NEXT WUCWO NORTH AMERICAN REGION CONFERENCE
The next WUCWO North American Region Conference will be held in Toronto, Canada on August 10, 2025
WUCWO GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN ASSISI, ITALY MAY 2023
PERSONAL SUMMARY OF OUR TIME IN ROME AND ASSISI
Report on the WUCWO Audience with Pope Francis, Mass of Thanksgiving and General Assembly May 13-20, 2023 will remain in my memory as a series of extraordinary days of great blessings. Let’s begin in Rome with WUCWO Day, May 13. On a drizzly day, we waited in line chatting and singing in various languages and after passing through two security checks, we found ourselves in Vatican City making the short walk to the Paul VI Hall. After obtaining a translation headset, we entered the cavernous meeting room with the backdrop of the stage dominated by the iconic bronze-copper alloy sculpture of Fazzini’s Resurrection of Christ. I was fortunate to be ushered to a seat in the front row because as Vice President General, I had been asked to address the pope; specifically, to describe the work of WUCWO in 3-5 minutes! An anticipatory buzz filled the room as nearly 2000 WUCWO women from around the world took their seats. WUCWO provided educational entertainment while we eagerly anticipated the moment everyone awaited A flurry of Swiss Guards taking their places in their distinctive colorful traditional dress uniforms and other plainclothes security moving quietly about alerted us that the moment was near and before long, His Holiness walked out onto the stage with the aid of a cane. He slowly perused some of the hauntingly beautiful and poignant photographs set up on the stage from a WUCWO exhibit in St. Peter Square called Women’s Cry. He then proceeded to his central white chair and waved to all in the hall. By now, hundreds of WUCWO scarves were being waved, the applause was thunderous, and I hope he felt all the love for him it conveyed. The President General, Maria Lia Zervino, spoke first thanking him for this audience that had been requested last June during a meeting held with the WUCWO Executive. At that time, he had said that it would fill his heart with joy to have such an audience with the WUCWO women from around our world. She thanked him for his promotion of WUCWO and of women in the Church and for all the work he has accomplished invoking Magnificat for each mention of gratitude from WUCWO. As she approached Pope Francis to shake his hand, two of the Sediari Pontifici, the papal ushers, then descended from the stage and escorted me to the microphone. As I began my talk, His Holiness smiled and whenever I looked up, he was looking intently straight at me. I spoke in English because I know that he understands English perfectly but is less proficient speaking the language. When I finished, I was vaguely aware from the loud applause from my sisters in the audience that it must have been okay as I approached the Holy Father. He took my hand in both of his and said, “wonderful, wonderful, perfect.” I thanked him, he squeezed my hand, said, “always wonderful” smiled that beautiful smile, and gave me a lovely white pearl rosary in a container embossed with the papal arms. I returned to my seat happy, relieved, and filled with the joy and honor of again being in his direct presence. The Treasurer General, Monica Santamarina, spoke after me describing WUCWO’s World Women’s Observatory and then a young woman from Malawi spoke about youth in the Church. It was then time for the pope to address those gathered and his talk centered on the importance, necessity of women in the world and in our Church. He said that a world without women would be lonely. Finishing his talk to great applause, he came down from the stage in a wheelchair and greeted the members of the WUCWO Board and others fortunate to be seated in the front. Our Carole Updyke was one of these and was so very happy to have had this opportunity. Carole has attended every WUCWO General Assembly since 1985! The pope then directed those gentlemen with him to take him down the entire central aisle of the hall affording the chance for many to see him up close and show him appreciation.After the papal audience, several of us went to lunch just down the street after which we returned to St. Peter Square and the Vatican security line set up especially for WUCWO. At 5PM, a special Mass of Thanksgiving for WUCWO was celebrated in the Basilica at the St. Peter’s Chair altar under the window of the Holy Spirit. Mauro Cardinal Gambetti, OFM Conv, Archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica and Vicar General for the Vatican State was the principal celebrant and our Very Rev. James Stembler concelebrated. I was privileged to be the reader at the beautiful ambo.That night, I left in a private car with some friends from France and Lucy Johnson to go to Assisi as our North American Region was asked to oversee the registration process that would begin the next day. It was a beautiful and moving sight as Assisi came into view with the Basilica of St. Francis high on the hill all lighted. Upon arrival at our meeting site, and for many of us our hotel and where we ate, the Domus Pacis, I discovered that the grounds were beautifully and simply landscaped with roses in bloom everywhere. The view from my sleeping room window was of Santa Maria degli Angeli, the papal basilica where we would hold our Masses. Unfortunately, that evening we discovered that we were unable to set up for registration until 9am the next morning with the first busload arriving from Rome at 10am! The morning of the 14th, our NA women volunteers, primarily drawn from the Friends, worked heroically to get the task done and then throughout the morning and afternoon registering attendees and I am so very very grateful to them for all their efforts. The Executive Committee and the Board met in the afternoon where we were able to give the President General the Spiritual Bouquet I had made for her with the gift of Masses and Rosaries from our Executive Committee.Shortly before 4PM, we walked the pleasant pathway to the Papal Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli for the Opening Mass presided over by Fr. Lucio Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication. The Basilica, built between 1569 and 1679, encloses the 9th-century little church, the Porziuncola, the most sacred place for the Franciscans. It was here that the young Saint Francis of Assisi understood his vocation and renounced the world in order to live in poverty among the poor, and thus started the Franciscan movement. The cell where St. Francis died is also preserved in the Basilica. Upon our return to the Domus Pacis we assembled in the meeting rooms for the Opening Ceremony where the Regional Vice Presidents presented their delegations. I was so happy to be able to introduce our North American organization members who made the trip to Rome and Assisi. We were 49 in number: 12 from Canada and 37 from the USA with 35 of those being from the NCCW. At this ceremony we heard welcomes from the Mayor of Assisi, Dr. Stefania Proletti; the Bishop of Assisi, Mgr. Domenico Sorrentino; women from 4 different religions from Assisi; and our President General, Maria Lia Zervino. This was followed by an address from Sister Nathalie Becquart, Under-Secretary of the Synod Secretariat who spoke to us about Women on the Road to a Synodal Church. After supper together, those who wished participated in an International Living Rosary.The next day, 18 May, dawned bright and after breakfast found us assembled in our meeting halls for a Study Day with the theme Women in the Church. Following Morning Prayer, we heard two panels. The first, which I was asked to moderate, featured our speakers, Dr. Anne-Marie Pelletier and Sister Anne-Beatrice Faye. The ensuing dialogue with the speakers revealed that attendees very much appreciated the information presented first, on the growing and necessary role of women in the Church, and then the challenges faced in Africa by women in a synodal Church striving for justice, reconciliation, and peace. After a short break, the second panel convened moderated by Sister Jane Wakahiu of the Hilton Foundation. The speakers, Laura Marroco of Argentina, Cristianne Murray of the Vatican Dicastery for Communications, and Sister Linda Pocher addressed youth in the Church, speaking and listening for peace, and the Church as Mother. Again, these speakers for our Study Day were much appreciated. That afternoon, there was an opportunity for women to display and sell some of their national products. This was followed by parallel sessions divided by the three official WUCWO languages, French, English, and Spanish, where those gathered into small groups could discuss the messages heard so far from His Holiness and our speakers for Study Days. That evening, those who wished went to the Basilica next door for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which was beautiful and so meaningful held in front of the Porziuncola.Study Days completed in Rome and Assisi, May 16 found us entering into the Statutory Days. Following Morning Prayer, we were greeted by the President General and approved adoption of the agenda, Rules of Procedure, the minutes of the 2018 General Assembly, and ratified nine new member organizations. This was followed by reports of work accomplished by Maria Lia as President General, me as Vice President General, Lavinia Rocchi Carrera, the Secretary General, and our Ecclesiastical Assistant, Father Marcelo Gidi, SJ. After the talk of the President General, I presented her with a book of photos I had made of her with the aid of the Secretariat from the time she first came to the WUCWO Secretariat until the present. She was deeply touched. After lunch, we assembled into different rooms for our regional meetings. At our North American meeting we heard descriptions of each of the four member organizations in our region and reports from our NA Board members, Marusia Kobrynsky and me. We discussed which of the six proposed resolutions we shall vote on later in the week that our organizations could support and had time for remarks from those present before we adjourned with our gifts of small national flags and a visor and pin branded with our WUCWO NA logo. After Mass at the Basilica presided by Michael Cardinal Czerny, SJ, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, prepared by the Asia-Pacific Region, we again assembled in the meeting rooms to hear reports of the regional meetings from the regional Vice Presidents and from the young scholarship women present at the Assembly. I was very happy to report the excellent turn-out at our North American meeting and the items we covered. That evening, there was an optional English language cultural event that was enjoyed by all in attendance.On May 17th, back again in our meeting rooms, after Morning Prayer, I chaired the session on Amendments to our Statutes and Bylaws. Many of the amendments were required due to a Decree from the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life that was issued for all International Public Associations of the Faithful of which WUCWO is the only one for lay women. There were simple changes such as moving our seat from Paris to Rome, adding wording from our Bylaws to our Statutes, and changes to the name of the Dicastery. Another required change was in the length of term for a Board member. WUCWO wished to preserve the 4-year Board term to maintain 4 years between General Assemblies. Having to wait 5 years between Assemblies creates a financial strain as WUCWO depends on the revenue from the General Assembly to carry through from Assembly to Assembly. The new Decree from the Dicastery states that a Board member can serve a maximum term of 10 years. In order to meet our 4-year standard, this translates to a maximum of two 4-year terms or a total of 8 years on the Board should the organizations from a country agree on the same Board member for two terms. Provision is made that if one serves the 8 years, waits out a mandate (term) they can then be re-elected to the Board if their country so desires. Previously, one could serve a maximum of three 4-year terms for a total of 12 years. All the proposed Bylaw amendments were adopted, most unanimously. That afternoon, the Superior of the Franciscans came to speak to us of the history and architecture of the Basilica of Saint Francis prior to our being brought there for a Laudato Si’ Mass, moved from outside due to the weather to the Upper Church. There was ample time for all to tour and pray at the various chapels, admire the extraordinary frescoes that not only depict the life of St. Francis and many saints but also trace Italian art through time, descend to the crypt where Saint Francis is buried, and take in the breathtaking views outside as the Basilica is built into the side of a very tall hill. The Mass was celebrated by Father Joshtrom Kureethadam of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development and incorporated many lovely references to the beauty of God’s Creation. Many attendees also enjoyed the shops and winding narrow streets of this medieval part of Assisi after Mass.Statutory Days continued the following day, May 19, with Morning Prayer and then a vote on amending the Agenda because we had completed the Bylaw Amendments so quickly that we did not need the time planned for discussion and voting on them this day. Accordingly, we began the work of the day with presentations on three of WUCWO’s new projects. As the WUCWO representative to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform for Organisations sector, I led off with a presentation on the Laudato Si’ Action Platform showing how WUCWO has adopted the encyclical around the world in practical work and emphasizing the need to protect the beauty of the land, animals, and persons around our world as they are all interconnected. Our work and the Laudato Si’ Action Platform help to ensure that this beautiful world is passed on to the next generations but we need to continue our efforts to limit our impact on the planet to permit this transition to the future. The next project was presented by Araceli Cavero of Spain who spoke of the plans and prayers for the beatification of Pilar Bellosillo, a past President General of WUCWO who was instrumental at Vatican II and in advancing laity in the Church. Finally, we heard of the World’s Women’s Observatory (WWO), WUCWO’s effort to examine the plight of the most vulnerable women around the world in order to effect pastoral and civic change for them. The work is undertaken with scientific rigor and involves universities with human and Christian values. While the studies quantify data, quality is equally important. Under quality, we want to listen to women. The WWO employs methodology, dialogues with experts, forms social correspondents, most of whom are in WUCWO organizations, carries out surveys -listening to other women, especially the most vulnerable, drafts reports, and disseminates the reports. The first Observatory was opened in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region and has examined the effect of COVID on women in that region. The second study, requested by CELAM, concerned why women are not joining organizations. The third WWO study is in Africa and is looking at violence and discrimination against women. A fourth study concerned those women at the diocesan level who helped to prepare for the Synod on Synodality and how they felt their contributions were, or in several cases unfortunately were not, accepted. The fifth WWO study is ongoing in Latin America and concerns setting up Weavers of Communication. It is the intent to expand the WWO throughout all the WUCWO regions which are Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America. All these new projects were met with applause from the Assembly attendees and demonstrate that WUCWO, despite COVID, remains active and committed to vitally important projects around the world that respond to the needs of the most vulnerable women. The sponsors of the WWO were then given certificates and thanked for their generosity. We were so heartened to hear a special commendation made for the Friends of NCCW for WUCWO for our organization’s sponsorship pledge and were thrilled when Josephine proudly accepted the certificate. Thank you so so much to the Friends!I continued as chair for the next session which concerned WUCWO’s finances. We first heard the report from the Treasurer General who told us that the professional audit indicated that all was in good order since our last General Assembly in Dakar in 2018. She reported on income and expenses and her report was accepted by the Assembly. We next heard from Marusia Kobrynsky, Board member from Canada and President of the WUCWO Endowment Fund. Again, our Friends of NCCW for WUCWO was prominently mentioned for combining our US Endowment Fund with the WUCWO Endowment Fund in Canada which gave it a lovely boost. Again, thank you to our Friends!Last, Monica Santamarina, Treasurer General, reviewed the need to raise dues because of the rising cost of everything around the world. It was agreed to raise dues 16% based on 2023 dues for 2024 and 2025 and then an additional 4% in 2026 again based on the 2023 dues rates. Recommendations were made for the new Board to consider reclassification of member organizations because the GDP and membership numbers of countries and organizations have changed greatly since the last classification was done and to consider devising a method to help organizations that have difficulty paying their dues. This concluded the work for this day and we were delighted to have the afternoon free. We met at the Basilica for the 7PM Mass for the Feast of the Ascension which was the responsibility of the North America Region. Our Ecclesiastical Assistant, Father Marcelo Gidi, SJ was the principal celebrant and was assisted by Father Stembler who graciously celebrated at all our Masses. Marusia, Board member from Canada, led us in song with her beautiful voice and for a reading. As Board member from the US, I provided the second reading and Isabella Sheptak, a youth scholarship winner from Canada, read the Prayers of the Faithful. That evening after supper, we had a French language cultural event that, like the previous English event, was well attended and beautifully done.
On Friday, May 19, we began with Morning Prayer and then moved to the session devoted to discussion and voting for the Resolutions. Prior to jumping into the Resolutions, as session Chair, I read a list of ground rules I wrote the night before that would preclude suggesting word changes that might not translate well, etc. and emphasized that we were gathered to approve-or not- the intent of the resolution under discussion. We ended by voting in all six of the proposed resolutions with only the addition of two words to the last. The new WUCWO resolutions are: WUCWO will consolidate, develop, and extend the World Women’s Observatory; Religious Freedom-A Foundation for the Path of Brotherhood and Peace; The Global Food Crisis, Care for our Common Home, and Call to Ecological Conversion; Let Us Take, with Renewed Conviction, the Joyful Journey of Family Love, Motherhood, and Fatherhood; Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees; and Enabling Everyone to Participate is an Essential Ecclesial Duty -Synodality, Formation, and Participation of Women.After a Break, we convened to elect the New Board. The candidates were presented and all voting delegates received a ballot listing the candidates by name and region. All twenty-five candidates were elected. Congratulations to our NA Board members: Barbara Dowding of Canada and Esohe Asemota of the USA! After lunch, the three candidates for the presidency of WUCWO made brief presentations: Andrea Ezcurra of Argentina, Araceli Cavero of Spain, and Monica Santamarina of Mexico. All except the new Board were then asked to vacate the meeting room. The new Board then elected the President General, Vice President General, and Treasurer General and ratified the Secretary General and Ecclesiastical Assistant. When we returned to the meeting room it was announced that the new President General was Monica Santamarina, the Vice President General was Isabella Parks of South Korea, the Treasurer General was Myriam Garcia Abrisqueta of Spain, and the Secretary General, Lavinia Rocchi Carrera and the Ecclesiastical Assistant, Father Marcelo, were ratified. All in attendance applauded. Monica made a brief speech as the new President General promising to use her gifts to move WUCWO forward. We then ratified the International Representatives: I’m staying at the UN Headquarters in New York; Maria Angela Giorgi Cittadini is staying at the FAO in Rome; Adelina Viteri will be at the Human Rights Council in Geneva; Adela Gallego will be at UNESCO in Paris; and Dominique Jacquemin-Mange will be at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The Final Declaration was then read and we adjourned. Our Closing Mass at the Basilica was presided over by Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and was prepared by the Latin America and Caribbean Region. That evening, the Spanish language cultural event was held.The next morning, May 20, we departed on buses back to Rome after breakfast. I stayed in Rome for a few extra days for some additional meetings at the Secretariat of State. The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed listening to the bells of St. Peter from my hotel overlooking St. Peter Square. I prayed the Regina Coeli on Sunday with the Pope from the terrace of my hotel. A lovely way to celebrate my nearly thirteen years on the WUCWO Board as the representative from the US. Since I’ve been home, I finished the minutes of the General Assembly that I was asked to take and sent them to the Secretariat and sent out my address to the Pope and my reports and presentations at the Assembly to many from around the world who have requested them. I’ll continue to represent WUCWO on the Laudato Si Action Platform and a few other committees for different dicasteries, will continue to handle the banking in the US for WUCWO so you can still send me your Women’s Voice subscription payments, WWO donor monies, etc., in US dollars, and will continue on the WUCWO Endowment Fund Board.I thank you for the wonderful opportunity to serve at WUCWO and hope you know I’ve tried to do my very best. I wish all the new Board great happiness, fruitful work, and wonderful camaraderie for perhaps the best thing about being on the WUCWO Board is the friendships one makes. May Mary, Queen of Peace, Patroness of WUCWO, bless all our North America Region member organizations and the Friends of NCCW for WUCWO with wisdom, joy, and peace always. -Maribeth Stewart Blogoslawski
On Friday, May 19, we began with Morning Prayer and then moved to the session devoted to discussion and voting for the Resolutions. Prior to jumping into the Resolutions, as session Chair, I read a list of ground rules I wrote the night before that would preclude suggesting word changes that might not translate well, etc. and emphasized that we were gathered to approve-or not- the intent of the resolution under discussion. We ended by voting in all six of the proposed resolutions with only the addition of two words to the last. The new WUCWO resolutions are: WUCWO will consolidate, develop, and extend the World Women’s Observatory; Religious Freedom-A Foundation for the Path of Brotherhood and Peace; The Global Food Crisis, Care for our Common Home, and Call to Ecological Conversion; Let Us Take, with Renewed Conviction, the Joyful Journey of Family Love, Motherhood, and Fatherhood; Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees; and Enabling Everyone to Participate is an Essential Ecclesial Duty -Synodality, Formation, and Participation of Women.After a Break, we convened to elect the New Board. The candidates were presented and all voting delegates received a ballot listing the candidates by name and region. All twenty-five candidates were elected. Congratulations to our NA Board members: Barbara Dowding of Canada and Esohe Asemota of the USA! After lunch, the three candidates for the presidency of WUCWO made brief presentations: Andrea Ezcurra of Argentina, Araceli Cavero of Spain, and Monica Santamarina of Mexico. All except the new Board were then asked to vacate the meeting room. The new Board then elected the President General, Vice President General, and Treasurer General and ratified the Secretary General and Ecclesiastical Assistant. When we returned to the meeting room it was announced that the new President General was Monica Santamarina, the Vice President General was Isabella Parks of South Korea, the Treasurer General was Myriam Garcia Abrisqueta of Spain, and the Secretary General, Lavinia Rocchi Carrera and the Ecclesiastical Assistant, Father Marcelo, were ratified. All in attendance applauded. Monica made a brief speech as the new President General promising to use her gifts to move WUCWO forward. We then ratified the International Representatives: I’m staying at the UN Headquarters in New York; Maria Angela Giorgi Cittadini is staying at the FAO in Rome; Adelina Viteri will be at the Human Rights Council in Geneva; Adela Gallego will be at UNESCO in Paris; and Dominique Jacquemin-Mange will be at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The Final Declaration was then read and we adjourned. Our Closing Mass at the Basilica was presided over by Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and was prepared by the Latin America and Caribbean Region. That evening, the Spanish language cultural event was held.The next morning, May 20, we departed on buses back to Rome after breakfast. I stayed in Rome for a few extra days for some additional meetings at the Secretariat of State. The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed listening to the bells of St. Peter from my hotel overlooking St. Peter Square. I prayed the Regina Coeli on Sunday with the Pope from the terrace of my hotel. A lovely way to celebrate my nearly thirteen years on the WUCWO Board as the representative from the US. Since I’ve been home, I finished the minutes of the General Assembly that I was asked to take and sent them to the Secretariat and sent out my address to the Pope and my reports and presentations at the Assembly to many from around the world who have requested them. I’ll continue to represent WUCWO on the Laudato Si Action Platform and a few other committees for different dicasteries, will continue to handle the banking in the US for WUCWO so you can still send me your Women’s Voice subscription payments, WWO donor monies, etc., in US dollars, and will continue on the WUCWO Endowment Fund Board.I thank you for the wonderful opportunity to serve at WUCWO and hope you know I’ve tried to do my very best. I wish all the new Board great happiness, fruitful work, and wonderful camaraderie for perhaps the best thing about being on the WUCWO Board is the friendships one makes. May Mary, Queen of Peace, Patroness of WUCWO, bless all our North America Region member organizations and the Friends of NCCW for WUCWO with wisdom, joy, and peace always. -Maribeth Stewart Blogoslawski
Video of North America Memories of our Time Together in Rome and Assisi
Video of WUCWO's Meeting with Pope Francis May 13, 2023
