Rome: In a deeply moving encounter that reflected faith, compassion, and global solidarity, Queen Camilla met with a group of Catholic Sisters representing the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) in Rome on Thursday. The meeting took place at the Pontifical Beda College, following an ecumenical celebration at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, attended by King Charles III and Queen Camilla during their official visit to the Holy See.
While King Charles engaged with seminarians and clergy, Queen Camilla spent time with six representatives of the UISG a global organization that unites women religious leaders serving in education, healthcare, refugee support, and social justice work across 95 countries. The Queen expressed her deep admiration for the sisters’ courage and compassion in serving people enduring war, poverty, and displacement worldwide.
During the meeting, the UISG representatives shared stories of their ministries tales of faith and resilience from the world’s most fragile corners. Queen Camilla, visibly moved, listened intently to their experiences and said, “It’s incredibly moving to hear what you do. I am humbled by your work and by the strength and courage of those you serve.”
The sisters presented Her Majesty with a symbolic painting created by Sister Sandra De Filippis of Talitha Kum, the UISG’s global anti-trafficking network. The artwork portrayed the wounded yet unbroken faces of women and children who survived human trafficking, centered around an outstretched hand releasing a bird a powerful image of pain transformed into freedom and hope. “Even in deep suffering, there can be light, beauty, and renewal,” explained Sister Abby Avelino, International Coordinator of Talitha Kum.
Introducing the UISG to the Queen, Executive Secretary Sister Roxanne Schares described it as “a global family of consecrated women united in service to human dignity.” The UISG, she explained, represents more than 1,900 congregational leaders and about 600,000 sisters from around the world. “Our sisters are not confined to convents,” Sister Roxanne said. “They are out in the world teaching, healing, sheltering the displaced, advocating for justice, and walking with the poor.”
From refugee camps in Africa to remote schools in Asia and conflict zones in the Middle East, UISG members work where hope is fragile. They accompany those who have lost everything restoring faith in life through education, compassion, and perseverance.
Drawing on her years of missionary work in Kenya, Sister Roxanne recalled her service with the Jesuit Refugee Service. “The refugees I met are truly pilgrims of hope,” she said. “Their courage in the face of despair is a living witness of faith.” She shared the story of a 14-year-old Rwandan girl who fled her home with her younger sister after losing her family. Through perseverance and education, she eventually rebuilt her life in the United States a testament, Sister Roxanne said, “to what hope can achieve.”
Among the UISG representatives, Sister Abby spoke about her ministry combating human trafficking, calling it “a vocation of compassion.” She emphasized how small gestures a comforting presence, a helping hand can help transform trauma into healing. “Through faith and solidarity,” she said, “we can transform suffering into new beginnings.”
Other delegates included Sister Patricia Murray, former UISG Executive Secretary; Sister Esperance Bamiriyo from South Sudan; Sister Monica Joseph, Superior General of the Religious of Jesus and Mary; and Sister Maamalifar Poreku, UISG Executive Co-Secretary. Together, they represented the Church’s global mission of hope spanning education, healthcare, environmental justice, and women’s empowerment.
The Queen expressed heartfelt gratitude for the sisters’ testimonies, describing their efforts as “work that brings light in dark places.” She noted that she was unaware of the vast scale of the UISG’s global network, saying, “It’s remarkable and deeply humbling to know how many of you are out there changing lives.”
The sisters, in turn, described the meeting as one of sincerity and mutual respect. “Her Majesty was very attentive and deeply moved,” said Sister Roxanne. “We felt seen and heard it was a moment of genuine encounter.”
Speaking to Vatican News afterward, Sister Roxanne reflected on the significance of the royal meeting. “Moments like this remind us to pause and discern where God’s Spirit is leading us,” she said. “When people like the Queen take an interest in our mission, it renews our strength to continue.”
She concluded with a story from her time among refugees of a man displaced for 25 years who named his newborn daughter God Knows. “He told me, ‘For a Christian, there is always hope God knows when I will return home.’ That faith and perseverance continue to inspire our mission.”
As Queen Camilla departed, she carried with her not just a painting, but a profound reminder of faith in action the living witness of women who serve the world’s forgotten, turning wounds into wings of hope.