Vatican appointed apostolic visitor to US women
religious congregations Mother Mary Clare Millea has sent major
superiors letters that indicates the effort will involve an examination
of "the soundness of doctrine held and taught" by the women.
When
the study was first announced it was explained that it was intended to
examine "the quality of life" of US women religious, with an eye to
finding out why vocations have dropped over the years, according to the
National Catholic Reporter.
Initially, some women
religious expressed confusion and scepticism concerning the purpose of
the investigation and questioned its intent.
Mother Millea,
superior general of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the
apostolic visitor charged by the Vatican with directing the study,
sent a letter dated July 28 to the heads of women religious
congregations, along with an Instrumentum Laboris, or "working paper".
The paper outlined the
next phases of the investigation, including the thrust of a
questionnaire that the religious heads are to fill out and return to
Millea.
The paper also explained in greater detail the focus of the apostolic visitation, the news report added.
The
first phase of the investigation that included interviews with the
religious superiors concluded July 31. The next phase involves the
heads of the orders to filling out and returning questionnaires
relating to the life and operation of the orders. Phase three involves
visitations to selected congregations.
The areas of concern
identified in the questionnaire include identity; governance; vocation
promotion; admission and formation policies; spiritual life and common
life; mission and ministry; and finances.
The Instumentum
Laboris states: "The Apostolic Visitation will focus on the
fundamentals of the religious vocation, including consecration by
profession of the evangelical counsels through public vow within a
particular religious institute wherein members exercise some external
apostolic work(s). Particular attention will be given to the
significant witness of the vowed commitment given by women religious
within the heritage of each institute's charism and in fidelity to the
Church's teachings and to the renewal indicated by Vatican Council II
and post-conciliar documents. It will examine, for example, promotion
and retention of vocations; initial and ongoing formation; the concrete
living out of the evangelical counsels; common life and religious
houses; the structures and practical application of internal
governance; the soundness of doctrine held and taught by the religious;
the nature and variety of apostolic works; and the overall
administration of temporal goods."
FULL STORY @
Women religious study to include 'soundness of doctrine' (National Catholic Reporter)
Working paper outlines information being sought from religious orders (Catholic News Service)
LINKS
Mother Mary Clare Millea's letter to the women religious congregation heads.
Full text of the Instumentum Laboris and appendices
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