The Basilica Rewmtion Centre — Befimz and Afier

Thanks to the inspired work of Fr. McGivney as well as the millions of other knights over the past century, the Knights of Columbus now stands at its pinnacle of membership, benefits and service. Currently, there are over 1.6 million Knights of Columbus members, more than ever before. Together with their families, the knights are nearly 6 million strong. In addition, from their first local council in New Haven, the order has grown to more than 13,000 councils in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Panama, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Spain. Each year, the order continues this strong growth.

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE Catholic women of Canada were first organized in Edmonton Archdiocese in

November 1912 to assist with the care and placement of the ever-increasing influx of immigrants from Europe and elsewhere. Bishop Emile Legal, of the Order of Mary Immaculate, recognized the need for organized assistance for imigrant women, and called upon Katherine Hughes*, a former Islander and niece of Archbishop O’Brien of Halifax, and Abbe Casgrain, well known for his work with immigrants, to organize a meeting to discuss the possibilities. The plan of work and organization was enthusiastically adopted. The movement gradually spread to the port cities and other major centers across Canada: Montreal in 1917, Toronto in 1918, and Halifax in 1919, then to Ottawa,

Sherbrooke, and Saint John.

In 1920, these groups were invited to meet in Montreal to try to establish a national group of Catholic women. The name Catholic Women’s League originated in England in 1906 in response to a perceived need for Catholic lay action and the name was adopted by the Canadian group. The founder of the

CWL in England was Margaret Fletcher.

During the summer of 1921 , the Charlottetown subdivision of the Catholic Women’s League was organized by Mrs. Robert Kneil, dominion organizer, (then with the Immigration Department, Ottawa, and a native of Prince Edward Island). Mrs. Helen Kelly (married to Dr. F.F. Kelly) was elected first subdivision president, and there was a charter membership of 107. The charter number

was 85.

* A short biography of Katherine Hughes can be found at the end of this book.

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