Women and men between 29 and 37 years of age who were adopted from Vietnam to the United States in 1974-75 through the efforts of the Catholic Church are invited to an Aug. 20-22 gathering in Cincinnati, hosted by a religious sister who worked with the adoptees in Vietnam.

"This year we mark the 30th anniversary of the international adoption effort that brought Vietnamese orphaned, abandoned infants and children to the United States," said Sister of Charity Kateri Maureen Koverman. She said the major goals of the gathering are:

---To provide an opportunity to meet and share the experiences of other adoptees who passed through Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Migration and Refugees Services and local Catholic Social Services to reach their adoptive homes.

---To enable former CRS staff who cared for the adoptee in Vietnam to fill in some of the gaps of information concerning the circumstances that surrounded the care and eventual plan for the long trip to the adoptive family.

---To attend optional conference sessions which would address possible return group visits to Vietnam for adoptees, and consideration of how the adoptee might help in the resettlement efforts by local Catholic Social Services of present-day war/conflict related refugees.

Additionally, Sister Koverman said the sharing of personal experiences from Vietnam veterans with whom she works would be part of the event. "These veterans would in turn appreciate hearing the stories of the adoptees," she said.

The conference will begin early evening Aug. 20 and end the afternoon of Aug. 22 at Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse, Cincinnati. For information, contact Sister Koverman, 2420 Drex Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45212; phone (513) 366-4426; email aboveashes@aol.com.