Meet MCCW

Faith. Formation. Fortitude.

Founded over 70 years ago, MCCW is a worldwide Catholic organization serving military-affiliated women across all branches of service—Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, Guard, Reserve, veterans, and those who support the uniform.

While guided by a Worldwide Board, MCCW lives locally through seven global regions, where women gather, serve, and grow together.

Our mission is simple and bold:

To be the visible presence of Christ in military communities worldwide—forming women in Faith, Formation, and Fortitude.

Across continents and commands, military-affiliated Catholic women shoulder extraordinary burdens and blessings—living the Gospel in motion. They are the heart of our chapels, the strength behind our families, and the quiet force that carries faith wherever the mission leads. Through countless moves, deployments, and new beginnings, they stand as the hands and feet of Christ in every corner of the world.

At the Military Council of Catholic Women, we believe the heart of our mission is the people. Our women are the boots on the ground of the Church Militant—serving, leading, and loving with courage and grace. MCCW exists to equip them with the Faith, Formation, and Fortitude to grow as disciples, mentors, and leaders who illuminate the world with Christ’s light.

Who We Are

The Military Council of Catholic Women (MCCW) is a Catholic apostolate serving U.S. military-affiliated women worldwide, including active-duty service members, spouses, veterans, widows, retirees, and women who support the mission of the Armed Forces.

We unite Catholic women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, National Guard, and Reserves—those who serve in uniform and those who sustain the uniform through faith, sacrifice, and hope.

MCCW is the official Catholic women’s ministry of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). We are spiritually shepherded by the AMS and aligned with its pastoral mission, ensuring our work remains firmly rooted in the Church and responsive to military life.

Our Mission

MCCW strives to be the visible presence of Christ in our communities.
Formed by the sacraments and sent by the Church, Catholic women are called to make Christ present in the places they live, serve, and lead.

Our History

MCCW has been connecting, uniting, and inspiring women for more than 70 years.

Founded in Europe, the original mission then, which continues to be the mission today, is to support women on their faith journey by being a resource to Catholic military women worldwide.

1,800,000

Catholics in military families supported by MCCW

3,700

Catholic women digitally joined by the MCCW network of support

OUR PATRONESS

A powerful intercessor, and mediator on our behalf

Our Prayer

Composed by the Most Reverend Robert J. Dwyer, D.D. (1908-1976), then Bishop of Reno, for the 33rd national convention of the National Council of Catholic Women, one of the organizations that helped found MCCW in the 1950s.

Lord of heavenly wisdom, Who has given us your own Mother Mary to be our guide and Counselor in this our lives, Grant that in all things we may have the grace to seek maternal instruction and to profit by it in humility and love. O Mother of Good Counsel, Patroness of the Military Council of Catholic Women, help us to understand and fulfill the mind and will of your Divine Son, Jesus Christ.

Under the blessing of the Father, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, may we be responsible and intelligent daughters of the Church. May we labor in the spirit of renewal to realize more perfectly the Kingdom of God here below, as the only true preparation for our share in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Amen.

Our Lady of Good Counsel

Mary, under the title Our Lady of Good Counsel, is the Patroness of MCCW. In all our work, MCCW leaders look to the Mother of God for guidance and a better understanding of her Son’s will for our lives and our ministry.

In this image, the figures represent Mother and Child after returning from the temple where Mary heard the sad prophecy of Simeon. Mary’s eyes are half-veiled as though she were lost in contemplation, taking counsel with her God. The little Child does not return the gaze of the beholder, as happens in so many pictures; instead, He draws our eyes upward to Mary as if to tell us to look for Counsel there, in the very Seat of Wisdom. If Our Blessed Mother is willing to ask her Son to work miracles to let us know of her motherly concern, Our Lady of Good Counsel is undoubtedly ready to speak words of advice and instruction to help us over the hurdles of our daily lives.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, pray for us.

Novena Prayer

The feast day for Our Lady of Good Counsel is April 26th. We invite you to pray the novena with us starting April 17.
However, this prayer can be started anytime and for any reason.
Our Lady of Good Counsel is always watching over and interceding on our behalf.

PRAY THE NOVENA

What We Do

MCCW forms Catholic women for mission through Faith, Formation, and Fortitude.

- Faith: Sacramental life, prayer, and Catholic identity

- Formation: Spiritual, personal, and leadership formation for military realities

- Fortitude: Courage to lead, serve, and witness—especially in seasons of challenge

Through retreats, programs, leadership development, and global community, MCCW forms women to live the Gospel boldly wherever they are sent.

Why MCCW Matters

Military life brings constant transition—geographic separation, uncertainty, and sacrifice. MCCW is more than a ministry; it is a lifeline.

We provide continuity of faith and sisterhood across bases, continents, and deployments—ensuring Catholic women are never without formation, community, or purpose.

Where We Serve

MCCW is a global network. Wherever the U.S. military serves—CONUS or OCONUS—MCCW women are present, building faith-filled communities rooted in the Church and connected across regions.

How We Operate

MCCW operates in partnership with the AMS. While the Archdiocese provides ecclesial oversight and pastoral guidance, MCCW delivers formation, leadership tools, and community tailored specifically to Catholic women in military life—faithful to the Church and adaptable to mission demands.

A Legacy of Faith in Motion

Founded in 1955 by Catholic women overseas, MCCW emerged from necessity, resilience, and faith.
For 70 years—through war and peace, deployments and homecomings—MCCW women have sustained the Church where stability is often scarce.
Our history is marked not by buildings, but by faithful presence.

Ecclesiastical and Worldwide Leadership

MCCW is stewarded by a Worldwide Board and regional leadership teams, all serving voluntarily. Together, they safeguard our Catholic identity, guide our mission, and ensure MCCW remains a strong, faithful presence for generations to come.