VATICAN CITY
Vatican Insider
The U.S. Catholic Church hopes for a positive solution to the controversy
Maria Teresa Pontara Pederiva
Rome
The recurring theme of Bergoglio’s papacy, mercy, has not just sparked hope among the laity, but also within the Church, of this subject being given a greater focus. The list is long: from remarried divorcees – one of the Pope’s sisters falls into this category – to gays (who are eagerly waiting for the civil unions which Bergoglio declared himself in favour of in Buenos Aires), from theologians who were “reproached” to “rebel” priests, to the women religious of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) whom the Vatican placed under the administration of an external commissioner last year.
The organisation was accused of devoting too much time to social justice and assistance to the poor (particularly women and children), to the detriment of the promotion of a pro-life culture, intended as a fight against abortion and euthanasia. According to the LCWR, this was too limiting. Pope Francis’ arrival, which promises a “poor Church for the poor”, gives us reason to hope for a downscaling of the disciplinary clash.
What really could make the difference is Pope Francis’ Jesuit background. Two women religious believe that the fact Bergoglio comes from a religious order is important. Sister Nancy Sylvester of the Sisters of the Immaculate heart of Mary in Monroe, Michigan, feels encouraged by the emphasis Bergoglio has placed on the poor: “I am really trying to be hopeful,” she said, adding that were signs in Francis’ public comments as Pope and his track record “that he would be much more sympathetic to women religious.” Sister Simone Campbell who is known for her speech at the last Democratic Convention, said that the world is thirsty for a real spiritual leader and that she hoped the new Pope would be precisely this and not get caught up in internal politics. Referring explicitly to Italian methods, she added that the LCWR issue is all to do with internal politics and nothing to do with faith.
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