Sister Pat Farrell told participants in the Leadership Conference of Women Religious assembly that talks with the Vatican will go on so long as the group is not made to change its goals.
“The officers will proceed with these discussions as long as possible,” she told the conference's annual assembly Aug. 10, “but will reconsider if LCWR is forced to compromise the integrity of its mission.”
Sister Pat's remarks were made in response to the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith's April 18 report following a four-year study, which revealed “serious doctrinal problems” throughout the group.
“While acknowledging deep disappointment with the CDF report, the members proclaimed their intention to use this opportunity to explain to Church leaders LCWR's mission, values and operating principles,” she told conference members in St. Louis.
The Vatican assessment noted that the group has regularly hosted presentations that demonstrated theological and doctrinal errors, as well as a “prevalence of certain radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.”
In response to its findings, the Vatican placed Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle in charge of carrying out a reform of the group.
The conference originally stated April 19 that it “was stunned” to hear about the Vatican's assessment, saying that it already “follows canonically approved statutes,” but that it would take time to prepare a thorough response.
“The assembly instructed the LCWR officers to conduct their conversation with Archbishop Sartain from a stance of deep prayer that values mutual prayer, careful listening and open dialogue,” Sister Pat said, following a series of private talks that were held with members during the annual assembly.
In her presidential address to the conference, entitled “Navigating the Shifts,” Sister Pat told the assembly that it would be a “mistake to make too much of the 'Doctrinal Assessment.'”
“We cannot allow it to consume an inordinate amount of our time and energy or to distract us from our mission,” she told the sisters.
However, she said, “I think it would also be a mistake to make too little of the 'Doctrinal Assessment.'”
Either way, Sister Pat said she hopes that the conference can “go forward” in a manner “that contributes to the good of religious life everywhere and to the healing of the Church we so love.”
This year's annual meeting hosted futurist author and “conscious evolution” promoter Barbara Marx Hubbard, who praised the “evolutionary leadership” of the LCWR, calling them the “best seedbed” for “evolving the Church.”
In light of Hubbard's talk, Sister Pat said “it is easy to see this LCWR moment as a microcosm of a world in flux.”
“The cosmic breaking down and breaking through we are experiencing gives us a broader context,” she said.
She believes the reason “many institutions, traditions and structures seem to wither” is that “the philosophical underpinnings of the way we hold reality really no longer hold.”
“The human family is not served by individualism, patriarchy, a scarcity mentality or competition,” she explained.
Moreover, the LCWR president asserted that the world is “outgrowing the dualistic constructs” of “good/bad” and “domination/submission.”
“Breaking through in their place are equality, communion, collaboration, synchronicity, expansiveness, abundance, wholeness, mutuality, intuitive knowing and love,” she said.
Archbishop Sartain is expected to meet with the conference’s national board on Aug. 11 for a discussion that is expected to last two hours.
National Catholic Register correspondent Ann Carey contributed to this report.
Comments
Post a Comment
The world is outgrowing the constructs of “good and bad”? No, it is the battle between good and evil, and when good compromises, evil wins. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS THE SALVATION OF SOULS. This “mission” is what then? A rival magisterium? The Church founded by Jesus Christ Himself is not “the philosophical underpinnings of the way we hold reality.” So God’s Church will “no longer holds”? Yes, yes, the sisters do much good, BUT the leadership is in heresy. They are not consistent with Church teaching. This “Post-Christ” era that they seek to usher in under the “work of the Gospel” facade is not doctrine. Excommunicate the leadership. They have already stated that they will not compromise their mission. They are already complaining and confusing the faithful. What signal is this sending the faithful? That church teachings are negotiable? Here is the only prayer for the leadership of the LCWR -
“Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio; contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperat illi Deus; supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae coelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen.”
Bishops, don’t tell us to make a stand unless you do! Defend our faith! What the leadership of the LCWR is doing is a form of Protestantism and not Catholicism. They are anathema.
The world is outgrowing the constructs of “good and bad”? No, it is the battle between good and evil, and when good compromises, evil wins. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS THE SALVATION OF SOULS. This “mission” is what then? A rival magisterium? The Church founded by Jesus Christ Himself is not “the philosophical underpinnings of the way we hold reality.” So God’s Church will “no longer hold”? Yes, yes, the sisters do much good, BUT the leadership is in heresy. They are not consistent with Church teaching. This “Post-Christ” era that they seek to usher in under the “work of the Gospel” facade is not doctrine. Excommunicate the leadership. They have already stated that they will not compromise their mission. They are already complaining and confusing the faithful. What signal is this sending the faithful? That church teachings are negotiable? Here is the only prayer for the leadership of the LCWR -
“Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio; contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperat illi Deus; supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae coelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen.”
Bishops, don’t tell us to make a stand unless you do! Defend our faith! What the leadership of the LCWR is doing is a form of Protestantism and not Catholicism. They are anathema.
The world is outgrowing the constructs of “good and bad”? No, it is the battle between good and evil, and when good compromises, evil wins. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS THE SALVATION OF SOULS. This “mission” is what then? A rival magisterium? The Church founded by Jesus Christ Himself is not “the philosophical underpinnings of the way we hold reality.” So God’s Church will “no longer hold”? Yes, yes, the sisters do much good, BUT the leadership is in heresy. They are not consistent with Church teaching. This “Post-Christ” era that they seek to usher in under the “work of the Gospel” facade is not doctrine. Excommunicate the leadership. They have already stated that they will not compromise their mission. They are already complaining and confusing the faithful. What signal is this sending the faithful? That church teachings are negotiable? Here is the only prayer for the leadership of the LCWR -
“Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio; contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperat illi Deus; supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae coelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen.”
Bishops, don’t tell us to make a stand unless you do! Defend our faith! What the leadership of the LCWR is doing is a form of Protestantism and not Catholicism. They are anathema.
What happened to the vow of poverty? Sisters wearing gold and pearl jewelery is an abomination. Also one enters the convent to be a nun or sister, not a social worker or organizer. One can do that without becoming a consecrated woman. These types of actions are leading to the death of religious orders in the world. Why would a young woman follow such discord and discontent?
Um, did you know that the Pope wears custom-made Prada shoes? As someone who is discerning, I would like to be part of an order where I am listened to, not just judged based on my look, especially when conveying an opinion which is of great important to me. #sexism
They still don’t get it.
This is all so very heartbreaking for me. I have all the admiration in the world for anyone engaged in ministry to the least among us, but faithfulness and humility are seriously lacking in the response from the LCWR.
How can obedience to the authentic teachers of the Church ever be threatening or considered as compromising to genuine service and mission of the Gospel?
The very tenor of Sister Pat Ferrall’s address suggests that they believe they’ve outgrown the Church, which proves how accurate the CDF assessment report actually is.
I fear this will end very badly for everyone involved.
It is consisently reported that the LCWR represents 80% of the women religious in the United States; one is compelled to question how many INDIVIDUAL SISTERS (so represented!) are in agreement with the agenda (philosophy?) of the LCWR. It is no secred that so many Sisters were forced to go along with the many questionable changes and decisions of their respective Superior. The number 80% is totally misleading!
... She believes the reason “many institutions, traditions and structures seem to wither” is that “the philosophical underpinnings of the way we hold reality really no longer hold.”
Sister Pat needs to listen to what Sister Pat is saying.
It is reported that the LCWR represents 80 percent of the women religious in the States. This statistic impels one to question whether the agenda (philosophy?) of the LCWR is shared by The INDIVIDUAL Sisters of the congregations represented. It is no secret that the changes and “reforms” were, in many cases forced upon all in the said represented communities. The 80 percent number is very misleading!
Perhaps the dramatic decline in the number of vocations in many communities of religious in our country should prompt the LCWR to recognize that their mission has strayed to far from the church “they so love”. This examination from the Vatican’s Divine Office will no doubt be a sad task for the church. One would wonder about the countless number of older sisters, who from their rooms in mother houses or retirement homes, mourn the death of the orders they entered long ago. Communities filled with vocations and easily identified by the proud wearing of a habit marking their service to the church and their embracing of vows taken.
Post a Comment
By submitting this form, you give The National Catholic Register permission to publish this comment. Comments will be published at our discretion, and may be edited for clarity and length. For best formatting, please limit your response to one paragraph and don't hit "enter" to force line breaks.