These are words with which Sion Sister Oonah O’Shea began her term as President of the International Union of General Superiors (UISG), at the end of the Delegates meeting on 12 and 13 May. The meeting followed the 23rd Plenary Assembly held in Rome from 5 to 9 May.
The assembly was an opportunity for over 900 congregational General Superiors from 75 countries to reflect on the reality of consecrated life in their parts of the world. Guided by the theme “Consecrated life: a hope that transforms”, the participants shared their own stories of creative commitment to the Gospel and of bringing light and hope to our world, where darkness so often prevails. The discernment method of “Conversation in the Spirit” adopted for the proceedings helped to deepen the sense of communion among those present.
“Hope and energy were tangible in the conference room,” says Sr Oonah, “as we listened to stories shared by sisters of their service to the marginalised of our world, as well as hearing the reports of the many initiatives and programmes of UISG.”
Inspired by the late Pope Francis’s encyclicals Fratelli Tutti and Laudato Si, members of UISG and the sisters in their congregations are sowing seeds of hope all over the world through a variety of initiatives.
Many projects are underway in support of vulnerable people, especially women exploited through trafficking, underprivileged children and migrants.
Projects that sow hope for the planet are also widespread. They aim to encourage people to reorientate themselves to live more sustainable values, and they promote an integral ecology that sees the interconnectedness of environmental, economic, political, social, cultural, and ethical issues.
The Assembly also evidenced the role of women religious to accompany people as they search for meaning and purpose in life, through reflective processes rooted in hope.
In addition to Sr Oonah, Sr Graciela Francovig, Superior General of the Sisters of the Daughters of Jesus, is the new Vice-President, and ten congregational leaders from various geographical areas were elected as Board members.
Our Lady of Sion has long played an active role in the life of UISG. Sr Oonah has previous experience as a member of the Executive Board between 2013 and 2016, while Sr Mary Babic most recently served during the 2019-2022 mandate. Earlier, Sr Patricia Watson contributed to the Board’s work in the 1990s, and Sr Kay MacDonald brought her leadership as 4th President of UISG, serving from 1983 to 1986. Sion’s commitment to the Union stretches back further still, to its very beginnings. In 1965, following the Second Vatican Council, Notre Dame de Sion was among the pioneering congregations that helped bring UISG to life.
Sr Maureen Cusick NDS, former Board member and President from 2009 to 2010, remembers her UISG experience as a privilege. “It was such a gift to be working with these fantastic, generous and gifted women from around the world,” she recalls.
Sr Maureen echoes the voices of her fellow sisters in congratulating Oonah “for taking on this important role for the Church and representing our congregation”.
Read the news on the UISG website:
Sr. Oonah O’Shea Elected as New President of the International Union of Superiors General
Press Release UISG 2025 Plenary: A Hope That Transforms