Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and
Societies of Apostolic Life have for some time been collaborating on a renewed
theological vision of Religious Life in the Church.The concern of the Holy See, expressed partially in the Doctrinal Assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the United States, is motivated by a desire to support the noble and beautiful vocation of Religious so that the eloquent witness of Religious Life may prosper in the Church to the benefit of future generations.”
“The initiatives of the Holy See in this area are concerned primarily with the faith of the Church and its expression in Religious Life. The Church’s faith—in the loving plan of the Father who sent his Son to be our Saviour, in the inspiration of Sacred Scripture, in the gift of grace through the Sacraments, in the nature of the Church guided by the Holy Spirit—this faith is at the heart of the Evangelical Counsels. It motivates the passion for justice shared by so many Religious women and men, and it seeks ever to be expressed in active charity towards those most in need.”
“Recent media commentary on remarks made on Sunday, 5 May, during the General Assembly of the International Union of Superiors General by Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life, has suggested a divergence between the CDF and the Congregation for Religious in their approach to the renewal of Religious Life. Such an interpretation of the cardinal’s remarks is not justified. The prefects of these two Congregations work closely together according to their specific responsibilities and have collaborated throughout the process of the Doctrinal Assessment of the LCWR. Archbishop Gerhard Muller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Cardinal Braz de Aviz met yesterday and reaffirmed their common commitment to the renewal of Religious Life, and particularly to the Doctrinal Assessment of the LCWR and the program of reform it requires, in accordance with the wishes of the Holy Father.”
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The head of the Vatican department that oversees
men’s and women’s religious orders says he was left in the dark about
the Vatican investigation that led to the makeover of the largest
umbrella group for American nuns.
In a story first reported by National Catholic Reporter, Brazilian
Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, head of the Vatican’s Congregation for
religious orders, said on Sunday (May 5) that the tensions sparked by
the Vatican crackdown of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious
caused him “much pain.”
Braz de Aviz’ remarks reflect the turf battles encumbering the
Vatican, as Pope Francis sets about to reform the Roman Curia, or
central bureaucracy, and add a new layer of intrigue to one of the major
stories involving the American church in recent years.
In April 2012, the Vatican issued a “doctrinal assessment” that
criticized the LCWR for not speaking out strongly enough against gay
marriage, abortion and women’s ordination.
The Vatican also chided the organization for “serious doctrinal
problems” among many LCWR members, and said LCWR conferences suffered
from “a prevalence of certain radical feminist themes incompatible with
the Catholic faith.”
Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain was appointed to overhaul the group’s practices and perceived theological ambiguities.
While the choice to discipline U.S. sisters became one of the
defining acts of Benedict XVI’s pontificate, Francis last month
“reaffirmed the findings” of the Vatican investigation and the “program
of reform” for LCWR, which represents the majority of America’s 57,000
nuns.
Speaking at the meeting of the International Union of Women
Superiors, Braz de Aviz said the decision to issue the critical report
on U.S. sisters was taken without even informing or consulting his
office.
When the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican’s
doctrinal watchdog, informed him of its findings, Braz de Aviz said, the
investigation was already completed.
At a subsequent meeting with CDF leaders, Braz de Aviz complained
about the lack of information-sharing between Vatican departments,
according to the NCR report.
“We will obey what the Holy Father wants and what will be decided
through you … But we must say that this material which should be
discussed together has not been discussed together,” Braz de Aviz told
the then-CDF chief, American Cardinal William Levada.
In an official interview given during the event, the cardinal said
that “dialogue” between LCWR and the Vatican is “possible,” noting that
“it isn’t just a matter of ’we are right, they are wrong,’” he said.
Braz de Aviz also expressed his appreciation for the Rome gathering’s
decision to discuss issues of authority within the Catholic Church. “It
is a problem I feel a lot too, not in order to weaken authority but to
put (authority) under a higher light,” he said.
According to Vatican Radio, the cardinal spoke of the “need for a
wide-ranging review of structures of power within the Catholic Church.”
Francis is expected to briefly meet with a group of women superiors,
including LCWR’s president Sister Florence Deacon, on Wednesday (May 7).
During his Sunday homily at the conference, Braz de Aviz also
described the process that led to the appointment of his new deputy,
José Rodríguez Carballo, in what is Francis’ only appointment within the
Roman Curia so far.
The No. 2 position had been left vacant after Benedict transferred Archbishop Joseph Tobin to Indianapolis last October.
Francis asked Braz de Aviz to present him with a list of three names,
and only asked who was Braz de Aviz’ preferred choice. The cardinal
then named Carballo as his favorite candidate, and the pope simply
accepted his suggestion.
“It’s a very simple way of doing things … it doesn’t overcomplicate things,” Braz de Aviz said.
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