CWC Affiliated Groups
The Catholic Women’s Council (CWC) is a global umbrella organisation of Roman Catholic networks working for the full recognition of the dignity and equality of women in the Church.
CWC’s member organisations have different thematic priorities and use appropriate means in their daily work to achieve this. But all agree on the need to recognise women’s rights and dignity both in the current structure of the Roman Catholic Church and in its daily practice. While our members share a similar vision, we respect the fact that different groups and individuals have different views on what this might mean. CWC, as a whole, neither endorses nor rejects individual positions; rather, it seeks to bring people together in a spirit of informed, honest and inclusive dialogue. In discussing and examining various issues, we seek to discern what the Holy Spirit of God is calling us to do.
The CWC was founded in Stuttgart in November 2019, when Catholic women’s associations, initiatives, women religious and church bodies from Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland came together to network on a common vision of women in the church. In January 2020, this network became global as an umbrella group. We also invite other groups to join this coalition.
Affiliated Groups
Join us
We invite all Roman Catholic associations, initiatives, networks, religious orders and ecclesial institutions to participate in the CWC. If they agree with our Manifesto, find themselves in the conditions below and commit themselves to respect the values we profess, we invite them to organise their own “pilgrimage” activities and to participate in those of other women’s associations.
To join the CWC your group must agree:
- Participate in Women’s Synod activities with measures/actions appropriate to your culture and context, and collaborate with other members.
- Publicise on your group’s website and on social media that you are part of the CWC.
- Promote the events and actions organised by other CWC members on their website and on social media.
- Support the Women’s Synod in the coming months by:
- *Organising at least one action during this pilgrimage process.
- * Using the materials provided by CWC (in addition to your own material).
CONTACT
The Executive Boards is organising the work on an international basis in different languages groups and regions. We so want to provide and assist our member groups in a most efficient way. If you want to contact a specific person in your language group or in your region, please contact us at:
CONTACT: info@catholicwomenscouncil.org
We will transfer your message to your language group or the member of your region.
Asia: Virginia Saldanha (Chairperson / India) | Europe: Franziska Zen Ruffinen (Switzerland), Regina Franken-Wendelstorf (Germany) | United Kingdom/ Ireland: Mary Ring & Sue Williamson (UK) | Africa: Nontando Hadebe (South Africa), Philomena Mwaura (Kenya) | Latin America, Caribbean, Spain: Marisa Noriega Cándano (Mexico), Teresa Casillas Fiori (Spain) | Australia/ New Zealand: Cathy Corbitt (Australia) | North America/Canada: Kate McElwee (USA)
Funding for the Catholic Women’s Council is provided by the support association CWC based in Switzerland. Private donations and project-related sponsorship finance it. As an international platform with numerous organisations in the global South, organisational membership is free-of-charge. The Executive Board works on a voluntary basis.
For the Women’s Synod project, we are particularly grateful to the following institutions for their generous support:
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Jurt Foundation
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Catholic Church of the Canton of Zurich
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