Statement of the Director of the Holy See Press Office concerning the doctrinal Assessment
of the LCWR
June 12, 2012
Today the Superiors of the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith met with the President and Executive Director of the
Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in the United States of America.
Most Rev. Peter J. Sartain, Archbishop of Seattle and the Holy See’s Delegate for
the doctrinal Assessment of the LCWR, also participated in the meeting.
The
meeting provided the opportunity for the Congregation and the LCWR officers to discuss
the issues and concerns raised by the doctrinal Assessment in an atmosphere of openness
and cordiality.
According to Canon Law, a Conference of Major Superiors such
as the LCWR is constituted by and remains under the supreme direction of the Holy
See in order to promote common efforts among the individual member Institutes and
cooperation with the Holy See and the local Conference of Bishops (Cf. Code of Canon
Law, cann. 708-709). The purpose of the doctrinal Assessment is to assist the LCWR
in this important mission by promoting a vision of ecclesial communion founded on
faith in Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Church as faithfully taught through
the ages under the guidance of the Magisterium.