President General Mónica Santamarina
	Vice President General          Isabella Eunyoung Park
	Treasurer General                  Myriam García Abrisqueta
	Secretary General Lavinia Rocchi Carrera
	Ecclesiastical Assistant Father Marcelo Gidi Thumala, SJ
	ARGENTINA María Isabel Giménez Díaz
	AUSTRALIA Karen De Sousa
	CAMEROON Marie Salome Ngo Bibout Epse Biongla
	CANADA Barbara Dowding
	CUBA Mercedes Padrón Prada
	ESWATINI Doris Makhubu
	GHANA Cecilia Asobayire
	GUINEA Titi Kamano
	HUNGARY Borbala Csehne Vadnai
	INDIA Juliet Ramamurthy
	INDONESIA Justina Rostiawati
	MALAWI Lucy Joceylin Vokhiwa
	MALI Thérèse Arama Somboro
	MEXICO María de Lourdes Espinoza Rosas
	NIGERIA Mary Asibi Gonsum
	PHILIPPINES Clarita Adalem
	SENEGAL Beatrice Tavares Da Souza
	SOUTH AFRICA Veronica Malan-Lebona
	SPAIN Susana Fernández Guisasola
	TANZANIA Evaline Malisa Ntenga
	UGANDA Florence Namatta Mawejje
	UNITED KINGDOM Maureen Meatcher
	UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Esohe Maria Asemota
	VENEZUELA María García De Fleury

International Organisations

ACISJF (International Catholic Association for Girls)

CARITAS INTERNATIONALIS: Stephanie MacGillivray

UISG: Sr. Caterina Ciriello

Africa  |  Asia-Pacific  |  Europe  |  Latin America and the Caribbean  |  North America

The World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) was founded in 1910 and now represents nearly 100 Catholic women’s organisations worldwide, active in around 50 countries including all continents and some island states, representing more than eight (8) million Catholic women of every walk of life. WUCWO’s aim is to promote the presence, participation and co-responsibility of Catholic women in society and the Church, in order to enable them to fulfil their mission of evangelisation and to work for human development, particularly in increasing educational opportunities, poverty reduction and the advancement of human rights beginning with the fundamental right to life.

EXPLANATION OF THE WUCWO LOGO

The WUCWO logo was created by a world renowned Mexican painter, Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo.

It depicts the following symbols:

The World: The place where the Christian acts and works so that the Evangelical values are lived: Peace, Justice, Solidarity, Mercy, Love.

The two hands of women, one white and another of color: The presence of the faith-filled woman contributing “Feminine Genius” to construct a more human world.

The dove with the olive branch: The peace that the world needs.

The Cross and the Crown: Jesus invites us to construct the Kingdom, bringing God to earth.

The WUCWO logo has in itself all the elements of WUCWO’s Mission: “To promote the presence, participation and coresponsibility of Catholic Women in Society and the Church in order to enable them to fulfill their Mission of Evangelization and to work for Human Development.”

According to WUCWO BYLAW V - THE SECRETARIAT

The Secretariat shall constitute the permanent working organ of WUCWO. It shall be organised in accordance with the requirements of the work of WUCWO, and it shall execute, under the direction of the officers of WUCWO, the decisions of the Assembly and the Board.

The Secretariat is here to help and support you. Never hesitate to ask about anything, we will always try to help!

Please note:

The Secretariat needs to be informed, preferably by e-mail, of any change of address, contact numbers and names of officers in organizations.

Lavinia Rocchi Carrera	Virginia Pastor Bayo	Maria Bruno	Mercè Alonso	María Lamas
Secretary General	Finance	Graphic design	Press and communication	Translations

 

Piazza di S. Calisto 16 00153 Rome, Italy Tel: +39 0669887260 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2023-Present Mónica Santamarina (Mexico)

2018-2023 María Lía Zervino, Servidora (Argentina)

2010-2018 Maria Giovanna Ruggieri (Italy)

2006-2010 Karen M. Hurley (U.S.A.)

1996-2006 Maria Eugenia Díaz de Pfennich (Mexico)

1987-1996 Marie-Thérèse van Heteren-Hogenhuis (Netherlands)

1983-1987 Eleanor E. Aitken (Canada)

1974-1983 Elizabeth Lovatt-Dolan (Ireland)

1961-1974 María del Pilar Bellosillo (Spain)

1952-1961 Marie du Rostu (France)

1922-1952 Mrs. Steenberghe - Engeringh (Netherlands)

WUCWO / UMOFC

1910-2010

WUCWO's aim is to promote the presence, participation and co-responsibility of Catholic women in society and the Church, in order to enable them to fulfil their mission of evangelisation and to work for human development.

The World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) was founded in 1910 and now represents nearly 100 Catholic women’s organisations worldwide, active in around 50 countries including all continents and some island states, counting on around eight (8) million Catholic women of every walk of life. WUCWO’s aim is to promote the presence, participation and co-responsibility of Catholic women in society and the Church, in order to enable them to fulfil their mission of evangelisation and to work for human development, particularly in increasing educational opportunities, poverty reduction and the advancement of human rights beginning with the fundamental right to life.

In 2006, WUCWO was erected by the Holy See as a Public International Association of the Faithful. This canonical status honours the efforts of Catholic women active in our Union at the parish, diocesan, national and international levels.

WUCWO unites Catholic women in the world to give them a voice on the international platform. Since their inception, WUCWO has held Consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Human Rights Council (Geneva), the FAO (Rome), participatory status at the Council of Europe (Strasbourg), and is an official partner of UNESCO (Paris).

WUCWO examines the critical issues that have an impact on the lives of women internationally and promotes the dignity of every human being.

WUCWO coordinates the activities of Catholic women's organisations worldwide, serving as a necessary link between them and the network of international organizations and faith communities.

Through them, WUCWO helps train those who are without resources or opportunities, provides victims of violence and poverty a means of subsistence for them and their children and helps enable them to fulfill their mission of evangelisation and to work for human development.

WUCWO’s principal areas of activity are:

• Promote the formation of women in order for them to face contemporary challenges
• Foster awareness and respect of cultural diversity
• Promote and coordinate the activities of Member Organisations at the international level and represent them in international bodies
• Network with other international organisations and faith communities for the respect of human rights, especially those of women
• Encourage ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.

The World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) was founded in 1910 and now represents nearly 100 Catholic women’s organisations worldwide, active in around 50 countries including all continents and some island states, representing more than eight (8) million Catholic women of every walk of life. WUCWO’s aim is to promote the presence, participation and co-responsibility of Catholic women in society and the Church, in order to enable them to fulfil their mission of evangelisation and to work for human development, particularly in increasing educational opportunities, poverty reduction and the advancement of human rights beginning with the fundamental right to life.

• LAUDATO SI' MOVEMENT

https://laudatosimovement.org/

The former Global Catholic Climate Movement, today Laudato si' Movement, works within the Catholic Church to better care for our common home. The founding document is Pope Francis’ encyclical on climate change and ecology, Laudato si’ which is a compelling call to take urgent action against the injustice of climate change and the ecological crisis, to protect the poor and future generations. WUCWO has joined GCCM’s global campaign of divestment from fossil fuels, participates with the GCCM in the Laudato si' Action Platform and takes part in the Laudato si' Animators program.

• FORUM OF CATHOLIC INSPIRED NGOS

https://foruminternational.org/

The Forum is a place of encounter and exchange of Catholic NGO’s that usually work at the international level with status in international agencies. It is a social observatory that strengthens the Catholic voice and advocacy in the public international debate. WUCWO is co-facilitator of the Family thematic Group within the international Forum.

• COATNET - CHRISTIAN ORGANISATIONS AGAINST TRAFFICKING NETWORK

https://www.coatnet.org/

COATNET is a global network of Christian organisations working to combat human trafficking and assist survivors of modern slavery. The network, coordinated by Caritas Internationalis, links over 45 Christian organisations from 39 countries, and cooperates with other faith and civil society organisations worldwide. Together with Caritas Internationalis and Talitha Kum, WUCWO is involved in the "Bakhita Project" with its local organisations in Malawi, Eswatini and South Africa. 

• COMMITTEE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AND AWARENESS AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING (IDPHT)

https://preghieracontrotratta.org/?lang=en

Talitha Kum, the worldwide network of consecrated life committed against trafficking in persons, is responsible for the coordination of the group of partner organisations that prepare the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking (IDPHT).  The organizations involved are: Congregation for Consecrated Life, Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, the Vatican Academy of Sciences, Caritas International (CI), the World Union of Catholic Women Organisations (WUCWO) and the workgroup against trafficking of the Committee for Justice and peace of the UISG / USG (ATWG). WUCWO is represented by its former President General, Maria Giovanna Ruggieri, as one of the co-founding members of the Committee.

1 - A HEALTHY PLANET DEPENDS ON ALL OF US. In accordance with the whole Magisterium and in particular with the Encyclical Laudato Si

Below you will find the texts corresponding to the Homilies given by our Ecclesiastical Assistant, Father Gerard Whelan, during the General Assembly. We hope they will be a source of inspiration for a deep spiritual work, both personal and community.

Homily October 17, 2018

Homily October 18, 2018

Homily October 19, 2018

Homily October 20, 2018

Below, you will find the material for each conference of the Study Days. We thank all the speakers for their dedication and rich contributions.

Enjoy them!

Video Dr. Anne T. Gallagher: Family and Migration

Conference of Dr. Linda Ghisoni: WUCWO Women carriers of "living water" in the light of Evangelii Gaudium and Amoris Laetitia

Conference of Dr. Maria Teresa Compte: Laudato Si. Women carriers of "living water"

Conference of Dr. Donna Orsuto: Gaudete et Exsultate  -  PowerPoint Dr. Donna Orsuto

Conference of Dr. Isabel Recavarren: A world thirsting for peace

Conference of Sister Therese Samake: What is happening to our common house? - PowerPoint Sister Therese Samake

Read below the Final Declaration made by our General Vice President, Maribeth Stewart Blogoslawski, on the last day of our General Assembly in Senegal. 

​WUCWO Women called to Holiness to sanctify the World for a Holistic Development​, is​ WUCWO's Priority for the period 2018-2022, ​chosen at the General Assembly held in Senegal from 15 to 22 October 2018.

We are glad to present the new members of the WUCWO Board, of the Executive Committee and the International Representatives, which were ratified by the WUCWO General Assembly 2018 in Senegal.

Yesterday, Tuesday October 9th, a press conference was held in Dakar, Senegal, with local and ecclesiastical media in order to communicate all the information related to the upcoming General Assembly.

October 15, the opening day of WUCWO General Assembly, is just a few weeks away. Get ready for this extraordinary event by checking the official programme of the GA.

SENEGAL will welcome us with Madame Zahra Iyane Thiam Diop, Minister Counsellor to the President of the Republic and with a long history of working with Muslim and Catholic women to promote peace and development in the democratic social fabric.

The HOLY SEE will be represented by Dr. Linda Ghisoni, Undersecretary of the Lay Sector of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, one of the most senior women recently appointed by Pope Francis in the structure of the Vatican Curia.

The most important WUCWO event, the General Assembly, is about to take place. Senegal is waiting for us!

Please be informed that the deadline for registering to WUCWO General Assembly has been extended until June 1st, 2018.

WUCWO President General, Maria Giovanna Ruggieri, the Ecclesiastical Assistant, Father Gerard Whelan, SJ and the Secretary General, María Lia Zervino, Servidora, were received on April 11 from the Under Secretary for the Laity, Dr. Linda Ghisoni, and the Under Secretary for Life, Dr. Gabriella Gambino, together with Grazia Villani.

The countdown to the registration has already started and we have less than a month to register for it. Deadline: May 1, 2018.

The General Assembly in Dakar, from 15 to 22 October 2018, will welcome its participants with a splendid airport recently inaugurated by the President of Senegal, His Excellency Macky Sall.

There are less than 8 months left before a new big international WUCWO event can take place: the DAKAR GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

For the first time in this millennium, our African sisters are waiting for us so that Catholic women from very different places, cultures and ages can live together an ecclesial experience, a synodal encounter, as the Holy Father has asked us to do.

Thousands of Senegalese women, the Church and the local government prepare the Assembly.

On 10 February, the official launch of WUCWO's preparations for the Assembly was a success. The Church and civil authorities as well as a large number of Catholic and Muslim women participated.

The most important and beautiful of WUCWO events is now open to women members from all over the world.

Please find below the brochure with all the information about the upcoming General Assembly.

THE NEXT WUCWO GENERAL ASSEMBLY

in Dakar, Senegal, will be called:

WUCWO Women, Carriers of “living water”

to a world which thirsts for Peace

15 - 22 OCTOBER 2018

Final Declaration of the
World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations General Assembly 2014

The General Assembly of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) met in Fatima, Portugal 23-27 October 2014.  In light of the difficult world situation and encouraged by the inspiring words of Pope Francis,  nearly 500 women from 35 countries and 56 organisations worked and studied guided by the Assembly theme of Women of WUCWO: Sowers of Hope.

We resolved that:

2. The following resolutions were adopted:

Family:  WUCWO will encourage and support its member organisations and its representatives working at international fora to give priority to the urgent challenges facing the family and youth.

Human Trafficking:  WUCWO, its member organisations and its representatives at international fora will work individually and in network with other confessional and non-confessional related organisations to end the tragedy of human trafficking.

Dialogue for Peace and Tolerance:  WUCWO will create a climate of understanding and mutual respect to contribute to the achievement of peace around the world, cultivating and promoting a respectful dialogue with the world, with people from other Christian denominations and other religions, within the Catholic Church and among WUCWO’s member organisations.

Addiction Prevention for a Life With a Future: WUCWO shall promote through its member organisations the incorporation of prevention and elimination of alcohol and drug addictions in its action programs.

Prevention and Fight Against Corruption:  WUCWO, its member organisations and its International Representatives shall work with international bodies and national governments, communities and families, to eliminate corruption.

Right to Have Access to Clean Drinking Water and Sanitation: WUCWO member organisations shall encourage amongst its members good practices in the sustainable use of water and shall encourage governments to accomplish the same.

3. Women of WUCWO will continue in their efforts to pray and act to attain a world that is just and secure so that all persons everywhere can flourish and fulfil the mission for which they were created.

Click here to discover the new board members

Click here to discover the new executive committee members

October, 23th 

Ana Cristina Villa - Pontifical Council for the Laity :

Maria José Pereira - "Sowing Hope for the Common Good : Money Love & Virtue"

Sister Teresa R. Dagdag - "Wear hope like a skin"

Discover the 2014 General Assembly video :

October, 24th

Flaminia Giovannelli

Margarita Zavala

Homily of His Beatitude Fouad Twal

Openning Liturgy 6th October 2010

World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations

Dear Sisters in Christ of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organization, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Holy City of Jerusalem, and even to the Co-Cathedral of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. Ever since meeting your President, Karen Hurley in Rome last year, I have very much desired to know you and your organization better. But even more than that, I have desired that the women of this diocese, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, might know you better, and that your sisterhood in Christ might help sustain the faith and mission of our women and families here. So, whereas it is always a great pleasure for me to welcome pilgrims here to the Holy Land, and indeed a sacred duty, there is a special joy that I have in welcoming you. Welcome!

From Vatican 1 October 2010

SECRETARIAT OF STATE

Mrs. Karen Hurley

President

World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizatons

Dear Mrs. Hurley

The Holy Father was pleased to be informed that the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organization it’s celebrating its Centenary this year with an Assembly in Jerusalem from 5 to 12 October, and he sends cordial greetings and prayerful good wishes to all who gathered for this significant initiative.

Noting that you have chosen as the title for your Assembly the words of the Risen Lord, “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8) His Holiness gives thanks for the many blessings that have been bestowed on the Church through the witness of faithful Catholic women living and working in the world, transforming it from within, and proclaiming the Gospel in the word and in deed. In its one hundred years of history, the members of WUCWO have contributed to the Church’s mission at local, national and international levels, according to the special dignity and vocation of women, enriching the Church with “the fruits of feminine holiness” (Mulieris Dignitatem, 31). The Holy Father invokes a fresh outpouring of the Spirit’s gifts upon your Organization, so that it may continue to foster the unique contribution of women to the life and mission of the Church, both in the public sphere and in the home.

Commending all those present at the Assembly and their families to the loving intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, the Holy Father gladly imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of unity and peace in the Risen Lord

Your sincerely in Christ

Secretary of State

 The World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations

Centenary General Assembly
Jerusalem, 2010

● We acknowledge with gratitude the 100 years of vision, endeavour and commitment that leaders and members of what began in 1910, as the International Union of Catholic Women‟s Leagues, now known as the World Union of Catholic Women‟s Organisations have given to society and the Church throughout the century.

● We acknowledge that because of such vision and endeavour that Catholic women, working in accord with the Church and its teachings, were able to identify the many societal inadequacies and injustices impacting on the lives of women and families and worked assiduously to overcome them. WUCWO women do the same today.

● While acknowledging the many areas of service that Catholic women have already undertaken, we reaffirm the aim of WUCWO which is, “to promote the presence, participation and co-responsibility of Catholic women in society and the Church, in order to enable them to fulfil their mission of evangelisation and to work for human development” in unity, particularly for increasing educational opportunities, poverty reduction and the advancement of human rights beginning with the fundamental right to life.

● WUCWO women reiterate that the dignity, value and “genius” of women should be universally recognised, and that the importance of intergenerational relationships and the involvement of youth, and the cultural and theological contributions of women be supported and recognised for the attainment of a more humane, just and compatible society.

● Gathered together in Jerusalem, city of peace “a microcosm of our globalised world…this city,…a place that teaches the universality and respect for others, dialogue and mutual understanding; a place where prejudice, ignorance and fear that fuels them, are overcome by honesty, integrity and the pursuit of peace” [Pope Benedict XVI, Jerusalem 2009], with this perspective, in solidarity we commit ourselves to the study and witness of the Word of God and the Social Teachings of the Church, to ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue and to peacemaking.

● At the beginning of the 2nd century of such commitment, WUCWO women pray through their Patroness Mary, Queen of Peace, that they too will, ‘Receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses……………indeed to the ends of the earth’ [Acts 1:8.] just as the Lord said the Father „had promised‟ the apostles in Jerusalem. [Acts: 1:5]

Resolution 1

End the Use of Information Technology in Sexual Exploitation of Children

Resolution

In an attempt to minimise sexual exploitation and harassment of children through Information Technology use, and to maximise parental obligations relating to it, WUCWO Member Organisations, where appropriate, will advocate for:

(i) Diocesan and other institutions training programs for parents to improve their levels of understanding of and guidance for their children about Information Technology, to include

(ii) Strategies to enhance quality of parental relationships for young and/or dual-working parents, and to assist them to be Christian role models for their children.

Resolution 2

Promote a Covenant between Human Beings and the Environment

WUCWO Member Organisations resolve to facilitate educational programmes that enhance our understanding of local, regional and global ecological issues and the teachings of the Magisterium on ecology. These programmes should integrate respect for life and our responsibilities to future generations.

Resolution 3

Rescue the Children of the Street

All WUCWO Member Organisations will fight against poverty and social exclusions because ‘children of the street’ are a new expression of growing poverty, of extreme distress and of the fragility of the formal and informal social welfare system.

Resolution 4

Campaign for a Culture of Life

WUCWO Member Organisations will assist women to understand that the ‘right to life’ must be preserved, by

(i) facilitating study of the teachings contained in Pope John Paul II’s catechesis: “Theology of the Body,” in order to enable them to build their understanding of the meaning of life and therefore

(ii) to act on it with greater involvement wherever possible.

Resolution 5

Work to Abolish Forced Marriage

WUCWO, as a Public International Association of the Faithful, will uphold the dignity and rights of women and children by making a strong statement against forced marriage of girl-children.

In order to raise awareness of this inhumane and abusive practice:

(i) The official spokeswoman of WUCWO will advocate for a changed attitude to forced marriage

to leaders of civil society at international level and,

(ii) WUCWO Member Organisations will do the same to leaders of civil society at local and national levels.

Resolution 6

Strengthen Training of Catholic Leaders

WUCWO Member Organisations will spread tools for the formation of Catholic leaders and facilitate the exchange of experiences in this regard among its Member Organisations and through dialogue between men and women.

Resolution 7

Defend and Support Migrants

(i) WUCWO Member Organisations will promote and support initiatives to protect migrants and their families and defend their human rights.

(ii) WUCWO Member Organizations will support and / or establish programs that provide care and protection for migrants and their families.

Resolution 8

Commit to Ecumenical and Interfaith Dialogue

WUCWO will establish permanent relations with the representatives and organisations from different faiths at the international and regional levels and will incorporate in Assemblies and Regional Conferences an Ecumenical and Interreligious space such as round tables, discussion panels etc. It will promote this among its Member Organisations and encourage joint actions of service to the community with organizations with whom it shares ethical and spiritual values, especially those that favor the promotion of women.

Resolution 9

Produce a Statistical Evaluation of Poverty According to Sex

All WUCWO Member Organisations will exhort governmental and non governmental agencies, in their country and on a regional and international level, to conduct a statistical evaluation of poverty according to sex. The Organisations will also commit to associating themselves with all their ability and skill to this effort which is the only way to influence national and international policies to make them more effective.

Resolution 10

Prevent Inappropriate Sexualisation of Children

WUCWO Member Organisations will contact their respective governments, civil society authorities and Church agencies relating to the prevention of inappropriate and/or premature sexualisation of children, by limiting:

(i) Sexual information that is inappropriate for young children and

(ii) Aggressive marketing methods that promote the sale of sexually provocative children’s clothing.

Resolution 11

Mobilise to Halt Infanticide

WUCWO Member Organisations make a commitment to exhort their governments to develop policies of job creation, immigration management and the integration of education in family life into their official programs in order to halt infanticide in countries where this occurs. Further, WUCWO member organisations will request their relevant church agencies to promote the sexual formation of young people through catechesis and pastoral social counselling.

Resolution 12

Reaffirm the Family Unit

WUCWO Member Organisations will contact their respective governments, together with religious bodies of all Christian denominations and those of other faiths, requesting that governments and civil society authorities give clear and unambiguous support in defence of heterosexual, monogamous marriage. Further, that those governments acknowledge and affirm parents’ right to protect their children from external influences which seek to negate parental responsibility and which may be detrimental to relationships within that Family Unit.

You will find the speakers' presentations from the General Assembly in this space.

• Sr. Nathalie Becquart - Undersecretary of the synod of Bishops

"Women on the road to a synodal Church"

Taken at the Ratification of C.W.O. Aberdeen on the 16^th of May 2023 

The Catholic Women Organisation (C.W.O.) Aberdeen was approved as a member body by WUCWO in June 2021, awaiting ratification. When the date for the general assembly was fixed for the 14^th – 20^th of May 2023, we were excited and 11 of our members registered to attend. It was a rare privilege that WUCWO’s GA this year (2023) was preceded by the audience with Pope Francis, making our first attendance of the GA very special.

2001

In March 2001, the WUCWO General Assembly was held in Rome (Italy) on the theme «The Prophetic Mission of Women». More than 750 women were present representing all continents. At the dawn of the new Millennium WUCWO women gave a strong message of hope. Priorities voted: Education, Violence against women, and human rights.

Maria Eugenia Díaz de Pfennich (Mexico) was reelected President General.

1952

Thirteenth International Congress in Rome: “Peace in the world and the contribution of Catholic women”; the new statutes were voted in by the Bureau and approved by Rome.

The Union officially adopted the name of World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO). Marie du Rostu (France) already Vice-President of the Youth section in 1926, was elected President by the Bureau (not nominated by the Holy See).

WUCWO comprised 166 organisations from 66 countries from all over the world, numbering 36 million women. From 1952 onwards many countries from Africa, and also from Asia Pacific and Oceania joined WUCWO, consolidating it as truly international in scope.

Among these 166 organisations were large international organisations such as International Association of Charities (IAC). Also, since its foundation, the International Society for Girls has taken part in Board meetings with the right to speak but not to vote.

1945

Contacts were made for the resumption of international work.

In 1946 the United Nations created the Commission on the Status of Women before adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948.

1947

Eleventh International Congress in Rome preceded by a study week “Christian Women’s contribution to the Human Community”. In order to obtain consultative status with UNESCO the “Youth Section” broke off from the Union to become the World Federation of Young Catholic Women. However, it remained closely linked to UILFC and its president took part in meetings of the Bureau. In the same year, IUCWL obtained consultative status with ECOSOC.

May 14, 1940, Mrs Steenbergh-Engeringh destroyed the archives in Holland “so that the invaders could not lay hands on them and use them to find people who had collaborated with us (the Union).” (Notebooks February 1946)

In June 1940, the German police searched the UILFC offices. Dr. J.H.E.J. Hoogveld, chaplain to IUCWL since 1930 was arrested by the Gestapo and died as a result of the ill-treatment he suffered. During this time work went on locally in some countries depending on their circumstances.

1921

In 1921 there was an executive meeting in Cracow (Poland) to re-launch the Union and prepare for the fifth International Congress taking place in Rome the following year.

1922

Fifth International Congress in Rome: “Preservation and Propagation of the Faith”; women’s campaign for morality; against traffic of women; for preparation of women for civic responsibilities.

Mrs Steenberghe-Engeringh (The Netherlands) was elected president (nominated by the Pope) and remained so for 30 years. Under her guidance the Union (IUCWL) expanded rapidly and was in a position to become WUCWO in 1952. With 19 new organisations the Union numbered 40 leagues in 20 countries.

During the 1914-1918 War the Union ceased to function and only resumed activities in 1921.

Nevertheless the President managed to keep in touch with the Vatican as well as with several national leagues.

It was in 1910 that Madame de Vélard, President of the Patriotic League of French Women (later Action Catholique Générale Féminine, ACGF) suggested uniting the leagues of Catholic women throughout the world.

This meeting, called “the Committee for Initiative”, took place in Brussels (Belgium) and brought together the Leagues from Germany, England, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Spain, France, Lorraine, Portugal, Switzerland and Uruguay, along with the International Catholic Society for Girls, ACISJF.

• Regional
• International

• Africa
• Asia-Pacific
• Europe
• Latin America and the Caribbean
• North America

WAWATA with the General Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, gender, women and special groups, Dr Shekilage, and his Deputy, Felister Mdemu

The Association of  Catholic Women in Tanzania (WAWATA) visited the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania in Dodoma the Capital on November 4 this year on invitation of the Minister of Social Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups Hon. Dr. Dorothy Gwajima. After observing the parliamentary session and being introduced in the parliament by the Chairman of the Parliament, Dr. Joseph Kizito Mhagama, WAWATA held a meeting with the Ministry of Social Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups led by the Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Seif Shekalaghe.

Lucy Joceylin Vokhiwa

WUCWO Board member Malawi

Family as a vocation, is a missionary journey that God has placed in the world for us to embrace, announce and live by. This journey requires listening to God who has called us as companions of the gospel. During the X World Meeting of Families, Pope Francis encouraged and called for families around the world to announce the joy of being family, for those that are further along to become companions of the other and guide them, announce to children and young people the grace of Christian marriage but also open ourselves to Christ, listen to Him in the silence of prayer, accompanying those who are most fragile, taking charge of those who are alone, refugees and abandoned. The theme of the meeting, ‘Family Love: a vocation and path to holiness’, opened up an obligation for the Church and her members to actively take part in family evangelization. WUCWO, an umbrella body for Catholic Women Organisations/Associations adopted the resolution during its 2023 General Assembly in Assisi, introducing the resolution ‘Let us take with renewed conviction the joyful journey of family love, motherhood and fatherhood’ to be implemented in the next four years.

Mary Assumpta Gidudu 

Uganda Catholic women Apostolate

Family love is indeed a vocation and path to holiness. Mothers and Fathers are called to take the joyful journey of family love. The truth is that many fathers and mothers are finding it very difficult to enjoy this God given vocation because of various situations. There are situations that pause great challenges to individuals and really rob them of the joy of motherhood and fatherhood. The vocation of motherhood and fatherhood takes us to the thought of a family unit the smallest building block of the society. In the family units today there many challenges not limited to domestic violence. In the family unit we may find other forms of violence such sexual violence, emotional violence and physical violence. In the view of this forms of violence we find that the joy of motherhood and fatherhood is robbed and rendering every other member of the family vulnerable to any form of abuse

The WUCWO Africa Region held the 10th edition of the Regional Conference in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, from 14 to 20 June 2021.

Despite the many difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the high cost of plane tickets, the shortage of flights and the limitations of screening tests, 180 women from Cameroon, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Mali, Malawi, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry and Ivory Coast wanted to be present at this meeting.

SUMMARY OF THE LIFE OF THE RESOLUTIONS IN THE AFRICAN ORGANISATIONS

Madam President General of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO/UMOFC)

Dear Members of the Board

With you, I thank God for the moments we lived together in Senegal at the feet of Our Lady of Liberation, during the WUCWO General Assembly held from 15 to 22 October 2018.

It is with great joy that I take the floor today to share the summary of responses to the resolutions that African organisations have been kind enough to send.

August 29th - September 5th 2016

Malawi

February  2-7, 2013

Abuja, Nigeria

  There is no image or category is unpublished or not authorized

Fifty Years of Dedication and Hope: Catholic Women’s Organisation (CWO) of Malawi, Celebrates a Significant Milestone. 

Lilongwe, Malawi - In the setting of Lilongwe Stadium, the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) of Malawi celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Founded back in 1973, the association has played a crucial role in the social and religious fabric of the country, with a constant and significant commitment to the common good.

Representing Catholic women from all over Malawi, the CWO is part of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO), a global network that promotes the active participation of women in the Church and in society.

CWA Kenya - Video from the National Prayer Day broadcasted from the Marian Shrine in Subukia.

Challenges: A path to Holiness.

Evaline Malisa Ntenga

WUCWO Board Member for Tanzania

Celebrating the life of Mrs Alpha (40years) and her Daughter Omega (15years).

Mathew 16:24-25 

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

Luke 23:31

"For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"

Jesus through this verse remind us that being a son of God, he went through trials and all sort of problems and challenges, and therefore anyone who chooses to be his disciple will face the same and even more. The Israelites went through the desert for 40years with lots of suffering – hunger, drought, snake bite, and the like before entering Canaan. 

THE CHALLENGES OF MY MOTHERHOOD.

Naomi Embaga

CWO, Nigeria

It is the dream of every married woman to become a mother – it is a dream I’ve always had. Even at present, I can still reminiscence the good nostalgic memories of my childhood: carrying and cuddling toy babies in my arms and bathing them, singing lullabies to them in the name of trying to make them sleep and what have you. That love shown as a mere object became real when my mother gave birth to my immediate younger sister – after seven years of loneliness. She became the companion I never had and so I had a desperate loving desire to protect her. And I did.

Resilience: A Must For Successful Women

By

 Amb. Dr. Mrs. Alice Aladi Jonah (JP)

MINNA DIOCESE, CWON Nigeria

If you want to be successful in life, you must be resilient.

INTRODUCTION

We are often faced with diverse challenges in life especially in the family, when life throws such challenges at us, we are seen running helter skater in search of solution. Sometimes, we wonder aimlessly, tirelessly but expectantly, not minding if we are going about it the right way or not. One thing is sure though, whenever we have a problem, we think of a way out, a possible solution. But after the trying moment lies your reaction, action or inaction. This is where resilience comes into play.

In September 2021, Mrs Nwanneka Okolo, WUCWO Board Member and President of the Catholic Women Organisation Nigeria (CWON), together with Dr Obiageli Ndu, Chairperson of Iwene Tansi Parish, in Enugu, and Mr Nnamdi Arum, Climate Change Officer in the Ministry of Environment of the Enugu State, were at Radio Nigeria, in Enugu, to sensitise the public on the need to care for the environment with emphasis on reuse, and proper disposal of plastics. It was an interactive session on Laudato si’, with questions from the public.

At National level, CWO is implementing a project on Covid-19 response in two archdioceses of Blantyre and Lilongwe. The following are some of the concrete actions that the women of the Catholic Women's Organisation are carrying out for this project. 

Members of the CWA Cameroon National executive had their maiden meeting in the weekend from 8th-10th January 2021 in the sea shore Holy Trinity Parish Bota, in Buea Diocese.

Identified in December, 2019, a local outbreak of respiratory infections in Wuhan, China had culminated into a global pandemic(Covid-19) as declared by World Health Organization (WHO) affecting the whole world. Ever since, the world has experienced a rapid growth of new cases, deaths and recoveries each day. Countries all over the world have activated emergency plans, guidelines and measures as to how best they could handle the disease, restricting its further spread and transmission. For instance, awareness interventions on wearing masks, social distancing, travel restrictions, home confinement among others.

In Nigeria, the extended family system impacts so much on communal life. With the advent of COVID-19 a lot of hardship is being experienced by families. People most affected by the lockdowns are the poor and the needy together with workers who live on daily wages.

In most places in Nigeria, only markets and shops selling food items were allowed to open initially thereby leaving the generality of the people working/doing business in other sectors of the economy vulnerable.

The deadly coronavirus pandemic that took everyone by surprise is no respecter of persons and appears to be testing the faith of many. In these testing times, we must neither falter nor take our eyes of faith off the “almightiness” of our God. The painful reality of Covid-19 proved to the world that there is a creator, God almighty. For sure our God is mightier than the virus that has changed our lives in several ways. Like the two women who visited the tomb of Jesus after his resurrection, women have learned to leave their comfort zones and take the lead in reshaping and redirecting through positive action.

In Line with our Resolution 4 “ Let us Educate to Respond to the call to Holiness” Catholic women in Malawi throughout its 8 dioceses, put in place deliberate efforts to organize retreats and workshops so that Priests and other facilitators can guide, accompany and teach us on our journey to holiness.

Uganda with the equator running through it and laying between the tropics has got tropical forests and savannah grasslands. We used to experience rain twice a year, February – March and about August – September. However, due to climate change, the seasons have changed making it difficult for farmers to plan for their farming. 

The Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) in the Archdiocese of Blantyre on Friday last week, cleaned Ndirande Township in Blantyre City as part of Earth Action Initiative on the environment.

The cleaning exercise in Ndirande Township follows a call to action in the face of the plastic and toxic waste crisis the environment has witnessed.

May 13th is the day of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO). The date recalls the anniversary of the founding of the Organization in 1910. This year, Les Mamans du Monastère du Mont Febe joined the celebration.

The Catholic Women’s Association is a movement of over 30,000 women across the entire country with representation from over 42 ethnic and cultural backgrounds. As a community, the theme of the organization’s activities across the region is to support the local community to thrive, to meet basic needs and to provide encouragement in times of need and bereavement, helping the members in spiritual growth through prayers and sharing the word of God.

"Let us take care of the family in difficult situations, especially its most vulnerable members."

At the end of the great Assembly held in October 2018 in Senegal, we, the women of WUCWO, decided to "bring living water" to the different spheres of life.

Themes ADFCAC works on in Guinea Conakry:
• integral ecology
• "the family in its most vulnerable members."

This recently concluded General Assembly opened my eyes to a number of things, however, the most important of all was the initiative of women around the world gathering together as Catholic Women from different backgrounds. I was really impressed about the discussions and sharing the cross cutting issues women all over the world face in their day to day life, especially living as Catholics.

The "Mamans Eucharistiques du Monastère," a diocesan association of Cameroon, present at WUCWO Meetings since its affiliation to this worldwide Christian organisation in 2011, welcomed the priority adopted at the Dakar General Assembly on "the call to holiness."

After the one in Fatima in 2014, God gave us the grace to celebrate our GA, a sign of our commitment as women and mothers, through our various activities and actions that are reflected in the paths laid out by Pope Francis. In fact, Pope Francis' encyclicals are a guide for our lives.

Please find below a report by the Uganda Catholic Women's Organization on domestic violence.

Violence against women in Uganda is predominantly domestic. And in its reference as Domestic Violence, is at epidemic level worldwide. Recent statistics in Uganda shows that 30% of women or one of every three women is a victim of physical and or sexual domestic violence at least once in their lifetime. The majority of victims experience multiple assaults rather than just one. A 2006 study by the Uganda Law Reform Commission indicates that 66% of men and women respondents had experienced domestic violence (CEDOVIP 2007). However, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics report published in 2007 68% of ever-married women aged 15-49 years had experienced some form of violence inflicted on them by their spouse or intimate partner. Physically their bodies are bruised and emotionally they become unstable. To make matters worse, many of those in marriage get infected with diseases such as Sexual Transmitted Infections mainly HIV/AIDS. Most women are not to blame but their abusive relationships or unfaithful partners.

WUCWO GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN THE FRAMEWORK OF POPE FRANCIS MAGISTERIUM

BY

DAME PATRICIA NWAUBANI, CWO NIGERIA

1.    Preamble:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2032-2040) (2049-2051) states that “it is the duty of the Magisterium of the Church to preach the faith that is to be believed and put into practice in life. This duty extends even to specific precepts of the natural law because their observance is necessary for salvation”.

During the pan-African conference held in Nairobi last November, the problem of land grabbing, a real challenge for African countries, was discussed.

Marie-Madeleine Mwifi Bodibatu

Branche Feminine Bondeko Democratic Republic of Congo

Celebrating their 40th anniversary

From left to right: Doris Schmidauer, Lucia Greiner, Sr. Nathalie Becquart and Angelika Ritter-Grepl (Photo: ÖPK)

‘Synodality in the Catholic Church has only just begun, we must do our utmost to implement the resolutions of the World Synod,’ emphasises Angelika Ritter-Grepl, Chairwoman of the Catholic Women's Movement Austria (KFBÖ), following a conversation with Sr Nathalie Becquart, Undersecretary of the Vatican General Secretariat of the World Synod of Bishops. ‘The Synod Secretariat is entrusted with the accompaniment of the reception phase in the local churches called to implement synodality in dioceses as in a note published by Pope Francis stated.’ The conversation between Sr Becquart with Ritter-Grepl and Lucia Greiner, the head of the pastoral office of the Archdiocese of Salzburg, took place at the invitation of Austria's “First Lady” Doris Schmidauer in the presidential chancellery in Vienna.

On May 13th, WUCWO Day, the organisations that are part of WUCWO Spain (Acción Católica General, Adoración Nocturna Femenina Española, ACdP, and Manos Unidas) have organised a round table moderated by Sandra Várez González, journalist and Director of Communication at the Pablo VI Foundation, featuring contributions from Carmen Márquez, professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical University of Comillas and Director of TUP, and María del Carmen Molina, Doctor in Biology and Professor at the Rey Juan Carlos University, member of the CDEI.

“Pencils for All” is a very small charitable organisation working on educational projects all around the world.

At the time of the Dakar General Assembly we were already preparing for more work in South Sudan, country torn by civil and ethnic war and violence. The country welcomed the much-needed peace just at the beginning of this year on the 22 February 2020, unfortunately the wonderful news was overshadowed by the COVID -19 spread around the world.

South Sudan is one of the youngest countries in the world, gain its independence from Sudan in June 2011 and ending the longest civil war in Africa. Sadly, the peace did not last. In 2013 yet another civil war started and the first three years were extremely violent and brutal.

On 10 and 11 November 2021, the WUCWO European Regional Conference took place in Spain, as a hybrid event. Araceli Cavero, Vice President for Europe, invited women from WUCWO member organisations to discuss and learn about the theme of discrimination and violence against women.

These two days were enlightened by the prayer of the participants and marked by interesting activities: a conference on violence in the Bible, courageous and moving personal testimonies, a look beyond the borders of Europe with the work carried out for many years in Peru following the exactions of the Shining Path, and fruitful exchanges in workshops.

On the 17th-20th of last March the European Regional Conference was celebrated in Madrid. Around 40 women from France, United Kingdom, Italy and Spain got together.

The chosen topic was the revision of the 5th resolution approved at the Fatima Assembly: working against the corruption. The slogan: “WUCWO women for the honesty and justice”.

On the 10th March 2016 the Regional Vice President for Europe, Araceli Cavero, was received by the President of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Emmo. D. Ricardo Blaquez. The meeting was arranged to inform him of her election and to discuss WUCWO’s work and projects, and the celebration of the General Assembly and the resolutions adopted in Fatima. It was a very pleasant meeting. He was grateful for the information and shared some suggestions for how to improve the work. A considerable amount of time had passed since the election but due to various circumstances it had not been possible to arrange a meeting earlier.

Leeds, United Kingdom

September 5 -8, 2013

There is no image or category is unpublished or not authorized

From the WUCWO Spain team, comprised of 4 organizations: Acción Católica General, Manos Unidas, Asociación de Propagandistas, and Adoración Nocturna Femenina, in line with Pope Francis' proposal to build a synodal path and promote the formation of the laity, a training day titled "​Resilient Stories from the Old Testament with Women's Names" was organized last month. We are sharing the material from this meeting to delve into the lives of some prominent women from the Old Testament and their characteristics.

Our Social Responsibility committee has ben working on updating our Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse booklet. It was finally launched at our October Board meeting to respond to the reporting of rising numbers of domestic violence during the corona virus lockdown. Information is posted on our website https://www.nbcw.co.uk where digital copies may be downloaded.

On October 26th of this year, we were invited by the Spanish Episcopal Conference and the Episcopal Commission of the Secular Apostolate to present WUCWO at the Days of the Delegates of the Secular Apostolate.

“Catholic Action assumes the entire mission of the church in generous belonging to the diocesan Church from the Parish. The mission is not one of many tasks in Catholic Action, but it is the one task (...)
It is necessary for Catholic Action to be present in the political, business and professional world, but not in order to believe that we are perfect and formed Christians, but in order to serve better. It is essential that Catholic Action be in the prisons, even with those condemned to life imprisonment, because every prisoner needs a horizon, not a fence, or a wall... CA can give horizons... of reinsertion... It is necessary that CA be in hospitals, in the street, in the villages, in the factories. If this is not the case, it will be an exclusive institution that does not say anything to anyone, not even to the Church itself.”
(Pope Francis at the II International Congress of Catholic Action, 27 April 2017)

Discovering a little piece of Africa and getting to know our Senegalese friends, who are particularly welcoming, was a great adventure for me:
a colourful Africa, with cheerful women singing and dancing, and festive Masses that surprise and astonish us Europeans.

Incorporated into the busy General Assembly timetable was a visit to Gorée Island. The island lies 3km off the coast of Dakar, Senegal, West Africa.
The ‘House of Slaves’ and its ‘Door of No Return’ is a museum and memorial to the Atlantic slave trade on Gorée Island and is said to memorialise the final exit point of the slaves from Africa.

The WUCWO General Assembly was a discovery for us, for it was our first attendance.
The exchange groups allowed us to get to know the realities of women from other continents, which are, in some cases, totally different from our own.

See
You may be wondering what WUCWO is: World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations. More than 100 organisations from 66 countries on 5 continents are represented in this global network. From Spain we were 11 people from ACG, ANFE and Manos Unidas. In addition, we traveled with Teresa Compte, who participated as speaker.

I have loved Africa since I was a little girl and have managed to visit the continent in my adulthood which has only increased my love for its peoples and cultures. When I found out that the 2018 World Union of Catholic
Women’s Organisation General Assembly (WUCWO) was going to be hosted in Dakar, I was thrilled. There was also another exciting development to attending this event which was the small charitable educational organisation I had both founded and run – “Pencils for All” was going to become a new associate member!

Four members of Femina Europa participated in the General Assembly. Alix Lejard, delegate of Femina Europa to the European Parliament, Virginie Rotheÿ, WUCWO representative to UNESCO, Marion Senellart, treasurer, and Myriam Fourchaud, lay missionary and writer.

In June, we learned that over one million EU citizens signed the "Mum, Dad and Kids" European Citizens Initiative - a legislative effort to protect marriage and family, by defining marriage as a permanent and faithful union of man and woman with the purpose of founding a family.

From 22nd to 26th July 2019, the Summer School "Building the Future on Peace", organised byItalian Catholic Action and other entities, will be held in Assisi, Italy.

I’d like to tell you about a lady who as a nurse/midwife/manager has worked in Kenya for 27 years, she is known to her patients and staff as simply: ‘Sister Vincent’.

The Catholic Bishops of Europe publish today a Statement in view of the upcoming European elections. In this text, they reaffirm their support for the European project. They encourage all citizens of the European Union to go to the polling booths on the 22nd and 25th May, and to start engaging, during the run-up to the election, in constructive dialogue with their MEP’s and those who are candidates for seats. At the same time, COMECE invites the Bishops’ conferences in the EU, to adopt this text, either by using it as an Election Statement as such or as an inspiration for their own election statements.

Italian Consolata Sister Eugenia Bonetti, a driving force in the fight against trafficking and prostitution, was among the recipients of the European Citizen’s Prize 2013. The annual award was launched by the European Parliament in 2008 to recognise exceptional achievements by individual citizens or groups who facilitate cross-border cooperation within the EU or promote better mutual understanding between citizens and member states. It can also be awarded for day-to-day activities reflecting the values enshrined in the EU's charter of fundamental rights.

Click here to read more

STRASBOURG, August 2 (C-FAM) European ministers disappointed abortion groups last month when they failed to say that abortion is a human right. They cited lack of consensus in Europe.

Members of Leeds Branch of the Catholic Women’s League and visitors gathered at St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church, Ripon for Mass celebrated by Canon Paul Moxon before visiting the Wayside Shrine, 2 miles away at Studley Roger for their annual pilgrimage

Called to Justice and Freedom a celebration of the Life and Legacy

The service is organised by Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), the successor organisation to the Anti Apartheid Movement and
the Trevor Huddleston CR Memorial Centre, South Africa and hosted by St Martin-in-the-Fields.

Lusia Willar

Indonesian Catholic Woman’s Organisation (ICWO)

In Indonesia, the safety and quality of various products are of paramount importance and to ensure this, the country has a regulatory body known as Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan Indonesia (BPOM Indonesia) or The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (IFDA). IFDA plays a crucial role in safeguarding public health and regulating the production, distribution, and use of food, drugs, and other consumer products.

As WUCWO Vice-President Asia Pacific I am happy to report that I have received reports from Organisations  - Australia, Japan, Lebanon, Aotearoa New Zealand and South Korea but not from Fiji, India or Tonga.  We know that there are many women’s organisations that do not belong to WUCWO but we will endeavour to encourage them to join this wonderful International Organisation.

Suva, Fiji

 2 au 6 mai, 2016

There is no image or category is unpublished or not authorized

Click here to read an article about it 

News broadcast about the conference on Fijian national TV (the broadcast about WUCWO is from 11.59 onwards)

Manila, Philippines

March 3 - 8 2012

There is no image or category is unpublished or not authorized

"Womanhood - the greatest treasure" 

WUCWO's Asia-Pacific regional conference will take place from the 12th to the 14th of September, 2025.

The meeting venue is Mary Mackillop Place - 80 William St, North Sydney NSW 2060, Australia.

For more information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - www.cwla.com.au 

​Last October 31, 2021, instead of celebrating Halloween, the Junior Members of the Catholic Women's League Philippines organised a "Parade of Saints".

The whole event was held virtually, through Zoom, because of COVID-19 pandemic protocols in the Philippines which prevented CWL from having face to face or mass gatherings.

Viviane Nader Sebrini

 CPF-Jounieh Lebanon

The Lord has indicated to me to follow new missionary paths, which will become clearer step by step...

As if they were signs of the times, the development of events and their sequence, nothing is by chance, because the Lord uses our experiences and our abilities, however small they may be. What is essential is our attitude in the face of trials; we have to listen to his voice amidst the noise of daily challenges and dare to respond to his call; “let it be done to us according to your word.”

Although highly vulnerable because of age and comorbidities, CWL officers and members throughout the Philippines have painstakingly tried to bring God closer to the people in these challenging times through selfless service to the most affected families. Thus, amidst the pandemic, various projects and activities through its thrust – HOPE (Holiness, Outreach, Pastoral Involvement and Empowerment), were put into action by the CWL throughout the country, responding with empathy and compassion to help. CWL Philippines National President, R. Rita Mariano, M.D. tells us a little about the activities they have carried out.

On a dark Cambodian morning in December 2019, I lined up with around 10,000 runners and walkers nervously awaiting the starter’s gun for the Angkor Wat Charity Half Marathon. There was a buzz of excitement and anticipation. The morning was very dark and cool. The early start time designed to miss the expected heat later in the day and the crush of runners made for precarious footing for the first few hundred metres. The course would take us around the main tourist temple circuit at the Angkor Wat temple complex near Seim Reap in Cambodia.

The World Union of Catholic Women, as a gesture of solidarity at this anxious time, decided to hold three webinars on the subject of Solidarity and Synodality, one in English, one in Spanish and one in French. They invited every group of Catholic Women, who are affiliated with them, to join the webinar, so on 28^th April I had the privilege of joining 34 other ladies from around the world through the marvels of the internet.

Below you can find the report of Kunie Fukahori, President of the National Catholic Women’s Organization of Japan, on the visit of the Pope to Japan.

«Pope Francis visited Japan in November 2019. Japanese Roman Catholics number some 441,000 and represent only 0.34% of Japan’s population. We Catholics were very excited about the Pope’s visit, of course, but the general public also expressed great interest in this first visit by a Pope in 38 years.

On May 25th, 2019, the Catholic Women’s League of the Philippines celebrated its centennial anniversary. The 1500 attendees prayed the WUCWO prayer for Peace in union with the WUCWO organisations of the whole world.

The Dakar General Assembly in Senegal seemed so remote to me, despite the fact that WUCWO had been a familiar organisation which CWO Korea has participated with since 1983. It could possibly have been from the burden of the election I faced as a board member candidate. Also, the 20-hour flight to Dakar (including one transfer) was not easy to take either.

The Annual Meeting of the General Body and the Meeting of the Governing Board of the Council of Catholic Women of India (CCWI) will be held in Chennai, India, with the participation of 60 members from all over India, from Kerala to Nagaland.

Please find below the translation of an interview with WUCWO Board Member Helen Kwon Kyung Soo, which was presented in Catholic Peace Press.

was declared a Servant of God on 27th March 2013. The Catholic Womens League  Australia

has publishe this special suplement

Jewell Start
General President
Catholic Women’s League of Victoria and Wagga Wagga, Australia

The establishment of Bahay Pangarap Women’s Center in the Diocese of Malolos was conceptualized by Most Reverend Bishop Jose F. Oliveros, D.D, Rev. Fr. Domingo Salonga and the Catholic Women’s League under the leadership of Mrs. Fortunata “Nellie” B. O’Santos. Funds were raised for the building construction through the support of the then Governor of Bulacan, Josie M. dela Cruz, CWL membership and various benefactors and friends.

The VII WUCWO Regional Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean was held virtually from 11 to 13 May 2021. The theme of the Conference was: “Catholic Women Leaders in Action for a Culture of Peace and Fraternity.”

Please find below some useful resources from the Conference.

The VI Regional Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean was held from 26 to 29 October 2017 in Antigua, Guatemala. The theme of the Conference was: "Family, seed of a humanised society."

Mexico, D.F.

April 8 -12 , 2013

Mónica Santamarina de Robles
WUCWO General Vice-president

Sara Vázquez Matar
WUCWO Board Member
Cuba

“Participating in the 2019 WUCWO Board Meeting contributed to my growth and preparation in organisational work, and that means understanding Christ’s call to serve beyond the borders of the country and to work as the Universal Church.”

“In the service, let's reach out to Rural Families”

This is the motto animating the programme of Misiones Rurales Argentina, whose objective is to take the Word of God to the 1068 families of the 22 places that belong to the Parish  of  Nuestra  Señora  de Andacollo, north zone of the province of Neuquén.

The Women's Forum of the EuroLat Parliamentary Assembly in Rome had our President, Maria Giovanna Ruggieri, as a speaker at the Italo-Latin American Institute, with the theme Women together to grow in co-responsibility and solidarity on May 18.

Read her intervention below (in Spanish).

NOSOTRAS Magazine from Cuba

Shari Guinta

Catholic Women’s League of Canada

After attending the WUCWO General Assembly for the first time in 2023, I developed an appreciation for the work of WUCWO and its global sisterhood. I learned more about and was impressed with the World Women’s Observatory. What an amazing initiative! The Catholic Women’s League of Canada is aware of global issues, and often the same issues exist in Canada.

On 25 August 2021, 107 women, 2 husbands, and Spiritual Advisors gathered in Arlington, Virginia (USA), for the 2021 WUCWO North America Region Conference with the theme, Make Me A Channel of Your Peace.

Maribeth Stewart Blogoslawski, Vice President for North America, welcomed the attendees. Afterward, there was a ceremony of remembrance when representatives of each of the member organizations of the North America Region placed a lighted votive candle before the statue of Mary after which we prayed for the deceased members of our organizations.

This report is concentrated on the response of our organizations to the four resolutions we adopted at our General Assembly in Dakar.

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 

August 14-15, 2016

Fort Lauderdale, Fl, USA

September 29 - 30, 2013

There is no image or category is unpublished or not authorized

On the 7th anniversary of the promulgation of the encyclical Laudato Si’ by the Holy Father Pope Francis, the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon has launched a Laudato Si’ Reflection Series through its Human and Environmental Development Program.

What a blessing to be able to meet with Catholic women of faith from throughout the world and to be privy to the expertise of the women who provided so many points of reflection on the state of the world from the perspective of faith, environment, and geo-politics. The various speakers, while being realistic, left all with a sense of optimism. If, as Father Whelan stated in his homily, we spend time discerning who we are as women of faith, dream, and allow “hope to flourish”, we have no reason to fear. God is good, all the time. His Holiness is probably one of the most visible living examples of this optimism, while we recognize the myriad number doing their parts daily to secure a better world.

Most Esteemed Micaela Le Blanc, newly elected 14th Supreme Lady of the Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary and I recently attended the WUCWO General Assembly 2018 in Dakar, Senegal. Upon arriving at the
Palm Beach Hotel, we were welcomed with song and dance from our host country. After a beautiful Opening Mass and Opening Ceremony, we quickly set out to complete the work of the General Assembly.

Attendees of the 2015 National Council of Catholic Women’s annual convention in Orlando, Florida, were surprised by the guest appearance of Mickey Mouse and a special presentation on the 95 years of NCCW history at the 95th birthday luncheon celebration. The NCCW convention is the annual gathering of women leaders from Catholic women’s organizations in parishes and dioceses throughout the United States.  The theme of this year’s Convention was “Be the Voice of Catholic Women: Sowers of Hope.”

Luba Kowalchyk

Luba was born on March 6, 1954 and is married to Fr. Michael Kowalchyk. Their family consists of two children Walter (Danielle), Andrew (Wanda), and grandchildren, Kristine, Larissa, Maxim, Zoryanna and Victoria. In 1987, Luba graduated from NAIT, Business Department , majoring in Administrative Management and Accounting. Her employment included 1988 - 1993 Executive Director of Ukrainian Canadian Social Services. During her time with Ukrainian Canadian Social Service, Luba was responsible for initiating resettlement of Ukrainian refugees from former Yugoslavia. More then 150 families fourth generation of Ukrainian descent fled the prosecution in their homeland and settled in Edmonton. From 1993 to the present date Luba has been the Manager of Meest for Western Canada.
Inclusive of her dedicated work provincially and nationally with UCWLC, Luba is the founder and Manger of “Bridge of Hope” a charitable arm of the Edmonton Eparchy, sponsorship of needy and orphaned children in Ukraine though the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate (SSMI) in Ukraine.

Click here to see the page of Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Alberta Provincial Council (UCC-APC)

I write of a WUCWO-inspired collaboration between a woman in Cameroon (Africa) and myself. We became acquainted at the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO) 2006 General Assembly in Arlington, Virginia which was an effort for both of us to attend.

As International Concerns Chair for my Diocesan CCW it is a privilege to choose and present a particular global need to our membership for their support. I prayed that the Assembly would provide opportunity as I prepared to travel to Virginia. Our hotel was filled with 800 of the most beautifully diverse women I’d ever seen, the joy present was tangible.

Click here to read more

Read the message from President Betty Ann Brown Davidson

Click here to read more

The National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) 2013 Convention was held September 25 – 28, 2013 at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with nearly 500 participants from across the USA. 

The theme, “Be the Voice of Catholic Women:  Confidence, Hope & Joy,” was based on the purpose of the proposed women’s council which was created by the United States Bishops in 1920:  “To give the Catholic women of the country a common voice and an instrument of common action in all matters affecting Catholic or national welfare.”

Click here to read more

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO-UMOFC), under the patronage of the Embassy of Britain to the Holy See and the Embassy of Peru to the Holy See, has the honour of presenting the conference “Women as Promoters of Hope.”

On the occasion of International Women's Day, the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations, with the sponsorship of the British Embassy to the Holy See and the Embassy of Peru to the Holy See, held a conference entitled "The women promoters of hope" on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at the auditorium of the International Union of Superiors General, located in Lungotevere Tor di Nona 7 in Rome.

From 16 to 22 May, the WUCWO Board met in Rome for its first meeting after its appointment at the General Assembly in Senegal (October 2018).

Education and unaccompanied migrant children.

On November 9, 2016, the Declaration on the Right to Peace was officially presented to the UNGA III Committee of the on-going 71th General Assembly (New York).

Some days before, WUCWO, together with 47 NGOs cosignatories, sent an open letter to all diplomatic missions in New York recommending to vote favourably on the Human Rights Declaration on Right to Peace.

From 27-30 August 2016, 15 cardinals, 120 bishops, rectors of religious orders and Marian shrines, and lay leaders of Catholic associations of all the Americas gathered in Bogotá Colombia for a Celebration of the Extraordinary Jubilee of the Year of Mercy in the American Continent -and our WUCWO was there.

April 2016

The speakers were: Mgr. Vincenzo Paglia, President of the PCF, Mgr. Ivan Jurkovic, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva and Maria Giovanna Ruggeri, WUCWO President General. Ambassadors or representatives of more than 70 Embassies to the Holy See attended as well as about 20 directors of Catholic NGOs, special guests and journalists. 

Click here to read Msgr. Paglia

click here to read Pope Francis' message

Click here to read the document

Maribeth Stewart's presentation during Board Meeting 2012

There is no image or category is unpublished or not authorized

As a contribution to the discussion of the post-2015 development framework, we, Catholic inspired organizations, re-affirm that the most effective route out of poverty and the ongoing global economic crisis is closely linked to the promotion of decent work and support for adequate social protection… 

WUCWO has sponsored a Declaration of the Civil Society on the Occasion of the XXth Anniversary of the International year of the Family (IYF) which will take place in 2014. The aim is that its contents become a part of a resolution adopted by the United Nations on the occasion of this anniversary. Politicians, academics, representatives of NGOs as well as individual citizens the world over are invited to sign it.

More information about the declaration and an online form to sign it can be found at http://www.family2014.org/declaration.php.

June 4, 2018 - Role of Faith Based Organizations in Protecting Migrants and Refugees

November 12, 2018 - Relief and Works for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East

November 12, 2018 - Mozart Requiem to Mark the Anniversary of the End of World War I

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.

This report on the work of WUCWO at the United Nations in New York (ECOSOC) must necessarily give you just a brief overview of the discussions concerning the challenges and opportunities that face our world addressed at the UN in New York. The opportunity to participate in discussion groups, present formal written statements, and to attend many sessions is a responsibility and a privilege that we appreciate every time we walk onto the main plaza and see the long line of flags from the 193 Member States. Founded in the ashes of World War II, the UN remains a powerful global forum seeking to prevent further man-made disasters and to enable all citizens of our Earth to achieve a standard that provides dignity and basic human rights to all people. How could we fail to be moved when we report to attend meetings at such a forum of hope? In addition to our presence at many sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women meetings, we also attend other sessions throughout the year, many organized by the Permanent Observer of the Holy See. What follows is just a small sampling of the many topics presented and debated over the course of this WUCWO mandate.

June 1, 2017 - Parenting and Optimal Child Development

July 12, 2017 - SDG 2 and ASDG 14: Caring for the Most Vulnerable to End Hunger and Care for the Oceans

July 14, 2018 - Importance of Nuclear Disarmament: A Discussion

UN New York (3 representatives)

61st session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61)  

Pope Francis met  with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon along with his wife and members of his entourage at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. Secretary-General Ban also met with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, along with Archbishop Antoine Camilleri, under-Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States.

Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls

The President General travelled to Geneva where she had a meeting with Nuncio Mons. Ivan Jurkovič on the collaborative work of WUCWO with the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the UN Human Rights Council, in particular for the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The last meeting of experts of the International Forum, which is preparing the World Assembly to be held in December 2019, took place in Rome (17-18 June).

UN Geneva (3 representatives)

June 2016

WUCWO, as coordinator of Geneva's Forum of Catholic Inspired NGOs, co-organizes a parallel event on Amoris Laetitia.

March 2016

WUCWO Secretary General, Maria Lia Zervino, pronounced a joint oral statement on the protection of the family at the 31st session of theUN Human Rights Council in Geneva. 

Click here to watch the video. The statement is made at Chapter 31 (1h 03)

March 2016

WUCWO co-signed the oral statement prepared and presented by APG23 at the 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. 

March 2016

WUCWO co-signed an oral statement prepared and presented by APG23 at the 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva which condemns the sale of children.

The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva has recently adopted an important resolution with regards to the Protection of the Family (A/HRC/29/L.25).

WUCWO, which currently coordinates the Working Group for the Family in the Forum for Catholic Inspired NGOs, in working together with Caritas Internationalis, Fondazione Giovanni XXIII, Point Coeur and the Justice and Peace Dominicans, played a supportive role throughout the drafting and adoption of this resolution by ensuring that the views of our organisations were expressed clearly to the Egyptian representative who led the process.

Some key points of the Resolution:

-Recognizes the family as the ‘natural and fundamental’ cell of society and as an ally against poverty, saying that it should therefore be supported in sustainable development programs.

-Encourages States to consider fiscal policies, investment plans and employment opportunities with respect to their impact on the well-being of families. And even encourages them, where necessary, to create observatory bodies to monitor family policies.

-Takes into account in particular the families composed of only mothers and children, highlighting the need for policies that protect against domestic violence and discrimination against women.

-Recognizes the work done by the associations of civil society to value the role of the family.

-Encourages the United Nations to incorporate the family perspective into the work of the Objectives of Post-2015 Development (SDG).

-Requests the High Commissioner to prepare a report on the impact of the implementation by States of their obligations regarding the protection of the family.

See the Resolution in: 

Statement at the 27th Regular Session ok the UN Human Rights Council (September 2014)

The UN human rights office has launched a media campaign promoting homosexual and transgender rights. The yearlong initiative, funded by outside sources, raises questions over the use of UN offices for what some governments will consider propaganda.

Our possibilities of action have been written and oral statements before the Human Rights Council.

At the Human Rights Session at the UN Geneva in March 2012, WUCWO co-signed:

An oral statement on the role of Faith-Inspired Organizations in the promotion and protection of the Right to Health. 

An oral statement on The Promotion and Protection of the Right to Health of People Living with HIV: the Engagement of Faith-Inspired Organizations

A written statement: Appeal for Urgent Attention to the Situation of Children Living with HIV or with HIV/TB co-Infection

5 (five) oral statements focusing on children's rights and the right to education in the following countries: Venezuela,Thailand,Haiti,Togo and Timor Leste.

Oral statement: Right to Development: from rhetoric to action of which the main point was that the implementation of the right to development is successful only if centered on the human person.

Very important was the General Debate at the Regular Session of the Human Rights Council Panel Discussion on “Discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity”. We submitted an oral statement: “Toward Preserving the Universality of Human Rights”.  The Human Rights Commission’s report met with strong opposition and during this debate  and on March 7th the delegates of UN member states in the Organization of Islamic Conference, representing 57 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, walked out of the Palais des Nations in protest. The United States and European countries welcomed the report…

Intervention of Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič to the United Nations International Conference in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace

Virginie Rotheÿ

WUCWO International Representative to UNESCO

During these four years, there were two UNESCO General Conferences in 2015 (38th) and 2017 (39th). I was able to meet with many delegations (Canada, Cameroon, Morocco, Egypt and some European countries), to introduce WUCWO and inform them of the existence of an NGO affiliated to WUCWO in their country.

Address by WUCWO's International Representative, Maryvonne Kayser, at UNESCO at the 39th session of the General Conference.

This speech was delivered on Monday, 6 November, 2017, in a plenary session of general policy, presenting the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations.

Read de address below (in French).

UNESCO (3 representatives)

For NGOs in partnership with UNESCO, click here to sign the declaration

For organisations who do not hold official partnership with UNESCO click here to sign as a supporting organisation

To read more click here

To read more click here

Click here to read the news in French only

For the first time in its 12-year history, the outcomes of the 8th UNESCO Youth Forum (29-31 October 2013) to be presented to the UNESCO General Conference (5-20 November 2013) will include, besides strategic recommendations, 15 youth-led action projects (3 projects per each of the 5 UNESCO regions). The deliberations of the independent international jury are over, and the short-list of 45 Action Projects that will be discussed at the 8th UNESCO Youth Forum is now available!

In the framework of capacity building for science education, UNESCO is organizing the workshop on the global Microscience Experiments in Gabon from 16 to 19 September 2013.

During the whole week, more than 50 teachers in science will be trained as trainers and will have to do several experiments in chemistry.

In addition to this workshop, a dedicated exhibition will be held to celebrate the International Year of Water Cooperation. This exhibition is organized by "Deyrolles pour l’avenir" under the new framework agreement between UNESCO and Deyrolle. Teachers who attend this event will go back to their school with posters on water cycle to make aware students of primary and secondary level on the importance of water, its rarity, and its value.

See more at: http://en.unesco.org/events/promoting-girls-scientific-excellence-gabon#...

On October 10 2024, the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to FAO, IFAD, and WFP together with the Forum Roma of Catholic Inspired NGOs held a seminar to celebrate World Food Day 2024, entitled: The right to food, between deprivation and waste. It's time to act.

We live in an era rife with contradictions: while there are multiple ongoing food crises in various regions of the planet, we are also witnessing excessive food waste, and the use of food for other purposes. Wars, economic shocks, and extreme weather events have continued to force millions of people to grapple with hunger and malnutrition. The fact that there is enough food for everyone in today’s world, yet not everyone can access it, is paradoxical. The data we have available is far from encouraging. Therefore, the purpose of this meeting was to reflect on the importance of adopting a holistic approach that will allow us to produce appropriate solutions to tackle the imbalances present in the current food system.

The organisers of the event aim to support this process through an approach based on integral ecology, which is crucial for tackling global challenges in a systemic manner: viewing food injustice not only as a problem of food scarcity, but also as an issue of justice. It is extremely important to ensure that food systems are sustainable, resilient, and inclusive.

“It is a matter of adopting innovative solutions that can transform the way we produce and consume food for the well-being of our communities and of our planet, thus strengthening the capacity to recover and long-term sustainability” (Pope Francis, Message for World Food Day, 16 October 2020). 

On this occasion, WUCWO, who holds consultative status at FAO, presented its commitment to end world hunger. Through our resolution "GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS. CARE OF OUR COMMON HOME. CALL TO ECOLOGICAL CONVERSION" we are encouraging actions to solve the current global food crisis and restore equity in distribution and to promote ecological conversion. 

This event included the presentation of a Manifesto signed by all the member organisations of the Forum Roma, including WUCWO, through which we committed ourselves to continue to work to eradicate hunger and misery in the world with concrete and incisive measures.

Our presence at FAO has developed on two different levels:

1. By participating to the life of FORUM on Catholic inspired NGOs
2. As member of Ad Hoc Group (AhG)which gathers most of the NGOs  acknowledged by the FAO.

The work in AhG is mostly related to the main themes which are dealt at FAO and the possible contribution we can offer.

FAO (2 representatives)

Our President General attending FAO's 41st Session Conference on "The State of Food and Agriculture: Migration, Agriculture and Rural Development" in Rome, 22-29 June 2019.

The migration monitoring unit

Migration: this unit is an alternative between retention and migration. A manual of good practices will be applied. NGO participation through human rights proposals.

Council of Europe (2 representatives)

Click here to read an update on the European Parliament's stance on surrogacy (only available in French)

The third 2014 session of the Council of Europe took place from 22nd to 26th of June in Strasbourg, France.

Part one : Activities of the PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe)

Part two : A Selection of Documents

Part Three : COING (Conference of international NGO) Activities

The second 2014 session of the Council of Europe took place from 7th to 11th of April in Strasbourg, France.

Part one : Activities of the PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe)

Part two : A Selection of Documents

Part Three : COING (Conference of international NGO) Activities

Part one: Activities of the PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe)

Part two: A Selection of Documents

Part three: COING (Conference of international NGO)  Activities - WUCWO Activities

STRASBOURG, August 2, 2013 (C-FAM) European ministers disappointed abortion groups last month when they failed to say that abortion is a human right. They cited lack of consensus in Europe.

Let us be drawn to hope! 

Dear WUCWO friends, 

there is no doubt that time flies and, almost without realising it, the year is almost over. A year undoubtedly with many challenges, but also with great achievements for which we must give thanks to the Lord. As Church, the final document of the Synodal Assembly, which gathers the fruit of 3 years of work, is, as Pope Francis says, a gift for all the People of God and for the world. The Jubilee year, which is about to begin, is undoubtedly another great gift for the Church.

There is no reason or impediment that should prevent women from carrying out leadership roles in the Church: what comes from the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped.

(Final Document of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops - No. 60)

Dear Friends of WUCWO,

we have been following together the synodal process that began more than 3 years ago. I know that for some the process has been long and tiring, but for many others it has been a great gift. I stand with Pope Francis in the sense that the Final Document which concluded the second phase of the Synodal Assembly in October is a great gift to the Holy Father himself, to the People of God and to the whole world. It brings together the fruit of years of listening to the Holy Spirit and to one another in order to better understand how to be a ‘synodal Church’ today. It is the beginning of a real transformation in the life of the Church!

God Walks with His People 

110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 

Dear friends of WUCWO:

"God walks with his people". What words so full of meaning and hope the Holy Father has proposed us to celebrate this 110th Day of Migrants and Refugees on September 29! These are words that, besides consoling us, are a fundamental part of the History of Salvation, from its origin, and which, in our days, are witnessed by the hundreds of thousands of people who set out towards a "promised land", ready to face the risks and inclemencies they will encounter along the way.

WUCWO leaders lived a genuine synodal Board Meeting in Rome 

Dear friends,

With great joy I address this message to you after spending five intense and fruitful weeks of work in Rome. At the end of May, we successfully celebrated WUCWO’s 2024 in person Board meeting, with most of our Board members. We also had the presence of our International Representatives and the newly appointed members to the Board from Caritas Internationalis and the International Union of Superiors General (UISG).

"Mary arose and went with haste" (Lk 1:39) 

WUCWO 2024 Day

Dear friends of WUCWO:

We have just entered a very beautiful month, the month of May, especially dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It also coincides with the celebration of WUCWO Day on the 13th, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Finally, in many countries around the world, Mother's Day, so important and endearing to everyone, is celebrated this month. So many things to celebrate and be thankful for in May!

WUCWO Day reminds us that we are not alone, for we are part of a great universal network of prayer, joint actions and solidary support in which Catholic women around the world come together for training, sharing good practices, helping each other and working to transform the world, bringing to all mankind God’s Word and love.  This network, which extends to all corners of the world where our more than 100 organisations representing more than 8 million women, undoubtedly counts with the Lord's loving hand and Mary's infinite embrace.

That the dignity and worth of women be recognized in every culture… that discrimination ends. (Pope Francis)

For the role of women: Holy Father's Prayer Intention for the month of April

Dear friends,

This month, Pope Francis has invited us to pray “for the role of women” a gift that we cannot miss at WUCWO, joining our voices in prayer on a topic that concerns us all. “Let us not deny women a voice [...] Let us respect women,” the Pope reminds us. This message also calls us women to respect one another, to listen to one another, to marvel at the qualities of our fellow women, to learn from them and, above all, to walk the path of prayer together, praying for one another and always keeping our eyes on those who suffer the most. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMUs5H_pVFU

Accompany the suffering to be reborn and to pass from darkness to the light of hope in the Risen Lord. 

We believe in you, Lord Jesus. We believe that, with you, hope is reborn and the journey continues. 

Dear friends of WUCWO:

The days of the "Easter Triduum" begin; days in which we remember the death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We start with the Holy Thursday mass that reminds us of the last supper that Jesus had with his apostles, in which he instituted the Eucharist and the priesthood, as well as the washing of feet with which He taught his disciples and now teaches us how to serve others humbly. Have we learned from Jesus to serve others with humility, putting aside all kinds of protagonism?

Be informed, educated and transformed

Let us be prepared to assume our leadership in a Synodal Church in mission!

How many good things have been happening lately in the Church! especially with the beginning of the synodal process and the journey of the People of God towards a Church of communion, participation and mission that gets us closer to all, especially the most needy and vulnerable. With the Holy Father leading the way, we have placed ourselves more and more in the hands of the Holy Spirit who undoubtedly enlightens us to discover the Lord's plans for this moment in history.

Let us entrust the new year to Mary, the Holy Mother of God. 

Our times, bereft of peace, need a Mother who can reunite the human family. (Pope Francis) 

Dear Friends of WUCWO:

There is no doubt that this new year begins in the midst of conflicts and situations that threaten peace in the world, in communities and in families; but it also starts with a great number of challenges, opportunities to do good things and, for us, women of faith, with many reasons for hope. Therefore, I want to write this message as a welcome to the new year full of light and hope, confident that Mary, our Mother, will be walking beside us day after day, watching over us, encouraging us and interceding so that the Lord grants each one of us the graces we need.

“May the approaching Christmas season strengthen our commitment to open paths of peace”. (Pope Francis) 

Dear friends of WUCWO,

A year is coming to an end and, first of all, we must thank the Lord for the many blessings received. For us in WUCWO, it was an unforgettable experience to have had a private audience with the Pope. The Assembly in Assisi, where the perennial legacy of St. Francis and the light of the Holy Spirit guided us in defining the direction the organisation would take for the next 4 years, was also   wonderful. And what can we say about the Synod on Synodality? Witnessing such a transcendental moment in the life of the Church and the participation of women in it, as well as being able to collaborate in one way or another in the synodal process, will undoubtedly be something to tell future generations.

An urgent call to safeguard the world we inhabit. 

"…with the passage of time, I have realized that our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing…” Pope Francis (LD 2)

Dear friends:

At the last Assembly in Assisi we adopted, among others, a resolution to work to correct the current global food crisis by promoting responsible consumption and reducing food waste. The resolution itself expresses that WUCWO women should engage in the urgent call to action enunciated in the Encyclical Laudato si' in relation to environmental and climate change issues, promoting ecological conversion.

Let us all join the Ecumenical Prayer Vigil for the forthcoming Synodal Assembly: “Together.” 

“The path to Christian unity and the path of synodal conversion of the Church are linked." Pope Francis

Dear friends of WUCWO,

As many of you will know, an ecumenical prayer vigil will be held on September 30 in St Peter’s Square in Rome to place the members of the Synod and the work of the Assembly in the hands of the Holy Spirit. It will be a historic event presided over by Pope Francis with 12 leaders from other Churches and Christian communities.  Together Christians of all denominations will unite in praise, silence and listening to the Word. That is why this initiative has been called "Together".

“Along with the young people we can boldly embrace the dream of God and blaze trails towards a joyful, generous and transforming participation, for the Church and for humanity”.

(Homily of His Holiness, Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon, 2 August 2023)

Dear friends:

Now that the XXXVII World Youth Day has just concluded, I want to talk to you about the importance and urgency of working with and for young people. They bring us all their energy and creativity; they help us to be in closer contact with the world and infect us with their joy and enthusiasm. (It is enough to see the hundreds of videos that were circulated on this occasion). We, WUCWO women, can go to their encounter and help them discover the Lord in a world so polarized, violent, unfair and devoid of faith.

FORMATION FOR A MORE GENUINE SYNODAL SPIRITUALITY IS AT THE HEART OF THE RENEWAL OF THE CHURCH (Instrumentum Laboris).  

Dear Friends,

We are living historic moments in the life of the Church. Since Pope Francis announced in 2015 that: "The path of synodality is the path that God expects for the Church in this new millennium", we have sought, with the grace of the Holy Spirit, to get closer and closer to a Church that listens; to a Church of communion, participation and mission.

LET US START THIS NEW PHASE OF WUCWO TOGETHER AS ARTISANS OF HUMAN FRATERNITY FOR PEACE. 

Dear Friends,

There are so many blessings received in recent days by WUCWO!  There is so much to thank the Lord for!

Let's start from the audience with Pope Francis, on May 13, WUCWO Day. About 1,900 women participated and listened to his words and guidelines. (Audience of the Holy Father with WUCWO). The Holy Father affirmed that "the identity of women is in danger" due to cultural policies and ideologies that "ignore the beauty with which they were created", and stressed the need for greater appreciation of their capacity for relationship and giving". He encouraged us to recover the elements that characterise their identity and their role in the family and in society: "Where there is no woman, there is loneliness… that breeds sadness and all manner of harm to humanity".

Remembering, thanking, asking for forgiveness and looking to the future. 

Dear friends:

As we approach the end of this WUCWO period (2018-2023), I think it is appropriate to make memory and take stock. In Italian, the etymology of the verb remember [ricordare] is “to bring to heart”. We started in Africa, at the General Assembly in Dakar, with the joy and welcome of so many wonderful women from our organisations in that region.

Assisi 2023: a "Franciscan" General Assembly. 

Dear friends:

As I stand before the Lord praying for the upcoming General Assembly, the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare take on greater relevance within me, as models of what we will live at our meeting in Assisi 2023.

Francis and Clare are saints who changed the relationship between man and nature in the Middle Ages. If we contemplate the countryside of Assisi, we will better understand how the famous Canticle of the Creatures was born there. We can make great strides in our commitment to transform the planet into our Common Home. Francis is considered the precursor of integral ecology. He listened to God through the "book of nature", he established a dialogue with the birds and the fish. If we go deeper into his spirituality, we will be able to find the key to the Laudato si' interpretation and application.

Thanking Pope Francis for his 10 years of pontificate. 

Dear friends,

on behalf of the women of WUCWO I would like to thank Pope Francis whom, since March 13, 2013 and following his predecessors, leads us deepening the application of the Second Vatican Council. For this, I invite you to recall his facts, speeches and actions from the beginning of his pontificate to this day in order to try to understand at least something of his Magisterium.

The passion for evangelisation. 

Dear friends,

The passion for evangelisation, that means, apostolic zeal, is a vital dimension for the Church, tells us the Pope in one of his last Wednesday catechesis. It seems important to me, with the grace of the Holy Spirit and following the pontifical magisterium, to deepen this aspect of WUCWO’s purpose, which is to promote the co-responsibility of women in evangelisation.

Happy and fruitful Year 2023! 

St. John XXIII told the women of WUCWO: "Dear daughters: great are your responsibilities in today's world, which expects from you the light of your faith, the ardour of your hope and the zeal of your charity! May the extent of your influence be in proportion to the hopes it awakens!" (Audience of 3^rd May 1961).

Welcome, protect, promote and integrate walking towards Assisi 2023.

Dear friends:

Days ago I was at the presentation of the autobiographic book of a woman who spent 30 years risking her life to create a space in which the victims of war and conflicts were protected. There I heard again the four verbs that Pope Francis gave us to address the problem of migrants and refugees: welcome, protect, promote and integrate. In the prayer of this morning, spontaneously arose inside of me a prayer that sounded like this:

Towards the General Assembly 2023 with Francis and Clare. 

Dear friends:

We started on the 1^st of November 2022 the registration for the General Assembly. Our motto is: “Women of WUCWO: artisans of human fraternity for world peace”. Two great saints: Francis and Clare, lead us by the hand to Assisi 2023, from 14-20 May and to the private audience with Pope Francis, on Saturday 13^th May, in Rome.

The encounter with Francis as a moment of conversion. 

All WUCWO women are summoned to a private audience with Pope Francis on 13 May 2023; this event will be the threshold of our General Assembly in Assisi.

In this month of October, I entrust each one of you, women of our organisations, to Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (whom we celebrate on the 1st of this month) to guide our journey of conversion towards WUCWO with a synodal style that will be manifested in the audience with the Pope and in the Assembly 2023.

Dear friends,

This month I would like to invite you to join me in a thanksgiving to God for everything received at WUCWO. Three verbs come spontaneously to me: to listen, to share and to grow. Let me share with you just some of the good news I have recently collected and in some cases experienced, region by region.

Dear friends,

“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus” (EG 1). This is how I imagine our meeting will be like at the next General Assembly in Assisi, from 14 to 20 May 2023, preceded on 13 May by an audience with Pope Francis in Rome, to which all the women of WUCWO are invited. We are very grateful to the Holy Father!

Dear friends,

“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you”, this is how the story of the Last Supper begins and hence the title of the recent papal document, Desiderio desideravi, which Pope Francis has chosen to give us a new gift. It is a kind of meditation on the Liturgy, so that we may recover the “wonder” in the face of mystery and allow ourselves to be penetrated by the One who unites Truth and Beauty in Himself. “Beauty, just like truth, always engenders wonder, and when these are referred to the mystery of God, they lead to adoration” (DD 25).

Called and calling to holiness.

Dear friends,

“A saint is a masterpiece of God”, used to say my father and master of spiritual life, the Servant of God Luis María Etcheverry Boneo, founder of the Servidoras. It is by God’s Spirit working in us and with us that we can respond to the call to holiness and, in turn, call others to walk together towards that goal (4th resolution of the Dakar General Assembly, 2018).

The face of Christ reflected in women of the Roman Curia. 

Until now, the offices of prefect and secretary of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia could only be held by those in Holy Orders. Obviously, women were excluded.

Since the recent apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, women, lay or consecrated, as well as bishops, priests, religious or lay persons, can serve the Church in the position of a prefect or secretary of a dicastery.

The Preamble of the document says: “The Pope, bishops and other ordained ministers are not the only evangelisers in the Church... Every Christian, by virtue of Baptism, is a missionary disciple to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus”. From this derives the participation of lay men and women in the positions of governance and responsibility.

Women builders of peace in a Church which goes forth.

Dear friends,

At this time, it seems of vital importance that we take up our position as women builders of peace in a Church which goes forth.

Let us work as a laboratory for peace and dignity 

“Peace and dignity” are characteristic of the efforts of so many women, even more so if we are Catholics. “Catholic” means “universal”: concretely, we want to express that we have “a global heart” that embraces people and communities of the planet, especially those who are suffering most from violence and those who live where their dignity is trampled on, knowing that this situation has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

The fabric of our resilience.

Dear friends,

This morning, on Vatican News I read an article that made me shudder: “Every minute, 15 people die in the world due to lack of access to healthcare, the impacts of the climate crisis, hunger and gender-based violence” (source: Oxfam report, The Pandemic of Inequality). In the face of this dismaying information, God forbid that we become entangled in the “globalisation of indifference” that Pope Francis repeatedly denounces!

Let us plan a year of synodal learning.

Dear friends,

There have been many milestones in the history of the Church. The major one in the last century was the Second Vatican Council. As a consequence of it, the Church has entered another turning point: the Synod 2021-2023, whose theme is “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission.” Never before in human history has there been a greater consultation. It is the Catholic Church that is calling together - not just a group of bishops to speak on behalf of their flock as in other synods - the 1.4 billion baptised members of the People of God. It is an authentically “Catholic” process, that is to say, a universal process, to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Let us tune in to the heart of our Mother this Christmas. 

Dear friends, 

“The great temptation in times of crisis or difficulty is to shut oneself away to take care of the little one has, waiting, hidden and cherishing memories, for better times to come” (Letter of Pope Francis to IFCA, 9 November 2021). Living an Advent and Christmas “as usual” can be a strong temptation this December 2021, when the pandemic - which has not completely left us - has forced us to withdraw into ourselves and, in a certain sense, to slow down the progress of our organisations.

Family, home, dignity.

Dear friends,

This month will be marked by the World Day of the Poor. In his message for this day, 14 November 2021, Pope Francis explains that there is a “powerful ‘empathy’ established between Jesus and the woman”.

We, the women of WUCWO, should be filled with deep joy and gratitude meditating on this empathetic relationship with Jesus. Empathy is a positive attitude that allows us to establish a particularly affective and healthy relationship of coexistence with Jesus and of identification and affinity with Him, at the same time as it assures us reciprocity, that is to say, the knowledge that He listens to us, understands our problems, emotions and longings and makes them His own.

Let's make the invisible women visible.

Dear friends,

In Gaudete et exsultate, Pope Francis talked about the saints “next door,” referring to people who, on a daily basis and without anyone noticing, live responding to the call to holiness. Often these are women who, because of their low profile, are “invisible” not only to the press but also to many of those around them. The same is true for the most vulnerable women. The situation of pain, deprivation and anguish in which they are immersed is not visible, it does not make the news. We live with women who carry out good practices and with women who suffer from modern day slavery, but for most of their contemporaries they are “invisible” women.

WUCWO President's message of September

The power of prayer and penance

Dear friends,

we have seen with horror the pictures of Afghan mothers throwing their children through barbed wire fences to save their lives... heart breaking gestures of love of the women from such a suffering land! Afghanistan is rich in gold and other minerals; it has a strategic geopolitical position that has suffered several foreign occupations, and its territory is plagued by land mines that produce about 120 deaths per month, among other sufferings. How can we not commiserate with such tragedies!

How and why to love the poor

Dear friends,

On 13 June, Pope Francis gave us his message for the 5th World Day of the Poor, which will take place on 14 November 2021. As all the women of WUCWO, who wish to sentire cum Ecclesia (“think and feel with the Church”), we have to prepare ourselves and our organisations; that’s why I recommend you to read and meditate on the Pope’s message. We can pray with it.

About the so-called “human right to abortion”

July 1st, 2021

“Let us save both lives!” The life of the unborn child and the life of the mother are both a gift that humanity, not only Christians, must strive to save and care for throughout their development. With the advances of science, it is increasingly evident that the euphemism “voluntary termination of pregnancy” is a crime. We are not dealing with a truth of faith, but with a reality that any conscious and upright human being can recognise: the life of an innocent person, evolving in the womb, and the life of the mother which, often for justified reasons, is at risk.

Sacred Heart, teach us to love as you love.

Dear friends,

June is the month which traditionally, both for great saints and for the simplest of God's people, is dedicated especially to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. To that Heart which reminds us that God loved us first and ardently desired to eat the Passover with each one of us. It is precisely Corpus Christi, the presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, that we celebrate during this month.

Towards a synodal Church and a synodal WUCWO

Dear friends,

We are trying to emerge from this pandemic that will be marked in the history of humanity as a great crisis. Pope Francis repeats to us that “we never come out of a crisis the same: one comes out better or worse.” And we, women of WUCWO, live rooted in faith in the Risen Christ who urges us to live this Easter season 2021 with hope in the coming of the Holy Spirit who will “make all things new” (Rev 21:5).

With a mother’s and father’s heart.

Dear friends,

Since 19 March we have been living the “Amoris Laetitia Family” Year, which will culminate on 26 June 2022 with the 10th World Meeting of Families in Rome. At the same time, as you know, Pope Francis gave us a beautiful letter, Patris corde, on 8 December 2020, with which he launched the Year of Saint Joseph. Both celebrations go hand in hand and constitute for us a source of grace to develop within ourselves a mother's and a father's heart.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF WUCWO  

Now more than ever, in this situation caused by the Coronavirus, we as women feel we are co-responsible, together with men, to think and reflect on Fratelli tutti in order to raise awareness and educate towards the application of the treasure that the encyclical means for humanity. In this way we will move from the uncertainty in which we live to the certainty of the objective to be achieved: fraternity-sorority and social friendship, from indifference to commitment, from consumer individualism to generous solidarity, from isolation to social fabric, from declarations to facts.

WUCWO women: at prayer, fraternal and missionary

Dear friends,

We are living a particular year in human history because we are trying to get ahead of the global crisis generated by Covid-19. The virus worsened the situations of injustice and the tragedies that a large part of humanity and our planet already suffered. As the Pope often reminds us: you never get out of a crisis the same, either better or worse.

Working together for a culture of care.

Dear friends,

we begin this year with a strong and tender call from the Holy Father: “I ask everyone to […] become a prophetic witness of the culture of care, working to overcome the many existing social inequalities. This can only come about through a widespread and meaningful involvement on the part of women, in the family and in every social, political and institutional sphere. […] Promoting a culture of care calls for a process of education. The ‘compass’ of social principles can prove useful and reliable in a variety of interrelated contexts. Let me offer a few examples:

A field hospital to heal the victims and the creation.

The crisis of the Coronavirus is not only a health crisis, for it also has repercussions in many areas: economy, politics, our family environment and that of our organisations. It was not present in science fiction bestsellers or in the collective imagination. This global and complex crisis aggravates the climatic, migratory, discriminatory and enslaving hardships already existing in humanity. “Those who fail to view a crisis in the light of the Gospel simply perform an autopsy on a cadaver. They see the crisis, but not the hope and the light brought by the Gospel.” (Pope Francis to the Roman Curia, 21 December 2020).

Together with Mary, let us weave humanity into this our time

Dear friends,

“«When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman» (Gal 4:4). Born of woman: Jesus came in this way. […] In the womb of a woman, God and mankind are united, never to be separated again. Even now, in heaven, Jesus lives in the flesh that he took in his mother’s womb.” (Pope Francis, homily of 1 January 2020)

Let us switch from “the others” to “us”

Dear friends,

If we listen to Jesus, who, in his spiritual testament during the Last Supper, implored aloud: “May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me” (Jn 17:21), we will welcome into our souls what Pope Francis is recently always repeating to us: "no one is saved alone," which is a certain echo of that plea of Our Lord.

Reception of the encyclical Fratres Omnes

Dear friends,

This October 2020 will start, for the Church and the world, with a new encyclical entitled Fratres Omnes. It will be like a ray of sunshine in the midst of the fog of uncertainty that surrounds our planet. Contrary to what happens during lockdown, when everything comes to a standstill or decreases, the Holy Spirit is bringing about his powerful activity through the Pope's magisterium.

SYNODALITY IS A WUCWO MISSION

Dear friends,

“What the Lord is asking of us is already in some sense present in the very word “synod”. Journeying together — laity, pastors, the Bishop of Rome — is an easy concept to put into words, but not so easy to put into practice” (50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops), Pope Francis told us five years ago.

COMMUNICATION FOR COMMUNION

The Pope, last March 27 in the extraordinary prayer from St. Peter's Square, pointed out to us what we left behind: “The storm exposes our vulnerability” he told us, making us see that we have lost the security of our agendas, projects and routines. “The façade of those stereotypes with which we camouflaged our egos has fallen away" as our western pride of feeling omnipotent masters of science and progress has fallen.

On the occasion of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, 30th of July 2020, our President General María Lía Zervino recorded a message to remember us that all forms of modern slavery are crimes against humanity.

WOMEN LIKE RINGING BELLS.

Dear friends,

how nice it is to hear the sound of the bells when you arrive in a city! How nice it is to perceive the echo of a woman when she has been fully a woman in her life!

Laudato Si' is our road map as women of faith.

Dear friends,

five years ago, Pope Francis gave us a new “treasure” of the Social Doctrine of the Church: Laudato Si'. Today we can tell that it is a prophetic encyclical. The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the deep connection and interdependence of all of us who live in the Common Home.

Mary is a model for WUCWO

especially during this crisis.

Dear friends,

Mary is the model of a resilient woman. Who else had the capacity to face the crisis of the Passion and Death of her Son? Who else could overcome the change that meant taking Christians as "sons" from the Resurrection? “The Church is a woman,” Pope Francis repeatedly tells us. In the context of the globalisation of the Coronavirus, Mary, the resilient woman par excellence, is the model who teaches us what steps to take on the path to holiness, particularly to those of us who have a responsibility for leadership in the Church, as is the case with each of the women in WUCWO.

May the pandemic that confines us to our homes be our Easter.

Dear friends,

this is “our time.” It is the time of our Lenten conversion to transform “a time of pandemic ” into “a time of Easter.” It is our “kayros” (the time designated in God's plan) to born again with Jesus to new life. The Church leads us to con-version, that is, to receive the grace to change the “version” of our life in the face of the great trial that currently besets humanity.

Dear friends,

I am writing to you while looking at a crucifix, which speaks of the love of our God who has come close, who has wanted to show his weakness until his death on the Cross, to accompany us, to guide us on the path to Salvation.

Dear friends,

this month I would like to tell you why, how and what for we celebrated the International Women's Day in Rome with an ecumenical and interreligious meeting with women leaders from different perspectives: Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, ecumenical and Catholic. We have done this in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the sponsorship of the Embassies to the Holy See of the Netherlands, Austria, the Philippines and Argentina.

Called to share what we received

Dear friends,

on January 10th we had a private audience with Pope Francis. After such a gift to WUCWO, I decided to tell you about this wonderful experience in this message for the month of February 2020. What an immense grace to share!

I went with Father Gerry, our Ecclesiastical Assistant, and Andrea Ezcurra, Board member for Argentina who is only in Rome for a few months, temporarily acting as Secretary General.

Year 2020: WUCWO going forth.

Dear friends,

by the grace of God, we begin a new year of life. WUCWO itself is called to give birth to a new year of life. Based on our long trajectory and on our very rich history, we are heading towards the 110th anniversary of our foundation, which we will celebrate in 2020. It is a propitious time for us to grow. As the present pontifical magisterium requires of us, a growing WUCWO means: "WUCWO going forth".

Promoters of the revolution of tenderness of the Child Jesus.

A few days ago, I had the grace of being able to make a spiritual retreat. You, dear women of WUCWO, were always present in my prayers; I prayed for your intentions and gave thanks for your gifts and riches. I was able to do so in a retreat house a few kilometres north of Rome, run by an international community of religious sisters. These sisters, coming from different continents, with their different languages, reminded me of the diversity of faces and cultures that characterise our meetings: assemblies, Board meetings, regional conferences, live-streamed formation meetings.

WUCWO AND THE NEW GENERATIONS

Message of the PG - November 2019

María Lía Zervino, Servidora

"In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me" (Mt 25:40), Jesus said to us.

May our path to holiness lead us, dear friends, to caring for and promoting the new generations.

FIDELITY TO THE CHURCH, ALWAYS FOLLOWING PETER

October 2019, message of WUCWO President General

María Lía Zervino, Servidora

On October 1, we celebrated the liturgy of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. St. John Paul II, as he proclaimed her Doctor of the Church, said that she had received "the science of divine love" from the Master; that is why, this month, I invite you to share the example of her life.

The Amazon is burning: life is dying out.

Dear friends,

what will we, women of WUCWO, do in the face of this scourge that is attacking our planet? Aren’t we "carriers of living water" as we stated at our last General Assembly in Dakar in October 2018?

The better part that will not be taken from us

"Darlyn, Jakelin, Felipe, Juan, Wilmer, Carlos" are the names of the children recited by those who lay down on the floor of the US Senate building, forming the shape of a cross with their bodies. According to Vatican News, these migrant children died in federal custody facilities. Before carrying out that civil disobedience, lay and religious men and women had prayed in the garden of Capitol Hill (Washington DC), had heard testimonies of migrants terrified by the idea of losing their children, and had read messages from bishops supporting protest against immigration policy, in particular for families and children. The demonstrators, including priests and nuns, were arrested by the police.

WUCWO women: let’s get down to work

Dear friends, 

On Sunday, June 9, we will receive the Holy Spirit. What a source of grace and conversion for all of us! "When comes… the Spirit of truth… he will be my witness. And you too will be my witnesses…" (Jn 15:26).

This is the letter that our President General wrote to Cardinal Ranjit to express her heartfelt condolences for the victims of the attacks in Sri Lanka.

Your Eminence,

it is with deep sorrow that we write to you on behalf of all the Catholic women of the member organisations of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO), to express our spiritual closeness and deep compassion for the victims, the wounded, their families and the entire Catholic community, which was so tragically affected.

Mary stood near the Cross (cf. John 19:25)

We are in Lent and soon we will enter the Holy Week. I propose that we live this period towards Easter in Mary’s hand, in order to be reborn through her, with Jesus, to a new life.

As WUCWO women we are entering a new period, which requires the best of each one of us and of our organisations, to follow the steps that our Holy Father Francis is tracing in the Church and in the world. He tells us today: “In the heart of the Curch, Mary shines forth” (Christus Vivit, March 25, 2019).

Today, can we say that women are promoters of hope when there are so many gaping wounds? A planet that cries out for the destruction of human beings, and human beings themselves, in particular women and children, that are subjected to slavery, contempt and discrimination and whose cry we want to silence.

This message for the month of December 2018 contains three points: to make the exhortation of Pope Francis on this first Sunday of Advent our own, to offer a word to the young women, and to give thanks.

 Mary and the Church are a Mother

Dear friends,on January 1 we celebrate the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

Both Mary and the Church conceive and give birth at Christmas, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Through participation in the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin and of the Church, women who belong to a member organisation, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, are giving birth to a new period in the history of WUCWO.

But... how to give birth today? By applying the message of Pope Francis for the 2019 World Day of Peace. The Holy Father tells us that political responsibility does not only belong to the ones who govern, but also to each citizen.

Dear friends, our political commitment - which is one of the highest expressions of charity - should lead us to concern ourselves with the future of human life and the planet: with women and their children in gestation, with the youngest and most vulnerable members in the family.

I would like this to be part of our spirituality, of our daily prayer and of our commitment to action, just like the Holy Spirit inspired us in our resolutions of the General Assembly in Senegal.

And may the Word, which became flesh, dwell among us! May you have a Happy and Holy Year!

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE 52nd WORLD DAY OF PEACE

In February 2019, what temperature do we have?

Let's take today's world temperature. In the northern hemisphere, we usually suffer a lot of cold, whereas in most of the southern hemisphere, a lot of heat. But let's use the thermometer to measure the temperatures of our society.

Dear friends,

let me introduce you to my vision of WUCWO and then to its structure and functioning.

Each person, each living being and each organisation, if it does not grow, diminishes little by little and finally dies. And Jesus told us: "You shall know them by their fruits" (Mt 7:16).

Dear Pope Francis,

today we, the women of WUCWO (World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations), pray in a special way for you and wish you a very happy and holy birthday!

Dear friends,

this month we will add special intentions in our daily prayers for the good results of our General Assembly in Senegal.

May our gathering be an event of prayer, communion, friendship, mutual acceptance and support.

I humbly ask all those who cannot participate to make the participants feel their closeness and support. Each organisation, single member can find its own way to offer prayers for WUCWO General Assembly.

We are entering  the Advent time. After the Jubilee of the Extraordinary year of Mercy we continue to experience God’s mercy in our daily life. Advent is the time of memory, invocation and expectance of the coming of the Lord. Advent    brings us to the heart of the Christian mystery. We need to be vigilant and ready to enter Christ’s mystery of His incarnation, his dwelling among us.

Marana thà!

Next month we will celebrate our General Assembly in Dakar.

All WUCWO women are praying so that it may be a real moment of communion, sharing, friendship, and a living testimony of the Church, spouse of Christ, “sent by the Risen Christ to pass on to men and women the forgiveness of sins and thereby make the Kingdom of love grow, to sow peace in hearts so that they may also be strengthened in relationships, in every society, in institutions.” (Pope Francis, Regina Caeli, April 7th 2013)

Dear Friends,

As you know, Pope Francis  has decided to elevate the celebration of the Memorial of St. Mary Magdalene (July 22nd) to the dignity of a liturgical feast.

In the Office of Readings proposed to celebrate the Assumption of Our Lady, we find a passage taken from the letter to the Ephesians (1,16 – 2,10) in which St Paul states that God “raised us up with him and gave us a place with him in heaven, in Christ Jesus” (2,6). This can happen because of the immense mercy, forgiveness of our Creator. The same forgiveness shown by Jesus to the woman in Simon’s house( Lk 7,48).

March 8th 2016 International Women’s Day

The annual celebration of the International Women’s Day on March 8th invites us to reflect about women in the various realities where WUCWO has been committed for more than 100 years for the respect and promotion of the dignity of women in every field. Many steps have been taken but there is still a long way to go.

Pope Francis is encouraging us very much, we are aware that his message is addressed to everybody and asks everyone to make a deep change of sensitivity: “The Church acknowledges the indispensable contribution which women make to society through the sensitivity, intuition and other distinctive skill sets which they, more than men, tend to possess.”(EG 103)… stressing that “demands that the legitimate rights of women be respected, based on the firm conviction that men and women are equal in dignity, present the Church with profound and challenging questions which cannot be lightly evaded”. (EG 104)

On our way towards Dakar we need to reflect more and more about the challenges we face in order to discuss and find together the best actions to contribute and bring justice and peace in such globalised indifference.

We celebrated Pentecost a few weeks ago.

The power of the Holy Spirit pushed, enhanced the apostles to go all over the world to bring the Good News. WUCWO women commit to be carriers of “living water” wherever people are thirsty for it; where they are not respected, where life is not preserved, where the human dignity is trampled, where people are suffering because of hunger, conflicts, persecutions, and wars.

This month is dedicated to Our Lady, and we want to put under her special protection our path towards our General Assembly and all WUCWO life. This year May 13th –WUCWO day – will fall on Sunday, so we have the possibility to involve more people in the celebration.

This month opens with Easter Sunday! What a joyful day for Christians! The spring of our hope! The free gift of salvation offered by the merciful Lord through Jesus who offered himself to expiate our sins.

In this month, while we prepare for the celebration of the centre of our faith, the Death and Resurrection of our Saviour, we also celebrate the feast of the Annunciation. Mary is the icon of the carrier of “living water.” She is the one who accepted to give human flesh to our Lord. Yet, She admits her limits, she is aware of her poor human reality, and She accepts the proposal benevolently.

This month we want to start our preparation for the General Assembly to be held next October.

WUCWO women are eager to move towards Dakar to celebrate our General Assembly together. “WUCWO women: carriers of ‘living water’”.

Water always accompanies the miracles made by Jesus at the presence of Mary, his mother. Mary, who accompanies every path starting from the one to Elizabeth and ending in Jerusalem to follow Jesus, is our best example as carrier of living water.

Dear friends,

serene and fruitful 2018!

This year will see WUCWO women committed in the preparation of our General Assembly to be held in Dakar next October.

During this month we prepare to celebrate the incarnation of our Lord Jesus. As St Paul says in his beautiful hymn Jesus “being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped. But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are and being in every way like a human being” (Ph 2, 6-7).

This month starts with the celebration of the All Saints’ Day. It is our feast, for we are called to sanctify. Lumen Gentium, the 2nd Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution, dedicates its 5th chapter to the explanation of the universal vocation to sanctity in the Church.

This month is dedicated in a special way to the Mission of the Church. “The pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature, since it is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit that she draws her origin, in accordance with the decree of God the Father.” (Ad Gentes 2)

Pope Francis, during his general audiences on Wednesdays, is carrying on his catechesis about HOPE. As WUCWO women we are all committed to sow hope, especially in the family, among youth and suffering people, with a specific attention to women.

On July 29th it was the 4th anniversary of the kidnapping of  a missionary Father Fausto Dall’Oglio,  in Syria. He is a Jesuit who, in the 1980s,  re-established in Syria the Catholic-Syriac Monastic community of Mar Musa (Monastery of Saint Moses Abyssinia), the heir to a cenobitic and hermitic tradition dating back to the 6th century. The monastery, located in the desert north of Damascus, also welcomes members of Orthodox religion. Father Fausto Dall'Oglio is strongly engaged in interreligious dialogue with the Islamic world.  He decided to be committed to such an effort convinced that the only way towards peace is dialogue and mutual respect.  

In this month, we celebrate the feast of St Mary Magdalene, “Apostola Apostolorum”, Apostle of the Apostles. She was a disciple of Jesus, following Him till His crucifixion, and the first witness of His resurrection. She brought the good news of His resurrection to the apostles. This is the reason given by the Congregation for the Divine Cult of the Holy See when last year her feast was established. This decision was also made to foster the attention and reflection about the role of women in the mission of the Church.

This month we worship the Heart of Jesus in a special way. We want to put under His Sacred heart also our commitment: “A Minute for Peace”. All over the world we need peace. Every day we receive news about terrorist attacks; some become viral, while some others are less known, because they happen in countries which are not under the spotlights.

This month dedicated to the Holy Virgin sees also the celebration of WUCWO day on 13th, the day of the apparition of Our Lady in Fatima. And this year is the centenary of the Apparition. This is a further encouragement to carry on our WUCWO commitment at all levels; we need to be responsible to work for the promotion of women and each of us is to be involved in such task.

This month we will celebrate the highest moment, the peak of our faith, the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Thinking about Jesus, offering Himself for our salvation, we cannot ignore God’s mercifulness. And this is so much present in the liturgy we celebrate.

The title of the Apostolic Letter “Misericordia et Misera” refers to two words used by St Augustine “in recounting the story of Jesus’ meeting with the woman taken in adultery”. Very often women who meet Jesus are not accepted in the society because of their life. They are judged, discriminated, isolated and condemned.

Continuing the reflection on the letter Misericordia and Misera  we need to meditate about mercy as Pope Francis encourages  it  “must continue to be celebrated and lived out in our communities. Mercy cannot become a mere parenthesis in the life of the Church; it constitutes her very existence, through which the profound truths of the Gospel are made manifest and tangible. Everything is revealed in mercy; everything is resolved in the merciful love of the Father.” (MM1)

At the end of the year of Mercy we were blessed to experience  last year, Pope Francis offered his  apostolic letter “Misericordia et Misera” in which he encourages “to look to the future and to understand how best to continue, with joy, fidelity and enthusiasm, experiencing the richness of divine mercy. Our communities can remain alive and active in the work of the new evangelization in the measure that the “pastoral conversion” to which we are called will be shaped daily by the renewing force of mercy. Let us not limit its action; let us not sadden the Spirit, who constantly points out new paths to take in bringing to everyone the Gospel of salvation.” (MM5)

After the official closing of the Year of the Jubilee of Mercy we continue to reflect on the characteristics indicated by Pope Francis in his speech at the Roman Curia in December 2015. This is the last letter of the word MISERICORDIA, namely A, corresponding to the words accountability and sobriety.

On November 20th, the Holy Door of St Peter’s basilica in Rome will be closed, and the extraordinary year of the Jubilee of Mercy will be concluded. We continue with the reflection about the single letters of the word “MISERICORDIA”.

This month, the words are Intrepidness and Alertness.

On September 20th 2016 the World Day of Prayer  for Peace “Thirst for peace: faiths and cultures in dialogue” was held in Assisi. During this event Pope Francis in his address encourages us react to the “virus that paralyses, rendering us lethargic and insensitive, a disease that eats away at the very heart of religious fervour, giving rise to a new and deeply sad paganism: the paganism of indifference. We cannot remain indifferent. Today the world has a profound thirst for peace. In many countries, people are suffering due to wars which, though often forgotten, are always the cause of

On Sunday 4th Mother Teresa will be canonised. She is the symbol of humility. Respectfulness and humility: those are the two words I want to propose this month following the scheme given by Pope Francis  reflecting on each letter of the word MISERICORDIA (in Latin). “Respectfulness is an endowment of those noble and tactful souls who always try to show genuine respect for others, for their own work, for their superiors and subordinates, for dossiers and papers, for confidentiality and privacy, who can listen carefully and speak politely. Humility is the virtue of the saints and those godly persons who become all the more important as they come to realize that they are nothing, and can do nothing, apart from God’s grace (cf. Jn 15:8).” (Pope Francis)

The central solemnity of the month of August is the Assumption of the Holy Virgin to the Heaven.

A solemnity which reminds us of the final goal, task of our life. During this year of the Jubilee of Mercy we have received many occasions to reflect  on God’s mercy. We, every month, have been following the words given by Pope Francis to live fully the experience of mercy. This month the words are openness and maturity. ”openness is honesty and rectitude, consistency and absolute sincerity with regard both to ourselves and to God. An honest and open person does not act virtuously only when he or she is being watched; honest persons have no fear of being caught, since they never betray the trust of others. An honest person is never domineering like the “wicked servant” (cf. Mt24:48-51), with regard to the persons or matters entrusted to his or her care. Honesty is the foundation on which all other qualities rest.”  

This month the World Youth Day will be celebrated in Cracow. Its motto is “Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them”(Mt 5,7). The theme of mercy  is connected with the two words, charity and truth, we want to offer, this month,  for reflection continuing the comment to the words taken from the spelling of the word MISERICORDIA made by Pope Francis . As the Holy Father says , they are “two inseparable virtues of the Christian life, “speaking the truth in charity and practising charity in truth” (cf.Eph 4:15). To the point where charity without truth becomes a destructive ideology of complaisance and truth without charity becomes myopic legalism.” (Address of the Pope Francis to the Roman Curia, 21 December 2015).

This month, which is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we continue by reflecting about the single letters that make up the word “misericordia” according to the scheme followed by Pope Francis during a meeting held on December 21st  2015.  

This month we celebrate WUCWO Day which is an extraordinary moment to reflect and pray for our  commitment.

With the joy of the gift of Amoris Laetitia let’s continue to meditate about the word MISERICORDIA following the single letters suggested by Pope Francis.

Let’s continue with the acrostic analysis of the leading word for this Jubilee year MISERICORDIA (mercy).

This month the words are spirituality and humanity.

Pastoral reflection for Advent

"Blessed the one whose hope is in the LORD, his God," (Psalm 146:5).

We spend a large part of our lives slumbering, without real awareness of what is going on around us and even within us. We live distracted, unable to make sense of what is happening to us, sometimes out of laziness, sometimes out of fear of opening our eyes and facing possible disappointments. This state is aggravated in a context where complaints, anxieties and impatience seem to drown out any good news, and where every day information increases our insecurity and weakens the hope for a more fraternal humanity. It is true that needs, both our own and those of others, press upon us. Without time, we become impatient with what is delaying.

Under this question, the text of the "Instrumentum Laboris" which will guide the work of the second session of the 16^th Ordinary General Assembly was published on Tuesday, 9 July 2024. It is neither a document of the Magisterium of the Church nor the report of a sociological survey; it does not offer formulations of operational indications of goals and objectives nor a complete theological vision. It does not seek to provide "ready-made answers", but rather to offer orientations and proposals for continuing to listen to the Spirit and respond to the challenge and demand of how the Church as a whole can respond to the need to be "synodal in mission".

Dear sisters. Easter is not an arrival point but rather a starting point. I am moved and reverently contemplating the women who, on Easter morning, approached the sepulchre without letting anything or anyone stop them, even knowing that they could never move the stone. I wonder what strength, passion, and confidence encouraged them? Whatever it was, brought without any doubt, the Risen Lord to meet them and entrust them with the news that they rushed to announce: ""The Master is alive!" (Lk 24, 23).

Walking around Rome, looking at the window displays, visiting the churches, contemplating the cribs and attending prayer meetings, I came across a phrase that led me to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. This advertising phrase says “All you need is make-up”. I asked myself then, is this really what I need to live fully as God wants when he is born in our midst?

We congratulate Father Gerard Whelan, and thank God for his fertile priestly service. We invite all WUCWO women to pray for him.

Click here to read the interview

Our Ecclesiastical Assistant, Fr. Gerry Whelan, wrote an introductory chapter for a book on Evangelii Gaudium published by Professors of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. This book was distributed to each bishop attending the Extraordinary Synod on the Family, held in November. Then, to the surprise of the authors, Pope Francis invited them to visit him so that he could thank them. They did this on December 4th, 2014 and the Pope sat for an hour with them discussing theology. Attached is the English translation (from Italian) of the article that Fr. Gerry contributed.

The theme of the General assembly of WUCWO in 2014 is “Women of WUCWO, Sowers of Hope.” This prompts me to reflect about just what hope is. For most of this reflection I turn to comments made by Pope Francis who speaks often on this theme. I see his comments as falling into two categories: first, that hope is a “theological virtue”; second, that hope in the next world involves a commitment to action in this one. To complete these reflections, I turn to Vatican II and explore what Our Lady teaches us about hope. 

During the Executive Board Meeting of WUCWO on July 24th I offered the following reflections to open our meeting. I remarked on the fact that for the two previous days the Church had been celebrating women saints.  

WUCWO's General President, Monica Santamarina, on behalf of all the women who are part of WUCWO, participated in the symposium on conflict-related sexual violence, organised by the UK Embassy to the Holy See and Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) at the Jesuit Curia in Rome. At the event, Monica signed along with more than 450 faith leaders the Declaration of Humanity by Leaders of Faith and Belief, a manifesto to reaffirm the commitment of religious communities to fight sexual violence in conflict contexts.

On 26 and 27 October, Mónica Santamarina, President General, and Lavinia Rocchi Carrera, Secretary General, paid an official visit to WUCWO member organisations in the United Kingdom. During these days, Mónica had the opportunity to talk with some of the representatives of the member organisations, in order to learn first-hand about their challenges, achievements and local realities. This meeting served to strengthen ties, dialogue and explore ways in which WUCWO can support its members in the UK.

The Instrumentum Laboris (Working Document) for the second session of the Synod on Synodality was presented on 9 July, the working document containing the contents and questions for the more than 450 participants in the second session of the Synod on Synodality, to be held from 2 to 27 July, was presented in the Vatican press room and by live broadcast.

On June 13, the Dicastery for the Laity organised the Annual Meeting of Moderators of Associations of the Faithful, Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, where it was possible to reflect on "The Challenge of Synodality for Mission", with the participation of more than 220 people from up to 95 Associations of the faithful from all over the world.

The President General of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO), Mónica Santamarina, was in New York at the end of March for the 68th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 68), where she participated in various events and meetings, together with Barbara Dowding, Regional Vice-President for North America, and Maribeth Stewart, WUCWO International Representative at the United Nations, New York. Among the various activities, WUCWO organised, with its Women's World Observatory (WWO), a side event sponsored by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation:

In recent days, the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations (WUCWO) had the opportunity to host some members of the Tanzania diocese, who shared valuable insights on the crucial role of working with younger generations and women's access to education. Among the visitors were Evaline Malisa Ntenga, WUCWO's Regional Vice President for Africa; Professor Deogratias, President of the Laity in Tanzania; Mr. Dalmas, President of the Laity in Zanzibar; Mr. Leonard, Youth Representative of Tanzania, and Theresia from the Early Childhood Society, accompanied by her mother Stellah.

On 1 December 2023, a significant event to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was held at the evocative Villa Bonaparte in Rome, home of the French Embassy to the Holy See.

The initiative, promoted by H.E. Madame Florence Mangin, Ambassador of France to the Holy See, and H.E. Madame Annemieke Ruigrok, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the Holy See, in collaboration with the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO), gave voice to several female ambassadors to the Holy See and institutional representatives who presented measures and interventions adopted in their countries to inform, raise awareness and above all combat gender-based violence.

      Photo: Periódico El Debate - Jorge Ruiz

Mónica Santamarina in El Debate: Driving the Participation of Catholic Women in the Church and Society. 

Mónica Santamarina, interviewed in November in El Debate, offers a detailed vision of the work of WUCWO and explains her perspective on the role of women in the Church.

Santamarina, recently elected as President, sets priorities for the next four years, including the consolidation of the World Women’s Observatory, the work on the side of the Synod to promote the participation of women and the attention to issues such as migrants, refugee women, religious freedom, hunger and food shortage, as well as ecological conversion.

The "Women's Cry" photographic exhibition, curated by Lia Beltrami in collaboration with the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations (WUCWO) through its World Women's Observatory (WWO), has landed in New York during the United Nations General Assembly's 78th session. This powerful exhibition, initially displayed in St. Peter's Square last May with the collaboration of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication, is a testament to the resilience of women in remote areas and conflict-ridden countries.

On the 24th of September 2023, the 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) will be celebrated and promoted by Pope Francis and the Dicastery for Integral Human Development.

This year, the theme chosen by the Holy Father for this important day is “free to choose whether to migrate or to stay” that makes us reflect on the fundamental right for individuals to decide for themselves whether or not to leave their homeland.

Breaking Barriers: Study Reveals the State of Discrimination and Participation of Latin American and Caribbean Women in the Church and Society. 

In an effort to address discrimination and promote equal opportunities for women in Latin America and the Caribbean, the World Women's Observatory (WWO) of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO) and the Socio-Anthropological Pastoral Observatory of the Knowledge Management Center of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) have presented the results of the study "Discrimination and Participation of Latin American and Caribbean Women: A Look from and towards Our Church."

Filmmaker and Art Director Lia Beltrami Presented the "Women's Cry" Project at the "Women Deliver" 2023 International Conference

Kigali, Rwanda - The prestigious "Women Deliver" 2023 International Conference has become a reference point of empowerment and advocacy, attracting over 6,000 women from all corners of the world.

As the conference convened in Kigali, Rwanda, from 17th to 20th July 2023, the focus was firmly set on championing women's rights and sustainable development.

For the first time Pope Francis met with representatives of all the women of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO).

On Saturday 13 May, the women of theWUCWO met with the Holy Father in a Private Audience, primarily to receive a missionary mandate from the Holy Father on the synodal journey of the Church.

Pope Francis had promised this audience last year, when the Executive Committee of the body had presented the report of the World Women’s Observatory (WWO) on "the impact of Covid-19 on women in Latin America and the Caribbean". On that occasion, Pope Francis had encouraged WUCWO to advance its mission, particularly on the African continent.

Thanking Pope Francis for his 10 years of pontificate

The new President General of WUCWO is the Mexican Monica Santamarina. 

 Assisi, 20 May 2023 - The General Assembly of WUCWO has just ended in Assisi after a week of intense debate and discussion. The central theme was "WUCWO women, artisans of human fraternity for world peace".

 The event brought together representatives from all over the world with the aim of addressing global challenges and analysing the fundamental role of women in promoting peace.

Over 67 organisations from different parts of the globe attended the Assembly, with a total of 832 participants from 38 countries on all continents.

Photograph courtesy of Don MacKinnon 

From 7 to 10 October 2022, under the title “Women Builders of Peace in a Church which Goes Forth” WUCWO organised the third meeting with Women from the Middle East and the Mediterranean, in order to make known the reality of women in this Region and the work that some organisations are doing. More than 120 women from 33 countries participated.

UKRAINE NEEDS OUR INTERCESSION.

The war has begun. Let us ask the Queen of Peace, in her invocation as Our Lady of Vladimir, to protect the inhabitants of this suffering nation and to stop the violence of war. Let us join the feelings and sufferings of our sisters of the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada.

Women, crisis and resilience 

Webinar to celebrate International Women’s Day 

Friday 4th March 2022, 3 pm – 5 pm CET 

On March 4, 2022, the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations (UMOFC / WUCWO) in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) celebrated International Women's Day with an international conference entitled Women, crisis and resilience which saw the participation of about 400 people connected from 70 countries.

© Photo : Vatican Media

On 11 June 2022, all the members of the WUCWO Executive Committee had the extraordinary opportunity to meet the Holy Father during a private audience. He welcomed happily the news of the creation of the World Women’s Observatory, which has already succeeded in listening to and giving visibility to women in Latin America and the Caribbean and is starting its work in Africa.

On the 13th of July 2022, Maria Lía Zervino, Servidora,  President General of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO) was appointed, by Pope Francis, to the Dicastery for Bishops together with other two women.

For the first time, three women will serve, by the will of the Pope, in the process of identifying and electing the new diocesan bishops.

WUCWO's participation at the Group of International NGOs to FAO in Rome.

On Sunday, July 24, 2022, the Second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated throughout the universal Church. The theme chosen by the Holy Father for the occasion is "In old age they will still bear fruit" (Psalm 92:15) and intends to emphasize how grandparents and the elderly are a value and a gift both for society and for ecclesial communities.

“Women, crisis and resilience”
International Women’s Day
March 4, 2022, from 3 pm to 5 pm (CET)

International Women's Day will be celebrated by the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO) in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, in an ecumenical and interreligious webinar, with the participation of women leaders from various faiths and continents, under the patronage of embassies to the Holy See and in dialogue with representatives of friendly international organisations.

Happy birthday Holy Father!

The Holy Father gave the opening address and received the participants of the international conference “Eradicating Child Labour, Building a Better Future”, promoted by the Vatican Commission COVID-19 of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the FAO. The format was hybrid and María Lía Zervino was present in the conference hall on 19 November.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: THE OTHER PANDEMIC. 

STATEMENT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE 

WORLD UNION OF CATHOLIC WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS 

ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

25 NOVEMBER 2021

What kind of violence against women are we talking about? Psychological, verbal, physical, sexual or symbolic violence? Because all of these, in addition to femicide, are the ones that have increased during the pandemic.

“The testimonies of victims who dare to break their silence are a cry for help that we cannot ignore, we cannot look the other way,” Pope Francis told us on 1 February 2021.

This is one of the reasons why the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO) has founded the World Observatory on Women on a pilot basis. We have the first results on the impact of the Coronavirus on women in Latin America and the Caribbean.

25 women experts from 14 countries said that the pandemic has aggravated pre-existing structural violence.

The stress, anguish and anxiety of confinement unleashed and exacerbated situations of domestic violence. Churches, during the confinement, were unable to provide spaces for listening and denunciation.

The fact that victims and perpetrators lived in the same space, isolated from the rest, unleashed the other pandemic: violence. Unable to go out, women could not ask for help. The children, unable to go to school, also lost their space for expression and protection.

It is estimated that 70% of femicides occurred in a home shared with the assailant. Some perpetrators were released from prison - due to the risk of contracting the virus - and returned to live with their victims within the four closed walls of the family home.

According to some experts, in certain communities, not only has psychological violence against women increased since the beginning of the pandemic, but the number of pregnancies of girls as young as 10 years old has also increased, due to abuse by family members (fathers, brothers, uncles, aunts or grandparents).

And the pandemic has not stopped trafficking networks; on the contrary, there has been an increase in trafficking, often with police forces favouring it and corrupt state officials. Traffickers and the demanders of services in which women are a commodity have established new strategies for obtaining and “marketing” victims through means such as the Internet and transport networks that take victims to clients and back.

The experts propose, first: creating spaces where women can be heard, places where they feel safe when they want to ask for help and where they are accompanied.

Second: the training of women as a key element for their empowerment, for the transformation of structural, symbolic violence through education that promotes a culture where men and women live in mutual respect and equal application of their rights.

Third: the inclusion of women in public policy decision-making spheres and, from there, the promotion of programmes for the benefit of populations vulnerable to the risk of violence.

This undoubtedly requires co-responsibility on the part of men and women in the eradication of violence against women.

María Lía Zervino, Servidora

WUCWO President

Towards an ever wider “we” is the theme chosen by the Holy Father for the 107th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) which will be celebrated on the 26th of September 2021. An appeal to build a universal “we” - may this be achieved first and foremost within the Church, called upon to create communion within diversity.

This year we celebrate the first Anniversary of the Encyclical "Fratelli tutti", which was signed by Pope Francis in Assisi, Italy, on 3 October 2020.

It proposes fraternity and social friendship as the ways indicated to build a better, more just and peaceful world, with the commitment of all: people, institutions, the economic world, international organisations, civil society.

Pope Francis has decided to institute the Church-wide celebration of World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Starting this year, it will be held on the fourth sunday of July, close to the liturgical memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.

- "The future is in the hands of lay ministries"

The monthly "Donne Chiesa Mondo" of the Osservatore Romano published an interview with María Lía Zervino, President General of WUCWO on the topic of the formation of laywomen. You can read the interview by clicking here.

WUCWO supports the WASH project (access to drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) in health care facilities belonging to the Catholic Church, developed by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in collaboration with religious congregations, bishops, Caritas Internationalis and Global Water 2020.

The President General María Lía Zervino, Servidora, wrote this open letter on the occasion of the anniversary of the eighth year of the pontificate of Pope Francis. It has received various repercussions from the international press.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) and the Consulta Femminile of the Pontifical Council for Culture have organized, in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the patronage of various Embassies to the Holy See, an ecumenical and interreligious webinar entitled "Women reading Fratelli tutti".

Pope Francis, during his weekly General Audience, recalls the first International Day of Human Fraternity, which falls on 4 February. The international day was established by a Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in December 2020.

International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking - An Economy without Human Trafficking.

The International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking 2021 brings into the spotlight one of the main causes of human trafficking: the dominant economic model of our time, whose limits and contradictions are exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A reflection by our President General for the official website of Fratelli Tutti.

My home country is Argentina. A nation marked by social confrontation at different times in its history; divided into two great antagonistic factions caused by political, ideological, economic and other reasons. Even now we continue to harm each other because of a terrible “rift”. However, from the bowels of this people, the Lord called one of his own, Cardinal Bergoglio, to steer, like Peter, the boat of the Church in the midst of the global storm of the Coronavirus and a “’third world war’ fought piecemeal”. The encyclical Fratelli tutti was born from his pastoral experience.

The Pope has appointed María Lía Zervino, Servidora, President General of WUCWO, as a member of the new group of consultants of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. This is a significant recognition for WUCWO and its long history in the processes of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.

Pope invites Countdown participants on a journey toward climate change - in his second TED talk appearance, Pope Francis sends a video message to participants in “Countdown”, saying it is time to make planet-changing choices.

September 23rd, 2020, marks the International Day Against Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Women and Children.

It was established by the World Conference of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Persons in coordination with the Women's Conference that took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in January 1999 and was organised by the International Coalition against Trafficking in Women.

Being WUCWO an international organisation that represents women from all around the world, on the occasion of International Women's Day, our President General, María Lía Zervino, Servidora, was interviewed by Vatican News and Rome Reports.

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, an Interreligious and Ecumenical meeting on the document HUMAN FRATERNITY FOR WORLD PEACE AND LIVING TOGETHER signed by His Holiness Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyeb (Abu Dhabi, 4 February 2019) was held on the 3rd of March 2020.

On the occasion of the International Women's Day, the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations, in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the sponsorship of the Embassy of Argentine to the Holy See, the Embassy of Austria to the Holy See, the Embassy of the Netherlands to the Holy See and the Embassy of the Philippines to the Holy See, will hold a conference entitled "Women Makers of Human Fraternity" on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at Lungotevere Tor di Nona 7 in Rome.

Message of the WUCWO President, María Lía Zervino

on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Chain of women embracing against female genital mutilation

Girls between the ages of 4 and 14 are the main victims of this aberrant practice. According to the latest UN report, more than 4 million girls are at risk of female genital mutilation in 30 countries in 2020.

We thank Pope Francis for granting a private audience to the WUCWO authorities, María Lía Zervino and Andrea Ezcurra, servidoras, and Fr Gerard Whelan, SJ, who were received in his library on 10 January 2020. The meeting made it possible to express gratitude, on behalf of the 8 million members of our organisations, for the delicate and frequent attention the Holy Father gives to women, particularly the most vulnerable, throughout the world. 

The Mirabal sisters assassinated on 25 November 1960  in the Dominican Republic.

The time has come!

The World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations today renews and increases its commitment to eliminate discrimination and violence against women (Dakar Resolution 2018).

The time has come! Men and women: it is urgent to become agents of cultural change.

WUCWO also attended the last briefing on the work of the Synod on Friday 25 October. The following participated:

- Bishop Joaquín Humberto Pinzón Güiza, I.M.C., vicar apostolic of Puerto Leguízamo-Solano, titular of Ottocio, Colombia;

- Bishop Evaristo Pascoal Spengler, O.F.M., bishop-prelate of Marajó, Brazil;

- Reverend Nicolau Nascimento de Paiva, coordinator of CAIC, the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil, Brazil;

- Reverend Fr. Miguel Heinz, S.V.D., president of Adveniat, Germany;

- Reverend Suora Inés Azucena Zambrano Jara, M.M.I., of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculate and of Saint Catherine of Siena, Colombia;

- Dr. Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communication;

- Fr. Giacomo Costa, S.J., secretary of the Commission for Information.

“The Amazon and Beyond. Integral Ecology, Multiple Vulnerabilities and Youthful Commitments” was the title of the seminar organised on October 18 by the newly set up Observatory of the faculty of Social Sciences of the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome in which WUCWO participated the seminar held during the current Special Synod for the Pan-Amazon Region aimed to deepen, inspire and open “transdisciplinary paths illuminating new ways of relating to God, to others and to the space around us” (Evangelii gaudium n.74).

On the occasion of the Special Assembly of the Synod for the Pan-Amazon Region, WUCWO together with Italian Azione Cattolica, the International Forum of Azione Cattolica and the Pio XI Foundation (School of Holiness of Azione Cattolica) organised an event on October 15 to discuss the theme "Witnesses and martyrs of the inculturation of faith in the Amazon".

WUCWO participates to the press conference, organised in the Holy See Press Office on October 3, of presentation of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region, taking place in the Vatican’s New Synod Hall from 6 to 27 October 2019, on the theme: Amazonia: new paths for the Church and for integral ecology.