In November, the journalist released a book in Italian called “The Veil of Silence: Abuses, Violence, and Frustrations in Female Religious Life,” highlighting the mistreatment of religious sisters.
The pope’s comments about founders are the latest sign of the Vatican’s concern about the quality of leadership in Catholic groups around the world.
The Vatican announced strict limits in June on the terms of leaders of international associations of the faithful and new communities.
The Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, which is responsible for associations of the faithful and international ecclesial movements, issued a decree restricting terms of office in a movement’s central governing body to a maximum of five years.
Members are now permitted to hold positions at the international governing level for no more than 10 years consecutively. Re-election is then possible after a vacancy of one term.
The new regulations say that where leaders have already exceeded the term limits, groups must provide for new elections “no later than 24 months from the coming into force of this decree,” or before Sept. 11, 2023.
In his address on Saturday, the pope spoke about the Vatican’s role in approving new communities.
Pope Francis changed canon law in November 2020 to require a bishop to have permission from the Holy See prior to establishing a new religious institute in his diocese, further strengthening Vatican oversight over the process.
“With regard to discernment in view of the approval of new institutes, new forms of consecrated life, or new communities, I invite you to develop collaboration with the diocesan bishops,” he said.
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“And I exhort the Pastors not to be frightened and to fully welcome your accompaniment. It is the responsibility of the Pastor to accompany and, at the same time, accept this service.”
“This collaboration, this synergy between the dicastery and the bishops also makes it possible to avoid — as the [Second Vatican] Council asks — the inappropriate creation of institutes lacking sufficient motivation or adequate vigor, perhaps with goodwill, but something is missing.
“Your service is valuable in seeking to provide Pastors and the People of God with valid criteria for discernment.”
In an address to representatives of lay Catholic associations, movements, and new communities in September, Pope Francis underlined that governance in the Church is “nothing but a call to serve.”
He said that the Vatican decree setting term limits for leaders was issued because “the reality of the last few decades has shown us the need for the changes.”
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