Villa International Atlanta

Villa International Atlanta…where the world comes home.

Another outreach program for the Atlanta Archdiocese Council of Catholic Women is our involvement with Villa International Atlanta. For 33 years we have been one of the sponsors, along with the Christian Church, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Presbyterian Church, United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church, of Villa’s Ecumenical Ministry. Today we have six of our women from AACCW serving on the Board.

On Sunday, March 16, a group of AACCW ladies cooked a large array of food and took to the Villa to serve about 100 guest. This is an annual event that we look forward to especially getting to meet all the guest from all over the world.

A Home to the Nations: The villa was constructed with funds from the Presbyterian Women’s Birthday Offering in 1970 (granted again in 1977), Villa has exhibited an ecumenical Christian spirit from its foundation.

Today Villa annually hosts approximately 1,000 internationals, offering friendship, hospitality, peacemaking opportunities, and an unobtrusive witness to Jesus Christ. Villa’s homelike atmosphere contributes to its mission of peace as guests study, break bread, shoot pool, take tea, or assemble jigsaw puzzles together. Since 1972 Villa has welcomed more than 20,000 “strangers in our midst” from 142 nations.

Building Bridges of Understanding: Friendship stands at the heart of Villa’s mission: guest with other guests, with staff and with volunteers. Friendships grow as Villa hosts tours of the area, promotes cultural events, or stages pumpkin carvings, marshmallow roasts of ice cream parties. Faith exchange occurs during conversations or at the weekly prayer service in Villa’s chapel, which is open to all interested guests. Together we learn through the amazing mosaic of cultures that the human family is truly rich and diverse in its makeup. Through this interaction, we take a few steps closer to the dream of a reconciled humanity.