The National Board of Catholic Women actively seeks to enable the spiritual growth and development of all Catholic women.
We aim to promote the communion and participation of Catholic women in fulfilling Christ’s mission by:
- Creating a space for the diversity of women to be in communion with one another
- Equipping women to fully participate in the Churches mission through formation and information
- Ensuring the hopes and concerns of Catholic women are heard within the Church and that women are involved in decision-making and mission
The NBCW operates centrally as a national umbrella body with the support of the Bishops’ Conference.
In addition we have a framework that holds the potential to reach into the women in the pews of the local Church through our structure of Diocesan Links forming a national network.
This key partnership between the national body, diocesan links and the Bishops of each diocese situates the NBCW to be a transformative vehicle for synodal development- listening, forming, representing and advocating for those on the margins.
With the innovation of communications the NBCW strives to offer centralised online formation, celebrating the contribution women make to our faith and in living our the Mission of Christ.
Who we are
The National Board of Catholic Women brings together women from many different backgrounds. We work nationally and internationally to challenge discrimination and promote the right of women to gender justice. We actively promote the presence, participation and responsibilities of Catholic women in the Church and society. We work ecumenically with women of other faiths and secular groups. Our many member organisations, with their particular interests and networks, make an invaluable contribution to the work of NBCW.
NBCW is a forum where Catholic women in England and Wales can:
- Exchange experiences
- Express their hopes and concerns
- Make recommendations about the life and mission of the Church
NBCW give a voice to Catholic women.
The NBCW is effective in communicating Catholic women’s views and concerns to a range of bodies:
- We are a consultative body to the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales.
- We communicate with the Government and the Press on matters of public interest.
- We act internationally as a consultative body to the United Nations Social and Economic Committee (ECOSOC).
Let your voice be heard:
- The Diocesan Link is a key person who communicates to the NBCW what women in her diocese are saying. Contact your link.
- Our Standing Committees welcome women with relevant experience in issues being considered. Get in touch if you think you have something to offer.
History
In 1939 Cardinal Hinsley asked the Catholic Womens League, the Union of Catholic Mothers and the Catholic Girls Association to work together to co-ordinate their war effort. This became the National Board of Catholic Women.
In 1989 the NBCW Golden Jubilee Review highlighted the need to widen the network to all Catholic Women – not only those in official organisations. As a result of this review, the structure of the NBCW was dramatically changed to allow all Catholic women in England and Wales a voice. Cardinal Hume wrote: ‘The Bishops’ Conference needs to hear from women about the needs and concerns of women in the Church on topics which seem to women to be most crucial or fundamental.’
Today the NBCW is a complex organisation with seventeen member organisations and links to ten national organisations, communicating Catholic women’s concerns and views, through a wide network, to the Bishop’s Conference and national and international organisations.
Board
The Board is made up of the Executive, Committees and Member Organisations. In addition, there are representatives from dioceses and an Episcopal Liaison, and the Board has links with a number of other national organisations.
| Executive | The Officers, together with representatives from committees and dioceses, manage the Board |
| Episcopal Liaison | Appointed by the Bishop’s Conference |
| Standing Committees and Working Groups | Work to raise awareness on areas of concern |
| Member organisations | Appointed representative(s) with voting powers |
| Link organisations | Organisations where the NBCW has representation |
Executive
| Officers | President | Past President | Vice Presidents | Treasurer | Secretary |
| Amy Cameron | Margaret Clark | Jacintha Bowe & Susan Longhurst | Barbara Cookson | Claire Paisley |
| Executive Officers | Nikki Petch | Sophie Rudge | Suzanne Kowal | Dorothy Dodoo |
Episcopal Link
The Bishops are responsible for the Governance of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. They hold a twice-yearly Conference. The Episcopal Liaison is the link between the Bishops’ Conference and the NBCW and acts as a two-way conduit. He attends the Conference and communicates the work and actions of the NBCW to the Bishops, and communicates to the NBCW the thoughts of the Bishops’ Conference on issues specific to the Board. The current Episcopal Link is Abbott Hugh O.Praem. Read more
Standing Committees / Working Groups
To learn more about our work go to the Committees page.
| Ecumenical and Interfaith | Social Responsibility |
| Education | Women in the Church |
| International | Violence Against Women and Girls |
| Science, Environment and Bioethics | Communications Working Group |
Member Organisations (those which have a vote)
| British Federation of Notre Dame Associations | http://bfnda.org |
| CAFOD | https://cafod.org.uk |
| Caritas | https://www.csan.org.uk |
| Catholic Association for Racial Justice | https://www.carj.org.uk |
| Catholic Peoples’ Week | https://catholicpeoplesweeks.org |
| Christian Life Community | http://www.cvx-clc.net |
| Conference of Religious | Email: gensec@corew.org |
| English Society of the Grail | https://www.thegrail.org |
| The Society of the Holy Child Jesus | https://www.shcj.org |
| Marriage Care | https://www.marriagecare.org.uk |
| National Conference of Secular Institutes | http://www.secularinstitutes.co.uk |
| National Justice and Peace Network | https://www.justice-and-peace.org.uk |
| Newman Association | https://www.newman.org.uk |
| Pax Christi | https://paxchristi.org.uk |
| Union of Catholic Mothers Wales | https://www.facebook.com/1990catholicmotherswales |
| Women Word Spirit | http://www.womenwordspirit.org |
| Women@theWell | https://watw.org.uk |
Link Organisations (to which NBCW sends delegates)
| Faith-Based Links | |
| Andante | https://www.andante-europa.net |
| Catholic Union of Great Britain | https://catholicunion.org.uk |
| Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women | https://efecwomen.com |
| Women’s Interfaith Network | http://www.wominet.org.uk |
| National Council for Lay Associations | https://ncla.org.uk |
| World Day of Prayer | https://www.wwdp.org.uk |
| World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) | https://www.wucwo.org/index.php/en |
| Secular Links | |
| National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO) | https://nawo.org.uk |
| National Council of Women (NCW) | http://ncwgb.org |