Vatican report lays bare problems in US religious life

AD2000 Report

Contents - Feb 2015 - Buy a copy now Editorial: A request for your assistance - Peter Westmore Consistory: Pope Francis names twenty new Cardinals - AD2000 Report News: The Church Around the World The survival of the Church - Fr John O'Neill PP Vatican report lays bare problems in US religious life - AD2000 Report Martyrdom: Would I have had their courage? - Cardinal George Pell The Pope and the Holocaust: why did Pius XII not speak out? - Robert A. Graham SJ The family and the Church in 2015 - Archbishop Mark Coleridge Brisbane: powerhouse of Catholic young adult ministry - Br Barry Coldrey The Eighteen Benedictions of Judaism ... and Christianity - Andrew Sholl What Pope Francis really said to the Roman Curia - AD2000 Report Letters: Catholic education - Allan Choveaux Letters: Smartphone apps 'very suspect' - Elizabeth Afribo Letters: A rejoinder to Anne Lastman - Charles M. Shann Letters: Mary in St John's Gospel - Dr Frank Mobbs Letters: The Church in China - Paul Simmons Letters: Homosexuality - Anne Lastman Books: AUSTRALIANS AND THE CHRISTIAN GOD: An historical study, by Hugh Jackson - Michael E. Daniel (reviewer) Books: MY BATTLE AGAINST HITLER, by Dietrich von Hildebrand - Kate Veik (reviewer) Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy - Anne Lastman

Last December, the Vatican congregation for religious life issued its final report on the Apostolic Visitation of religious congregations of women in the United States. The visitation was ordered in 2008 in response to concerns about the future of these religious congregations, and reports of internal problems in some religious communities.

The Apostolic Visitation was ordered by the head of the Vatican Congregation, after consultation with Pope Benedict XVI. Mother Mary Clare Millea, the American Superior General of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was appointed to serve as the Apostolic Visitor.

Cloistered communities of contemplative sisters were excluded from the visitation.

This visitation was separate from the ongoing inquiry by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith into the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the United States. This arose from statements made by the Leadership Conference about women's ordination, the theology of religious pluralism, and the morality of homosexuality and abortion.

Mother Mary Clare delivered her report to the Vatican Congregation for Religious, which issued a public report, as well as preparing private reports for religious congregations where problems were seen.

Balanced

The Vatican report was delicately balanced: recognising the extraordinary role which women religious had played in the Church historically, but pointing to severe problems at the present time.

It said, "Since the early days of the Catholic Church in their country, women religious have courageously been in the forefront of her evangelising mission, selflessly tending to the spiritual, moral, educational, physical and social needs of countless individuals, especially the poor and marginalised.

"Throughout the nation's history, the educational apostolate of women religious in Catholic schools has fostered the personal development and nourished the faith of countless young people and helped the Church community in the USA to flourish.

"In addition, a great majority of the Catholic healthcare systems in the United States, which serve millions of people each year, were established by congregations of women religious."

However, it found that there is a crisis in many religious congregations, partly arising from a lack of vocations.

It pointed out, "Today, the median age of apostolic women religious in the United States is in the mid-to-late 70s. The current number of approximately 50,000 apostolic women religious is a decline of about 125,000 since the mid-1960s, when the numbers of religious in the United States had reached their peak."

Many sisters expressed great concern during the Apostolic Visitation for the continuation of their charism and mission, because of the numerical decline in their membership.

"Currently, a significant number of religious institutes are expending considerable spiritual and material energies in the area of vocation promotion. While some of these have since shown an increase in the number of candidates entering and remaining, for many other institutes the results are not commensurate with the expectations and efforts."

This is a major challenge for the future. Why are women not attracted to religious life?

The report observed, "In general, candidates to the apostolic religious life tend to be older, more educated, and more culturally diverse than in the past.

"Vocation and formation personnel interviewed noted that candidates often desire the experience of living in formative communities and many wish to be externally recognisable as consecrated women. This is a particular challenge in institutes whose current lifestyle does not emphasise these aspects of religious life."

The report diplomatically is suggesting that young women want to live in communities with a strong religious community life, and want to dress like religious women.

The fact that the report called on "all religious institutes to carefully review their spiritual practices and ministry to assure that these are in harmony with Catholic teaching about God, creation, the Incarnation and the Redemption", implies that in a significant number of cases, this is not happening.

The report also noted that the Apostolic Visitation was met with "apprehension and suspicion by some women religious. This resulted in a refusal, on the part of some institutes, to collaborate fully in the process."

It added, "While the lack of full cooperation was a painful disappointment for us, we use this present opportunity to invite all religious institutes to accept our willingness to engage in respectful and fruitful dialogue with them."

That such an attitude exists demonstrates that some American religious communities are profoundly out of sympathy with the Holy See, and are unwilling to accept even the most gentle exercise of its authority.

The report also found that an increasing number of religious communities face severe financial difficulties.

It noted, "Despite careful stewardship, most institutes reported a significant and ongoing loss of income for several reasons.

"Among these are the long-term consequences of women religious having been under-compensated for their ministry over an extended period of time. The current diminishment in membership in most institutes results in fewer sisters earning a salary or stipend."

It expressed the hope that the forthcoming Year of Consecrated Life would be "a graced opportunity for all of us within the Church – religious, clergy and laity – to take those steps toward forgiveness and reconciliation which will offer a radiant and attractive witness of fraternal communion to all."

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 28 No 1 (February 2015), p. 7