Since 2013, Pope Francis has endeavored to shift church culture: Interview with Sr. Carmen for National Catholic Reporter
VATICAN CITY In January, the Vatican office that oversees Catholic priests, sisters and brothers in global religious orders had a plenary session. Seven women attended as representatives of the world’s women religious.
That fact may not seem significant for those outside the Vatican, as sisters and nuns obviously represent a large proportion of those in religious life. But it was the first time in decades that women had been present at such a meeting, the result of a direct request to Pope Francis.
When some 900 leaders of the world’s congregations of women religious met with Francis last May, they asked why they were not being invited.
“Speaking about someone who is absent is not of the Gospel,” the pope responded. “You must be present.” He promised he would speak to the head of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, about the issue.
Sr. Carmen Sammut, who leads the Rome-based global umbrella group of women religious called the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), said in a recent interview that since the pope made his promise, a change had been made.