Women, LCWR, and St. Clare of Assisi

[UrbScotty]

History tells us that Pope Gregory IX wrote the first guidelines for the women of Clare's community. But later, Clare took things into her own hands.

In fact, Catholic historians consider St. Clare to be the first woman to write a rule, or set of guidelines, for her religious community. At a time when most women's communities lived according to rules written by men, Clare's decision to compose a rule for her own community was a bold gesture.

It was also born out of necessity. Both the women and men of the early Franciscan communities felt that an authentic response to the Gospel could not be lived under the common rules of the day.

Sound familiar? It is. Ask a woman religious today, and you will likely hear a similar sentiment. The boxes into which the Vatican would like to place them do not allow many sisters to fully respond to the Gospel call. So after a lifetime of experience, women religious have begun writing a new path with their lives.

http://ncronline.org//blogs/young-voices/can-women-write-rules-st-clare-assisi-did

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

1. Unfortunately, the Vatican is sexist to the core

I could cite all sorts of things, but why bother demonstrating something we all know to be true?

Of course, if someone disagrees, I shall give those citations.