Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious
The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious () (CMSWR) is one of two associations of the leaders of congregations of Catholic women religious in the United States (the other being the Leadership Conference of Women Religious). , CMSWR includes the leaders of 112 religious congregations which have a total membership of approximately 5,700 women religious in the United States. Established on 12 June 1992 with provisional approval by the Holy See's Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, it obtained definitive approval on 26 October 1995 under the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. The council's purpose is to promote collaboration and inter-communication among its members, participation, dialogue and education about the teaching of the Catholic Church on the religious life, unity with the Pope and cooperation with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. CMSWR is one of four United States federations of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life that have received approval from the Holy See, the others being the Conference of Major Superiors of Men's Institutes USA, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and the US Conference of Secular Institutes. History In the 1980s, several religious communities saw the