Press release: WAC welcomes vindication of U.S. Women Religious

We are Church Ireland welcomes the vindication of the 50,000 sisters of the U.S. ‘ Leadership Conference of Women religious‘  in a lengthy report issued to-day December 16^th 2014 in the Vatican by Cardinal Boaz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Religious Life and Societies for Apostolic Life.

The Vatican Investigation, formally known as an Apostolic Visitation  was launched under Pope Benedict XV1in 2008 and it involved 341 women ‘s religious Institutes that represents  50,000 American Sisters. It is claimed to be the longest and most comprehensive report ever in Catholic Church memory.

It was originally conducted by Cardinal Rode who has since retired  into what he termed ‘some irregularities or omissions ‘ among U.S. Sisters and accused them of  ‘a certain secular mentality and perhaps a certain feminist spirit’’

However the content of this final report was positive and praised the commitment of the Sisters involved and their president Sr. Sharon Holland welcomed the report

‘ As it  recognises our reality in its commonality and diversity  and  our achievements have been recognised  with gratitude ‘.

We are yet awaiting a further report from Cardinal Mueller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’ into the  same Leadership Conference of Women Religious .

‘On behalf of We are Church Ireland we welcome the due recognition of these dedicated 50,000 American Sisters ‘ stated brendan Butler, Spokesperson of We are Church Ireland

Further Information ; Brendan Butler , 086 4054984