ROME — On the second day of the triennial plenary of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), the prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life praised UISG and its members for their commitment to acting in a synodal way since UISG's founding more than a half-century ago.

"You've been walking in this direction for so many years," Brazilian Cardinal João Braz de Aviz said in a May 3 afternoon address to more than 500 sisters gathered in Rome for the UISG plenary. "UISG has been working this way for 57 years."

"You're gathered from all over the world. It makes you share dreams and hopes."

Sisters have modeled a long way to recognize and accept diversity within the church, the cardinal said, which is especially important in a time when Pope Francis is calling for a synod on synodality.

"We must discover diversity as richness," said Braz de Aviz, who earlier in the day celebrated Mass with the sisters.

"We really need to discover new pathways, new pathways together," he said. "In this common journey, the whole question of relationships becomes fundamental."

The cardinal also praised the sisters for their plenary theme, "embracing vulnerability on the synodal journey," saying a church that affirms vulnerability is a church that recognizes the realities of the world today.