August-September 2009 Leadership Conference of Women Religious Newsletter

8/9/2019 August-September 2009 Leadership Conference of Women Religious Newsletter

1/6

LCWR Update August/September 2009 page 1

Inside this issue:

345

August/September 2009

Media Coverage of US Women Religious

LCWR to Offer Systemic Change Think Tank

New Papal Encyclical Addresses Economic Crisis

Nearly 800 Registered for New Orleans Assembl

LCWR members continue to register for the nationalassembly, with the total heading to 800 at the timeof this newsletters publication.Many congregations made donations to the 2009 assembly scholarship fund. As of July 16, the national ofcehad received $16 ,900 in contributions, thus enabling theconference to assist 31 individuals with registrationsand/or hotel accommodations.

In order to prepare fully for the assembly, all membersare encouraged to do the following:

___ Read the 2008 - 2009 LCWR annual reportwww.lcwr.org/lcwrpublications/report09.pdf

___ Read the Summer 2009 issue ofOccasional Papers

___ Read the information on the candidates forthe LCWR president and secretary (See the LCWRMembers Information section of the LCWR websiteat www.lcwr.org)

All are reminded to verify that they have registered forthe assembly (the cancelled check is conrmation) andmade hotel reservations.

Online Assembly Evaluation

Immediately following the assembly LCWR memberswill receive an online survey that will serve as the as-sembly evaluation. All members are asked to completethe survey whether they attended or not. The feedbackobtained from these evaluations is invaluable for plan-ning purposes.

LCWR Members Indicate Support of Shared Futures Plan

More than 600 LCWR members responded to

the online questionnaire regarding the LCWRShared Futures plan. Members were asked toindicate their support of the plan. The following are theresults:

Support the plan 90.7%Support and made suggestions 8.5%Did not support the plan 0.8%

Discussion of the plan as well as the members feedbackwill take place at the assembly on August 13.
http://www.lcwr.org/lcwrpublications/report09.pdfhttp://www.lcwr.org/http://www.lcwr.org/http://www.lcwr.org/http://www.lcwr.org/lcwrpublications/report09.pdf


2/6


Fro t LCWR Pr id ncy

by Mary Whited, CPPS LCWR Past President

Gratitude for the Privilege of Service

In my presentation to the 2008 LCWRnational assembly, I spoke of how mid-wives deliver new life, pass on to oth-ers what they have learned, and then

step back so that others can lead. The timehas come for me to step aside as othersstep up to lead our conference. As I writemy nal column, various feelings bubbleup, particularly gratitude for the privilegeof serving the conference.

I trust that I have brought to the presiden-cy a reconciling presence, reective of the mission of theSisters of the Most Precious Blood. I hope that I havehelped us claim our place at the table in settings thatcall for a contemplative perspective and the passionatepresence of women religious. As the presidency en-gaged in honest, and sometimes difcult, conversationswith Vatican ofcials and oth-ers, I hope that I have judgedwell when to push and whento simply breathe.

Late one evening, a fewweeks ago, I received thenews that two of our sistershad been hit by a car while crossing a street. Elaine diedat the scene of the accident and Marie Frances was criti-cally injured. After a sleepless night, I kept my appoint-ment with Mother Clare, scheduled for the followingday. While the hopes and concerns about which I spokedid not change, the tragedy put the conversation into avery different perspective. Life and death has a way ofshifting priorities to what is most important.

At Elaines wake, our chapel was packed with hun-dreds of people who had been touched by her presenceand who supported our loss. As I listened to powerfuland beautiful tributes by so many, I noted the irony ofthis situation. No visitators were present to hear thestories of untiring delity to her call and service to thechurch. Her generosity and prayerful presence will not be reected in the nal results of the investigations. As

I attend to an apostolic visitation of mycongregation and doctrinal assessment ofLCWR, I am deeply saddened by initia-tives that do not build on common groundand indicate that the contributions ofwomen religious are not valued by somein the church. To carry this pain has beenthe most difcult part of my service to theconference.

I have been blessed and enriched far beyond what I could ever have imagined

when I said yes to leadership in LCWR. I will trulymiss the signicant collaboration between LCWR andthe Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the dia-logues around current issues in church and world withconferences of Latin American and Canadian religious,the conversations with the International Union of

Superiors General in Romeand, especially, the wonderfulwomen I have come to knowon the LCWR national boardand executive committee. Ithas been a joy to share thepresidency with Bea Eichten,Mary Dacey, J. Lora Dam-

broski, and Marlene Weisenbeck. I am grateful to haveworked alongside former and current executive direc-tors Carole Shinnick and Jane Burke as well as the won-derful LCWR staff. I admit, I will not miss the meetingsor the conference calls. But I will surely miss the faith,wisdom, and laughter shared at many dinner tables.

In light of the theme of last year s assembly, I leave youwith this message:

Climbing the mountain has become a way of life for usecclesial women who desire to see from the perspectivof God. Let us open ourselves to a new moment of grawhen the Mysterious Presence, whom we call Spirit ofGod, leads and supports us in our climb. In her presencwe will not be deterred from the heart work and the hework that are essential to climbing.

I h v b l e n r c e f r b n I c ul v r

h v mag ne I s i t lead r p LCWR.


3/6


US Women Religious Become Focus of Media Coverage

Since the beginning of July, US women religioushave been featured on television and radio pro-grams and in newspapers and blogs throughout

the country. The following are links to some samples ofthe coverage.

US Nuns Facing Vatican ScrutinyNew York Times, July 2Article on the Vaticans apostolic visitation of USwomen religious and doctrinal assessment of LCWRwww.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/us/02nuns.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanted=all Focus: Women & Spirit Exhibit at Cincinnati Mu-seum CenterCincinnati Public Television, July 2Interview with Helen Maher Garvey, BVM; BarbaraHagedorn, SC (chair of Cincinnati exhibit); Jane McK-night (senior registrar, Cincinnati Museum Center)www.cetconnect.org/MediaPlayer.aspx?vid=4055

Visitors in the pastNational Catholic Reporter, July 6Article by Gary Macy on history of Vatican oversightncronline.org/news/women/visitors-past

How Catholic Nuns Shaped AmericaFox Business News, July 7Article by Elizabeth MacDonald on theWomen & Spiritexhibit and the Vatican investigationsemac.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2009/07/07/how-catho-lic-nuns-shaped-america/

Sisters Face Death With Dignity and ReverenceNew York Times July 8Article on end-of-life care offered by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester, New Yorkwww.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/health/09sisters.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp

US Nuns and the VaticanNational Public Radio, On Point with Tom Ashbrooke, July 8Interview with Sandra Schneiders, IHM; MaryTraupman, CDP; Mother Mary Quentin Sheridan, RSM;and Laurie Goodstein, national religion correspondentfor The New York Timeswww.onpointradio.org/2009/07/u-s-nuns-and-the-vatican

Pope Hopes Excommunicated Nun Might BecomeSaintArticle by James Martin, SJ on Mother Mary McKillopAmerica, July 9www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&id=51639454-3048-741E-3028918618441006

Letters to the EditorNew York Times, July 10Responses to July 2 articlewww.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/opinion/lweb10nuns.html?scp=3&sq=&st=nyt

A Nuns LifeNational Public Radio, Cleveland The Sound ofIdeas, July 10Interview with former LCWR president CatherinePinkerton, CSJ; Mary Ann Flannery, SC; Susan Durkin,OSU; and Erin Zubal, OSUwww.wcpn.org/WCPN/soi/26980

What the Sisters Are Up ToNew York Times, July 12Editorial by Francis X. Klines on the Vatican investiga-tionswww.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/opinion/12sun3.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Women religious leadership conference has beenfaithful to its mission

National Catholic Reporter, July 13Essay by Richard McBrienncronline.org/blogs/essays-theology/women-reli-gious-leadership-conference-has-been-faithful-its-mission?nocache=1#comment-47739
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/us/02nuns.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanted=allhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/us/02nuns.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanted=allhttp://www.cetconnect.org/MediaPlayer.aspx?vid=4055http://www.cetconnect.org/MediaPlayer.aspx?vid=4055http://ncronline.org/news/women/visitors-pasthttp://ncronline.org/news/women/visitors-pasthttp://emac.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2009/07/07/how-catholic-nuns-shaped-america/http://emac.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2009/07/07/how-catholic-nuns-shaped-america/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/health/09sisters.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hphttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/health/09sisters.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hphttp://www.onpointradio.org/2009/07/u-s-nuns-and-the-vaticanhttp://www.onpointradio.org/2009/07/u-s-nuns-and-the-vaticanhttp://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&id=51639454-3048-741E-3028918618441006http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&id=51639454-3048-741E-3028918618441006http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/opinion/lweb10nuns.html?scp=3&sq=&st=nythttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/opinion/lweb10nuns.html?scp=3&sq=&st=nythttp://www.wcpn.org/WCPN/soi/26980http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/opinion/12sun3.html?_r=1&emc=eta1http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/opinion/12sun3.html?_r=1&emc=eta1http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/opinion/12sun3.html?_r=1&emc=eta1http://ncronline.org/blogs/essays-theology/women-religious-leadership-conference-has-been-faithful-its-mission?nocache=1#comment47739http://ncronline.org/blogs/essays-theology/women-religious-leadership-conference-has-been-faithful-its-mission?nocache=1#comment47739http://ncronline.org/blogs/essays-theology/women-religious-leadership-conference-has-been-faithful-its-mission?nocache=1#comment47739http://ncronline.org/blogs/essays-theology/women-religious-leadership-conference-has-been-faithful-its-mission?nocache=1#comment47739http://ncronline.org/blogs/essays-theology/women-religious-leadership-conference-has-been-faithful-its-mission?nocache=1#comment47739http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/opinion/12sun3.html?_r=1&emc=eta1http://www.wcpn.org/WCPN/soi/26980http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/opinion/lweb10nuns.html?scp=3&sq=&st=nythttp://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&id=51639454-3048-741E-3028918618441006http://www.onpointradio.org/2009/07/u-s-nuns-and-the-vaticanhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/health/09sisters.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hphttp://emac.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2009/07/07/how-catholic-nuns-shaped-america/http://ncronline.org/news/women/visitors-pasthttp://www.cetconnect.org/MediaPlayer.aspx?vid=4055http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/us/02nuns.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanted=all


4/6


Visitwww.womenandspirit.org

Women & SpiritScheduleCincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminalin the Cincinnati History MuseumCincinnati, Ohio May 16 - August 30, 2009

The Womens Museum: An Institute for the FutureDallas, TexasSeptember 25 - December 2009

Smithsonian-International Galleryin the Dillon Ripley CenterWashington, DC January 15 - April 2010

Statue of Liberty National Monument/Ellis Island

Immigration MuseumNew York City September - December 2010 Mississippi River MuseumDubuque, IowaFebruary - April 2011

LCWR Leading from Within Retreat

A retreat for LCWR members andLCWR associates who are serving in

congregation leadership

January 17 - 22, 2010

Redemptorist Renewal Center at Picture Rocks Tucson, Arizonawww.desertrenewal.org

Join with other women religious leaders for a five-dayretreat that will provide opportunities to reflect onthe blessings and challenges of religious life leadershiptoday. The days will include input, quiet contempla-tive space, a variety of ritual experiences, and someopportunity for individual and group spiritual directionfor those who so choose.

Retreat Directors

Regina Bechtle, SC

Mara ElenaMartnez, OSF

Registration forms will be sent online at a later time.Participation will be limited to the first 25 members

to send in their form and check.

New Encyclical Offers Analysis of Economic Crisis

Pope Benedict XVIs new encyclical Caritas in Veri-tate - Charity in Truth offers an ethical analysis ofthe global economic crisis and an essential moralframework on how to move forward as a global com-

munity. The encyclical is drawing great attention in theUnited States and around the world.

The USCCBs Department of Justice, Peace, and HumanDevelopment is offering resources to assist with the ex-ploration of the encyclical. These resources, along witha link to the text of the encyclical, are available atwww.usccb.org/jphd/caritasinveritate/ .

As of July 15, more than 27,000 persons had vis-ited the Women & Spiritexhibit at the CincinnatiMuseum Center
http://www.womenandspirit.org/http://www.desertrenewal.org/http://www.usccb.org/jphd/caritasinveritate/http://www.usccb.org/jphd/caritasinveritate/http://www.usccb.org/jphd/caritasinveritate/http://www.usccb.org/jphd/caritasinveritate/http://www.usccb.org/jphd/caritasinveritate/http://www.womenandspirit.org/http://www.desertrenewal.org/


5/6


Clarification of Finance CommitteeStatement in Annual Report

Since the annual report was posted to the LCWRwebsite to allow members to review the documentprior to approval at the assembly, several inquirieswere made about one of the reported expense items.The report narrative did not reference it and the ofcersand staff would like to clarify this item.

The Finance Committee report appears on pages 25-26of the 2009 annual report. Page 26 shows the actualgures taken from the audit review for the 2008 scalyear. Last fall Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) award-ed a grant of $2.1 million for the New Orleans recoveryproject. LCWR is acting as manager of that grant.

The rst 40% of the grant was received and checks werewritten to grant recipients the week before Christmas2008. The amount received from CCUSA for distribu-tion was $804,000 and is part of the total reported undercontributions in the Revenue section of the Revenueand Expenses Statement. Under the Program Expensessection there is a line item titled CCUSA which reectsthe checks written to grant recipients.

Healthcare Reform and ComprehensiveImmigration Reform Face UphillStruggles

T wo issues which are high on the priority list ofmany LCWR member congregations are authentichealthcare reform and comprehensive immigra-

tion reform. Although both are sorely needed, reformdoes not come easy. Carol Keehan, DC, president andCEO of Catholic Health Association is at the table withmembers of the Administration and with the Senate Fi-nance Committee working on behalf of the uninsured,the underinsured, and hospitals who care for the mostvulnerable people in our society. When the committeenalizes legislation, LCWR member congregations will be called upon to advocate for true healthcare reform.

NETWORK also works on behalf of healthcare reformand was one of the sponsors of an interfaith prayer andrally for healthcare reform on June 24 in Washington,DC. Several hundred people of faith from around thecountry came to the Capitol to raise their voices insupport of affordable, accessible, quality healthcare foreveryone. While not a sponsor of the event, LCWR wasrepresented.

At the same time, members of the Justice for Im-migrants campaign continue to keep alive the needfor comprehensive immigration reform. Members ofcongressional ofces continue to say that they hearmore from the opposition than they do from supportersof CIR. Many representatives are taking a wait-and-seeattitude until a piece of legislation is introduced. Strongadvocacy efforts will be called for on this issue also. JFI plans another convening to be held in Philadelphia,October 7-9, 2009.

LCWR Systemic Change Think Tank2010 Planned for Florida

Since the last three LCWR systemic change thinktanks have been held in the west or southwest, the

planning committee decided to hold Think Tank XIIin Florida at the Bethany Center, north of Tampa in theSt. Petersburg Diocese, March 1-4, 2010.

Carol Zinn, SSJ will facilitate The Evolution of HumanThought and Religious Life for the Life of the Worldusing the framework of spiral dynamics. The think tankis open to both LCWR members and justice and peacecoordinators of LCWR member congregations. Registra-tion yers will be distributed during the 2009 assemblyand will also be sent electronically. Carol issues aninvitation to celebrate this moment of creation historywhere we come to realize that Gods transforming loveis always available to us and can do innitely more thanwe could ever imagine!

Updateis an ofcial publication of the LeadershipConference of Women Religious published monthly anddistributed to members nationally.

Editor: Annmarie Sanders, IHM

8808 Cameron Street Silver Spring, MD 20910Phone: 301-588-4955 Fax: [email protected] www.lcwr.org

Update
http://www.lcwr.org/http://www.lcwr.org/


6/6


The RCRI National ConferenceOctober 20-23, 2009

Atlanta, GA

T he rst national conference of the Resource Centerfor Religious Institutes (RCRI) will be held at theHilton Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia from Tuesday, Oc-tober 20 through Friday, October 23, 2009. The themeof the conference is Changing Times. Pre-conferenceseminars as well as keynote and major addresses andindividual presentations will develop aspects of thistopic.

RFC Seeks Program Director

T he Religious Formation Conference (RFC), SilverSpring, Maryland, is seeking a full-time programdirector. The director will be charged with design-ing, planning, implementing, and evaluating currentand new programs in the area of initial and lifelongformation of members of religious institutes of womenand men.

The candidate will have experience in initial andongoing formation; in program design, development,and implementation; a masters degree in theology orequivalent credential and experience; computer pro-ciency; and familiarity with Microsoft Ofce programs.She/he will work in close cooperation with the execu-tive director.

RFC offers a comprehensive benets package, salary

commensurate with experience, and a cordial workenvironment.

To apply, submit rsum and three references to:

Violet Grennan, mcExecutive DirectorReligious Formation Conference8820 Cameron StreetSilver Spring, MD 20910

Upcoming LCWR Dates

LCWR AssemblyNew Orleans, LouisianaAugust 11 15, 2009

LCWR Leading from Within RetreatRedemptorist Renewal Center

Tucson, Arizona January 17 22, 2010

LCWR New Leader WorkshopThe Retreat Center at St. Johns

Plymouth, MichiganMarch 11 14, 2010

LCWR AssemblyDallas, Texas

August 10 14, 2010

LCWR Leading from Within RetreatSan Pedro Spiritual Retreat Center

Winter Park, FL January 16 23, 2011

LCWR New Leader WorkshopThe Retreat Center at St. Johns

Plymouth, Michigan

March 24 27, 2011

LCWR AssemblyGarden Grove, California

August 9 13, 2011

Annemarie Gibbons, director of CLINICs Divi-sion of Immigration Services, will speak on TheChanging Rules on Immigration for Members andEmployees.

Simone Campbell, SSS, director of NETWORK,

will deliver the opening keynote address entitledChange! Hope! We the People One Year Later!

Mary Waskowiak , RSM, president of the Insti-tute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas andDominic Izzo, OP, prior provincial of the St. JosephProvince,will present a joint keynote address, TheChanging Face of Religious Life in the UnitedStates.

Lynn Jarrell, OSU, president of the Ursuline Sis-ters of Louisville and Daniel Ward, OSB, executivedirector of RCRI, will give a major address,FutureEcclesial Relationships: Institutes and the UniversalChurch.

Documents

August-September 2009 Leadership Conference of Women Religious Newsletter