A Reflection on CRWI’s International Women’s Day Webinar
On March 8, 2025, over 500 religious sisters, laywomen, and Church leaders gathered online for an inspiring and thought-provoking webinar on Religious Leadership in the 21st Century: A Journey Towards Equality. Organized by the Conference of Religious Women India (CRWI), this event was a bold step towards reclaiming the role of women religious as leaders, changemakers, and voices for justice.
With two powerful speakers—Annie Raja, National Vice President of the National Federation of Indian Women, and Sr. Nirmalini AC, President of CRWI—this session was more than just a discussion. It was a wake-up call to religious sisters across India: Are we truly living out our leadership as followers of Christ? Are we willing to step beyond our comfort zones and challenge unjust structures within and beyond the Church?
Women’s Leadership: Looking Outward & Looking Inward
Annie Raja’s address focused on women’s participation in social movements. She challenged religious women to move beyond convent walls and engage with real-world struggles—from women’s rights and labor issues to political and economic justice.
"Why do we remain silent when injustice is all around us?" she asked. "As followers of Jesus, we must stand with the suffering—not just within the Church, but in society as a whole."
Sr. Nirmalini AC took this challenge further by asking hard-hitting questions about leadership within religious communities:
🔹 Are we, as women religious, truly equal within the Church?
🔹 Are we free to speak, question, and lead—or are we still bound by hierarchical and patriarchal structures?
🔹 Are we empowering the next generation of sisters to be prophetic leaders, or are we simply reinforcing the status quo?
She reminded us that leadership is not just about positions or power—it is about having the courage to speak, the wisdom to challenge, and the faith to act.
“Jesus did not stay within the walls of the synagogue—he walked with the poor, the outcast, the marginalized. He stood against injustice, even when it cost him everything. Are we ready to do the same?”
A Call to Action: Reclaiming Our Prophetic Voice
One of the strongest messages from the webinar was that women religious are not just caretakers of institutions—they are called to be prophets, challengers, and leaders of transformation.
To make this happen, the speakers urged sisters to:
✅ Break out of isolation—Engage in inter-congregational collaboration. We are stronger together!
✅ Network with secular organizations—Join movements that work for justice, whether in education, social work, or advocacy.
✅ Challenge internal patriarchy—Within our own congregations, we must create spaces where every sister’s voice is valued and heard.
✅ Reclaim the radical message of the Gospel—Jesus did not accept injustice, and neither should we.
“It is time to reclaim our inner voice. We must no longer wait for permission to lead. We are called, chosen, and empowered by God to bring change.”
Moving Forward: A Commitment to Change
The session ended with a collective realization: this conversation must not stop here. There was a strong call for monthly gatherings where sisters can continue these discussions, reflect on their roles in leadership, and actively create spaces for action and transformation.
With upcoming CRWI sessions on inter-congregational collaboration and synodal leadership, this webinar was just the beginning of a movement—a movement to redefine religious leadership in India and create a Church that truly reflects the equality, dignity, and justice that Christ preached.
Let’s continue this journey together. Let’s be bold. Let’s be courageous. Let’s be the leaders we were called to be.
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