Contact:
International Union of Superiors General
Sister Victoria Gz. De Castejon
Rome, Italy – Tel: +39.0668.400.20

For immediate release

Catholic Women Leaders from Five Continents
Pledge to Work for Reconciliation

(Rome – May 25, 2004) Nearly 800 women leaders from more than 70 countries and five continents recently committed themselves to work for reconciliation on all levels of life. Recognizing the extreme violence afflicting the world, the leaders proclaimed that no more important mission exists at this time than the work of reconciliation.

The leaders, members of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), an organization representing approximately one million members of Catholic religious institutes, met in a plenary session in May in Rome, where UISG is headquartered. Together they reflected on the contemporary contexts of violence in which their members live and work. They received input on biblical foundations of reconciliation from theologian Sister Dianne Bergeant, CSA; and input from three UISG plenary participants whose members work in situations of violence and abuse: Sister Una O’Neill, RSC (Ireland); Sister Marie Jose Baranyanka, FMJ (Burundi); and Sister Camilla Burns, SNDdeN (United States).

At the conclusion of the plenary, the leaders committed themselves and the members of their institutes to a number of efforts to promote reconciliation. Among them were commitments to work, in collaboration with other associations, for justice, resolution of conflict, and an end to war and all forms of violence. They will announce stories of successful reconciliation and denounce violence and injustice by effectively utilizing the media; and create and promote initiatives of dialogue, understanding and reconciliation among different cultures and religions. They will also intensify efforts toward healing, reconciliation and right relationships between women and men, especially within the Catholic church.

The leaders acknowledged that successful work for reconciliation depends on their own capacity to forgive and be reconciled and pledged to live a spirituality of reconciliation.

The UISG members also pledged to intensify the work to which the members committed themselves at the last plenary in 2001. This work calls for the eradication of trafficking of women and children, education and formation of women and girl children, proactive peacemaking, and care for the Earth.

During the plenary the members also sent a letter of support to all Catholic sisters in Iraq. Following the plenary, the UISG delegates from 42 countries who represent 33  geographical regions in the world, held an assembly where they outlined more specific implementations of the UISG commitments and elected officers. Elected were:  Sister Therezinha Rasera, SDS, president; Sister Rosemary Howarth, SSND, vice-president; and Sister Christine Barriere, MR, Sister Angelina Bridi, SNSIC, Sister Camilla Burns, SNDdeN, Sister Lorraine Marie Delaney, CSJ, Sister Amelia Kawajy, MB and Sister Elaine Morzone, MFIC as members of the Executive Committee.

To read the full text of the 2004 Declaration, click here.