Cardinal sees no misunderstanding in media coverage of LCWR dispute

May 10, 2013

Just days after the Vatican press office issued a statement criticizing the accuracy of “media commentary” on his public remarks, the prefect of the Congregation for Religious has said that he was quoted accurately.

Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz said that the National Catholic Reporter was “very precise” in its report on his May 5 address to religious leaders. While he said that a translation of the word “authority” was questionable, he confirmed the substance of the Reporter’s coverage, including his statement that he felt “much pain” over the Vatican’s move to impose reforms on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR). The Brazilian cardinal said that when the disciplinary action was announced last year, he spoke with Cardinal William Levada, then the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, to say that his office should have been consulted on the move.

Cardinal Braz de Aviz said that he had not seen the statement from the Vatican press office, which had denied that his statement pointed to a difference between the two Vatican offices.

 

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Further information:

• Vatican official: Reporting on rift over sisters 'precise' (National Catholic Reporter)
• Vatican denies clear signs of discord on handling of LCWR (CWN, 5/7)
• In a preposterous Vatican statement, one important revelation (City Gates, 5/7)