Nearly 900 Roman Catholic nuns are gathering in St. Louis this week to discuss their future relationship with the Vatican.

Ordinarily, this annual assembly of the country’s largest umbrella group for women’s religious communities wouldn’t draw the attention of the world’s press. But in the spring, the Vatican’s doctrinal watchdog office issued a report that questioned the organization’s fidelity to some church teachings, accused it of “serious doctrinal problems” and announced that three U.S. bishops would temporarily take the group’s reins in order to reform it.

This week, the members of the Leadership Conference for Women Religious – which represents 80 percent of the country’s 57,000 Catholic nuns – will discuss their options, which could range from accepting the reforms to severing their official connection to the Vatican...........