The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) is one of two associations of the leaders of congregations of Catholic women religious in the United States (the other being the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious). LCWR includes over 1300 members, who are members of 302 religious congregations that include 33,431 women religious in the United States as of 2018. Founded in 1956, the conference describes its charter as assisting its members to "collaboratively carry out their service of leadership to further the mission of the Gospel in today's world." The canonically-approved organization collaborates in the Catholic Church and in society to "influence systemic change, studying significant trends and issues within the church and society, utilizing our corporate voice in solidarity with people who experience any form of violence or oppression, and creating and offering resource materials on religious leadership skills." The conference serves as a resource both to its members and to the public who are seeking resources on leadership for religious life.
In April 2015 the Vatican closed a controversial, multi-year investigation initiated in 2012 by Gerhard Ludwig Müller of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). J. Peter Sartain, archbishop of Seattle, was appointed to work with the conference. According to Associated Press Vatican correspondent, Nicole Winfield, the investigation "embittered many American Catholics against what they perceive as heavy-handed tactics by Rome." While Pope Francis reaffirmed the canonical investigation and the organization's members were ordered to review their statutes and reassess their plans and programs, the Holy See in its conclusion praised the nuns' work. The joint final report of both the Vatican and the LCWR stated that the conference is "a public juridic person centered on Jesus Christ and faithful to the teachings of the Church," its publications "need a sound doctrinal foundation," and "when exploring contemporary issues, particularly those which, while not explicitly theological nevertheless touch upon faith and morals, LCWR expects speakers and presenters to have due regard for the Church's faith"
Mission and purpose
According to its official website, the LCWR serves as a resource to its members and to others seeking information on leadership for religious life and living religious life. Its mission is to "promote a developing understanding and living of religious life by": "Assisting its members personally and communally to carry out more collaboratively their service of leadership in order to accomplish further the mission of Christ in today's world." "Fostering dialogue and collaboration among religious congregations within the church and in the larger society." "Developing models for initiating and strengthening relationships with groups concerned with the needs of society, thereby maximizing the potential of the conference for effecting change."
Membership statistics
The membership of the LCWR is composed of women who are the superiors, or leaders, of their respective congregations. In 2019, congregations led by LCWR members included 32,475 members "nearly 80% of the approximately 38,000 women religious in the United States".
In 2009 the average median age of women in final/perpetual vows in LCWR member congregations was 74 (compared to 60 in CMSWR member institutes). Among those who entered since 1994, 56% were over 30 by 2009.
A 2009 survey by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate showed that 78 percent of women who joined CMSWR organizations were under 30, compared to 35 percent of those who joined LCWR organizations. According to Mary Johnson, Patricia Wittberg, and Mary Gautier, in New Generations of Catholic Sisters (2014):