Leaders of women’s religious communities discuss global solidarity
May 11, 2016
870 superiors of women’s religious institutes have gathered at a Roman hotel for the triennial assembly of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG).
The theme of the five-day assembly, which has attracted participants from 80 nations, is “weaving global solidarity for life.”
“In his Encyclical Laudato Si', Pope Francis invites us to a solidarity in favor of the future of our planet and of all peoples, a solidarity from the heart, which shows itself in our actions,” Sister Carmen Sammut, the UISG’s president, said in her opening address.
She continued, “Weaving global solidarity for life: ‘that they may have life and have it to the full.’ This is why we have given our lives as followers of Jesus. That God’s Kingdom may be an everyday reality.”
On May 10, the superiors general heard talks from Sister Carol Zinn and Sister Mary Sujita.
Sister Zinn, the president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the United States, addressed three themes: “the power of worldview and the conversion of mindset needed”; “the mutuality of relationships and the conversion of heart needed”; and “the witnessing of earth, fire, air, water and spirit and the conversion of will needed.”
Sister Sujita, who leads the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame in India, spoke about “solidarity for life on the periphery.” She stated:
The climate we are experiencing among us as women religious and in the Church in general is something like going back to our roots … How we choose to respond to this moment will decide the future of ministerial religious life. What is “the more” and “the different” that I am willing to risk in my prophetic mission today to ensure that evils like human trafficking, sex tourism, abuse of children and women, and destruction of the environment will have no place in our world?
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Posted by: eft945309797 -
May. 12, 2016 11:20 AM ET USA
Reads like a New Age buzzword-bingo fest. Pretty clear what New Evangelization team they are on.
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Posted by: Bernadette -
May. 11, 2016 11:33 PM ET USA
Blah, blah,blah. Sounds like a bunch of "New Age" nonsense to me. Sisters, get out and care for the poor, the marginalized, the indigent, and teach in schools the Gospel messages of Jesus Christ. What is the charism of your founder? Get back into habits and be proud to be a Bride of Christ.
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Posted by: aclune9083 -
May. 11, 2016 10:49 PM ET USA
“the witnessing of earth, fire, air, water and spirit and the conversion of will needed.”? What's next: prayer wheels? Liturgical dances? Even after an Apostolic Visitation, the LCWR leadership still doesn't get it--or perhaps, they think they get it but are determined to reject it?
