The National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) will hold its 2005 national convention at the Hilton Atlanta Sept. 15-18. Nearly 1,200 council members and guests are expected to attend.

Hosted this year by the Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, assisted by the Savannah and South Carolina Councils of Catholic Women, the biennial convention will feature issues of particular interest to Catholic women, among them the church’s social justice mission, immigration reform, and children and environmental health and safety.

This year also marks the 85th anniversary of the NCCW, and the convention sessions are organized around the theme “Women United … Making a Difference.” The four-day convention will feature workshops led by various speakers. Mass will be celebrated daily, including Saturday, Sept. 17, at 10:30 a.m. when Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory will preside.

The closing Mass and installation of new NCCW officers will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, by Archbishop John G. Vlazny of Portland.

For more information about the convention, visit www.nccw.org.