Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul West Central Province
Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul West Central Province
Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul West Central Province
On July 2, in an historic move, the United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously for the establishment of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment, to be known as “UN Women.” The resolution that establishes the new entity is part of a larger resolution on System-wide Coherence (A/64/L.56) and is the result of years of negotiations between UN Member States and active advocacy of women’s groups and civil society. With the establishment of UN Women, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the world has entered “a new era in the UN’s work for women.” Please visit the website unwomen.org to learn more.
Learn more about an exhibit highlighting the rich history and contributions of Catholic sisters in the United States on the Women and Spirit website and the LCWR website.
The Sisters of Charity Federation , which began in 1947 as the Conference of Elizabeth Seton’s Daughters, now consists of 13 Congregations in the US and Canada who trace their roots or spirit to the common rule of the Daughters of Charity or to the spirit of Vincent de Paul and or spirit of Elizabeth Ann Seton.
The Federation mission statement reads: Impelled by Christ’s love and joined together in the mission of Charity, we, the Sisters of Charity Federation, respond to the cries of those who are poor and marginalized. This mission is lived by Congregations in over 30 countries with Motherhouses or Provincial Houses in the US and Canada. Education, health care, social service, spiritual companioning are all expressions of the mission. From working with abused women in Korea, to building a center for Peace and Reconciliation is Guatemala, to working against human trafficking in New York, to ministry with First Nation People in Canada, sisters in the Federation are involved in ministry with and for those who are living in poverty. New and innovative ways of serving people can be seen in programs to prevent witch burning in India and to educate at risk youth in Kansas.
At its annual meeting the Leaders of the various Congregations share best practices and raise opportunities for collaboration. Leadership teams constantly raise the question “What can we do better together then any of us can do alone?” In 2009 the Federation began a mission in New Orleans as a collaborative effort. Sisters from three Federation Congregations presently staff the project which provides volunteer groups opportunities for service and reflection.
Funding clean water projects in Haiti and providing scholarships for students from developing countries to study micro-financing at the Coady Institute are other projects of the Federation. Presently the Federation is providing an interim Board for the Elizabeth Seton Heritage Site Ministries in Emmitsburg.
Through its NGO status at the United Nations the Federations Congregations are able to join together to promote the values of its members. Working to eliminate poverty is the focus of the Federation’s efforts. Migration, human trafficking and climate change and their effect on those living in poverty are issues which are followed closely. Through action alerts and a quarterly Newsletter, Federation members are kept up-to –date in the issues before the UN.
Meetings in the Summer of 2011, with the theme The Future of Charity is Now will allow members of the various Congregations to dream together of new and more effective ways to meet the signs of our times and the needs of those who live in poverty. With collaboration as a means to better service, the Federation continues to carry the Mission of Charity forward.
Sr. Mary Ann Daly, SC
To learn more about the Sisters of Charity Federation please visit the website at www.sisters-of-charity-federation.org
For SC Federation Members interested in receiving emails regarding NGO information, current News, Retreat information and/or Ministry openings, please go to the SC Federation homepage, scroll down a bit and on the right side of the page you will find a form which you can complete requesting the information be emailed to you as it becomes available.