The Leadership Conference of Women Religious, umbrella organization for most U.S. women religious, opens their annual convocation tomorrow in New Orleans. NCR editor Tom Fox is there to give us on the ground reports. Check this web site regularly for updates.
The meeting is of special interest this year because the conference and its membership are facing two investigations by the Vatican. It's a story NCR has been reporting since it broke in January. Here's a handy guide to NCR reporting and commentary:
News reports:
Women religious study to include 'soundness of doctrine' Report on the Instrumentum Laboris, or "working paper," which explains in greater detail the focus of the Apostolic Visitation.
Vatican begins study of US women religious NCR's first report on this topic, dated January 30, 2009.
Vatican women religious study outlined Additional reporting by John L Allen Jr dated Feb. 3, 2009.
Vatican investigates U.S. women religious leadership An April 14, 2009 story about a separate investigation of the LCWR.
U.S. women religious study raising new concerns An updated from June 4, 2009
Some commentaries:
'We did what the church asked us to do' By Dominican Sr. Anne Marie Mongoven
Sisters delivered the church Vatican II promised An NCR editorial
We've given birth to a new form of religious life by Sr. Sandra M. Schneiders