC WOMEN'S LEAGUE
Peggy Squares for Plunket
Each year charities and groups that work with mothers and young children make appeals for knitted garments and blankets. Methven Branch issued an invitation to their local community to join a knitting bee. The challenge, to see how many peggy square blankets they could knit during October. Peggy Squares for Plunket was borne. Women across the community responded.
In November, seventeen beautiful cot blankets were presented to the local Plunket nurse to give to families in need. An ongoing knitting group of CWL members and ladies from the community has grown from this project. They meet regularly for friendship while knitting for charity.
Each year, Catholic Women’s League branches across the country knit and donate hundreds of garments for new babies.
Below are links to knitting and crochet patterns that you download.
DOWNLOAD PATTERN
DOWNLOAD PATTERN
DOWNLOAD PATTERN
DOWNLOAD PATTERN
THE CATHOLIC WOMEN'S LEAGUE
The Positive
Puberty Project
When CWL chose the charity Days for Girls as its 2020 Mission at Home Charity, we embarked on a steep learning curve. We discovered that for many years period poverty has been a hidden problem impacting negatively on the lives of many women and girls within NZ
The extent of the problem surprised many including the Wellington Archdiocesan President, Susan Lloyd. Susan was horrified to discover that girls in her local community of The Hutt Valley, were missing school regularly because their families could not afford period products. Always one up for a challenge, Susan contacted Days for Girls to learn more and find a way to offer practical help.
Days for Girls NZ is a registered not-for-profit in New Zealand. They are relatively small but volunteers across New Zealand work to increase access to reusable and sustainable menstrual products and vital health information for women and girls. They hold sewing workshops and provide Days for Girls Kits to schools.
Susan enlisted the help of her branch and the Wellington Diocesan Council and wrote to the principals of Catholic schools within the Hutt Valley district. She offered to work with the schools to introduce the Days for Girls programme.
Seven Catholic schools with Year 7/8 students took up the offer. The Positive Puberty Project was born.
So far, 154 kits have been distributed. Each kit contains brightly coloured cotton, reusable, sustainable pads, waterproof liners, a washing bag, and a bar of soap all in a handy drawstring bag. Before being given their kits, the girls take part in a fun education session about puberty and how to use their kits.
CWL members enthusiastically put their sewing skills to good use joining others at Days for Girls workshops learning how to make the items for the kits.
The first round of CWL, school, and Days for Girls collaborations are so successful that Susan is committing to the long term and is planning to extend the programme to more schools during 2021.
THE CATHOLIC WOMEN'S LEAGUE
Reuse, Recycle,
Reduce for Good
In Invercargill, the CWL run a second-hand shop, called the Mission Shop. It is situated behind St Mary’s Basilica on Eye Street.
It is like other op shops round the country. They sell clothing for adults and children, household items, bed linen, duvets, pillows, cushions, curtains, towels. Also, books, pictures, soft toys, children’s items.
Their point of difference, the Invercargill branches send the funds to their Mission Communities.
Funds are allocated to Branches twice yearly for them to distribute to either or both Mission Community and Mission at Home. The branches make the decision where the funds go.
The Mission Shop stocks a small selection of medals, rosary beads and small “Holy Items” along with a catalogue for people to check what is available online.
Open 1.00-3.30pm Tuesday-Friday. This is managed by a convenor, with a team of two front of shop and back-room volunteers. The volunteers love this time together and the difference they are making.
The Mission Shop is a place for CWL members and others to drop in for a chat. Share time and conversation.
