"On St. Clare Feast Catholics Support Sisters, Pray for Authentic Dialogue" /Time for the full equality of women in the Catholic Church

 

WASHINGTON D.C. - Next week, hundreds of Catholic nuns are expected to gather in Orlando, FL for the annual meeting of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR).

On August 11, 2013 in solidarity with U.S. women religious, thousands of Catholics will join in prayer http://nunjustice.org/download/ on the Feast of St. Clare.

 

"The pope intentionally chose St. Francis of Assisi as his namesake, and he has shown himself to be open to dialogue" stated Erin Saiz Hanna, spokesperson for the Nun Justice Project. "St. Francis of Assisi's sacred friendship with St. Clare is well documented. St. Francis worked collaboratively alongside his sisters rather than against them. We pray Pope Francis, and Archbishop Sartain, will not only speak but listen and authentically dialogue with the sisters as St. Francis did with St. Clare."

 

LCWR, an umbrella group representing 80% of the 57,000 nuns in the United States, remains under scrutiny from the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). In the spring of 2012 the CDF issued a statement accusing LCWR of promoting "radical feminist themes" and "corporate dissent," causing outrage among Catholics around the globe.

LCWR responded that the CDF statement was based on "unsubstantiated accusations' and the result of a "flawed process that lacked transparency." Last August, the organization's president, Sr. Pat Farrell, announced that "open and honest dialogue" would be LCWR's next step with Archbishop Sartain who had been appointed to oversee the mandate.

Last summer, nearly 70,000 Catholics signed a Change.org petition and hundreds organized vigils to rally around the sisters.

"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 Project.

Bridget Mary's Response:

 As St. Clare and St. Francis collaborated as companions and ministers of the Gospel, it is my hope that Pope Francis will open a new path for nunjustice and  for the full equality for women in the church.  The entire church owes the nuns a debt of gratitude for centuries of generous service to  those on the margins of church and society. May the hierarchy treat their Sisters as beloved companions and spiritual equals in ministry to God's people.

Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org