Click on the links to read about the event as published in various media outlets:

http://www.familiam.org/pls/pcpf/v3_s2ew_consultazione.traduzione?id_pagina=13231&id_lingua=2 

http://www.forumfamiglie.org/allegati/rassegna_38213.pdf

https://it.zenit.org/articles/amoris-laetitia-mons-paglia-un-testo-enormemente-sociale-e-politico/

https://fr.zenit.org/articles/amoris-laetitia-presente-aux-membres-du-corps-diplomatique/

http://it.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/04/19/amoris_laetitia_presentata_alle_rappresentanze_diplomatiche/1223968

http://www.acistampa.com/story/mons-paglia-il-papa-chiede-a-tutti-di-riscoprire-la-forza-della-famiglia-3123

http://gossip.libero.it/focus/35483244/amoris-laetitia-presentata-alle-rappresentanze-diplomatiche/amoris-rappresentanze-diplomatiche/?type=

http://www.farodiroma.it/2016/04/18/amoris-laetitia-a-roma-un-incontro-internazionale-del-working-group-di-ginevra/

WUCWO President General, Maria Giovanna Ruggieri, wrote a message to mark International Women's Day. The message was published in various media outlets and below you can find the relevant links:

As all people of good will around the world unite to recognize United Nations Human Rights Day 2012, The World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) joins its voice, thought and prayer to the call for all human beings to be accorded basic human rights, including the right of profound dignity from the moment of conception to natural death.  Further, we note the need for a reality where all persons will have access to what they require in order to make their unique contribution to our world. 

Click here to read the interview

Our Ecclesiastical Assistant, Fr. Gerry Whelan, wrote an introductory chapter for a book on Evangelii Gaudium published by Professors of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. This book was distributed to each bishop attending the Extraordinary Synod on the Family, held in November. Then, to the surprise of the authors, Pope Francis invited them to visit him so that he could thank them. They did this on December 4th, 2014 and the Pope sat for an hour with them discussing theology. Attached is the English translation (from Italian) of the article that Fr. Gerry contributed.

The theme of the General assembly of WUCWO in 2014 is “Women of WUCWO, Sowers of Hope.” This prompts me to reflect about just what hope is. For most of this reflection I turn to comments made by Pope Francis who speaks often on this theme. I see his comments as falling into two categories: first, that hope is a “theological virtue”; second, that hope in the next world involves a commitment to action in this one. To complete these reflections, I turn to Vatican II and explore what Our Lady teaches us about hope. 

During the Executive Board Meeting of WUCWO on July 24th I offered the following reflections to open our meeting. I remarked on the fact that for the two previous days the Church had been celebrating women saints.  

Continuing the reflection on the letter Misericordia and Misera  we need to meditate about mercy as Pope Francis encourages  it  “must continue to be celebrated and lived out in our communities. Mercy cannot become a mere parenthesis in the life of the Church; it constitutes her very existence, through which the profound truths of the Gospel are made manifest and tangible. Everything is revealed in mercy; everything is resolved in the merciful love of the Father.” (MM1)

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. Our communities can remain alive and active in the work of the new evangelization in the measure that the “pastoral conversion” to which we are called will be shaped daily by the renewing force of mercy. Let us not limit its action; let us not sadden the Spirit, who constantly points out new paths to take in bringing to everyone the Gospel of salvation.” (MM5)

After the official closing of the Year of the Jubilee of Mercy we continue to reflect on the characteristics indicated by Pope Francis in his speech at the Roman Curia in December 2015. This is the last letter of the word MISERICORDIA, namely A, corresponding to the words accountability and sobriety.

On November 20th, the Holy Door of St Peter’s basilica in Rome will be closed, and the extraordinary year of the Jubilee of Mercy will be concluded. We continue with the reflection about the single letters of the word “MISERICORDIA”.

This month, the words are Intrepidness and Alertness.

On September 20th 2016 the World Day of Prayer  for Peace “Thirst for peace: faiths and cultures in dialogue” was held in Assisi. During this event Pope Francis in his address encourages us react to the “virus that paralyses, rendering us lethargic and insensitive, a disease that eats away at the very heart of religious fervour, giving rise to a new and deeply sad paganism: the paganism of indifference. We cannot remain indifferent. Today the world has a profound thirst for peace. In many countries, people are suffering due to wars which, though often forgotten, are always the cause of