The third day of the Plenary Assembly of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) 2025 passed in a climate of deep reflection and spiritual communion. It took place at the Ergife Palace Hotel in Rome, focusing its work on the theme "Religious Women: Bearers of Hope in Difficult Situations". 

The day began with a prayer that invited the participants to place themselves "under the gaze of Jesus" and to recognize, as the poet Pedro Casaldáliga expressed it: "It is late, but it is our time, it is the time we have available to build the future". 

The morning round table presented three realities in which female consecrated life becomes a tangible sign of hope. From the Colombian Amazon, Sr. Alba Teresa Cediel Castillo, Missionary of Mother Laura, shared how her congregation has been walking for about 100 years "between rivers and forests," learning from indigenous peoples "the true meaning of hope" in the face of challenges such as "fires, deforestation and extractivism." 

From the U.S.-Mexico border, Sr. Lisa Buscher, RSCJ, shared how she founded an initiative with nine women's congregations: "Collaborative for Border Ministries" which brings together those who in 2024 assisted more than 29,000 migrants. "Hope is not a feeling, it is an action," she said with conviction. 

Sr. Margaret Maung, RNDM, shared the reality of Myanmar, which is rarely free from war and political unrest. She highlighted testimonies of religious women who have dedicated their lives to serving the most vulnerable, such as Sr. Ann Rose Nu Tawng, who knelt before armed police officers begging them "to spare the children in exchange for her life." 

In his homily at the Holy Mass, Fr. Stanley Lubungo, M. Afr. emphasized that being bearers of hope "does not mean dreaming of a world without the cross," but "believing that the life of the Risen One is already acting in the wounds of our world." 

In the afternoon, the round table "Women Religious, Hope in a Synodal Church" included contributions from Sr. Geraldina Céspedes (Dominican Republic), Sr. Solange Sia (Ivory Coast) and Sr. Shalini Mulackal (India). The women agreed that women religious life has a fundamental role in promoting the transformation towards a truly synodal Church. 

Sr. Geraldina proposed moving “from consumers to producers of synodality,” advocating a “spirituality of inclusion” where all voices are heard. 

Sr. Solange highlighted three sources of hope: the Synod as an event of hope for women, formation in transformational leadership, and the service commitment of religious women. 

Finally, Sr. Shalini stated that religious life has the potential to be a “lighthouse of hope” for a synodal Church because of its centuries-old traditions of community discernment and shared governance. 

The day concluded with a collective exercise in which each participant contributed to answer the question “What is the call for us today?”, forming a mosaic of terms such as collaboration, mercy, active listening, lighthouse of hope, conversion, and inclusion. 
The program will continue tomorrow, May 8, with the question “How is Consecrated Life a Transformative Hope?” We await the conclusions of the Assembly with the final intervention of the President of the UISG, Sr. Mary Barron, OLA. 

View the photo album of the third day