As announced in recent weeks, the XXIII UISG Plenary Assembly will be held from 5 to 9 May 2025 in Rome at the Ergife Palace Hotel and the theme chosen is ‘Consecrated Life: a hope that transforms.'

We asked the sisters for a personal reflection on the theme of hope: what does ‘hope that transforms’ mean? How does hope transform the sisters' daily lives? What are their hopes related to the upcoming Assembly?

We share with you the testimony of Sr. Noëlla Ghijs, Superior General of Bernardine Sisters of Oudenaarde:

Hope that transforms - it is an invitation to question ourselves about the sources of our inspiration and vitality. We need both in order to face everyday reality, not to dwell on the present, but also to keep our eyes open to tomorrow and the future. To do this, we need hope and the willingness to allow ourselves to be transformed. Changes are often imposed on us by reality (because we cannot do otherwise). To change on the basis of hope is to lay down new benchmarks that might previously have been unknown or unexpected.

Hope connects us to the active presence of God in our midst. Whenever, as a leader, I feel in difficulty, or even powerless, in the face of situations, hope tells me that God is there and will show me the way in due time. For me, therefore, hope is connected to trust; trust in God who will provide and assist me through the Spirit at work, invisible and imperceptible as the wind.

As for the Plenary Assembly: the mere fact that there will be so many of us should become a source of hope for all of us. But I hope that the topic of our religious life itself (and not just our apostolic commitments) will be addressed. There is no doubt that in our western world, far from God and with a growing ageing membership, the strength of witness lies first and foremost in our lives. But what, hope, invites or challenges us to do?