Mothers’ Union worldwide president is one of our own

How is it that Kathleen Snow of Fredericton has just become the worldwide president of the Mothers’ Union?

“It wasn’t me,” she said. “It was God!”

Kathleen is a founding member of the MU chapter at Christ Church Cathedral, asked by the dean at the time, the Very Rev. John Wright, to form the group in the 1980s. They began with five members, and are still going strong, with Kathleen taking on various leadership roles locally and beyond.

According to its website, Mothers’ Union is a worldwide Anglican group that has been supporting families worldwide for nearly 150 years. Started by founder Mary Sumner in 1876 in her local parish, MU has grown into an international charity with over four million members in 83 countries. It is headquartered in London, England at Mary Sumner House. 

Its strongest numbers are in developing countries where families and mothers seek support and guidance while raising their children. Anyone, including men, can be a member.

ELECTED PRESIDENT
MU is divided into 11 zones throughout the world. For the past six years, Kathleen, a retired parish nurse, has held the position of zonal trustee. She represented her zone of North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. 

Looking forward to her term ending at the end of 2024, Kathleen was aiming for a less busy schedule.

“[Husband] Tim had retired, and we were looking to slow down and have a quiet life,” she said. “Then people started approaching me, wanting to nominate me. 

“At first, I said no thank you! I was like Moses. This was not on my agenda.”

But she highly respected the people who were nudging her, so she promised to pray.

“I prayed about it all the time,” she said, adding she finally let her name stand for the summer elections.

Her term is for three years, but usually trustees serve two terms, which is the maximum.

So her quiet life is going to have to wait awhile.

“Tim is very supportive,” she said. “I’ve been a member since 1988 and have seen what a magnificent organization this is.”

There were times when the mother of three was working as a nurse and just didn’t have the energy to go to a MU meeting, but Tim was always encouraging.

“He pushed me out the door,” she said. “He knows the value of Mothers’ Union. He always knew I would come home refreshed.”

NEW ROLE
As a zonal trustee for the past six years, Kathleen was responsible for visiting the provinces (regions) and reporting back to the board of trustees. But much of her term was during the pandemic, so not much visiting took place. 

Her new role is ambassadorial, with the added duty of chairing and managing the board of trustees. With the recent elections have come several new trustees, so many will be taking training. 

There are 13 trustees, six from around the world, five from the UK, and two taking on more recent roles of “safeguarding trustee” and “advocacy and policy trustee.” Mary Sumner House has 28 paid employees, including an executive director.

Kathleen will be in the UK for meetings two or three times a year. The commissioning of the new trustees will take place in March or April. 

“During my term I will try to visit each of the 11 zones,” she said. 

CELEBRATING 150 YEARS
In 2026, MU will mark 150 years, “and that’s going to be a huge global celebration, most likely in South Africa,” said Kathleen.

The world-wide council, which is the board of trustees plus the various provincial presidents, will attend. 

“We have a lot of planning to do for that,” she said.

SOUTH AMERICAN TRIP
Last fall, Kathleen visited Argentina to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of MU in that region. They call MU “Amare,” meaning love in action.

“I was going alone, so I was apprehensive,” she said. “I don’t speak Spanish, but I was very well taken care of.”

After a few days in Buenos Aries, she was taken further and further north to many different very rural regions, where she visited with members and heard about their many family-focused projects and programs.

“These are gentle, quiet women, deeply spiritual, who, through Amare, have found their voice,” she said. “Through testimonies, I heard of how strong they are in Amare.”

For part of her trip, she stayed with Priscilla Teeuan and Hans Breekveldt, married Anglican priests from the Netherlands who have been missionaries for 30 years.

She learned that in one town a few years ago, there was a clash brewing between the police and the youths. The kids had sticks and rocks, the police, guns.

A dozen MU members gathered to stand between the two groups and pray. That led to them talking to both groups, and eventually, both sides left, without a bullet fired or a rock thrown.

“I met four of them,” said Kathleen. “They prevented death, really.”

GOALS FOR HER PRESIDENCY
“As I was going through prayer and the election, the words “stronger together” were on my mind,” said Kathleen. “So I want to grow the Mothers’ Union.”

Mothers’ Union does not have a strong presence across all of Canada. Most are in the eastern region of the country, so she’d like to add to that. 

Katheen also wants to focus on the three core pillars of Mothers’ Union: ending poverty, ending injustice and ending violence.

“Through Mothers' Union, lives are transformed and families strengthened,” she said. “I want us to continue to grow and for people to know what we’re doing. 

“Many parishes and priests don’t know us, or what we do. If they knew, they’d want to join us. My goal is to become relevant in our communities.”

But Kathleen knows that looking only inward isn’t the real answer.

“Mothers’ Union has changed a lot,” she said. “We’re looking more outward these days, beyond church membership in order to grow. Our programs are offered to any, all and no faiths.”

RIVERVIEW
Mothers’ Union members met in Riverview Nov. 30 to oversee the changeover of the Canadian council, from the Nova Scotia group to the New Brunswick group. 

Retired Bishop Sue Moxley, of the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, led a service of thanksgiving. The Rev. David Smith, priest-in-charge in the Parish of Grand Manan, became the Canadian Council chaplain. Archbishop David Edwards and wife Debbie were special guests.

Everyone enjoyed a turkey dinner and celebrated Kathleen’s election. The group watched congratulatory videos from acting primate Anne Germond and outgoing worldwide MU president Sheran Harper of Guyana.
Kathleen took up her presidential post Jan. 1. 

MOTHERS' UNION BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR 2025-2027:
Zone A: Joy Hla Gyaw, Myanmar (Korea, Myanmar, North and South India, Sri Lanka)
Zone B: Judith Spencer-Jarrett, West Indies (Canada, South America, USA, West Indies)
Zone C: Dorothy Siep, Papua New Guinea (Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Australia, Melanesia, Papua New Guinea)
Zone D: Reverend Mercy Murithi, Kenya (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Jerusalem and the Middle East)
Zone E: Maria van Staden, South Africa (Central Africa, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Southern Africa, IAMA)
Zone F: Estelle Dibo, Cameroon (Burundi, Congo, Indian Ocean, West Africa)
Zone G: Julia Jamieson, UK (Canterbury, including Europe)
Zone H: Deb Lee, UK (York)
Zone I: June Butler, Ireland (All Ireland)
Zone J: Reverend Ann Wren, Scotland (Scotland)
Zone K: Lowrie Washington-Jones, Wales (Wales)
Additionally, the following trustees will continue to serve, appointed to provide complementary skills:
Liz Gaylor, UK (Safeguarding)
Mathilde Nkwirikiye, Burundi (Policy)

PHOTO CAPTIONS:
1. Kathleen with a group that feeds the homeless at San Andres Anglican Church in Salta, Argentina, where the Rev. Hans Breekveldt is rector.
2. In her former role as trustee for Zone B (the Americas), Kathleen Snow visited Argentina last fall. Here she celebrates the 10th anniversary of Mothers' Union, called Amare in Spanish, with the Wicki indigenous women of Portillo.
3. This woman and several other Amare members faced off against armed police and rock-weilding youths in their community, praying and subsequently quelling the brewing violence.
4.  Past presidents of MU Canada: Ginny McEwen 1989 - 1992, Ethel Nelson 1997 - 2000, Kathleen Snow 2005 - 2008, Alice Kennedy 2017 - 2020, and Mary Stone 2021- 2024
All photos courtesy of Kathleen Snow.