COMMUNIQUE FROM THE UNION OF SUPERIORS GENERAL

VATICAN CITY, MAR 21, 2001 (VIS) - A communique from the Union of Superiors General (USG, for men religious)) and the International Union of Superiors General (UISG, women religious) was released this afternoon by the Holy See Press Office. Following are excerpts:

"Consecrated life today involves about 200,000 men religious and 1 million sisters, present in all countries of the world. Consecrated life is also represented, at a central level, by the USG and the UISG.

"The strength of consecrated life lies in the fact that, concretely, in everyday life, men and women religious are able to live faithfully their choices of chastity, poverty, obedience and service. The challenge to serve with an undivided heart is a true and precise choice."

"In the face of the articles in the media these days, relative to cases of sexual abuses undergone by women religious, .... the two Unions (note that they) have not been insensitive (to the problem) and are endeavoring (to work on it) in a concrete manner.

"Consecrated life wishes to transmit hope to a world divided by wars, nationalisms and so many forms of injustice in individuals and in structures. Men and women religious are strongly committed: in culture, ... in social activities for the recovery and prevention of hardships; in favor of abandoned minors; in assistance to prisoners; ... in hospitals, in scholastic and educational activities, for the promotion of women and their autonomy.

"Men and women religious in their everyday lives are witnesses of the radical nature and the strength of the Gospel, even with their personal weaknesses."

"In three days, on March 24, we will celebrate the Day of Missionary Martyrs. In the year 2000 priests, lay people and religious lost their lives, witnessing to the Gospel in the diverse situations of conflict throughout the world.

"Therefore, we repeat, in perfect harmony with what the Vatican spokesman said yesterday, that 'several negative situations cannot allow us to forget the fidelity, often on a heroic scale, of the overwhelming majority of religious and priests'."

OP;SEXUAL ABUSE; RELIGIOUS;...;USG; UISG;VIS;20010321;Word: 330;