A new chapter is beginning for National Catholic Sisters Week as it transitions to new leadership under Communicators for Women Religious. The transfer will take place in early September. Information regarding the celebration of NCSW 2020 will be available from CWR in mid to late October.
National Catholic Sisters Week launched in 2014 and has grown to be widely celebrated throughout the U.S. It was developed by the visionary Sister Andrea Lee, IHM, president of Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., and funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. NCSW is an official part of National Women’s History Month and has garnered broad grassroots support throughout the U.S. Church. More than 500 events across the country were held during the 2019 celebration to raise awareness of women religious, honoring their legacy and recognizing their ongoing influence.
Headquartered in Chicago, Communicators for Women Religious has been a longtime ally of National Catholic Sisters Week and is invested in its future. CWR intends to take NCSW global, tapping into its wide-ranging network of Catholic Sisters around the world. In addition to coordinating NCSW in 2020, CWR will begin a process of discernment to seek input from participants and community partners to determine other ways the initiative can grow in the future.
“CWR is a natural fit and we’re grateful for their commitment to move National Catholic Sisters Week forward and build on the good work that’s been done in the last six years,” said Sister Ann Oestreich, IHM, National Coordinator of the National Catholic Sisters Project. “We have great confidence in them and are excited for NCSW to develop a broader reach.”
NCSW dovetails with CWR’s commitment to enhancing the image of women religious and communicating and advancing their mission.
“We’re excited to take on National Catholic Sisters Week and hope it will continue to flourish,” said CWR Executive Director Nick Schafer. “For 25 years, CWR has been dedicated to helping women religious share their stories and introduce an authentic representation of religious life into the public sphere. This initiative is another dynamic way for us to continue that work and illustrate the richness that Catholic Sisters bring to the people and communities that they serve.”
Specific program information for National Catholic Sisters Week 2020 will be forthcoming in mid to late October. Those interested in participation or learning more can visit www.nationalcatholicsistersweek.org. All inquiries about National Catholic Sisters Week 2020 should be directed to information@c4wr.org.
About National Catholic Sisters Week
National Catholic Sisters Week has been headquartered at Saint Mary’s University in Minneapolis and supported by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Launched in 2014, NCSW is an official component of National Women History’s Month, which runs throughout March. Learn more about National Catholic Sisters Week at www.nationalcatholicsistersweek.org and follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
About Communicators for Women Religious
Currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, Communicators for Women Religious is a professional organization of personnel responsible for communications within Catholic religious congregations of women. CWR provides networking and professional education for its members who communicate and advance the mission and ministries of women religious. CWR is also a resource to organizations serving women religious. CWR is a 501(c)(3) organization funded in part through a generous grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. To learn more about CWR, visit www.c4wr.org. CWR can be found on Twitter at www.twitter.com/C4WRtweets and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/c4wr.org/.