Erin Saiz Hanna: 202.675.1006
Nicole Sotelo: 773.404.0004
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WASHINGTON
D.C. - One year ago today, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious
(LCWR), an umbrella group representing 80% of the 57,000 nuns in the
United States, came under
fire from the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for their
social justice ministries and not supporting the U.S. bishops' agenda of
attacking expanded healthcare, women's ordination, and same-sex marriage.
LCWR described the
assessment as "based on unsubstantiated accusations and the result of a
flawed process that lacked transparency," causing "pain and scandal in our
church."
On Monday, Pope Francis
reaffirmed the censure.
"While Pope Francis
presents a fresh face in Vatican City, breaking from papal tradition by washing
the feet of two women on Holy Thursday, for example, without
dismissing the mandate against the nuns
such symbolism appears meaningless at best
and hypocritical at worst," stated Erin Saiz Hanna, spokesperson for the Nun
Justice Project and Executive Director of the Women's Ordination
Conference.
"Catholics around the
country have been inspired by the faith and work of the sisters and will
continue to support them; we urge Pope Francis to recognize their commitment and
contributions and dismiss the mandate," said Jim FitzGerald, spokesperson for
the Nun Justice Coalition and Executive Director of Call To Action.
Last summer, nearly 70,000
Catholics signed a Change.org petition and hundreds organized vigils to rally
around the sisters.
"The pope intentionally
chose St. Francis as his namesake," continued Hanna. "St. Francis of Assisi's
sacred friendship with St. Clare is well documented. He wrote a promise of
mutual respect for her and for the women who joined her community. St. Francis
worked collaboratively alongside his sisters rather than against them. We expect
Pope Francis to do the same."
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