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Nancy Burkley Communications Director Sisters of Charity of New York 718-549-9200 ext. 245 nburkley@scny.org	Mary Ann Daly, SC Administrative Assistant Sisters of Charity Federation (914) 693-5983 maryanndalysc@msc.com

Bronx, NY - One voice represents thousands. Leaders of religious congregations from across North America met in New York this week to affirm the impact they can make if their approximately 5,000 members speak with one voice about issues they want to affect.

Seventy leaders from 14 women religious congregations across North America met June 10 through 14 for their annual meeting of The Sisters of Charity Federation in the Vincentian-Setonian Tradition at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx. These leaders represent about 5,000 women religious from around the world and met to examine ways they can commit to partnering in service to the poor, especially internationally.

The Federation voted to continue to make water their focus for advocacy, while integrating it into their efforts to address structures that keep people poor around the world. Water is common and vital to all, and particularly in developing countries water supply and access is an important key to reducing poverty. The Federation’s NGO representative at the United Nations, Marie Elena Dio, SC-Halifax, will coordinate water, as well as other, initiatives to focus on education, advocacy and effecting systemic change globally.

“We chose resistance and transformation as this year’s annual meeting theme,” Sr. Elaine Owens, Federation president and regional coordinator of SC-New York says. “It represents the place where so many of our congregations find themselves at this point in our history: growing through resistance to enable transformation. Regularly coming together with our Federation colleagues gives us real hope and energy to pursue our vision. The action steps we committed to this weekend will help us use our combined strengths to truly make a difference in people’s lives – especially the poor.”

During this year’s meeting, participants elected Federation officers for the year 2004- 2005. Joan Verner, SC-Halifax, was elected president; Janet Lehmann, SC-NJ, vice president; Judith Fitzgerald, NDSC, treasurer and Elaine Owens, SC-NY, secretary. Next year’s annual meeting will be held June 2 through 5 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The NGO liaisons for each of the member congregations also held meetings in conjunction with the Federation annual meeting, and formation personnel - those in each congregation responsible for helping women discern whether they have a call to religious life, and for training new sisters – also held concurrent meetings on the Mount Saint Vincent campus.

The Sisters of Charity Federation was originally formed in 1947 to work for the canonization of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. It since has collaborated on many joint projects through the years, including sponsoring the NGO representative, publishing the collected writings of Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton and partnering in vocation and formation areas.

The Sisters of Charity Federation in the Vincentian-Setonian Tradition is an association of women’s religious congregations in the United States and Canada that trace their roots to Mother Seton’s 1809 foundation of the Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg, Maryland, or which follow the rule of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac. The Federation is committed to the Gospel and serving as advocates for the poor, to collaborating and mutual support and to further their common heritage rooted in Saints Vincent de Paul, Louise de Marillac and Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Caption: The 2004 Leadership Conference of the Sisters of Charity Federation in the Vincentian-Setonian Tradition was planned and guided by the Federation Executive Committee: (left to right) Sister Maureen Heverin, SC-Cinti; Sister Mary Ann Daly, SC-NY, administrative assistant; Sister Elaine Owens, SC-NY; Sister Judy Fitzgerald, NDSC; and Sister Joan Verner, SC-Halifax.