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).

The first sessions of our gathering were dedicated to formation for the Board. With the help of “Discerning Leadership”, Fr. David McCallum, SJ guided us through a very rich and inspiring session of introduction to the Conversation in the Spirit as a method for Communal Discernment. It would be impossible to describe here all the new things we learned. I was particularly impressed by some suggestions and questionings:

• We must “slow down” if we want to be aware of God’s presence and “see” ourselves and the people and things that surround us. We need to walk, not run…
• When was the last time we had a great conversation; a conversation that wasn’t just two intersecting monologues, which is what is frequently considered as conversation nowadays?
• The Spirit of God is already at work in the world and in our history. We discern because we want to collaborate in what God is doing in our world.
• To have a true Conversation in the Spirit we need to: a) Stay humble and be present to all the other members; b) be present to God and listen to what He might be saying; c) be attentive  to the movements of the Holy Spirit in our-selves and in the group; d) be, with our heart and with our head, with as much attention to the process as to the outcome and e) be ready to let go of any outcomes we anticipated or expected.
• We need to cultivate two basic skills: Active listening (uunderstanding others as they are; a profound welcome of the other person) and intentional speaking (authentically express one’s experience, feelings and thoughts - speaking in “I”, as opposed to sharing ideas-).

The challenge, but key point, is always to be humble enough to listen with openness and attention, and to speak with intentionality and gentleness. As the Holy Father said during the annual meeting of moderators of lay associations, ecclesial movements and new communities organised by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life: “In the light of this spiritual conversion, I wish to highlight some attitudes, some “synodal virtues,” which we can derive from the three announcements of the Passion in the Gospel of Mark (cf. Mk 8:31; 9:31; 10:32-34): thinking as God thinks, overcoming exclusiveness, and cultivating humility.”

After this introductory session, we were divided in small groups where we prayed, reflected, listened to one another and discerned together on the characteristics of female leadership today in an outgoing synodal Church and on how, according to our own talents and responsibilities within WUCWO, we could better contribute to the mission and resolutions of our organisation for this period. Although most of us had participated in the worldwide Conversations in the Spirit organized by our School for Synodality, the fraternal encounter resulted in a great experience of discernment that made us feel comfortable and free to express ourselves throughout the remaining 6 days of our meeting, where great ideas surged inspired by the Holy Spirit, together with a friendship and fellowship that I am sure will grow and consolidate throughout the period.   

The following days we were very active, listening and commenting on reports, learning together about WUCWO and working in our corresponding Committees, Working Groups and regions, in order to elaborate the proposals to be voted by the Board and included in 2024-2027 WUCWO’s Action Plan. The Board members participated in their corresponding Regional Meeting, where the dates and themes of next year’s Regional Conferences were decided and regional priorities were agreed.

During the week in Rome, the Board had also the opportunity of visiting the Dicastery of Laity, Family and Life, where we met the Prefect, Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, the Under-Secretary of the Lay Faithful, Linda Ghisoni and the Under-Secretary of Family and Life, Gabriella Gambino. It was a warm and fruitful meeting. We also participated in the conference "WUCWO’s World Women's Observatory (WWO). Results of the listening and networking" where we presented to some dicastery members, Embassies to the Holy See, partners, member organisations in Italy and journalists the latest results of the WWO’s projects in Africa, Latin America and of our School for Synodality. Thanks to God we had a packed room and the event could be transmitted by zoom in 4 languages.

Of course, not everything was work; we had beautiful Eucharistic Celebrations and other occasions of prayer; a peregrination to the Basilica of St John Lateran and the Pontifical Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs; many occasions of eating together, sharing experiences and good practices and even a beautiful party where many sang and danced joyfully.  

After all, we were able to organize a synodal Board Meeting, harmonious and integrated. I want to thank God, our Board members, our International Representatives and, of course, our WUCWO staff for the great work done. Nevertheless, we still have a long journey in front of us. Please help us with your prayers and your active collaboration, as far as possible. I am sure that working hard, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and walking hand by hand with Mary, Queen of Peace, our Patroness, WUCWO women will walk together towards the goals we have set. God bless you all,

Mónica Santamarina

President General