This is significant. According to the Catholic News Agency:
Washington D.C., Apr 18, 2012 / 01:19 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican called for reform amid a doctrinal “crisis” within the U.S.'s Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), appointing Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle to lead renewal efforts.Please, continue reading here.
The appointment was made as the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith revealed the findings of its multi-year doctrinal assessment of the women's conference, which has more than 1,500 members throughout the country.
The assessment document explained, “it is clear that greater emphasis needs to be placed both on the relationship of the LCWR with the Conference of Bishops, and on the need to provide a sound doctrinal foundation in the faith of the Church.”
Initiated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2008, the assessment was carried out by Bishop Leonard P. Blair of Toledo, Ohio, a member of the U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee.
Among the key findings of the assessment were serious theological and doctrinal errors in presentations at the conference's annual assemblies in recent years.
Several of the addresses depicted a vision of religious life that is incompatible with the faith of the Church, the assessment said. Some attempted to justify dissent from Church doctrine and showed “scant regard for the role of the Magisterium.”
Commentary. This is great news! I hope the Holy See moves fast to clean up the LCWR house, and with courage and determination take the necessary measures to call the dissenters to repentance, or else.
This is much overdue. Vocations to religious life in LCWR-affiliated congregations have been decreasing steadily for several years now. Many of these congregations will disappear unless a full renewal of their original vocation takes place within the Church, and not outside of her. I applaud and support the Holy See's initiative and look forward to its prompt implementation in the near future.
* Hat-tip to A Catholic View.
* Access the Doctrinal Assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.
* Access the statement by Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on this matter.