INTERNATIONAL UNION OF SUPERIORS GENERAL (WOMEN)

The International Union of Superiors General (UISG) is an organization of pontifical right, established by the Congregation for Religious on Dec. 8, 1965 to respond to Vatican Council II, Perfectae caritatis 23, and to efforts of superiors general of women's congregations to create an association for mutual collaboration, sharing, and support, centered in Rome but with two-way communication with religious sisters throughout the world. UISG aims to foster at the international level the continuous renewal of the life and mission of religious sisters in the Church through their superiors general by research and reflection, by collaboration with the Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes (SCRSI), by representation on ecclesial and international bodies, and by appropriate communication and evaluation. It represents approximately 2,400 superiors general of women's congregations of apostolic life. Since the first general assembly in 1967 (statutes revised 1973), the UISG has operated through triennial assemblies of approximately 100 locally elected delegates across the world, annual meetings of an intercontinental council of 28 members (19 elected by the assembly, 9 appointed by the SCRSI), regular meetings of an executive committee of eight based in Rome, and a permanent secretariat. It is juridically recognized by the Italian state (Decree 1296. Dec. 10, 1971).

The Union sponsors annual international meetings in Rome. It participates in many ecclesial initiatives involving women religious and is their representative on the Council for Relations with the SCRSI. In a style that is prayerful, effective and sisterly, UISG tries to combine three main thrusts of service: primarily, up-to-date world awareness, through its councillors, of trends in the evolution of sisters' religious life; conjointly, reflection on these through permanent or ad hoc commissions, larger meetings, and a quarterly bulletin; complementarily, enrichment of input through relations with ecclesial and national bodies and with national conferences of religious. It maintains ongoing collaboration with the Union of Superiors General (Men).

Bibliography: uisg, Bulletin 30 (1973) 29.

[m. linscott]