CIRCULAR
TO THE CONFEDERATIONS, FEDERATIONS AND MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS OF OMAEC
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Please receive my fraternal greetings of peace and goodwill in Our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am writing to you with the sincere desire to continue strengthening our World Organization of Former Students of Catholic Education (OMAEC), which will joyfully celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of its foundation in October 2027. OMAEC was established in Rome in October 1967 at the initiative of His Holiness Saint Paul VI.
As you know, OMAEC is a public-law organization recognized by the French State, a Catholic-inspired non-governmental organization acknowledged by the Holy See, and represented before the United Nations, UNESCO, and other major international organizations.
Our mission is to accompany and represent the Confederations, Federations, and Associations of Former Students of Catholic Education throughout the world, promoting their presence and participation both within the Universal Church and in the international community. This mission is carried out thanks to the generous and entirely voluntary commitment of the members of our governing bodies.
We recently concluded with great success the 16th OMAEC World Congress, held from 30 April to 3 May 2026 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, under the theme “United for Peace.” This outstanding gathering, rich in both human and spiritual values, received the Apostolic Blessing of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and was widely praised by the participants, the local Church, and the Dominican media.
Among the many achievements of this World Congress, special mention should be made of the establishment of the Antillean Confederation of Former Students of Catholic Education, as well as OMAEC’s sponsorship of ten young former students from different religious congregations and countries, reaffirming our enduring commitment to the younger generations.
All these initiatives are made possible, to a large extent, through the faithful payment of the annual membership contributions established by our Statutes. Beyond their financial value, these contributions represent a tangible expression of belonging, shared responsibility, and commitment to the mission of our Organization.
It is important to emphasize that these membership contributions constitute OMAEC’s principal source of income. These funds are managed with the highest standards of transparency and accountability by the Treasurer and the Deputy Treasurer, elected by the General Assembly, and are allocated to the institutional operation of the Organization, the maintenance of our website, the activities of our various departments, and our Solidarity and Social Justice programmes, including the sponsorship of young participants at the World Congress, following the approval of the Executive Council.
For this reason, and with the utmost respect and consideration, I warmly invite all member organizations to review the status of their membership contributions and, where necessary, kindly proceed with the settlement of any outstanding dues.
We have observed that some organizations have unpaid contributions dating back several years. Bringing these contributions up to date will strengthen OMAEC’s financial stability and facilitate the proper preparation of the forthcoming World Elective General Assembly, to be held at the end of this year, during which the new President and the new Executive Council will be elected for the next term of office.
I am confident that, through the spirit of solidarity and the strong sense of belonging that have always distinguished our member organizations, we will continue strengthening OMAEC’s presence and service for the benefit of all Former Students of Catholic Education throughout the world.
I sincerely thank you for your attention to this request and for the generous support that you will continue to extend to our Organization.
With my highest esteem and fraternal Christian regards,
Alfonso Giraldo Saavedra
President
World Organization of Former Students of Catholic Education – OMAEC
Bogotá, 21 July 2026
Please contact our Treasurer: Claudio Pratto – c.prato@tin.it – WhatsApp: +39 347 402 3657
www.omaec.org – secretariogeneral@omaec.org
