Declare a Nuns' Emancipati​on Proclamati​on from Vatican Control

The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priestscelebrates the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the nearly 60,000women religious they represent in the United States. We reject the unjust,bullying behavior of the scandal-ridden Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrineof the Faith who has ordered the LCWR to reform itself more closely to “theteachings and discipline of the Church.”  It is the corrupt hierarchy, whohas spent billions of dollars and devastated the lives of thousands of youth inthe sexual abuse crisis that needs reform, not the dedicated nuns in the UnitedStates.

Now is the time for the LCWR to speak truth to power.Declare a nuns’ emancipation proclamation from Vatican control. ChallengeVatican misogyny publicly.  Affirm primacy of conscience and genderequality including women's ordination.
 
"As a Sister for Christian Community, I belong to anindependent community of women religious not under Vatican control,"Bridget Mary Meehan, bishop of ARCWP, reflects. “This means that I am blessedwith freedom to live my vocation as a woman priest. "

Nuns who are called by God and their communities shouldbe able to serve as priests.

“Religious communities of women have been the backbone ofthe church and the heart that pumps hope through the life of the church,” saidnewly ordained woman priest Miriam Picconi of Palm Coast, Florida.

 In the Biblical prophetic tradition the sistershave devoted their lives to living Gospel justice and reading the signs of thetimes.  They have heard the cries of the poor, the exploited and theabandoned.  Lifting oppression and birthing community and right relations,women religious have been at work transforming the world.

 We as women priests express our gratitude to thesisters, our mentors and teachers, who have been inspired by the Spirit. They have re-discovered and reaffirmed in us the Feminine Wisdom of God. They have blessed the love and commitment of same-sex partnerships.  Theyhave encouraged us women called to priesthood to live out our call.  Theyhave been prophetic voices for the liberating activity of the Spirit in ourchurch and world.  We stand in prayerful solidarity with all nuns and theLCWR in time of crisis. May women religious lead the church into a new beginningof justice and equality!

Association of Romen Catholic Women Priests, arcwp.org