Petawa is a center for women in Milwaukee founded on the Christian understanding of the dignity of the human person and authentic, empowered femininity. We are dedicated to the Christian development of women of all ages, and work to build strong families, vibrant communities and a stable society, one woman at a time. We teach the Faith, encourage practical development of virtues, and challenge women to use their professional work to benefit family and society. We empower women and girls to use their feminine identity to live their vocation in the pursuit of holiness and to be of service to others. When women seek holiness in everyday life, accepting their responsibility to be a trustee of humanity, they strengthen the very fibers of civil society.

Petawa offers women of all ages – whether married or single, children or adults, professionals inside or outside the home – a complete plan of integrated formation, to improve their intellectual, moral, spiritual, cultural, and professional lives. This formation is offered through classes, engaging leadership programs, service projects, opportunities for teaching Catholic catechism to children, Catholic spiritual retreats, marriage seminars, Catholic theology classes, and other spiritual activities.

The spiritual and doctrinal formation sponsored by Petawa is entrusted to Opus Dei, a personal Prelature of the Catholic Church. Opus Dei helps ordinary people live up to their Christian calling in their day-to-day affairs by giving them the spiritual support and formation they need. It promotes an awareness of the universal call to holiness – the radical idea that every person is called by God to be a saint - especially holiness in and by means of one's ordinary work and daily routine.