Women Religious of Argentina and the Accompaniment of the Poor. Stages, Balance, and Perspectives of the preferential option for the poor launched after Vatican II

ANA LOURDES SUAREZ -DIRECTORA

South Bend

Workshop; Work-in-progress seminar del Kellog Institute; 2018

Cushwa Center y Kellog Institute de la Universidad de Notre Dame

The presentation addresses, from a socio-historical perspective, the options of some female religious congregations that adopted a new way of community life known as inserted communities. They did so following the ?the preferential option for the poor? launched as a challenge by the Document of the Latin American Bishops in Medellín (1968). This choice of life matures and develops in the context of a general religious life crisis that affects particularly women religious which is very evident by the constant decline of religious sisters. It was conceived by many as a renewal and revitalization of religious life. This alternative meant indeed for many of them a strong renewal that challenged their role both in society and in the Catholic Church. It helped to challenge and change the lifestyle of women religious, and their traditional social roles. It also had/has an important impact on the poor communities where they live. Many religious communities established new pastoral practices in new social spaces: they were now in the mid of the poor´s world, not through charity but assuming one greater social commitment: attempting to live a life similar to the most neglected social sectors of the social structure.My presentation discusses the process that led to the insertion alternative, its course over time, and its present situation in Argentina