- Status
S
SuscipeMeDomine
Guest
Those who were anticipating the big slap-down are reminded once again that there’s a new sheriff in town.
C
ctb95
Guest
I’ve actually been reading up on this recently. In the US, there are two main bodies which sanction religious communities- the LCWR and the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR). Religious communities in the CMSWR broke away from the LCWR in the early 1990s because they thought the LCWR was getting too doctrinally unorthodox. The goal of the CMSWR is to get back to orthodox Catholic doctrine and practice. For example, women in CMSWR communities are much more likely to wear habits. (I’m friends with a group of Franciscan sisters who are members of the CMSWR).
The LCWR represents 80% of American sisters while the CMSWR represents 20%. However, sisters in the LCWR have a much higher average age and have fewer novices on average. The novices who do enter community are generally older. CMSWR sisters have a lower average age, more novices in formation, and their novices tend to be younger.
LCWR numbers are declining at a fast rate (due to age and few novices), and the CMSWR is grabbing a bigger and bigger slice of the pie. In my opinion, this shows where the religious are headed in America- less quantity but higher quality. I think that in the next 20 years, CMSWR will be the majority and we’ll have an increasing number of young, vibrant sisters who are more orthodox to Catholic teachings.
The LCWR represents 80% of American sisters while the CMSWR represents 20%. However, sisters in the LCWR have a much higher average age and have fewer novices on average. The novices who do enter community are generally older. CMSWR sisters have a lower average age, more novices in formation, and their novices tend to be younger.
LCWR numbers are declining at a fast rate (due to age and few novices), and the CMSWR is grabbing a bigger and bigger slice of the pie. In my opinion, this shows where the religious are headed in America- less quantity but higher quality. I think that in the next 20 years, CMSWR will be the majority and we’ll have an increasing number of young, vibrant sisters who are more orthodox to Catholic teachings.
S
SuscipeMeDomine
Guest
Whether they wear habits or not, and whether you approve of them or not, I think you’re treading on very thin ice to refer to ANY religious women as low quality.
C
ctb95
Guest
Sorry, that was a little harsh of me and a poor choice of words. Don’t get me wrong: I have a DEEP love and respect for religious women and I’m certainly not trying to imply that some are “low quality.” Just from what I’ve read, though, there has been a lot of controversy over some of the political and doctrinal positions taken by the LCWR. And, I think there is a growing movement among young Catholics which favors orders that are perceived as more “traditional” or “orthodox” per se. That’s the point I was trying to make.
Z
zz912
Guest
Well considering that their writings have to be reviewed by a panel and approved first, and people they are recognizing with awards much be reviewed as well, this wasn’t a slap on the wrist either. It basically states the writings produced by them were doctrinally false and intentionally vague, and they were honoring people who hold views contrary to the Faith.
We’ll see if the LCRW actually abides and obeys the Vatican or not. In the past they’ve used the “dialogue” technique to delay any changes to how they behave. We shall see, I hope they change and become vibrant proponents of the Catholic faith centered around Jesus and faithful to the Magistereum.
S
SyroMalankara
Guest
Interesting that the article states:
With some 1,500 members, the LCWR constitutes about 3 percent of the 57,000 women religious in the United States. However, the group says it represents 80 percent of American sisters since its members are leaders of their respective religious communities.
I suspect the 80% is a major self-overestimation.
The so-called “slapdown” - aka Mandatory Reform (5yrs given):
Serious theological and doctrinal errors in presentations at the conference’s recent annual assemblies
** Some presentations depicted a vision of religious life incompatible with the Catholic faith, or attempted to justify dissent from Church doctrine and showed “scant regard for the role of the Magisterium,” the assessment found
A key topic the report addressed was the mandate’s call for a careful review of the LCWR’s publications and programs to ensure that they are faithful to Church teachings.
**The report consented that all of their publications “need a sound doctrinal foundation.”
“To this end, measures are being taken to promote a scholarly rigor that will ensure theological accuracy and help avoid statements that are ambiguous with regard to Church doctrine or could be read as contrary to it,” the report stated.
**It was also noted that a publications advisory committee has been put into place, and that all manuscripts will be reviewed by “competent theologians, as a means of safeguarding the theological integrity of the Conference.”
The choice of assembly topics and speakers – which has been one of the most contested points of the LCWR’s reform mandate – was also addressed in the report.
**In order to stay faithful to their mission and service in the Church, the selection of discussion topics and speakers will be carried out in “a prayerful, thoughtful and discerning manner,” according to the report.
**However, the joint report assures that the LCWR will select speakers and presenters who speak “with integrity and to further the aims and purposes of the conference, which unfold within the wider context of the Church’s faith and mission.”
**“When a topic explicitly addresses matters of faith, speakers are expected to employ the ecclesial language of faith,” the report reads.
**“When exploring contemporary issues, particularly those which, while not explicitly theological nevertheless touch upon faith and morals, LCWR expects speakers and presenters to have due regard for the Church’s faith and to pose questions for further reflection in a manner that suggests how faith might shed light on such issues.”
The report also announced that they have revised the process for selecting the recipient of their Outstanding Leadership Award
The joint report also recognized the revision of the LCWR’s statues, which have been changed to clarify the conference’s role as “a public juridic person centered on Jesus Christ and faithful to the teachings of the Church.”
The revised Statutes were approved Feb. 6, 2015, with an official Decree from the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Other topics emphasized in the report were the importance of celebrating the Eucharist and the need to pray the traditional Liturgy of the Hours prayer in religious communities.
M
McCall1981
Guest
Um, the Sisters agreed to exactly what the CDF/Vatican wanted all along
K
kozlosap
Guest
:clapping:
A
anthony022071
Guest
There is nothing wrong with referring to nuns with low-quality faith and morals as low quality. They are not beyond judgement for belonging to religious orders.
S
SuscipeMeDomine
Guest
How interesting that you are able to judge their souls. Low-quality faith and morals indeed.
- Status