From 12 to 20 July 2025, the General House of the Canossian Daughters of Charity in Rome will graciously host the Seventh International Congress of the Canossian Lay Association—a long-awaited and deeply meaningful gathering that, though deferred due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has never been forgotten. Now, in the heart of this Jubilee summer, the great Canossian charismatic family prepares to embrace a time of grace and renewal, centred around the theme: “With Magdalene, pilgrims of hope in the world.”
Held every five years, the Congress brings together lay representatives, Canossian Sisters, and Canossian Fathers from every continent and religious province where the charism of St Magdalene of Canossa is alive and bearing fruit. It is a privileged occasion for formation, discernment, and shared reflection for the groups that comprise the Association, all within the vibrant context of a synodal Church to which Canossian laity contribute their distinct witness of evangelical charity and service.
Among the most eagerly anticipated moments will be the Charismatic Family Day, when the various expressions of the Canossian charism—Daughters of Charity, Sons of Charity, Secular Missionaries, lay Brothers and Sisters, and members of the Association—will gather as one body to exchange testimonies, experiences, and collaborative visions. A living tapestry of vocations, united by one fervent desire: “To make Jesus known and loved,” as St Magdalene so ardently wished.
Before the Congress concludes, the election of the new International Coordinating Team will take place. This team will be entrusted with the mission of accompanying and supporting lay groups over the next five years, fostering communion and dialogue across diverse nations and cultures.
The Congress will also be imbued with profound spiritual and symbolic depth. In the spirit of the Jubilee, participants will attend a Solemn Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, celebrated by Canossian Father Francesco Vercellone at the Altar of St Joseph—a sacred site rendered especially meaningful to the Canossian world by its proximity to the statue of St Magdalene. This will be followed by a pilgrimage along Via della Conciliazione and the passing through the Holy Door, a symbolic act of renewal and grace.
The programme will culminate with a solemn pilgrimage to Verona and Schio, where the earthly remains of St Magdalene of Canossa and St Josephine Bakhita repose—an expression of gratitude for the beauty of the charism bestowed upon the Church, and a renewed pledge to embody and spread it across the world as pilgrims of hope.
The Laity in the Heart and Mission of Magdalene of Canossa
The prophetic intuition of St Magdalene to empower the laity lies at the very core of her vocation—a total gift of self to God that was, from the outset, expressed in her unwavering commitment to the dignity and active role of lay people within both Church and society. Even during her life as a noblewoman—and more decisively as Foundress—Magdalene laboured tirelessly for the promotion of the laity, recognising that the Kingdom of God requires the wholehearted engagement of all.
A woman aflame with love for God and deeply attuned to the sufferings of humanity, Magdalene refused to let her fragile health limit her apostolic zeal. She unleashed a remarkable evangelical creativity, crafting new methods to engage lay people in the apostolic mission—anticipating by more than two centuries what the Church calls for today: “to awaken the sleeping giant that is the laity” (Pope Francis, Christus vivit, no. 96).
Magdalene herself, in characteristic humility, recognised that the precious gift she had received was far too great to remain confined to the Institute of the Daughters of Charity. She wrote:
“It is impossible to have such a number of Daughters of Charity as would suffice for every country, especially for the small villages…”
(Rules of the Institute of the Daughters of Charity, p. 145)
With this spirit, she looked to lay men and women with profound esteem and trust, nurturing their apostolic potential, encouraging their gifts, and always upholding their God-given dignity. This foundational attitude continues to inspire awe, admiration, and a renewed missionary ardour today.
Every vocation is called to holiness. Magdalene grasped this deeply: respectful of God’s plan for each person, she promoted manifold forms of apostolic action and service, fuelled by the zeal to reach all with Christ’s charity.
Today, in fidelity to the Church and in response to her call to synodality, we are urged to view the laity not merely as “collaborators” or “substitutes,” but as co-responsible protagonists in the work of evangelisation—equal in baptismal dignity, united in the Church’s saving mission.
With this shared awareness and spirit of communion, we warmly invite you to join us in prayer for the forthcoming VII International Congress of the Canossian Lay Association, opening on 12 July 2025 under the guiding theme:
“With Magdalene, pilgrims of hope in the world.”
