Leading Catholic women’s organisation embraces change to enhance role of women in Church
Picture: Amy Cameron from NACB/X
The National Board of Catholic Women (NBCW) is looking to improve the role and profile of women at all levels in the Church through its new constitution in the light of the Synod
Seeking to enable the spiritual growth and development of Catholic women, the NBCW was formed in 1939 to gather different Catholic women’s groups under one umbrella to provide unity. Synodality is concerned with the involvement and participation of all people in the mission of the Church. The three-year synodal process took place from 2021 to 2024, leading the NBCW to reevaluate its purpose and mission. The result is the new constitution.
NBCW President Amy Cameron explained how the Covid pandemic, coming around the same time as the beginning of the Synod on Synodality, helped the organisation develop the constitution.
Cameron, director of formation and mission development in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, told The Tablet: “During Covid the NBCW swiftly moved its operation online and found people were able to connect, pray and learn together virtually. This has become the main way of now operating.”
She said the universal Synod “allowed (the NBCW) to enter into focused dialogue around the issues of co-responsibility and the role of women- something the Universal Synod asked us to talk about directly”.
Using the synodal themes communion, participation and mission, the NBCW explored how to reach women “at the grassroots”, particularly younger women-through improved communications.
“We have invested in communications, rebuilding and redesigning the website. We are increasingly focusing on listening, and accompanying women at the grassroots” Cameron said.
“We know a lot of younger women are no longer joining the traditional women’s organisations on a local level and we wanted to ensure we could reach and hear from women throughout the county without committing them to further work.”
The constitution has been changed to enable easier access to individual membership. Previously a woman needed to belong to another organisation, which prevented individual members and women being directly connected to the NBCW.
Cameron hopes the changes will help women play a more effective role in the mission of the Church, saying: “We are strengthening our networks through the diocesan structures and tailoring excellent quality formation that is specifically women focused, in order that women can have confidence in fully using their gifts for the good of the whole Church.”
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