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The annual assembly of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in St. Louis next week is in a spotlight because the sisters will be discussing how to respond to a Vatican mandate to reform the organization. The 1,500-member LCWR is made up of superiors of 320 religious orders that have about 80% of the sisters in this country.
After a four-year study, done in April, the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) ordered a renewal of the LCWR because of several doctrinal concerns. These concerns included LCWR assembly speeches, presentations and publications that contained errors about the Trinity, centrality of the Eucharist, divinity of Christ, inspiration of sacred Scripture, women’s ordination and Church teaching on human sexuality.
The Aug. 7-10 assembly will be the first opportunity for the entire LCWR membership to gather since the doctrinal assessment was released, and it is expected that the assembly body will reach a consensus about how to respond to the mandate. In a National Public Radio (NPR) interview on July 17, LCWR president, Franciscan Sister Pat Farrell, said there were three options: Comply with the mandate, not comply and possibly form a separate organization, or look for a way “that refuses to just define the mandate and the issues in such black-and-white terms.”
Because of the high interest, and because she will not do media interviews during the assembly, Sister Pat conducted a telephone press conference with media on Aug. 2 to discuss the upcoming assembly. She refused to speculate on the outcome of the LCWR members’ discussions about the mandate, which will be in executive sessions closed to the press.
Sister Pat stressed, “We don’t want to allow this doctrinal assessment to really take over the mission and the entire agenda of our organization because we do have other important things to be about.” Thus, normal assembly business will take place in the mornings of the assembly, with executive sessions occurring in the afternoons and evenings, if necessary.
The LCWR leader declined to say whether the individual doctrinal points raised in the CDF mandate would be discussed in those sessions, saying only that trained facilitators will guide the discussion. When asked if a democratic vote of the membership would determine which of the three options is taken, she said members would be given generous time for their input and “a sense of the membership” would be determined.
“Our process of discernment is typically not taking a vote,” she explained.
All of the LCWR past presidents and past executive directors have been invited to the assembly, and Sister Pat said they will provide insights and wisdom about how the LCWR should deal with the CDF mandate.
Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle was named to oversee the LCWR renewal, and he will be assisted by Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., and Bishop Leonard Blair of Toledo, Ohio. Bishop Blair, a member of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine, had conducted the assessment for the Vatican.
The LCWR board responded to the mandate in a June 1 press release, complaining that the assessment “was based on unsubstantiated accusations and the result of a flawed process that lacked transparency.”
Sister Pat said Archbishop Sartain will not attend the assembly, but the LCWR will inform him of any decision the assembly reaches before that information is released to the press.
According to Mercy Sister Mary Ann Walsh, director of media relations for the bishops’ conference, Archbishop Sartain offered to come to the assembly, but he was told his presence “would not be helpful.”
One reporter referred to a July 24 NPR interview with Bishop Blair that was a follow-up to the Sister Pat interview. In that interview, Bishop Blair was asked about Sister Pat’s wish to dialogue on the issues in the mandate. He had replied that if the LCWR wanted to negotiate the doctrines of the Church that was not the kind of discussion the Holy See envisioned. The reporter asked Sister Pat if that was an accurate representation of the LCWR position, and she replied:
“I would also say that there are very few doctrines in the Church that are not discussable, that are absolutely infallible. And I think those kinds of commentaries [the NPR interviews] are a reflection of a slightly different perspective that we have on obedience.
“And as I have stated in other interviews, one of our concerns is that questioning is seen as defiance, and that’s not healthy for our Church, nor is it our intention. And that our sense of our own fidelity means that we continue raising and responding to questions, according to our own consciences and according to new information and questions that arise in our day.”
Sister Pat told the press conference: “The one thing that I think we’ve constantly communicated is that we … in however we respond to this [CDF mandate], we want to help create a safe and respectful environment, where Church leaders and grassroots Catholics can raise questions openly and search together for truth freely to the very complex issues of our time.
“Anything that we can do in the way that we respond to this that could contribute to the climate of open and deeper dialogue in the Church is one of our greatest hopes.”
The Register will be reporting daily on next week’s LCWR assembly.
Ann Carey is the author of Sisters in Crisis: The Tragic Unraveling of Women’s Religious Communities.
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If the LCWR does not adhere to and teach 100% Church teachings as stated in the “CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition” then they and we would all be best off if they “form a separate organization” that is not Catholic.
The Church will not change its true teaching because it can not change truth for error - even if Nuns or anyone else believe they know better.
Faithful Nuns Orders should drop membership in the LCWR asap (or yesterday). If they do not conform, they will be heretics and schismatics.
We do not need these LCWR Nuns to create any kind of environment for us, since they are not intelligent enough to know that the Church does not vote on what it teaches and allows to be taught in its name. Who appointed them our spokesmen anyway???
“ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved ... and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium. I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. “ – Pope John Paul II. (pg 5)
LCWR and Pat Farrell are not interested in diologue with the Church or they would not be running around publically committing Scandal by using the public media.
Also if they want to know the Church’s position the best way would be directly from the Pope’s appointee to their organization - whom they have no intention of inviting “because it would not be helpful” to their brainwashing of others.
These Nuns have no clue what is and is not Doctrine, nor do they know what is in the CCC which has been provided to us by the Magisterium.
Call to Faithful NUNS - get out of the LCWR, and read the “CCC 2nd Edition’ in entirety.
The Church has given schismatics and heretics a stage for far too long to spread their lies and falsehoods about Church teachings.
Goodbye Ms. Farrell and others.
So, what Sr. Pat is saying is that “few Doctrines are exempt from discussion” and that “your definition of obedience is debateable.”
Maybe she means that she has obedience to her idea of obedience and not to the Church or the bishops.
As shown by this quote:
“And that our sense of our own fidelity means that we continue raising and responding to questions, according to our own consciences and according to new information and questions that arise in our day.”
“Our own fidelity” and “our own consciences.” Not the Church’s, but our personal ones. For you see, if we form our consciences to believe that what we’re doing is right, then we can trust our consequences without really accepting input from others who say we have malformed our consciences.
“There were three options: Comply with the mandate, not comply and possibly form a separate organization, or look for a way “that refuses to just define the mandate and the issues in such black-and-white terms.”
Yes, perhaps the centrality of the Eucharist is a bit gray.
Sisters: Do what you are told
, get with the program and act like Catholics for a change
I’m reminded of the curse “May you live in interesting times”, this is very interesting. Well written. I’m anxious to see your further reporting.
Sounds like some heresy may be brewing. As my favorite Inquisitor used to say - “I do believe I feel the licks of Hell’s flames beneath my feet, not lusting for me, but for Lucifer’s Damned.” Come back home to the church sister, your eternal soul is at risk. The church’s mission is the salvation of souls! Marxists even talk about social justice, but what good is it without the Church that Jesus Christ himself founded for THE SALVATION OF SOULS? Luther started with good intentions, but he ended up in heresy too. Pray for Sister Pat to come back. Remember- “admoneri bonus gaudet: pessimus quisque correctorem asperrime patitur.”
We must pray for the LCWR to come back to the Church.
To me this whole “dialogue” with this rebellious group of nuns is a total waste of time (even for the upcoming Year of Faith) I think the LCWR needs to be declared “HERETICAL” and them officially EXCOMMUNICATED. I know this sounds “unpastoral” and anti-woman but honestly what other choice does the CDF have with them when they said along with Satan I will not serve. “he who hears you hears Me and he who rejects you rejects Me. That seems clear enough. To be fair to the nuns however this was a result of the poor Jungian training they got from Carl Rogers and their ill starting in the late 1960’s these nuns probably were also involved with “sensitivity training” and other brainwashing things that Vatican II did Not call for. “Goodbye Good Men” by Michael Rose goes into details on this in his book:priests,nuns and even Brothers all got caught up in this evil experiment and it failed miserably as this situation shows. Had VII been properly followed this whole ugly mess may have been avoided:maybe not but at least younger nuns are tending to be more traditional in their dress and attitude.
Well! Do not tell fairy tales!
Will their decision come before or after they listen to their keynote speaker discuss “Humanity Ascending” and the “Wheel of the Co-Creator?”
Maybe after Ms. Hubbard discusses her new book, “This unusual book offers an essential roadmap for today’s evolutionaries and forward thinkers based on Barbara’s masterful insight that “our crisis is a birth.”
Wow. That’s deep.
Maybe they will be able to concentrate more fully on being Catholic after they listen to Jamie Manson speak. She is a great one to be in favor of women’s ordination and gay marriage. Way to go, was that….sisters?
I say hang it up now. Please just admit that you are no longer Catholic and that your goal is to work against the teachings of Jesus Christ because you certainly aren’t working for Him. The rest of us Catholics will stand up and applaud as you leave.
I’m praying that God’s will be done. May the Holy Spirit guide all involved.
Silly chicks!
The poor old gals should be ignored as much as possible. Let nature take its course. Most of them are already too old to do any real damage in their various protests. They will all be as extinct as the dinosaurs soon enough.
The dear nuns within the LCWR are being (to play on words) ‘hoisted by their own petard’. The arrogance of the LCWR is beyond the paleand; I seriously doubt anything can bring them back to the Church. They are free the leave the Church. If they don’t….they will be suppressed. The good thing; the faithful nuns trapped within the LCWR will have the opportunity to rejoin faithful orders.
“If the LCWR does not adhere to and teach 100% Church teachings as stated in the “CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition” then they and we would all be best off if they “form a separate organization” that is not Catholic.
The Church will not change its true teaching because it can not change truth for error - even if Nuns or anyone else believe they know better.
Faithful Nuns Orders should drop membership in the LCWR asap (or yesterday). If they do not conform, they will be heretics and schismatics.
We do not need these LCWR Nuns to create any kind of environment for us, since they are not intelligent enough to know that the Church does not vote on what it teaches and allows to be taught in its name. Who appointed them our spokesmen anyway???
“ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved ... and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium. I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. “ – Pope John Paul II. (pg 5)”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church Second Addition? You mean the doctrine of Holy Mother Church was revised? Your argument would seem to suggest not. And actually yes the Catholic Church does vote on what it teaches. They are called Ecumenical Councils. Where do you think everything we believe came from? It started from the very beginning with the Council of Jerusalem which decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the Mosaic law which by the way the Jewish members of the Church were obligated to follow. What is this? There were two different groups of people within the Church who followed different laws? Well according to your argument apparently not, but obviously you don’t know your church history. I would also ask what unfaithful teachings is the conference itself teaching? They were accused of remaining silent on abortion and euthanasia but according to St. Thomas Moore silence gives consent. That’s why he was persecuted and that’s why he was martyred. Seems history hasn’t changed much. If you are referring to them supposedly supporting women’s ordination, well that was only one speaker back in 1988, the year I was born actually, and they were told by the bishops back then to not let that happen again and no one at the conference has spoken in support of women’s ordination since 1988. So I guess I am curious to know exactly where people are getting their so called fact???
‘“I would also say that there are very few doctrines in the Church that are not discussable, that are absolutely infallible.”’
Oh?
The LCWR denies the centrality of the Eucharist.
Also check the book “Just love” by LCWR-affiliated Margaret Farley. The book denies all Catholic teaching, natural law and basic decency regarding to sex.
Thank God the Holy See has finally taken action. The Holy See is extremely slow, patient, generous and merciful. Sometimes I think they are *too* patient.
The “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” is called ‘second edition’ on the cover because - the CCC was completed for the entire world in many languages in 1997. There were translation errors in the English version only and needed to be corrected and reprinted in March, 2000 - hence the name including ‘Second Edition’.
The first and only other Catechism from the Magisterium was the “Catechism of the Council of Trent” written in 1566 headed up by St. Robert Bellarmine and St. Charles Borromeo to combat hereies and schisms of that time.
The ‘CCC 2nd Ed’ (or just ‘CCC’ to non-English speaking nations) contains the old and the new -including combatting today’s heresies some of which did not exist at that time.
Yes, ALL Catholics must adhere to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”. It comes from the Magisterium which includes the Pope.
If you don’t have a CCC, get one. The English version has a dark green cover and states on the cover: “revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul II”.
You and I and most here are members of the Church (unless excommunicated). We do not vote.
Ecommumenical Councils do not change Church Doctrine or Dogma either.
The CCC contains Church Doctrine.
These are Nun’s? Are they “Catholic” Nuns?
While this is an ongoing problem, I also believe in the Biological Solution for all of these older and bitter dissenters. The more faithful nuns may be in the minority but as the older nuns fade away more of the future nuns will be younger. I am a 50 year old and I remember the Sisters of Charity in the second grade who still wore their habits and were orthodox in the 1970’s but like I said in my earlier posting, these poor women (one nun slapped me in the face for just touching a wall) starting getting involved with the bad Carl Jung influence as well as the Human Potential Movement. The nuns probably did not think they would end up being brainwashed as were the priests and brothers. This again was not what Vatican II talked about in the Document on the Renewal of Religious life, which Pope Paul VI signed onto would not support this kind of thing either. BTW, today is the 34th anniversary of Pope Paul’s death and most people were not too sad about it, he did his best.
I have more hope than many of the commenters here. If you go to the LCWR web site and read some of the keynotes there, I think LCWR has been thinking about the questions raised by the bishops for a few years now, and will have their own insights and hopefully come to a conclusion that brings them back into greater communion with the Church - possibly with some sister organization for those who do not want to come back. One thread I would add to the discussion above: some have noted that the Church’s doctrine has developed over the centuries, often by means of councils. Those councils discussed real disagreements. This is not new. The members in those councils included bishops and theologians - people who had spent years studying the topics being discussed. Please remember that some of these sisters are theologians and have spent years of prayer and study. They may be completely wrong, but even if they are that doesn’t mean they aren’t serious and haven’t tried to think deeply on the topics. It is not appropriate to think of them as disagreeing with a layman’s limited attention and knowledge. Personally I would add that there is a tendency for some to try to draw the layman and the general church into degrees of constant reflection that are not practical in everyday life. Someone (sorry I can’t remember who) described the split between progressive voices of Vatican II after the council because some (like Hans Kung) were interested in continuing the level of intense discussion of the council, versus others (like Ratzinger) who felt the church needed to lower the intensity of discussion to allow the insights of the council to be propogated throughout the church. If the theologians believe that the church does not need to serve anyone who isn’t a full time theologian, then they believe only the theologians are the church - which I don’t think is the intent.
“And I think those kinds of commentaries [the NPR interviews] are a reflection of a slightly different perspective that we have on obedience.”
The smack-down has occured and the “good sisters” see it as a “SLIGHTLY diffrerent perspective”, going public acting the victim…
Yeah, just keep tellin yerself that and when you are officially on the outside lookin in, you’ve already set the stage for your victim martyrdom. Cept you’ll hafta find another church.
I hear Oprah is looking for more congergants.
Please forgive my sarcasm, I am just sick and tired of cannibal Catholics running their racket on the adoring public. They were formerly called cafereria Catholics - name changed when it was realized that at a cafeteria, no matter how bad it is, you get at least some portion of nutrition - These so-called Catholics have NOTHING of value to add to the church. Their practices and POVs are, in fact, attempting to destroy the body of Christ’s church in the manner of cannibals.)
Fortunately, He tells us that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. I will continue to pray for an end to this pathetic matter.
Mnemos:
I’m sorry but I completely disagree with you. I posted the following on another web site today and I think it accurately reflects the situtation:
Unfortunately it is impossible to separate the political element from the argument because the core of LCWR’s arguments are nothing but political. It is the LCWR who espouse heterodox feminist based views on women priests, abortion, contraception, fetal stem cell research and homosexual marriage along with a deep and vocalized disdain for the hierarchy. From the very beginning they have tried to play the role of victim and have characterized the Vatican’s doctrinal assessment as biased and unfair and they have rejected Vatican concerns accordingly.
I believe the LCWR is an ongoing source of scandal and confusion to the Catholic faithful. The LCWR’s primary defense is to focus on their social justice accomplishments (which are significant) and avoid any real discussion of the Church’s main concern…..LCWR departure from core Church teachings. Instead the LCWR pleads that they are only asking innocent questions about doctrine and want to dialogue about them. Clearly they are not looking dialogue but compromise; recently LCWR leader Sister Pat Farrell held a press conference and said, “I would also say that there are very few doctrines in the Church that are not discussable, that are absolutely infallible.”
(cf. http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/lcwr-prepares-to-discuss-response-to-vatican-mandate-to-reform/#ixzz22yZmV1vV ).
Unfortunately for the LCWR any compromise of one doctrine or another would be to deny truth; to deny that Scripture, tradition (T), papal infallible declarations and the constant teaching of the ordinary and universal Magisterium is guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit.
It is time to disband the LCWR.
I think they need to prove to their fellow Catholics—-not just the Vatican people—-and not just professional Religious—-I mean, the huge masses of Catholics—-that they are not merely New Age nutters.
I can see by the letters that the National Catholic Register is a highly patriarchal ultraconservative organization that does not allow any positive opinions to be made about the LCWR. I doubt if you will print this, but if you do know that all you mostly fearful men are on the wrong side of history. Strong women are obviously a threat to the Catholic Church which is unfortunate. The public support these sisters have received should be an indication of the direction in which society is going.
Virginia, I am pretty sure you do not understand the Catholic Church or the Catholic faith. The mission of the Church is to protect, defend and pass on the teachings of Jesus Christ. He is the Head of the Church. We are His body. The Church is not a democracy, it is not an entity that will ever change its beliefs to suit the modern culture. Your statement regarding the public support for the sisters as an indication of the direction in which society is going was dead on. The public that supports these sisters, also support abortion, which is murder. That was clear even in the century following the murder of Jesus Christ. They support fornication and homosexual sex and marriage. Both offenses against God. They support everything that is completely against natural and moral law. That is why real Catholics do not support the LCWR. I was confirmed into the Catholic Church four years ago. I am 56 years old and have always been a strong woman and I am totally head over heels in love with Jesus Christ and I have found love and acceptance in the Catholic Church. One has to have a firm belief in God and his Truth in order to embrace Catholocism in all its beauty. This issue is not about strong women, it is about perverting the truth of the Catholic Church while using its name. If they are not following the Catholic Church, they need to get out and stop causing scandal and confusion. It is that simple. The Romans were into abortion, infanticide, sodomy, torture, worshiping false idols. The Christians were an affront to their sin so they murdered them in as many horrific ways as they could think of. The Roman Empire died as did every government, nation or empire since, as the one in which we live will die. The Catholic Church still survives. Why is that? It is because she is protected and guided by the Holy Spirit. The Church is holy, its members are not. But, those who actively attack the Church, especially from within, alwasy lose. If not here, then in the hereafter. You need to find a better argument than the tired, worn out, useless, false accussation of a patriarchal organization that hates women. It is a lie.
virginia uribe,
Did I get a slight whiff of femininism when I read your post? Gee….that is the same odor I get when I read LCWR speeches or press releases. When I read stuff from the National Catholic Reporter I get a different but an equally pungent odor; the odor of dissent.
Gone are the days when men cower when feminists raise their voices and decry them, that is passe. Also gone is the day when dissident groups can silence faithful Catholics by calling them names like ‘orthodox’. In fact faithful Catholics now wear that tag with pride.
This issue is all about Church doctrine; not feminism, not the mean men in the hierarchy, not social justice accomplishments, and not public opinion. For years the LCWR has disregarded core Church teachings on abortion, female priests, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, homosexual marriage etc. Jesus Himself entrusted the Church with the deposit of faith and the charism of infallibility. The LCWR enjoys neither and their desire to change doctrine based upon their new modern pop-culture views is doomed because truth is immutable.
Also as difficult as it must be for feminists in this discussion; Christ was a man and humankind is called to be obedient to His teachings.
Virginia, I think you miss the point completely. These are not “strong” women, because they are not resisting any of the true evils of the world, and are in fact embracing many of them. Catholic men just find them to be a nuisance and completely irrelevant. And so do young women, apparently, because none of them are joining up with these heretical orders of old nuns. These rebellious orders are dying out because they are all about SELF, not sacrifice. We all get enough of that in society, so why join a religious order just to have more of the same?
I pray that the LCWR will simply become Christian again.
Deb, all I can say to your comment is “Amen, sister”.
The Pope referred to Judas in his Homily (late August 2012). Judas had lost his faith in Jesus because Jesus didn’t match what he expected a proper Messiah should have been. Unlike other disciples who had decided to leave because they couldn’t accept Jesus’ hard teachings, Judas was insincere and stayed with Jesus even as his heart and faith had already left.
The LCWR, and those sisters choosing to be represented by them, have already had their minds, hearts, and consciences abandon the Church - led by the Pope and the Bishops in communion. For as long as they continue to identify themselves as Catholics in their state, they are not only being insincere with our Church but dishonest with themselves. They do nobody a favor except for the Devil, the Father of Lies, himself.
Closing thoughts from the Pope: “Insincerity is the mark of the Devil himself.”
Geoffe, Right smack dab on!
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