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.

​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.

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