St. Louis, Mo., Aug 14, 2012 / 15:40 pm
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious has begun talks with the archbishop tasked with its reform, but says it will not make fundamental changes to its expression of consecrated religious life.
During its recent national assembly, the group instructed its board members "to articulate its belief that religious life, as it is lived by the women religious who comprise LCWR, is an authentic expression of this life that must not be compromised," the conference of sisters said in an Aug. 13 statement.
On Aug. 11, one day after the assembly's close, the national board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious met for the first time with Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle, who was assigned by the Vatican to address doctrinal concerns within the conference.
The leadership conference's national assembly had instructed its board to approach the discussion with Archbishop Sartain "from a stance of mutual respect, careful listening and open dialogue."