The International Union of Superiors General (UISG) is an organization that brings together the superiors general of women’s religious institutes of apostolic life from around the world. Its mission is to promote communion and collaboration among women’s religious congregations and to provide a space for meeting, reflection and joint action to respond to the challenges of consecrated life and the universal Church.
UISG Plenary Assembly
Recently, the UISG held its XXIII Plenary XXIII Plenary Assembly More than 900 women superiors general from 75 countries on five continents gathered to discern together the paths to follow as women religious in the midst of a world marked by uncertainty and pain, but also by signs of life and renewal.
At the end of the Assembly, the Superiors General expressed their commitment to become more and more:
- Women of peace, resilient, who remain at the foot of the cross
- Women who are on the frontiers, who reject exclusion and discrimination
- Women who watch in the night and, like the moon, reflect the light.
- Women synod members creating evangelical and inclusive communities
- Prophetic women who, in old age, illness or frailty, remain signs of hope.
“As women entrusted with the leadership of our congregations, we commit ourselves to nurture hope within ourselves and to pass it on, because ‘we put all our hope in the grace that comes to us through the revelation of Jesus Christ’ (1 Pet. 1:13),” the Assembly’s final statement concludes.
Photos: www.uisg.org
Assembly of the Council of Delegates
Subsequently, on May 12 and 13, the Assembly of the Council of Delegates was held in Rome, with the participation of more than 45 delegates representing the 36 constellations of the organization.
During the Assembly of Delegates, the election of the members of the new Board of Directors of the UISG, which will lead this International Union of Superiors General in the period 2025- 2028, took place. It was constituted as follows:
- President: Sister Oonah O’Shea, Superior General of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Sion;
- Graciela Francovig, Superior General of the Daughters of Jesus.
Counselors:
- Sr. Miriam Altenhofen – Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit
- Sr. Anna Josephine D’Souza – Missionary Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate
- Sr. Angela Kapitingana – Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa
- Sr. Dolores Lahr – Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambéry
- Sr. Priscilla Latela – Religious of Mary Immaculate “Claretian Missionary Sisters”.
- Sr. Chiara Lorenzato – Franciscan Missionary Poor Clare Sisters
- Sr. Sylvette Mané – Sisters of the Congregation of Mary – “Marists”.
- Sr. María Filomena Mendoza – Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
- Sr. María Yaneth Moreno Rodríguez – Sisters of the Divine Savior
- Sr. Rita Calvo – Company of Mary Our Lady
At the conclusion of the Assembly of Delegates – which marked the end of the XXIII Plenary and the beginning of a new cycle of governance for the UISG – the words of the three Presidents (outgoing, current and vice-president) expressed the spiritual and missionary heart of consecrated life today.
We share in a special way what was expressed by Graciela Francovig, newly elected Vice President of the UISG, who underlined the value of the historical moment lived, in harmony with the path of the Church:
“We have lived this Plenary in a historic moment for the Church, marked by the election of the new Pope. We deeply feel the link between our journey and that of the universal Church: both are called to renew themselves in the spirit of synodality. As consecrated women, we commit ourselves to guard and nurture this synodal style, in the daily life of our Congregations and at the frontiers of the world.”
With this election, Graciela Francovig’s service in the UISG continues. Graciela began as Vice President of the UISG in 2023 and in this new period will continue to work together with the Superiors General of different congregations, encouraging processes of communion, discernment and transformative hope.
