After 25 years Eileen King is entering honourable retirement. Eileen is handing the baton of Chief Executive on to Rosangela Oliveira, we pray God’s blessing upon them both.

Below is a message from our new Chief Executive, sent to National Committees.

Dear Sisters

This is the day that God has made. Let’s be glad and rejoice in it!

I rejoice for the opportunity to be part of God’s work of love spread by the worldwide community of women engaged in the Word Day of Prayer movement.

Thank you for your faithful prayers for this special moment in the history of WDPIC. I appreciate all the greetings received since the announcement of the International Committee’s decision in February.

I welcome your deepest commitment to urge peace and justice into the world through informed prayer and prayerful action.

Let me have a moment to honor the dedication of our sister and friend Eileen King to WDPIC throughout her 25 years of service. It was truly a gift of God to the movement. I am having the joy to learn with her the history, challenges and blessings of WDP. Until the International Meeting in June, Eileen is finishing specific assignments at the WDPIC office, including meeting you all here in June, and then she will move on to her retirement plans.

At that meeting, WDP National Committees again will have the chance to encounter old friends and to meet new faces. Let us recall moments in our lives when we were the other or the foreigner. These moments deepen our capacity to be in relationship with all children of God.

They are also an opportunity to hear the call for justice. Listening for that call for justice will unite us under the theme of the International Meeting, “Let justice roll down like waters.” Inspired by the 2013 theme from WDP France, let me conclude, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Blessing and peace,

Rosangela Oliveira

Eilis O’Malley  who led the service invited viewers to join with us as we prayed the worship service, given to us from the women of the mountainous, tropical and humid country of Malaysia.

The theme “Let Justice Prevail” called for a spirit of tolerance, understanding and acceptance of each other, encouraging everyone to work together for religious harmony and justice for the world

Guest Speaker , Geradine Rowley who works with Ruhama an NGO, for over 22 years both moved and challenged hearts and minds as she spoke of the work she is engaged in with trafficked women in Ireland.

Quote  “Over the years these support services have evolved and developed to meet the needs of our changing client group, which in recent years include victims of sex trafficking. We have also developed a range of educational and training programmes which help women exit prostitution and find real alternatives to a life in the sex trade. 

Through this work, we’ve come to know and understand the complexity of issues facing women involved in prostitution, issues such as; poverty, lack of family support, homelessness, physical and sexual abuse, drug addiction, limited educational or employment opportunities.

Given the layers of stigma and marginalization experienced by the women we work with, it is inevitable that a key component of our work is seeking justice for the women. We do so by advocating for their rights and by challenging the policies and structures in society which not only act as contributing factors in women’s entry into prostitution but also act as barriers when women try to leave the life. …….

The Christian calling is unambiguous about the dignity of each person, we read in the bible, how God created each person in love, calls each one by name and knows each of us intimately, how even the hairs on our head are counted.

We see Jesus, who was God incarnate, found among those who society considered outcasts – the lepers, the tax collectors, the poor.

 There are no second class citizens in God’s kingdom.

The Christian calling to love God and one another, intrinsically translates into justice.

Let us begin with the fundamental justice, of acknowledging the dignity and respect of each person, and then, JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL!

 Thank you

• Special thanks go to our pianist;
•  To Emma Hobson, Rachel O’Crowley and Aeveen O’Rourke who brought to life the Gospel narrative through their dramatic interpretation of Jesus parable of the widow and the judge.
•  Hannah Clark and Jean Kenny and all who contributed items towards the display for the prayers space.
• To Joan Forsdyke, Ruth Lee, Sylvia Denner, Hannah Clark, Cherry Poynton, Mary Carson, Yvonne Langebach, Suzanne Hayes, Jean Kenny, Ruth O’Donnell, and Major Gillian Dicker who participated in the service.
• Much work went on behind the scenes – a big thank you to all.

Eilis O’Malley  who led the service invited viewers to join with us as we prayed the worship service, given to us from the women of the mountainous, tropical and humid country of Malaysia.

The theme “Let Justice Prevail” called for a spirit of tolerance, understanding and acceptance of each other, encouraging everyone to work together for religious harmony and justice for the world

Guest Speaker , Geradine Rowley who works with Ruhama an NGO, for over 22 years both moved and challenged hearts and minds as she spoke of the work she is engaged in with trafficked women in Ireland,.;.  

Quote  “Over the years these support services have evolved and developed to meet the needs of our changing client group, which in recent years include victims of sex trafficking. We have also developed a range of educational and training programmes which help women exit prostitution and find real alternatives to a life in the sex trade. 

Through this work, we’ve come to know and understand the complexity of issues facing women involved in prostitution, issues such as; poverty, lack of family support, homelessness, physical and sexual abuse, drug addiction, limited educational or employment opportunities.

Given the layers of stigma and marginalization experienced by the women we work with, it is inevitable that a key component of our work is seeking justice for the women. We do so by advocating for their rights and by challenging the policies and structures in society which not only act as contributing factors in women’s entry into prostitution but also act as barriers when women try to leave the life. …….

The Christian calling is unambiguous about the dignity of each person, we read in the bible, how God created each person in love, calls each one by name and knows each of us intimately, how even the hairs on our head are counted.

We see Jesus, who was God incarnate, found among those who society considered outcasts – the lepers, the tax collectors, the poor.

 There are no second class citizens in God’s kingdom.

The Christian calling to love God and one another, intrinsically translates into justice.

Let us begin with the fundamental justice, of acknowledging the dignity and respect of each person, and then, JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL!

 Thank you

• Special thanks go to our pianist;
•  To Emma Hobson, Rachel O’Crowley and Aeveen O’Rourke who brought to life the Gospel narrative through their dramatic interpretation of Jesus parable of the widow and the judge.
•  Hannah Clark and Jean Kenny and all who contributed items towards the display for the prayers space.
• To Joan Forsdyke, Ruth Lee, Sylvia Denner, Hannah Clark, Cherry Poynton, Mary Carson, Yvonne Langebach, Suzanne Hayes, Jean Kenny, Ruth O’Donnell, and Major Gillian Dicker who participated in the service.
• Much work went on behind the scenes – a big thank you to all.

A Special Celebratory event, held in September in St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin, was attended by women and men from all over Ireland. The Chairwoman of the World Day of Prayer International Committee, Annette Poitier, came from the Bahamas to give the meditation, the World Day of Prayer International Executive Director, Eileen King, came from the USA and brought greetings from the world movement. The two European members on the World Executive committee brought greetings from many of the European countries. There were other international guests as well as Church leaders (or their representatives) from the Christian denominations from whom the Irish national committee is drawn.

The theme of the celebration was Let Your Light Shine. 75 candles of different sizes, shapes and colours were lit at various points during the afternoon. These symbolised not only the 75 years of WDP in Ireland but also the diversity of the women who take part each year both in Ireland and around the world.

The celebration finished with afternoon tea and the cutting of the anniversary cake by the World Chairwoman and the Executive Director and the incoming and outgoing National Presidents.

The National Committee organised a televised version of the 2009 service prepared by the Christian women of Papua New Guinea on the theme of “In Christ there are many members, but one Body”. Central to the service was a bilum on the cross. For theservice in the RTE studio a genuine bilum was provided by the nun who gave the meditation and who had worked for over 20 years in PNG.