Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada

The Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada (UCWLC) is the official association of women of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada. It was established as a national organization on June 14, 1944, and incorporated under the laws of Canada on June 25, 1980. Its stated purpose is to unite and organize women of the Ukrainian Catholic faith in Canada so that, through their united efforts and activities, they may express their commitment to Catholic values by fostering worship within the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the appreciation of Ukrainian culture and heritage. The League's fundamental aims are grouped under four headings: Catholic Faith, Ukrainian Culture, Canadian Citizenship, and Charitable Activities. Under Catholic Faith, it seeks to develop and enrich the religious and spiritual life of each member and each parish, thereby strengthening the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada. Under Ukrainian Culture, it works to preserve and develop Ukrainian culture in Canada. Under Canadian Citizenship, it aims to become fully aware of the needs of family, community and country and to strengthen the spiritual dimensions and moral values of Canadian life. Under Charitable Activities, it initiates and supports programs of charitable action. The UCWLC operates across three tiers: National, Eparchial and Branch/Parish level. These three levels are interconnected to constitute the unified organization. The National Executive is based in the eparchy hosting the current congress cycle, and the organization has historically maintained a presence in Ukrainian Catholic communities across Canada, including Winnipeg, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Toronto and New Westminster. The League's emblem combines a Tryzub (the coat-of-arms of Ukraine) bearing a cross, superimposed on a maple leaf, with the inscription "Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada" and the Ukrainian and English acronyms ЛУКЖК and UCWLC. In 1979, the National Plenary officially adopted the icon of "Our Lady of Pochaiv" as the organization's official icon. The League is a civic and religious women's organization rather than a commercial enterprise. It publishes a quarterly magazine, "Nasha Doroha" (Our Road), which has served as its printed organ since 1970. It has organized art museums in Edmonton, Saskatoon and Toronto, and operates an eparchial museum in Winnipeg. It is affiliated with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the World Congress of Ukrainians, the World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations, and the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations. In recent years the League has supported humanitarian causes, including assistance to victims of the war in Ukraine and support for the First Female Veterans Space ReHub in Lviv. Its 28th National Congress was scheduled for October 2–5, 2025, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada was founded on June 14, 1944, when representatives of Ukrainian Catholic women's organizations in Canada — the women's sections of the Brotherhood of Ukrainian Catholics (BUK) — met at a conference in Winnipeg. The organization was established as a national body to unite Ukrainian Catholic women across Canada. In its founding year, it joined the Ukrainian Canadian Committee (KUK) and became part of the National Council of Women of Canada. In the post-war years the League expanded its affiliations and activities. In 1948 it joined the World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations (SFUZHO). In 1954 a separate League administration was established for the Toronto Eparchy. In 1957 it affiliated with the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations. In 1975 it joined the World Congress of Ukrainians. In 1993 it joined the Congress of Ukrainian Canadians (KUK). A significant development in the League's cultural work was the establishment of art museums: the League organized art museums in Edmonton, Saskatoon and Toronto, and an eparchial museum in Winnipeg. In 1970 the League launched its own quarterly magazine, "Nasha Doroha" (Our Road), which became its official printed organ; before 1970 the organization had its own page in the Catholic weeklies "Nasha Meta" (Toronto) and "Postup" (Winnipeg). In 1979, the UCWLC National Plenary officially adopted the icon of "Our Lady of Pochaiv" as the organization's official icon. On June 25, 1980, the organization was incorporated under the laws of Canada. (The Ukrainian Wikipedia notes that on September 9, 1980, the organization received a charter from federal authorities.) The League continued to operate through its three-tier structure of National, Eparchial and Branch/Parish levels, with the National Executive rotating every two years to a different eparchy. Over the decades the League has been led by a succession of Ukrainian Canadian women, beginning with Mary Dyma of Winnipeg (1944–1946) and continuing through presidents from Winnipeg, Edmonton, Toronto, Saskatoon and New Westminster. As of 2022, the president was Marlene Bodnar of Saskatoon. The League has also been shaped by leading figures such as Vera Buczynsky, Anna Baran, Anastasia Kozoriz, Maria Vavrykov, Maria Havryliuk, Anastasia Semotiuk and many others. In the 2020s the League has focused on responding to the war in Ukraine. Resolutions passed at the 27th National Congress on October 1, 2022, included a resolution marking the upcoming 80th anniversary of the National UCWLC in 2024 and a resolution on the war in Ukraine, committing members to unite in prayer and provide assistance to victims of the war in Ukraine, Canada, and/or worldwide. The League has supported the First Female Veterans Space ReHub in Lviv. Its 28th National Congress was scheduled for October 2–5, 2025, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

• Founded as a national organization at a conference in Winnipeg

• Joined the Ukrainian Canadian Committee (KUK) and the National Council of Women

• Joined the World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations (SFUZHO)

• Separate League administration established for the Toronto Eparchy

• Affiliated with the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations

• Launched quarterly magazine 'Nasha Doroha' (Our Road)

• Joined the World Congress of Ukrainians

• National Plenary officially adopted the icon of 'Our Lady of Pochaiv'

• Incorporated under the laws of Canada

• Received charter from federal authorities (per Ukrainian Wikipedia)

• Joined the Congress of Ukrainian Canadians (KUK)

• 27th National Congress held in Edmonton, Alberta

• Resolutions passed at 27th National Congress, including 80th anniversary and war in Ukraine

• 28th National Congress scheduled for Saskatoon, SK

Official national association of women of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada, operating as a civic and religious membership organization across national, eparchial and parish levels.

1. 1Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada |ucwlc.ca
2. 2About Us | Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canadaucwlc.ca
3. 3Resolutions | Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canadaucwlc.ca
4. 4Symbols & Emblems | Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canadaucwlc.ca
5. 5Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canadawikidata.org
6. 6Ліґа українських католицьких жінок Канадиuk.wikipedia.org