In a joyous gathering, the New York Forum for Catholic NGO's celebrated its first meeting on May 31^st.  Organized by Maribeth Stewart Blogoslawski, WUCWO’s representative to the United Nation’s Headquarters in New York, it was attended by 42 individuals from 34 organisations. The event marks a promising beginning for this collaborative initiative.

The gathering began with Mass celebrating the Feast of the Visitation and was officiated by Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN in NY, assisted by Monsignor Giuseppe Quirighetti of the Mission in NY. This first Catholic Mass ever held at the UN Church Center provided a beautiful and reverent start to the occasion.

The Forum will initially serve as a platform for meetings and information sharing, focusing on making the work of Catholic NGO’s at the UN more visible, learning from each other, and collaborating on presentations and document signings.

After the meeting, the event concluded with a delightful reception catered by the Amish Market, offering delicious and plentiful food that fostered connections among attendees.

Archbishop Caccia's presence throughout the meeting was warmly acknowledged, given his demanding schedule, and he emerged as a cherished friend of the Forum.

The Forum prayerfully adopted Our Lady of Good Counsel as its patroness and unveiled a logo that received unanimous approval.

The next meeting is scheduled for late October, promising further collaboration and growth for this promising initiative.