Two Presentation Sisters from Aberdeen, SD will be attending the XX Plenary Assembly of the International Union of Superiors General. This assembly will be held in Rome May 9-13, 2016. More than 900 women Religious, leaders of the same number of women’s Congregations of apostolic life, coming from all the continents, will be meeting around the theme “Weaving Global Solidarity for Life.”
Those traveling to Rome include Sister Janice Klein, who is the Superior/President of the Aberdeen Congregation and Sister Joyce Meyer who meets/works with congregations from international communities in promoting the formation and education of their young, religious community members. This Assembly will offer both of these Sisters the unique opportunity to meet and share ideas and experiences with other religious congregations from around the world. The Assembly attendees are also honored to have received an audience with Pope Francis on Thursday, May 12.
Beginning in 1965, and held in Rome every three years, the UISG is a worldwide, canonically approved organization of Superiors General of Institutes of Catholic Women Religious. This year, the USIG will celebrate its Golden Jubilee by challenging its participants to discuss some of the “signs of the times” like our Common Earth-Home, Existential and Social Peripheries (migrants, trafficking, and peace) and apostolic response as consecrated women.
The purpose of UISG is to promote an understanding of religious life. As an International body rooted in Christ, and representing Congregations of Women Religious throughout the world, UISG seeks to witness to and proclaim the identity of apostolic religious life in all of its diversity. Its mission is to build bridges that span distances, borders and boundaries in order to create ways for members to be in communication, in community and in communion.
“It is an honor to attend this conference and especially to experience the worldwide Church. By forging deeper connections with each other, our ability to serve those most in need will be improved and our Gospel witness enhanced. Wherever you find the poorest of the poor, there you will find women religious serving them,” expresses Sister Janice.
