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Mincing few words, an umbrella group representing 22,000 Roman Catholic monks, nuns and priests in Canada’s religious orders has challenged the “intransigent” stands of the Vatican on such issues as divorce, contraception and homosexuality.

“We regret . . . that our Church often gives priority to the reaffirmation of dogma and traditional morals rather than listening to the people’s search for meanings,” the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC) says in a document sent to the country’s bishops in advance of their expected visit to the Vatican later this year.