WUCWO WOMEN, TANGIBLE SIGNS OF LIFE AND HOPE

"Spes non confundit" (Hope does not disappoint). There is no doubt that the theme we have chosen for this issue of the magazine is very appropriate for the beginning of the Jubilee year, a time of grace, forgiveness and spiritual renewal which invites us to live hope and to strengthen our Christian witness. But the theme is also very relevant at this time when the world seems to be plunged into a spiral marked by war and violence; polarisation and political, racial and religious extremisms that we thought had been overcome; environmental degradation; hunger and misery for many; the scourge of drugs; the breakdown of families; the despair of young people and the suffering of women, the elderly, children and vulnerable migrants. A world that undoubtedly urges us to turn our gaze to the Lord of mercy.

Mónica Santamarina, WUCWO President General

LIVING WITH HOPE

"Hope does not disappoint" (Romans 5:5) – this is the message of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025, proclaimed by Pope Francis. This year is special not only because it is a jubilee year, celebrated once every 25 years, but primarily because the Lord through our mother, the Church, calls us to reflect, deeply reconsider, experience, nurture, and fully embrace the divine graces He has bestowed upon us in the Holy Sacraments.

When I first heard the message of the Jubilee Year, I was especially moved as a catechist. Why hope? Why does the Apostle Paul speak so profoundly about hope? I opened the Scriptures and read the full verse: "And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). Hope does not disappoint, precisely because of God's love. Therefore, hope is a great gift from God, guided by His love.

Viktoriia Marko, Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada

CWA WOMEN: SOWERS OF HOPE

The members of the Catholic Women’s Association (C.W.A) Cameroon, 60 years after its foundation, are more convinced about their daily efforts to answer the call to be holy, bound by their commitment and love for the Church and their desire to serve the Church and society.

In keeping with its Motto, “To Serve and not to be Served”, members have through the years rendered untiring quality and loving service to the Church, the family and society. With Spirituality and Charity as key objectives, the organisation brings hope to the hopeless, because all our activities are planned with this in mind.

Judith Chiatoh, CWA Cameroon

WUCWO DAY OF PRAYER, MAY 13TH 2014, PREPARED BY THE AFRICAN REGION

THEME: TRUTH IN ACTION-SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE

(Eph 4:15)

OPENING HYMN:

A TRUTH IN MY INWARD BEING (CH. 64 6t464645) OR ANY SUITABLE HYMN

1. Truth in my inward being,

wisdom in my secret heart,

O Lord that’s what you desire. (2x)

Willing spirit, Holy Spirit, Willing Spirit,

This is our sacrifice.

2.We offer our minds and hearts,

To you O God at this table

O Lord, that’s what you desire.

3.We bring our gifts to you Lord,

In form of bread and wine

O Lord that’s what you desire.

4.Bless them and change them O Lord

Into your body and blood

O Lord, that’s what you desire.

5.All glory be to the Father,

And to the Son and the Spirit

O Lord, that’s what you desire.

WUCWO Asia Pacific Region Conference was held from 1-6 May, 2016 with the theme “In Hope and Mercy we meet in God’s Love”.  The setting for this Conference was the Novotel Hotel Lami Bay, in the capital city of Suva, in the idyllic Fijian Islands in the Pacific Ocean

Over 700 Catholic Women’s League members and guests met in Halifax, Nova Scotia, one of Canada’s older historic cities, August 14-17, 2016 for the 96^th Annual Convention, One Heart, One Voice, One Mission: Palliative and Hospice Care, a fitting title for a convention in the Jubilee Year of Mercy

The Board members, presidents and representatives of women’s organizations from 21 countries of the world’s Catholic women’s organizations of the Africa region (WUCWO- Africa),meeting in Lilongwe, Malawi from august 29th to September 5th, 2016 at the Africa regional conference on the theme “Women of Africa, proclaimers of God’s mercy”, reaffirm our role as evangelizers

Women, Workers of Peace Towards a Culture of Meeting and Dialogue set the theme of this important meeting between women from the Middle East and their sisters from throughout the world held in Bari, Italy from October 19-23, 2016.

In October 2016, in Bari, Italy, the advisers together with the Ecclesiastical Assistant Father Gerard Whelan, SJ, and some of the international representatives, evaluated the development of the Plan of Action, adapted it and took on a renewed commitment.

Lorenzo Lotto (Venice, c. 1480 – Loreto, 1556), Recanati Annunciation, 1527, oil on canvas, 166 cm x 114 cm, Recanati, Civic Museum

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.

Lord, you call us to share your table and also your cross of anguish with our sisters who are suffering. We pray for all who are being abused, violated, oppressed, and in situations that deprive them of their dignity.

2013 WUCWO DAY OF PRAYER
13 MAY 2013
Based upon our 2013 WUCWO Priority:  Peace in Action:
Reduce Poverty, Violence and Trafficking, Support Migrants
 
2013 WUCWO DAY OF PRAYER THEME:  “You Shall Love Your Neighbor As Yourself”
OPENING HYMN:  The Servant’s Song (Richard Gillard)