CWL: Celebrating 100 years

Friday, Apr. 08, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY — The past was carried into the present, with a hope for the future, as the Catholic Woman’s League celebrated 100 years of service in the Diocese of Salt Lake City during a tea April 3 in St. Vincent de Paul Parish’s Holy Family Hall.   

More than 175 women, several in period costume or wearing vintage hats, gathered for the celebration.

The Catholic Woman’s League was founded in 1916 at the request of the Right Rev. Joseph S. Glass, second Bishop of Salt Lake. The non-profit women’s organization “works for the interest of Christ, promotes spirituality based on the principles of our Catholic faith, advances literacy and educational interest, and assists in philanthropic efforts for the welfare of our community,” according to its mission statement.

Some of the activities the CWL has been involved with over the years have been raising $141,000 for war bonds in 1945, supporting the Guadalupe Early Learning Center in Salt Lake City when it began in 1984, and providing all of the matching stoles for the priests at the 1991 centennial celebration at the Huntsman Center, as Monsignor Colin F. Bircumshaw, diocesan administrator, recalled in his remarks at the tea.

“You are the heart and the soul, the mercy of God Incarnate in our diocese,” he said.

Other historical activities were recounted by Gail Hensleigh, the CWL’s longest-serving president, who appeared as Mrs. A.H.S. (Emma) Bird, the first CWL president.

The CWL began with 381 members whose purpose was “to commit themselves to the service of the diocese,” Hensleigh said. In 1916, annual dues were $2. The women met the first Tuesday of the month. Their efforts included forming the St. Vincent’s Auxiliary to provide food, clothing, rent, hospitalization and funeral expenses for the poor; they also created an employment agency. 

The 100th anniversary received recognition from outside the state. Letters were read that had been sent by the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe and the ninth Bishop of Salt Lake City; and Sheila Hopkins, president of the National Council of Catholic Women. 

One way in which the CWL fulfills the education advancement aspect of its mission statement is by providing scholarships for Girls State, a program for high school students sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary to teach about government and leadership.

Lena Puro, a counselor at Juan Diego Catholic High School, spoke about the benefits of Girls State; she and five of her daughters all have been through the program.

“Girls State allows these girls to be the leaders they were meant to be by helping them discover and develop the confidence to be who they want to be; to step out of the comfort of their everyday world, and to stretch themselves into new dimensions,” Puro said.

Two Catholic high school seniors who attended Girls State last summer also told of their experiences, and thanked the CWL for the scholarships.

“Girls State turned out to be just what I needed to be educated and to understand the ins and outs of the American government,” said Kathryn Jones, who attends Juan Diego CHS. “I was taught important life lessons on how to be a strong, independent woman. I hope to one day own a business, and I believe Girls State gave me that foundation to start that journey, and I found a true confidence in myself that I had never seen before.”

Anna Naranjo, a Judge Memorial CHS student, shared similar sentiments. 

“I’ve come out of the program not only knowledgeable in the U.S. government but with a strong sense of admiration for our country,” Naranjo said. “For six days I was forced out of my comfort zone. Every day required your full engagement, and for an introvert like myself it was tough and exhaustive. That week taught me the critical skill of speaking articulately and elegantly.”  

The anniversary tea closed with a prayer by Monsignor Joseph Mayo, whose mother, Mary, is the CWL’s oldest living president. Msgr. Mayo gave thanks for the courage and leadership of the CWL over the 100 years, whose members are “participants in the salvation of souls and the pride of being Christian and the courage to live our faith, especially here in this location,” he said.