On 9 December 2025, the first workshop of the initiative “Enhancing Sustainability for International Religious Congregations: A Synodal Approach to Mission Development” will take place at Regina Mundi, UISG headquarters in Rome, with simultaneous interpretation in English and Italian.

One year after the gathering held on 24 September 2024—which brought together over one hundred congregational leaders and presented the results of the first international survey on mission sustainability—the Steering Committee is now launching a new phase of continuity. The goal is to build a synodal and collaborative space among Congregations, capable of fostering a genuine movement of learning and shared responsibility, in dialogue with Catholic donors and other ecclesial actors.

The first workshop will be a moment to revisit together the challenges of our time, marked by the rapid evolution of the philanthropic landscape and shifting global priorities, and to identify new pathways for collaboration and discernment. The reflection will focus particularly on the relationship between congregations and Catholic donors, the need to move beyond fragmented approaches toward a shared vision, and the urgency of developing models of governance and strategic planning that ensure the continuity of mission.

This journey is not intended to be a mere series of training sessions, but rather a transformative process aimed at fostering a change of mindset and generating concrete networks of collaboration among congregations. The following workshops will explore other fundamental dimensions of mission sustainability: governance of mission offices, apostolic planning, subsidiarity, and the sustainable use of congregational assets, including generative programs and innovative forms of investment.

The 9 December workshop is open to superiors general, members of general councils, general treasurers, and directors of mission development offices. As priority will be given to in-person participation, which can accommodate up to 85 participants, each congregation is invited to register a maximum of two representatives. Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Through this first step, the Committee aims to offer a space for participatory discernment and exchange, one that strengthens the sustainability of religious missions and nourishes a Church journeying together, in a synodal spirit, toward the future.

This initiative is not simply a training program, but the beginning of a congregational movement of learning and shared mission responsibility. The active participation of each congregation is essential to build bridges and enhance the sustainability of mission in today’s Church.

To register, please visit the following link: CLICK HERE