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Founding years

1910-1914

It was in 1910 that Madame de Velard, 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, christened "the Committee for Initiative", took place in Brussels and united the Leagues from Germany, England, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Spain, France, Lorraine, Portugal, Switzerland and Uruguay, together with the International Catholic Society for Girls, ACISJF.

In her address Madame de Vélard outlined the aims of this meeting from which the International Union of Catholic Women's Leagues (UILFC) began and which became WUCWO in 1952:

"We have met because we want to enlarge our horizons, study the obstacles and the way to overcome them, and to arm ourselves better for CATHOLIC ACTION.

* Daughters humbly obedient to the Church ONE we have felt we must work to realise the union of all Catholic Women throughout the world.

* Let us not dream ! We have no time to do so; besides dreams are disastrous: they waste our energy on imagining difficulties which may perhaps never materialise

* Let us prepare for the future: to do so let us share serious and well organised action."

Another delegate stated:

"Catholic women must understand that changing times demand changing duties. The time has come when we can no longer be satisfied with small associations narrow and enclosed, in which piety and charity are cultivated with discreet timidity; the time has come to have a broader outlook; the time has come for more adequate formation; the time has come to unite all the works and all the good will in strong federations, capable of being an active force in the service of Christian social renewal throughout the world."

In the course of this meeting, with the encouragement of the Bishops of Malines and Paris, decisions were taken:

This International Federation of Catholic Women's leagues adopted the statutes unanimously. They began:

Art. 1: An International Council is formed between the Catholic Women's leagues, independent of all political parties, the aim of which is to work to maintain the Faith, defend religious liberties and organise Catholic social action in a spirit of full and constant submission to the ordinances of the Sovereign Pontiff.

Art.2:The Council adopts the name of International Council of Catholic Women's Leagues.

1911 :

Second International Council in Madrid (Spain). Danger of Freemasonry ; Work and women's salaries ; Morality. Six new leagues asked to join the International Council. They came from the following countries: Argentina, Canada, the United States of America, Hungary, Luxembourg and Poland.

1912 :

Third International Board in Vienna: Morality, Religious education, Women at work. So that the Statutes could be approved by the Holy See, the League in England will study certain modifications which will be voted on at the next Council. This heavy task is undertaken under the responsibility of Miss Fletcher, president of the English League.

Margaret Fletcher is one of the founders of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations. Her biography is available from the CWL England and Wales

1913

Fourth International Board in London. The Statutes were modified and approved by Pius X. The Federation adopted the name "International Union of Catholic Women's Leagues", simply called the"Union" which hence forward would have a Cardinal Protector. There were 27 Leagues from 17 countries, in the Union.

Nomination by the Holy See of the Countess Wodzicka (Poland) as president.

THE FIRST WORLD WAR

During the 1914-1918 War the Union ceased to function and began again only in 1921. Nevertheless the president managed to keep in touch with the Vatican as well as with several national leagues.

FRESH START AND DEVELOPMENT

1921

There was an executive meeting in Cracow for a fresh start o f the Union and to prepare for the fifth International Congress taking place in Rome the following year .

1922

Fifth International Congress in Rome: " Preservation and Propagation of Faith "; feminine campaign for morality; traffic of women; preparation of women for civic responsibilities.

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

1925

The Sixth International Congress in Rome: "Dangers threatening the family and, through it, the whole of society" . Madame Steenberghe-Engeringh was re-elected.

1926

Meeting in Luxembourg, in May of the "Section of Young Women" in the Union. This was an integral part of the structure of the Union with its secretariat situated in Ghent (Belgium). An advisory chaplain was nominated by the Holy See, as the president, Christine de Hemptine (Belgium) [The Federation of Young CatholicMen dates in fact from 1921]. In the "Cahiers de l'Union" one could read : "One of the biggest and most important tasks with which we have to occupy ourselves now, is the work in the social field. The problem for women is partly due to themselves and partly a social problem, and on the other hand, the social problem is closely linked to the feminine problem because they are completely reciprocal and cannot be treated separately."

1927

Madame Steenberghe-Engeringh, the President of UILFC took an active part in founding the Conference of International Catholic Organisations (CICO). The first meeting of presidents took place in Fribourg (Switzerland). Their principal aim was to represent Catholics at the Society of Nations whose headquarters were in Geneva.

1928

Seventh International Council and first Study week at La Haye (Netherlands) to prepare the International Council in 1930. In a letter to the President His Holiness Pius XI insisted on the importance of remaining exclusively Catholic leagues and of collaborating with neutral or protestant organisations only in exceptional circumstances.

From then on study days alternated with meetings of the International Council. The former were held in different places, whereas the latter were always in Rome until 1967. There was one exception: in 1951 the 12th International Council took place in Fribourg (Switzerland). In contemporary publications, the meetings of the International Council were often called "International Congress". As explained in a document dated "Utrecht; May 1936", " The meeting of the Council is rather more like a kind of congress." These meetings involved a large number of delegates, between 150 and 250, and even over 500 when the " Young Women's Section" joined IUCWL.

The League of Nations granted the Union representation on the committees "Traffic of Women" and "Protection of the Child", two representatives were nominated.

1930

Eighth International Council in Rome: "The recovery of family morality" . The subject of study for the next 4 years was education. First Council of the Young Women's Section.

The International Labour Office (ILO) ratified the nomination of a delegate to the Commission studying problems related to women.

1932

Study week in Lucerne to prepare the International Council of 1934; The purpose of these study weeks was to take into account the work done by the Commissions which that year had studied Faith, Family, Education, Women at work, Morality, Hygiene, Women in public life. For the "Youth Section": Sport and Health.

The same year Mrs. Steenberghe-Engheringh, President of the Union was the only Catholic delegate to speak at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

1934

Ninth International Council in Rome: " That Christian principles of education penetrate the family and society" . The commissions continued with the addition of Formation of Catechists and the Handicapped.

There were 512 participants - not all women, for there were numerous priests. These people represented 46 adult organisations and 13 of young girls. There were approximately the same number in each group.

1936

Council of Young IUCWL in Paris to prepare the International Study Congress in Brussels (Belgium), scheduled for Easter 1937.

1937

Study week in Brussels: "Catholics in today's world" (principles of Catholic social feminism). The Day of the Young brought together 227 participants to reflect on: "Young Women in Today's World".

1939

Tenth International Council in Rome: "Catholic women and the restoration of Christianity in society today." Youth Day: "The apostolate of conquest".

At the time, the Union comprised 55 affiliated organisations from 32 countries covering some 25 million women. The countries were mainly in Europe, Latin America, North America, with two Asian countries and Australia.

THE SECOND WORLD WAR

1940-1945

After the beginning of the war, , the archives in Holland were destroyed on May 14, 1940" 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 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 according to their circumstances.

Contacts were made for the resumption of the international work.

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 Woman'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. Nevertheless 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. In the following years UILFC gained it with other U.N. agencies. Even though, between the two wars, UILFC spoke at the league of Nations it was from then on that IUCWL representatives, then WUCWO's, made the voice of Catholic women heard at the International centres of New York, Geneva, Vienna, Rome, Paris and Strasbourg.

The extent of their undertaking increased from day to day. The Commission on the Status of Women gave IUCWL a favourable opportunity to make the voice of Catholic women heard, which, very often, was the universal voice of women.

In thus taking part in international life, the IUCWL women showed fidelity to the words of His Holiness Pius XII during an audience he granted them: " In the role of defending the Church against the danger of being engulfed in the "temporal" sphere, an injunction promulgated several decades ago continues to gain adherence: return to the purely "spiritual". This injunction should be the opposite: for the Faith, for Christ, in every way possible, presence everywhere where vital interests are involved.wherever the soul of a nation is forged by education."

1950

Study week in Fribourg (Switzerland) to prepare the International Council for the following year.

1951

Twelfth International Council in Fribourg (Switzerland): "International Life". A statement noted a new situation where the catholic woman had a personal role to play in a newly developing international community. Her responsibility is to be present " to develop and assert, as opportunities occur, the rights and requirements of an international catholic conscience in face of general opinion." There was work on the statutes and this draft was sent to the Secretariat of State for information before drawing up the final document to be voted on in 1952. In October 1951, Mgr Montini (Future Paul VI) replied personally, commenting on several points. In particular, he insisted on the importance of having more members elected to the Bureau and fewer ex officio . He wondered if it was not preferable to have the President elected by the whole Council (later called the General Assembly) rather that by the Bureau. This last suggestion was not followed and the President was elected by the Bureau, as stated in the draft document. She would therefore no longer be named by the Holy See but elected from among three candidates proposed to the Secretariat of State by WUCWO.

WUCWO MATURITY

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 in 1926, was elected President by the Bureau ( not nominated by the Holy See).

At this time WUCWO comprised 166 organisations from 66 countries from the five continents, numbering 36 million women. From 1952 onwards many countries from Africa, and also from Asia Pacific and Oceania joined WUCWO which was becoming highly developed with a real international scope. Among these 166 organisations, there were large international organisations such as International Association of Charities (IAC). Also, since its foundation, the International Society for Girls has been taking part in Board meetings with the right to speak but not to vote.

1953

Study Days at Mont St Odile (France): "The personality of the Christian woman in International Life" Marie du Rostu referred to an address given by Pius XII in 1947 in which he insisted that women's mission should become equal with that of men, as a necessary factor of civilisation and progress.

In November during a Board meeting, and on the occasion of the Marian Year, it was decided that the President should write to Mgr Montini to tell him of the importance that the Catholic women attached to the WUCWO Day of Prayer which had been inaugurated many years before by Mrs STEENBERGHE - ENGERINGH and which was celebrated on March 25. "On that day they are happy to know they are united with their sisters throughout the world, and to pray with them for the intentions of the Universal Church."

Study Days in Ghent of the World Federation of Young Catholic Women together with the World Federation of Young Catholics.

1954

Study Days in Fatima: "The life of faith and the interior life, Family life, Apostolic life both social and civil". The statutes were modified to remove all official participation by the World Federation of Young Women. They were approved again by the Holy See. It is important to mention amendments appearing in the statutes of 1952 and 1954 particularly in reference to the vocabulary: WUCWO is composed of affiliated members and corresponding members, which are organisations and not individuals. The International Council is composed of all affiliated members and meets every two years. The "bureau" of 14-20 persons is named for four years and meets at least twice a year. (It was only in 1979 the International Council became "General Assembly", and the "bureau" became the Board.) A Cardinal protector was assigned and a "general" chaplain appointed by the Holy See.

1955

Study Days in Copenhagen (Denmark). The same year, "Marie du Rostu, then President of WUCWO, launched, even before FAO, a campaign against hunger. This historic manifesto was the starting point of numerous programmes throughout the world and set in motion a new awareness in the Catholic world." (Mgr Delaporte, Bishop of Cambrai, France). Pax Christi and the Secours Catholique (Caritas) took part, basing their action on the speech made by Pius XII for the eleventh birthday of the FAO. The project came to fruition in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) at the Eucharistic Congress during a meeting with Mgr Lalain (Chile) and Mgr Helder Camara (Brazil). As a result, probably in 1961, the official "Campaign Against Hunger" came into being during a meeting of FAO where WUCWO and Pax Christi took a leading part, thus bringing about the mobilisation of the International Catholic Organisations (ICOs).

1957

Fourteenth International Committee in Rome: " Mission of the Catholic woman in today's world". The three themes for work: the Catholic woman working in the world, Formation in the personality of the adult woman, Hunger in the world. The "bureau" was enlarged.

In the preceding week the world congress of the FMJFC also took place in Rome. " The inner life in a technological world".

1959

Study Days in Paris: Present to Christ, present in the world".

1961

Celebration of fifty years of WUCWO

The International Board was held in Rome (April 29-May 5) on the eve of the Ecumenical Council with the theme " Catholic woman, source of unity". Four main points: the three feminine vocations (Spiritual, Human, Social); the technical world heading for unity; the Catholic woman, agent for unity; the responsibility of the Christian conscience in the face of hunger in the world.

Pilar Bellosillo (Spain) was elected President, and Marie du Rostu Vice-President once again.

In preparation for the Second Vatican Council, WUCWO sent opinions and proposals:

" Very respectfully, WUCWO ventures to present several requests formulated at the wish of and with the collaboration of Catholic women from various continents, so that the requirements of the integral Christian formation of woman and her opportunities for making a contribution to the Church may be studied more and more deeply and adapted to present day circumstances. In the event of the laity being allowed to take part in the preparatory work of commissions, WUCWO asks if there would be the possibility of envisaging the acceptance of women's participation with due respect to their abilities".

1962

Miss Pilar Bellosillo was part of the delegation chosen to assist at the solemn opening of the Council, and also to be an auditrice, as President of WUCWO, an organisation uniting about 36 million women worldwide.

1963

Proposal of Statute "ad experimentum" of Regional Commissions in WUCWO. Five Commissions on general topics, called external commissions were formed: the Church of Silence, Adult Education, State of Women, Women and Work, Family-Childhood, and also three internal Commissions: Finances, Affiliations, Bulletins.

1964-1965

Pilar Bellosillo is involved in the work of the Council during the session revising Schema 13 ( preparation of " Gaudium et Spes" , and also in the Commission "Marriage and Family". Speaking about the lay men and women associated with the work of these commissions, Paul VI referred to them as " Experts on life". Twenty years later, Pilar said : " my great conviction is gradually taking shape: to be at the service of others, at the service of their fulfilment as both people and Christians. To be at the service of God's plan for the world. To support in history the cause of God.

This same year those in charge of WUCWO questioned : The organisation on its own has no attraction unless it is awake to life and current issues. We might wonder why nowadays the majority of young women do not spontaneously join organisations. And yet we see that they do come when their organisations are in contact with their personal problems."

There was an Ecumenical meeting of women in Rome with Pilar Bellosillo and WUCWO became deeply involved in the International Conferences on the Status of Women (Iran, Uruguay), on Population, and, in the Council of Europe, on Women and Work.

1966

Study Days: Statutory Assembly in Paris. Discussions with the World Association of past pupils of the Sacred Heart Schools ( AMASC). The president of the Union of Major Superiors (women) was invited to the study days.

1967

International Board in Rome: " In a new world, woman, co-artisan of a new humanity." This Council was followed by the World Congress of the Apostolate of the Laity also held in Rome. Inauguration of the campaign for human rights. Establishment of the working group "Women and the Church". In the Newsletter marking WUCWO's 75 years, Pilar Bellosillo writes : " In what concerned the Church, according to the inquiry, half of the people of God seemed to be passive and were governed by the other half. It was then that WUCWO decided to be critically aware, both openly and inside the Church. It was at that time that the working group "Women and Church" was formed".

Thanks to the Council there was awareness of the ecumenical dimension. An international Ecumenical Conference of women was held in Taizé (France) in June. It was organised by the Conference of ICOs, and by the Department of Cooperation between men and women in the Ecumenical Council of Churches in collaboration with the Universal Alliance of Christian Women's Unions. Pilar concluded "In the future we shall continue to suffer together the same suffering, to pray together the same prayer, to hope together with the same hope."

1968

As a result of the meeting at Taizé a WUCWO Commission for Ecumenism was created. Numerous member organisations of WUCWO take part in the "Women's World Day of Prayer" founded by Protestants in 1887 for worldwide ecumenical prayer in the first week of March. WUCWO then held two distinct days of prayer, WUCWO Day, begun in 1952, and the World Day of Prayer. This was for two reasons:

On one hand, to strengthen the identity of Catholic women and the spirit of solidarity inherent in WUCWO Day (collections that day), on the other hand to be in solidarity with women of other beliefs. Nevertheless, so that the two dates should not be too close, WUCWO Day was first of all postponed to May at the General Assembly in Torhout (Belgium) and then (at the General Assembly in Guadalajara, Mexico) left to each organisation's free choice. From 1969 onwards the preparation of WUCWO Day was entrusted to a different country each year.

Pilar Bellosillo was officially delegated by the Holy See to represent the Catholic Church in an ecumenical women's group recognised by the Holy See and the World Council of Churches.

This same year with the birth of specialised Catholic Action, the two young male and female ICOs had to reconsider their objectives, and joined up at the Congress in Berlin to form Young Catholic Women's and Men's Federation. This new organisation was dissolved in 1981 at their General Assembly in Nairobi, due to the small extent of their influence.

1969

As a result of a survey of the affiliated organisations, we read: "The enquiry will not bring about a radical change in WUCWO's orientation, but one may say that it ratifies the ends in view, that is to say, to be at the service of Christian women and of all the women in the world for their education and formation. In brief, to bring about the advancement of women in every domain."

The Assembly of the Conference of ICOs took place in Fribourg. Pilar Bellosillo and Marie du Rostu played an important part in safeguarding the autonomy of this organisation of Catholic laity in view of the two new organs created after the Council, the Pontifical Council of the Laity (which became the Pontifical Council for the Laity) and the Commission Justice and Peace.

1970

International Board in Torhout (Belgium): "Women's Education". WUCWO objectives: Promotion of Women. Involvement for a more just society and for a greater participation in the Church.

For this a worldwide programme of education for 4 years, openness to work with others and intensification of work in the regions. There were 17 organisations in Africa, 13 in North America, 29 in South America, 13 in Asia Pacific, 54 in Europe and 4 International. It was also the beginning of regional conferences.

1971

Pilar Bellosillo is one of the four women (two of whom are religious) invited by the Holy See to the Bishops Synod.

1974

International Board in Dar es-Salaam (Tanzania): "WUCWO, an agent for change for a more just society". Evaluation, a four years programme. Two options: 1) as regards women (ecumenical if possible) the improvement of spiritual, human and social life. 2) as regards justice, a programme of education for justice and development. Elisabeth Lovatt-Dolan (Ireland) was elected President. About 150 participants.

1975

International Year of the Woman. First World Conference on Women in Mexico City. Proclamation of the Decade for Women.

1976

International Study Days at Maria Laach (Germany). Forty six organisations from the five continents took part in this meeting between those held in Dar es-Salaam and Bangalore.

1977

A Latin American officer wanted to stress the regional dimension as against the international. She caused a large number of organisations in her region to break off, thus depriving them of the support of an organisation like WUCWO to make their opinions known with those of other catholic women in the world.

Following a statement released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith on the admission of women to the priesthood, the WUCWO Board wrote a note which stressed their " desire to maintain dialogue on ministries without being opposed to the hierarchy."

1978

Elisabeth Lovatt-Dolan, President, spoke in New York during the U.N. Commission on Disarmament.

1979

General Assembly in Bangalore (India): "Women, Justice, Evangelisation". Elisabeth Lovatt-Dolan was re-elected President. About 160 participants. Mother Teresa of Calcutta was present and spoke.

1980

Presence at the Second World Conference on Women, which celebrated the mid-point of the Decade of Women in Copenhagen (Denmark).

1983

General Assembly in Antigonish (Canada): "Woman: Identity - development - new community". Priorities adopted: Spiritual formation; Women and the Church; Education for family life; Sharing decision-making; Justice-Human rights-Peace; Women and work. Eleanor E. Aitken was elected president.

1985

Celebration of the 75th anniversary in Cologne (Germany). Participation in the Conference for Women, Nairobi (Kenya). In the aforementioned issue of the Newsletter , the President Eleanor E.Aitken mentioned the growing attention paid to our representatives: Alba Zizzamia is president of the CONGO (Conference of NGOs at ECOSOC) and Solange des Gachons Vice-president of the Committee for Continuity of NGOs at UNESCO. In the same issue, Pilar Bellosillo contributes: "In this moment of history, marked by the awakening of feminine awareness in the world, this is the beginning of our liberation. We must encourage and help the "release" from secular oppression. We must "free" the rich potential in each of us. Throughout the whole world, we must give ourselves in the service of this tremendous task of humanising. And for that.what providential opportunities WUCWO gives us !!. We are made in the image of God, together with man.We have the same dignity.Motherhood is just one part of the whole great vocation of women: to realise ourselves fully as human beings."

1987

General Assembly in Roehampton (England): "Advancement of women - Enrichment for all". About 400 participants. Priorities chosen: Respect for the dignity of the human person; Formation of networks. Commissions: Family; Ecumenism; Development and Cooperation; Human Rights; International. Working groups: Bioethics; Women in the Church. Marie-Thérèse van Heteren-Hogenhuis (The Netherlands) elected President.

1991

General Assembly in Guadalajara (Mexico): "Women and life: Vision - Reality-Action". About 450 participants. WUCWO priorities: Aids; Violence against women and children, including pornography; Preferential option for the poor; Environment. Marie-Thérèse van Heteren-Hogenhuis re-elected President.

1994

Presence at the World Conference on Population and Environment in Cairo (Egypt). On this occasion the WUCWO Board made a declaration on WUCWO's position with regard to population and environment in the world.

Synod of African Bishops in Rome. Three African WUCWO Board members were invited and two were called on to speak.

1995

Presence at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen (Denmark). WUCWO took an important part in the World Conference on Women in Beijing (P.R. of China) as well as in the NGO Forum at Huairou which preceded it. Four WUCWO women, of whom three were Board members, also took part in the official delegations of their country. Another Board member from Nigeria, was part of the official delegation from the Holy See.

The title of the Conference was: Equality, Development, Peace. During the previous Board meeting, declarations had been prepared on all our priorities, and these were widely distributed in Beijing.

1996

General Assembly of Canberra (Australia): "I made all things new (App.21.5): Women, Reconciliation and Hope". About 700 participants. Priorities voted: Elimination of violence against women; Women and health; Women and decision-making. Maria Eugenia Díaz de Pfennich elected President.

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