Volunteer Spotlight: Eleanor Gentilini, Director at Large

There is perhaps no one more fitting to recognize in the Volunteer Spotlight for this special anniversary issue than Director-at-Large Eleanor Gentilini. 

A military spouse of 50 years, Eleanor’s involvement with MCCW spans 40 years and began after she attended just one day of a week-long MCCW-Europe Conference in Berchtesgaden, Germany in 1978. Eleanor recalls from that experience, “I was hooked for life.”

That love has turned into a lifetime of service and participation at all levels and in all aspects of MCCW. 

She has held positions at every level of MCCW and CWOC leadership from chapel ministry to the worldwide board. She has experienced MCCW as the worldwide organization it is today, as well as when it was still MCCW- Europe and MCCW-USA. As a founding member of MCCWs former formation program, Journey of Faith, Eleanor has presented in chapels around the world. Her children, now 43 and 39, grew up with MCCW being a household word. And current board members can attest that her knowledge of MCCW history is near-encyclopedic. 

The list of titles she has held and roles she has played over the years boggles the mind. She has founded chapel ministries and held the roles of chapel treasurer, chapel vice president, and chapel president many times over. She has been a coordinator, president, and director of regions and areas, as they were known in MCCW-Europe. She has been the Worldwide Historian, International Affairs Chair, and a Journey of Faith Trainer. She has helped plan conferences, handled publicity efforts, chaired nominating committees, researched history, and maintained archives. 

As Director-At-Large, Eleanor’s current worldwide position, she has served as interim Western Regional Coordinator, researched MCCW historical items, co-chaired the Forum Silent Auction, and helped grow the Southeast Region. In short, if it has needed to be done in MCCW, Eleanor has probably done it. 

And her involvement in MCCW doesn’t stop at her leadership roles. In 40 years, Eleanor has only missed attending a regional or worldwide MCCW event during five years. She considers these opportunities her annual gift to herself – a wonderful testament to the importance of taking time for connecting, uniting, and being inspired by and with our Catholic faith and our sisters in Christ. 

Thank you, Eleanor, for all you have done and continue to do for MCCW!