The Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) was formed in 1956 as a conference for leaders of religious congregations and institutes in the United States. It was organized at the request of Pope Pius XII who, in l950, urged religious around the world to come together in national associations.

The newly established Conference, which is made up of the leaders of institutes and congregations of religious priests and brothers, established several goals that have been refined and expanded over the years.

The primary goal is to support leaders and provide them with the resources necessary to be effective leaders.

Second, the Conference strives to promote the dialogue and collaboration among the leaders of religious institutes and with the Catholic Church and society;

Finally, CMSM provides a corporate influence and voice for male religious leaders through its national and regional structures.

The first decade of the Conference was one of steady growth. During this period, the Second Vatican Council opened the door to renewal within the church and religious life. Faced with the need for change that this era brought, the Conference moved its headquarters from New York to Washington and expanded staff. Realizing that research in the church and religious life would assist members, the Conference helped to create a research center that has since developed into CARA (the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University).

In the 1970s and '80s, the Conference continued to expand. CMSM took a leadership role in helping its members to effect the renewal that had been called for by Vatican II. The Conference also saw the need to reach out to parallel religious organizations in Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Near East and the Philippines. It also established a working relationship with the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the Vatican congregation responsible for religious life.

In 1970, Pope Paul VI called the bishops of the world together to discuss the cause of justice in the world. The document that followed, "Justice in the World," defined actions that the church felt it should take on behalf of justice for all peoples. The Conference welcomed this call to action, assuming a new role as a prophetic witness for change in society.

This advocacy role has expanded considerably from its beginnings. Today, the Conference speaks out on a variety of issues consistent with Catholic social teaching. It works ecumenically on efforts to reduce violence in society and to promote the human rights of all. It advocates against legislation to eliminate the rights of documented and undocumented immigrants; it supports the sacredness of life from conception to death and stands in firm opposition to the death penalty; it advocates for peace in the Middle East; it calls for the redistribution of resources between rich and poor nations.

The Conference is divided into six regions that meet twice a year. The entire membership of the Conference, which represents approximately 17,000 male religious priests and brothers, meets each year in August.