Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious

The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR) was formed by the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in 1992 to promote religious life in the United States. The CMSWR serves as a parallel organization to but is unaffiliated with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.^[1]

History

In October 1995 Pope John Paul II (and the Vatican's Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life) designated the CMSWR as a canonically approved national association of Women Religious for the United States who felt the Leadership Conference of Women Relgious (LCWR) did not represent their views. Composed of the leaders of women religious communities in the United States, the group is dedicated to Mary, Mother of the Church and Patroness of the Americas. Members of the Council wish to serve the Catholic Church and foster the progress and welfare of religious life in the United States.

Their male counterpart for leaders of monasteries and other men's religious institutes is the Conference of Major Superiors of Men.

In January 2009, the Vatican's Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life announced it would conduct an apostolic visitation of U.S. women religious to examine their quality of life, ministries, and vocation efforts. The chairperson for the CMSWR, Mother Mary Quentin Sheridan, R.S.M., welcomed the visitation and encouraged members to cooperate.^[2]

Membership

CMSWR is an assembly of superiors (leaders, such as Mothers Superior) of Roman Catholic religious orders or congregations of women. The CMSWR represents 20 percent (about 10,000) religious women in the United States. CMSWR member organizations are faithful to the Vatican and the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB), and their members wear an identifiable religious habit and are active in an apostolate. According the Study on Recent Vocations the average median age of nuns and sisters in CMSWR institutes is 60, and among those who joined in the past 15 nearly half are under 30.^[3]

Purpose

CMSWR's purpose is to be active on behalf of its member organizations; establish collaboration among major superiors; provide a forum for participation, dialogue, and education on the Church's teachings on religious life; promote unity among major superiors and testify to their union with the Magisterium and the Holy See; cooperate with the U.S. Conference of Bishops; and support organizations such as the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO), which ensures financial support for retired religious personnel.

The vast majority of women's congregations do not belong to this group who indetify with a vison of religious life from the past, wearing habits, etc. Most of the groups of women religious of the US belong to the Leadership Confernce of Women Religious.

References

1. ^ New commentary on the Code of Canon Law by John P. Beal, James A. Coriden, Thomas J. Green, p. 877
2. ^ Statement of CMSWR Concerning the Visitation
3. ^ Study on Recent Vocations to Religious Life

See also

• Catholic religious order
• Vocational discernment in the Catholic Church

External links

• CMSWR homepage
• Institute on Religious Life
• Leadership Conference of Women Religious
• Conference of Major Superiors [of Men]