Queen Camilla met six UISG members who shared their experiences promoting human dignity across continents
Newsroom (24/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) Queen Camilla expressed profound admiration for the tireless efforts of Catholic sisters serving communities afflicted by conflict, poverty, and displacement during a meeting with representatives of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) in Rome on Thursday. The encounter took place at Pontifical Beda College, following an ecumenical celebration attended by the Queen and King Charles III at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls during their official visit to the Holy See.
While King Charles engaged with the seminary’s rector and students, Queen Camilla met six UISG members who shared their experiences promoting human dignity across continents. “I didn’t realise there were so many sisters around the world doing this work,” the Queen remarked. “It’s remarkable and deeply humbling.”
Sister Roxanne Schares, UISG’s executive secretary, briefed the Queen on the organization’s mission, representing over 1,900 congregational leaders from 95 countries and 600,000 sisters dedicated to education, healthcare, social work, advocacy, and ecological justice. “Our sisters are not enclosed in convents; they are present in the world—accompanying migrants, refugees, trafficked persons, and the poor,” Sister Roxanne said, describing UISG as a “network of communion and solidarity.”
The sisters presented Queen Camilla with a painting by Sister Sandra De Filippis, depicting the resilient faces of trafficking survivors, centered on an outstretched hand with a bird poised to fly—a symbol of hope and liberation. Speaking to Vatican News, Sister Roxanne reflected on the meeting’s significance: “Moments like this invite us to pause and reflect on our mission. When people like the Queen show interest and concern, it encourages us to continue with renewed energy.”
Queen Camilla’s personal ties to Roman Catholicism run deep. Her first marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973 was officiated by a Catholic priest, and their children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, were raised Catholic, with Laura educated at St Mary’s Shaftesbury, a Catholic girls’ boarding school in Dorset. Though a member of the Church of England, the Queen has frequently engaged with Catholic communities through family and royal duties.
Founded in 1965 under Pope Paul VI, UISG traces its roots to a 1951 initiative by Pope Pius XII to foster collaboration among women’s religious congregations. Today, it serves as a prophetic voice within the Church, addressing global challenges through the witness of consecrated women.
“It’s incredibly moving to hear what you do,” Queen Camilla told the sisters. “I am humbled by your work and by the strength and courage of those you serve.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Catholic Herald
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