The National Council of Catholic Women celebrates its 100th year with a centennial celebration in the Washington, D.C. area, a one hundred year commemorative history, and a vision for the future

Blake Swensen • March 9, 2020

For Immediate Release
Washington, D.C. March 2020 – The National Council of Catholic Women celebrates its 100th year with a centennial celebration in the Washington, D.C. area, a one hundred year commemorative history, and a vision for the future

In the same year that American women earned the right to vote, the National Council of Catholic Women was born when nearly 200 Catholic women from around the country assembled on March 4, 1920 in Washington, D.C., to unite and fortify their efforts in service to God and the Church.
Nationwide there were more than 5,000 Catholic women’s organizations—organizations that would eventually become the first NCCW affiliates—when the US Catholic bishops formed NCCW “to give Catholic women of the country a common voice and an instrument for unified action…”
Historic moments from our one hundred years:
• The National Council of Catholic Women was founded as a result of Catholic women’s support of World War I war effort
• The first meeting on March 4th, 1920 was held at the National Catholic Community House on E Street in Washington, DC, with126 voting delegates representing 13 of the 14 Catholic Ecclesiastical Provinces
• On May 7, 1921 the Board of Directors approved the creation of the National Catholic Service School for Women, which held its first classes in November, 1921. Today, the National Catholic School of Social Service is housed at the Catholic University of America
• Saint Mother Teresa’s first trip outside of India was to speak at the 1960 NCCW Convention in Las Vegas!
• The NCCW Executive Secretary was present at the signing of the Equal Pay Act by President John F. Kennedy in 1963
The National Council of Catholic Women will celebrate its 100th Anniversary in Arlington, Virginia, August 26-29, 2020, with the theme A Vision for the Future. Speakers include His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Gloria Purvis and Abby Johnson. Catholic women of all ages are invited to discover NCCW’s rich history and its vision for the future.

To schedule an interview with Jean Kelly, NCCW President, please contact Laraine Bennett at (703) 224-0990 or email lbennett@nccw.org. For more information, please visit nccw.org.

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