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As the Leadership Conference of Women Religious gathers for its annual assembly, Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis said that talks over the Vatican's report of the group should stay within the context of the Church and not be politicized.
“I realize this is a most important meeting for you, and I pray that the dialogue between the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith and LCWR is not politicized,” Archbishop Carlson said, “but worked out within a community of faith.”
Archbishop Carlson, who provided remarks at the Aug. 7 opening day of the LCWR's annual assembly in St. Louis, said that while he is grateful for the “extraordinary work” of the women religious in his archdiocese, he hopes for a “resolution to the challenges” facing them.
An archdiocesan press release clarified that his remarks are not meant to show support for the content of the assembly, but rather serve as an indicator of his “doctrinal concern for the Holy See.”
The LCWR, which is made up of leaders from 1,500 women's religious congregations throughout the U.S., made headlines in April 2012, when the Vatican called for a reform following a four-year “Doctrinal Assessment,” which found a “crisis” of belief throughout the group.
Amid the recent controversy, the archbishop called himself “fortunate” to have been able to work with so many members of religious communities throughout St. Louis and praised their contribution to the local community.
“These are dedicated individuals who minister and serve every day in this archdiocese,” he said.
The annual meeting will feature author Barbara Marx Hubbard of the Foundation for Conscious Evolution.
Marx Hubbard's talk to the assembly is billed as helping religious communities become “open to the new levels of consciousness, even as that revelation exceeds the boundaries of present-day understanding of one’s faith.”
The archdiocesan press release noted that although Archbishop Carlson addressed the assembly, he is “aware” of the controversy surrounding the LCWR and “played no role” in the selection of speakers or the content of the conference.
“My presence only indicates my love for the Church,” he said, along with his “memory of the wonderful religious” who he encountered in his childhood, as well as his appreciation for the “extraordinary work of sisters today.”
In April, conference leaders responded that they were “stunned” to hear that the Vatican found problems within their organization, saying that the group “follows canonically approved statutes.”
In order to address concerns raised by the assessment of LCWR, Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle was appointed to help reform the conference.
The archbishop will be aided by Bishop Leonard Blair of Toledo, Ohio, and Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., along with an advisory group including clergy, religious women and other experts.
Archbishop Sartain will work with the conference to revise its statues, which will be submitted for approval by the Holy See, and to review its links to affiliated organizations.
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With regards to the meeting of the Sisters in St. Louis, I hope these women will be clear about their concerns and not be bullied around by the polarization of the men in the Church. Infallibility only concerns a very few doctrines, and there is still the Internal Forum-the relationship between God and the individual Soul.
When I was in my twenties I studied to be a nun for seven years and when I decided to leave before final vows and during my temporary vows, I was sent to the Bishop of L.A. to get a dispensation. In his office he stood behind his desk explaining that he could not give me a divorce from Christ. I politely smiled knowing that Christ was united to me by my faith and baptism, so I sweetly left his office knowing he was ignorant.
So, I hope these women will sweetly smile, too, and go forth with the clarity of their intellects and the Truth as they experience it.
As a Licensed Marital Therapist in Marin County in CA., I just think that it is high time that the Bishops communicate and recognize their “Better Halfs.”
With a holy sense of humor, I am Sincerely Yours,
Virginia Dunn. M.A., MFT
In my comment I did not read that I shouldn’t hit enter. You may edit it to fit in one paragraph or tell me
to write it again. But, since I do not have a voice in the Church, please accept this small voice.
Thanks, Virginia Dunn, MA, MFY
dear virginia…your comments explain exactly why you are not a nun…the arrogance and feminism in your posts recalles the bellowing pride and arrogance of satan as he shouted to God, “I will not serve”... you feminists and anti-male haters need to look at the HUMILITY OF THE BLESSED MOTHER MARY,you don’t see the Mother of Jesus appearing in apparitions to the faithful and complaining about how She is being held back by The Holy Trinity….
Virginia - I want to express my deep passion and appreciation for what you have written, and encourage you to simply ignore Mr. Waligora’s comments. Truth is hard to digest, and obviously for some it will provoke ignorance and fear. I see no feminism in your comments…in fact, someone as fearful as Mr. Waligora sounds like he would be applauding the downfall of women no matter what profession or calling they attempted. The fact that you were a nun for seven years, and that you now currently “serve” the community in another profession/calling should be ample proof that you serve your God. Talking about the Polarization of the church is not a feminist statement; it’s a known fact. We can use basic mathematics to explain that equation. Mr. Waligora - I am sure your ego was deflated in the above comments made by Virginia, but in the end, it’s the truth, thrown in with slight humor, and we all need a little laugh even in trying times. The blessed Mother Mary never really got to speak for herself, and if she did, I think she would embrace Virginia with love. It’s women and men of all kinds that Jesus protected, and then died for. And for the record, you have no idea how The Blessed Mother complained or how she felt. You have no idea how much pain she was in birthing the son of Christ, or how it hurt her to see her son die after giving life, you just purely did not know her and you’re not a woman, so there again, you don’t know…The truth is, we are talking about this point in time, of this moment in History, and Virginia was being a voice, just as the Sisters of St. Louis. Times are changing, and we all have to acknowledge change…otherwise, the word “Catholic” will parish, and the younger generation will laugh at us in distain and ignorance. I love men and women. God loves men and women. Mary loved men and women (I assume, because I was not there). Jesus loved us all, even those of us who have broken rules and vows. Let’s love each other and hear the true voice of GOD that comes through both men and women. Humility is in the truth…and the truth will always set you free.
dear GP….if you ever read THE MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD by MARY OF AGREDA, you will see the absurdity of the proud and arrogant tongue….and you will also see the virtue of obedience that is so surely missing from the arrogant nuns of today that listen to no male hierarchy
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