First Generation of Women's Ministries Leadership in EUD Retiring

Italian Union Women's Ministries Director to Retire

A few days ago Franca Zucca was informed by the Italian Union leadership that as she has reached retirement age her responsibilities will end as of December 31, 2017. The plans for her replacement are yet to be finalized. In January she will move from Rome to Milano, where she has her roots.
Franca has been Women’s Ministries Director in Italy since the beginnings in 1998. She was responsible for Adra, Women’s Ministries and Singles departments and she was secretary to the President. From 2014 on until now she was responsible for Women’s Ministries, Singles, Stewardship and Senior’s departments. During these years Franca did a marvellous job and she was a blessing to the women in the Italian Union and beyond. She managed to implement Women’s Ministries in all the parts of the Union, finding leaders who can take up the task in the regions, offering many retreats and conferences, mentoring leaders and giving encouragement where needed. Much material has been translated and used and this autumn she just finished all 4 levels of the leadership program on the mainland of Italy and in Sicily. It was wonderful to see how Women’s Ministries has also reached the younger generation in Italy.
The pioneering leaders of Women's Ministries in EUD will now soon all have reached retirement age, or have retired already. A new generation is taking over. With Franca Zucca we also honour other pioneers who were there from the beginning, like Noelle Vitry (+2017), Josiane Beauregard for Franco-Belgium Union, Ingrid Naumann for South German Union, Pavla Sustkova for Czecho-Slowakian Union, Maria Angeles Gutierrez for Spanish Union, Rosa Nunes of Portugal and the many women who have been engaged in Women’s Ministries with all their heart and love for many years.
We wish Franca God’s blessings for the future and that she will find new friends and a new home in the North of Italy. It was great to work with her. She was an inspiration for all.
Reported by Denise Hochstrasser, WM Director, EUD