St. Joan's International Alliance
St. Joan's International Alliance is a non profit women's organization. St. Joan's is a feminist Catholic organization, with a focus on women's equality. It is named after St. Joan of Arc. The organization has played a major role in influencing the ordination of women and general human rights. Their mission is "to secure the political, social and economic equality between men and women and to further the work and usefulness of Catholic women as citizens". History The Catholic Women's Suffrage Society The organization was founded in London, England in 1911 as the "Catholic Women's Suffrage Society," with a focus on organizing Catholic women in England to support women's suffrage. Founding Prior to the founding of the Catholic Women’s Suffrage Society, Catholic suffragettes had participated in other suffrage organizations, such as the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), the Women’s Freedom League (WFL), and the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). The roots of the Catholic Women’s Suffrage Society began when young Catholic suffragettes Gabrielle Jeffery and May Kendall met on 8 December 1910, coincidentally the date of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Jeffery and Kendall met while waiting outside Holloway Prison to welcome the release of imprisoned suffragettes,