125 Years of the Roman Union of Ursulines

04/03/2025

125 Years of the Roman Union of Ursulines

 

Commemorating 125 Years of the Roman Union of Ursulines: 
Events Around the World in 2025

 

 

 

 

Celebrations and Events 2025 - Calendar

  January 2025

 

Sainte Angèle d'Afrique

9th January:
- Pilgrimage of the Ursuline Family (FUS) in Léhar 
FUS (famille ursuline du Sénégal), gathered sisters, families of the sisters, students, alumni, staff members, associates, parishes-associations-CEB having St Angela as patron, Ursulines, friends

Brazil 

26th January - Celebrating St. Angela - Online meeting at 4 pm.

Indonesia

Joint recollection on January 26 via zoom, resource person Mgr. Paulus, Budi Kleden SVD from Ende Diocese.

 

  February 2025

 

Brazil

15th February - Silver Jubilee Sr Conceição Medeiros de Melo and Golden Jubilee Sr Artimira Gomes Vieira

Thailand

Sunday 16th February
Eucharistic Celebration and exhibition on the occasion of 125 anniversary of the Roman Union and 500 years of the pilgrimage of St. Angela to Rome at St. Angela Parish, Zonta, Ratchaburi Province

France/Belgium/Spain

Proposals of pilgrimages to Blois (beginning on 22 February with the international tertianship).

Thailand

From February onward, recollection day, Reflection on the new Constitutions. (Jubilee of Consecrated Life)

 

  March 2025

 

Thailand

10-14 March 2025
1. 125 years of the Roman Union  
Pilgrimage for Thai Ursuline sisters, teachers, alumnae to the historical places of the origin of Thai Ursuline according to ‘A Far Country’ book. 
2. 500th anniversary of Angela’s pilgrimage to Rome
Tour for the girls in our hostels (St.Angela, Chaingkham and Bethany house, Chiang Mai) to the Provincialate in Bangkok and the historical places of the origin of the Ursulines in Thailand.

Slovakia

Gatherings: The entire province will hold online meetings on the following dates: March 15, May 31, and September 27. During these approximately one-hour sessions, sisters will prepare contributions about the history of the Roman Union in general, as well as the history of our individual houses. The final meeting on this topic will take place in person during the provincial conference, scheduled for October 30–November 1, 2025. This conference will also include a solemn Mass to celebrate the jubilee.

 

  April 2025

 

Brazil

Insieme for the Integral Ecology 
Movement for life: beginning in April and culminating in October.
All the Ursuline schools and works in the Province of Brazil will be working on the theme: Insieme for the Integral Ecology. Everyone will have a single T-shirt. 

 

 

 

  May 2025

 

Insieme Region - Czech community

17th May - pilgrimage to Kutná Hora (sisters, teachers, students, and parents from our schools)

Croatia

May 25 to 29 - Pilgrimage of Angela's friends to ROME (lead by Sr. Beata Prkačin, OSU).

Thailand

on the 27th of May till December 2025
500th anniversary of Angela’s pilgrimage to Rome
Contemplation on the life of St. Angela especially the pilgrimage to Rome.

 

  June 2025

 

Brazil

Provincial Conference 
22nd to 26th Seminário Redentorista Santo Afonso in Aparecida do Norte
Theme: Women Pilgrims of Hope. 
26th Solemn Mass at the sanctuary of Our Lady of Aparecida at 9 am

Croatia

June 27 - Renewal of consecration to the Heart of Jesus with the Church in Croatia

Thailand

June 2025 - February 2026 - Jubilee of Consecrated Life, Sharing Ursuline life with the youth in our ministry.

 

  July 2025

 

Thailand

From July to December 2025 Jubilee of the World of Education  
Coordinating with Inter-Ursulines alumnae group and alumnae from our two hostels to share their contributions to society by photos and short description via online platform.

Croatia

July 27 to August 1 - Krakow, Poland – Juniors' meeting (3 sisters)

 

  August 2025

 

Slovenia

From 3 August to 10 August, will be organising spiritual exercises for the sisters in English. The Spiritual Exercises will be held in our House of Spiritual Exercises, the Hiša kruha, Sveti Duh near Škofja Loka. The Spiritual Exercises will be prepared and led by Sr Irena Mohorič, together with the Sisters who will be available for personal accompaniment.
(We already have 13 applications, from Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Croatia)

Brazil

11th to 15th August: Meeting of the Network of Ursuline Colleges and Works in Latin America
Theme: Ursuline Education in today's times: challenges and opportunities. The meeting will occur at Santa Ursula College in Ribeirão Preto with five representatives from each location.

 

  September 2025

 

Brazil

12 to 15 September - Youth meeting: Awakening to God's Call, at Colégio da Piedade in Ilhéus-BA

 

  October 2025

 

Croatia

October 5. to 12 October – Croatian national pilgrimage to ROME

Institute

October 16. to 31 October - “500th Anniversary of Angela's Pilgrimage to Rome - October 2025"

Slovakia

October 30 – November 1  - final meeting on contributions about the history of the Roman Union in general, as well as the history of our individual houses, will take place in person during the provincial conference, scheduled for 1st October. This conference will also include a solemn Mass to celebrate the jubilee.

Brazil

Santa Ursula Mass : 21st - Mass in all the communities in honour of Saint Ursula

Croatia

October 30. - November 3. - „Jubilee of the World of Education “- Rome
(Sr. Damjana Barbarić, OSU)

Thailand

October 2025 Jubilee of Consecrated Life, three days retreat on consecrated life in 2025.
October to December 2025 Jubilee of the World of Education, Organizing special workshop for youth on Integral Ecology.

 

  November 2025

 

Thailand

Saturday - 1, 8, 15, 22 November, 125 years of the Roman Union, Studying in depth the history of the Roman Union. 

Brazil

4th to 12th November - Human - Spiritual Integration Experience for Provincial Council and Prioresses and Delegates- Joao Batista Stork Jesuit Priest

25th Mass of the Foundation of the Company of St Ursula for 490 years.

28th Online meeting with the province at 3.30 pm, With Angela, we give thanks for 125 years of the Roman Union.

Insieme Region, England community

Thursday 27th November many of us will gather at the Chestnut Care Home to have a celebration with the Ursulines resident there.
We will create a jubilee card for each student in our Ursuline schools and give the schools a sum of money to buy students and staff a treat of some kind. 

In November 2025 we will make a financial donation to the school in Cambodia. 

On 28th November we will have a "Community of England" gathering to celebrate - Mass followed by a meal together. 

Insieme Region, Czech community

28th November, Holy Mass

Slovakia

November 28, Evening Prayer on the founding day of the Roman Union, the province will join together in praying Vespers online.

Indonesia

In order to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Roman Union on November 28
-    Competition to create 1-minute video, the content about Ursulines with the theme "Unity in Diversity". The participants are students, teachers and sisters.
-    Essay writing competition: "if I am an Ursuline sister". Anyone can participate
-    Open house in the communities for promotion of religious life.
-    Charity works are planned by each community
-    Closing Mass in Provincialate Bandung on November 28, 2025

Taiwan

November 29: a Thanksgiving Mass celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Roman Union will be held in Kaohsiung, inviting all sisters and school staff to participate.

Thailand

November 2025, 500th anniversary of Angela’s pilgrimage to Rome, Drawing Contest of the pilgrimage of St. Angela among the students in Ursuline schools and hostels.

GSAA

Closing of the year: scheduled at Ngaoundéré in Cameroun 

Ireland / Wales

125th anniversary of Roman Union November 2025
We plan to celebrate the 125 anniversary of the Roman Union with a Eucharistic celebration for the province and we have decided to invite two RU Sisters from different parts of the world to come to Ireland and share some stories and history of their province with our Sisters. It may help our sisters to feel  more belonging to the RU and expand their horizons. We will have a gathering and celebratory meal.

Each local community will celebrate and mark this important occasion.

     

 

Celebrations and Events 2025 – General Information

 

Taiwan

To celebrate St. Angela's foundation of the Company in 1535 and 125 years formation of the Roman Union, the Province of China has the following activities and plans:

1. Each community is requested to read a short passage from The Writings of St. Angela before dinner every day.

2. Each community selects one book, either ” Ursulines in China “ or “ Following the star in Heaven ”, to read and share reflections within the community.

3. A Thanksgiving Mass celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Roman Union will be held in Kaohsiung on November 29, 2025, inviting all sisters and school staff to participate.

4. Some communities have planned activities based on their own circumstances as follows: Organizes a monthly prayer meeting; Use the calendar published by the Roman Union's 100th Anniversary Generalate to share stories, enhancing and deepening the understanding of the sisters' international family; Compose prayer texts.

Croatia

Meeting - Croatian and Slovenian provincial council in Ljubljana, Slovenia

France/Belgium/Spain

Archives: work is underway with Sr Annie Dru and the archivist, Victoire Maignan-Watson, based on Sr Sue's questions in her circular 309: the origin of the Roman Union in our province(s).

Indonesia

Exchange Asia Pacific - if approved.

Ireland / Wales

Church's Jubilee
We will participate in local jubilee celebrations in Ireland. There are various pilgrimages arranged both within and outside the country to shrines and Holy places. There are a number of Jubilee events, beginning with national celebration on February 2nd 2025. AMRI (Association of Leaders of Missionaries & Religious of Ireland) will also prepare a number of Jubilee initiatives at home and internationally. There will be two pilgrimages to Rome. One is for younger religious in July and the second is in October for Jubilee of Consecrated Life. AMRI will host and lead some Jubilee events throughout the year and we will participate in those. Each community will participate in events in their local area.

Poland

1.    Spiritual pilgrimage of hope with St. Angela Merici – exploring the life and spirituality of St. Angela, learning about the places where she lived and to which she made pilgrimages. 12 months and 12 places - material posted on the website and social media.

2.    During some weekends to organize bible retreat for girls and young women about hope (In January, Lent, September and Advent time)

3.    Organizing a meeting for young professed sisters and juniors from Europe with a theme:    “The hope of a vocation“ – St Angela’s pilgrimage and my pilgrimage.

4.    Preparing and popularizing  new songs about hope in Polish and English based on the Writings of St Angela.

5.    Updating our website and other social media on the theme of hope (posters, posts, testimonies of sisters) if possible to prepare some of these materials in the form of folders, flyers, pictures. 
Most of all the sisters would like to participate in the activities proposed by the local churches, dioceses and the Conference of Major Superiors.

The community of Kraków will celebrate Jubilee of 150 years of foundation. The school and the kindergarten will also celebrate their own jubilee (the primary school 30 years of reopening and the kindergarten 35 years of reopening) but some events and some celebrations will be prepared together.

In some of our communities Eucharist will be celebrated with priests from parishes, sisters from other congregations, co – workers, neighbours and  common agape with sharing. 

One community would like to organize session of Saint Angela and invite sisters from other communities as well as lay people, if it will be possible.

The community in Czestochowa will welcome of our Lady of Czestochowa for a visitation (the copy of this miraculous Image is making pilgrimage in the diocese.) The community invites sisters from other communities because it will be a time of thanksgiving for all the graces the sisters and the people who came to our house as pilgrims have received during the time we have been in this place. It will also a time of thanksgiving for the grace that the sisters will remain in Czestochowa in another place. It will a time of entrusting each Ursuline Sister throughout the Institute to Mary. 

Pilgrimage to Prague along the paths of the Ursulines. 
Pilgrimage for families or gathering for families 
Retreat and meeting for all prioresses 
Pilgrimage of prioresses and our provincial council team “In the footsteps of Angela“ 
Pilgrimage to Tours for sisters and teachers (those who want to go) 
Formation meeting for a group of sisters
Participation of those sisters who would like to be a part of 8 days retreat organized by our Sisters in Slovenia at Sveti Duh 
Meeting for juniors and young professed sisters from Europe organized in Krakow 
Meeting for the sisters who made their profession in the year 1988 
Meeting for the sisters who made their profession from 2007 till 2013. 
We will organize something simple in the Netherlands and in Ukraine. In Ukraine, the sisters will also join the activities offered by the Conference of Major Superiors and  they will organize activities/workshops/day of prayers for women. 

Slovakia

•    Daily Prayer: In each community, we will pray this invocation: St. Angela, woman of unity, intercede for us.
•    Radio Broadcast: Through Christian radio broadcasting – Radio Lumen – we will share the story of our 125-year jubilee with listeners throughout Slovakia. The broadcast date is yet to be determined.
•    Historical Connection with the Czech Community: As part of our shared history with the community in the Czech Republic, we plan to visit the sisters in Jiřetín in February 2025.

Thailand

All year round, Jubilee of Consecrated Life, Practice singing the Thai song “Pilgrimage of hope” composed by a Thai priest and sing it on appropriate occasions. 

USA Central

Sharing of Prayers:

Companions on the Journey - "Pilgrims of Hope" - Jubilee 2025

1. Fall 24 - Intro to Series

2. Fall 24 - A Journey of Faith

3. Spring 25 - Anchored in Hope

4. Spring 25 - Pilgrimage of Life

5. Spring 25 - Flame of Hope