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The Spirit of God is upon us.
God has anointed us
To bring good news to the poor
To proclaim release to the captives
To bring recovery of sight to the blind
To let the oppressed go free
To proclaim this, our age,
As a time of God's favor.
-- Based on Luke 4: 18-19
We, the members of the Leadership Conference of
Women Religious, believe that God's call is written in the signs
of our time. Our foremothers and founders stepped into the chaos
and the unknown of their day, trusting in God's good guidance and
great providence. In our time, we are called to do the same. Inspired
by the radical call of the Gospel, led by God's Spirit and companioned
by one another, we embrace our time as holy, our leadership as gift,
and our challenges as blessings.
Major social and global changes create
fear, anxiety, confusion, and polarization
Technology, communication, and information shrink time
and distances among peoples
Inaccessibility to basic resources breeds suffering,
oppression and violence
Increasingly, violence, military force and terrorist
activity are used to settle disputes
Multinational corporations exert control over legitimate
governments
Religion is used to justify political and personal
aggression
Environmental degradation threatens all of God's creation
Long for justice, peace and communion
Work to achieve the common good
Hunger for spirituality and meaning
Claim personal and communal power for change
Awaken to the wonder of the universe, and the place
of humans within it
Struggle to love the Church as
both graced and sinful
Strive to balance traditional teachings with changing
realities
Seek to be a more inclusive, welcoming community
Hunger for spirituality and the full expression of
their baptismal call
Experience the pressing impact of a rapidly
evolving world and universe
Struggle with growing diversity in members' views,
cultures, and religious practices
Are confronted with their own humanity and sinfulness
Bear the call to create structures that free the Church
for the ways of God's Spirit
Carry the responsibility of being welcoming, accountable,
and inclusive pastors to all God's People
An evolving Church, world and universe
Major shifts in identity, resources, members, and traditional
ministries
Diversity of cultures, worldviews, and theologies
Restructuring within and among congregational units
A growing desire for contemplation, balance, and simplicity
Need and hope for dialog with Church's leaders and
inclusion in its processes
Emerging forms of religious commitment
Growing collaboration with the laity
Deepened appreciation of and commitment to the created
world as holy
Contemporary Religious Life
Commission the LCWR board and national office to actively read the signs of the times from a gospel perspective, assume an anticipatory role in understanding the implications for religious life, and bring the emerging questions, issues, and trends to the attention of the members. These questions will inform the planning of the programs, services, and resources offered to LCWR members to assist them in their ministry of leadership.
Effectiveness of the Conference
Commission the LCWR national board and national office to develop a strategic operational plan for the conference in order to maximize it s life and effectiveness in light of it s demographic and financial real it ies. Affirmed by the National Assembly in August 2009 in New Orleans.
View
the LCWR Call 2004- 2009 as a PDF document
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