Yesterday, the Holy See presented the Message of the Holy Father Leo XIV for the 59th World Day of Peace (1 January 2026), entitled “Peace be with you all: Towards an ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace”. Echoing Christ’s words, “Peace be with you!”, the message calls for a renewed commitment to peace rooted in justice and reconciliation.
The Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada (UCWLC) is the official organisation of women in the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada. Rooted in faith and dedicated to service, the League promotes four central aims: Catholic Faith, Ukrainian Culture, Social Action, and Charitable Works.
Our mission unites women across the country, enriching their spiritual lives while preserving and celebrating Ukrainian traditions, language, and cultural heritage. Guided by Christian ideals of justice and love, we advocate for the sanctity of life, the dignity of every human person, and the strength of families and communities.
Our organisation brings together over 2,350 members across Canada where members carry out projects that embody our four aims and respond to the needs of the Church and the world.
A reflection on Peace: Living the 2026 message of Peace
In this context, the 2026 Message of Peace calls the world to reconciliation, human dignity, and justice. For this reason, it resonates deeply with the mission of the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada as we respond to the war in Ukraine.
Also, for our organisation, peace is not an abstract idea—it is a daily practice rooted in faith, compassion, and solidarity. So we live this commitment through:
- Prayer and spiritual formation – strengthening hearts in hope and grounding our work in the Gospel of peace.
- Humanitarian support – providing aid to those suffering from war: displaced families, wounded veterans, bereaved mothers, and communities struggling to rebuild.
- Advocacy for human dignity – promoting respect for life, justice, and the rights of every person, especially those silenced by violence or oppression.
- Cultural stewardship – preserving Ukrainian identity, language, and traditions as an expression of resilience and a refusal to let conflict erase a people’s story.
- Community service and social action – building a more compassionate Canada through charitable initiatives that serve the vulnerable and strengthen families.
In responding to Ukraine’s suffering and to the needs of our local communities, UCWLC members embody the very heart of the Pope’s message: that peace begins with concrete acts of compassion, truth, and justice.
Finally, as we look toward 2026 and beyond, we reaffirm our commitment to being instruments of peace—women of faith who heal, who serve, who defend dignity, and who help build a world where every person can live in freedom, safety, and hope.
You can read the full Message of the Holy Father Leo XIV for the 59th World Day of Peace HERE
