Update from USA Leadership Conference of Women Religious

 ***Update 

This is one affirmative response to the leadership statement of the LWCR,given by Sr. Pat Farrell. It is written by Thomas Fox in NCR (August 11 2012.)

Below is the long awaited opening statement from the Annual Assembly meeting of The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), which took place in St Louis from August 7-10th to discuss their response to the Vatican's doctrinal assessment of their organization. 

The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith *CDF), has called for reform of LCWR to ensure its fidelity to Catholic teaching in areas of sexuality and theology.
Three bishops have been appointed to overhaul and oversee the organization over the next five years, headed by Seattle Archbishop Peter Sartain,

 The LWCR is a canonically approved membership organization which exists as a support system and corporate voice for leaders of institutes of women religious (Catholic sisters) in the United States and represents the majority of 56,000 nuns in US women's congregations. 

 In response the LCWR says it will continue discussion with the CDF but "will reconsider if forced to compromise the integrity of their mission."

Franciscan Sr. Pat Farrell instructed the sisters to be “fearless” in their response to the Vatican, and the end of her speech as she stepped down from her office was a phrase she learned in Chile during the military dictatorship. "They can crush a few flowers, but they cannot hold back the springtime."

Presidential Address from Pat Farrell, OSF  here: "Navigating The Shifts"

Website of LWCR here 

Related articles, several analyses and commentaries below
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