The Catholic Church’s ahistorical attack on nuns
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In 1899, a contingent of nuns journeyed into the malarial forests of southern Africa to set up missionary schools. They mastered the clicking language of the Ndebele tribe, baked communion bread in brick ovens they built themselves, and steered clear of the subject of monogamy so as not to enrage the polygamous local chief.
In 1911, another group of sister-pioneers set sail for the islands of Fiji to run a clinic for lepers. In 1929, nuns in black habits rode a steamship up the Yangtze River into the heart of China, braving insufferable heat, flying termites, and warring generals.
Without these extraordinary women, the Catholic Church would never have been able to spread its teachings around the globe or staff its unwieldy empire. So the Vatican’s denunciation of the largest group of American nuns for “radical feminist” ideas is not only shockingly out of touch with the modern world, but also willfully blind to the church’s history.
Long before Betty Friedan kicked off the modern feminist movement, nuns were earning medical degrees and running complex institutions. Just look at the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, founded in 1804 to educate impoverished girls. When a bishop forbade them to expand their work, they refused to obey and were kicked out of France. They relocated to Namur, Belgium, and went on to build schools in 17 countries.
It’s not surprising that religious orders attracted such women. For centuries, the convent was the only respectable place for girls who aspired to travel and make a difference.
Eventually, the women’s-rights movement gave young women the chance to work in social justice outside the church. That’s one reason the number of American nuns plummeted. But the lack of respect for nuns in an all-male church hierarchy also played a role.
In the early 1960s, Vatican II gave nuns wide latitude to go out into the world and perform good works. Some joined the civil rights movement. Others protested the Vietnam War.
But skittish men simultaneously reined them in. The archbishop of Los Angeles insisted on dictating nuns’ bedtimes, prayer hours, and reading, leading to an infamous 1970 standoff that prompted more than 300 sisters to break with the church.
If the Vatican insists on punishing nuns — the recent reprimand accuses them of focusing too much on poverty and not enough on the church’s teachings on homosexuality — we could see a similar showdown. Maybe the men of the Vatican prefer a smaller, “purer” church reminiscent of the Middle Ages. But what message does this send to everybody else?
Are we really supposed to believe that strong-willed nuns are more dangerous to Catholicism than child-molesting priests? That crusades against masturbation and gay marriage are more important than helping the poor? It’s hard to imagine that Jesus would agree.
The Vatican has been on the wrong side of history before. Luckily, the church’s vibrant community has a way of self-correcting with time. Two hundred years ago, Julie Billiart, the foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, was a persona non grata in France. Today, she is a saint.
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13 Comments
I have never been in an environment where Nuns were not treated with respect. My experience rangeis from a Childrens Home for the homeless in the depression , elementary school , cousins that were Nuns and as the head Trustee of Planning for a womans college founded by Nuns. They were years before the “feminists” providing a college Education for girls who could not get into Yale, Columbia and Harvard, and before the rise of the State University system.They were good managers and yes somewhat naive in the ways of the world , but smart enough to hire consultants to guide them. I take a dim view of Catholic Bashers who seize every difference of opinion in the Catholic Family , and try to drive a wedge into the body of the Family. We love our Nuns and wish we had more of them, even those who don’t quite agree with the rules.They are rational, and work things out based on the facts.
These feminist nuns who are under rightful scrutiny of the Vatican are NOTHING like the pioneering sisters who went into the third world and set up schools, hospitals as well as evangelicized the public. It is very offensive to even suggest that the feminist nuns are of the same stock because they aren’t. I hope these feminists will prayerfully examine the destruction they’ve caused (I.e. where are their vocations?) and accept the reform of the LCWR. If they continue to follow the heresy of feminism rather than Church teaching, then their orders deserve to die out.
Better yet, Andrew, do everyone a favor and kick them out before they die out. Excommunication is a spiritual work of mercy — it sends clear notice to the sinner that, if they keep on the same track and don’t repent, they are in for some serious personal consequences in this life or the hereafter.
And you forgot to mention the Franciscan Sisters who went to Molokai to assist Father Damien. They were the FIRST American missionaries, male or female. you GO Gurls!
Michael, are you related to Jim?
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Michael, you are free to speak for yourself, but you most certainly do not speak for “most other Catholics”. Sentiment among rank and file Catholics in the pews is almost unanimous in support of the nuns. They are the true followers of Christ. The Church hierarchy has lost touch with reality and is no longer effective in leading Catholics in the way of Christ.
If that’s true, Paul — and I doubt it is, because most of those supporting the nuns probably attend church rarely — then they need to leave and start their own church. And, if you’re right, this new church they start will be bigger than the Roman Catholic Church. Do it — don’t delay.
What Paul is saying is exactly what you’d expect a person to say who has lost their way, who is following the desires of their heart. “The light came into the world, but the world knew it not, as it loved darkness more than light.” Truly, we seem to be in the pre-deluge days.
The Sisters are highly educated, mature disciples of Jesus, How about they self determine how they should respond to living out their vocation?
Wow, amazing — exactly what Eve did in the garden — she knew better than God. Pathetic.
The Nazi Germans were well-educated too, Tony, so I don’t think that matters. By contrast, people like Terese of Liseux had little formal education, yet she spoke the truth. Almost universally, American universities, including the so-called Catholic universities such as Georgetown, Notre Dame, and you name it, are staffed by flaming socialist liberals. Don’t believe me? Find out how many theologians at Catholic universities are willing to seek the bishop’s mandadum. Most oppose it, including those really smart cookies at Obama-loving Notre Dame.
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There are many dedicated nuns who are in total compliance with the moral and social teachings of the church. To bring up dictates for women religious from the past doesn’t make the teachings of the church on abortion and gay marriage wrong. Farah is another liberal who thinks that they have the right answers. It doesn’t work for me and most other Catholics.