An American nun responds to Vatican criticism
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In April, the Vatican announced that three American bishops (one archbishop and two bishops) would be sent to oversee the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, a member organization founded in 1956 that represents 80 percent of Catholic sisters in the United States, to get them to conform with the teachings of the Church.
In its assessment of the group, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said the leadership conference is undermining Roman Catholic teachings on homosexuality and birth control and promoting “radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.” It also reprimanded the nuns for hosting speakers who “often contradict or ignore” church teachings and for making public statements that “disagree with or challenge the bishops, who are the church’s authentic teachers of faith and morals.”
In their own statement, the nuns said the Vatican’s doctrinal assessment of the group was based on “unsubstantiated accusations” and may “compromise” the ability of female nuns to “fulfill their mission.”
“I would say the mandate is more critical of positions we haven’t taken than those we have taken,” says Sister Pat Farrell, the president of the Leadership Conference. “As I read that document, the concern is the issues we tend to be more silent about when the bishops are speaking out very clearly about some things. There are issues about which we think there’s a need for a genuine dialogue, and there doesn’t seem to be a climate of that in the church right now.”
Farrell tells Fresh Air’s Terry Gross that the leadership organization is currently gathering the perspectives of all of its members in preparation for its national assembly in August.
“We’re hoping to come out of that assembly with a much clearer direction about [the Vatican's decision], and that’s when the national board and presidency can proceed,” she says.
Among the options on the table, she says, are fully complying with the mandate, not complying with the mandate or seeing if the Vatican will negotiate with them.
“In my mind, [I want] to see if we can somehow, in a spirited, nonviolent strategizing, look for maybe a third way that refuses to define the mandate and the issues in such black and white terms,” she says. [More]
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24 Comments
“Alter Christus” seems to be having a love/hate affair with the word “penis”… which suggests to me she has deeper issues with her own vagina than her more obvious case of “penis envy”!
I give up reading comments posted on this website, continually dominated by immature males such as Jim, Anthony and Thomas Merton (sic) seeking to prove on these pages which of them has the bigger penis as though the rest of us are interested in their juvenile locker room bantering. Jesus did not choose humans with penises to be shepherds over humans without them. He chose disciples whose minds were open to rethinking their ideas and ideals, ridding themselves of senseless prejudice and willing to include ALL humans who yearn to live by their hearts and souls, not by their anatomy. Adult males who think they have a edge on intelligence because they possess testicles are simply out of tune with the melody of the angels and saints. Your heaven ain’t going to last forever. Get over it and get on with it. The human mind and Christianity itself are insulted by your ilk.
Bah — BYE Alter!
Alter — look up the word pusillanimous and see what you think — might that apply to you? You have been brainwashed by the lesbian leaders of the anti-women’s movement over the last 60 years. Women actually don’t like what you espouse, Alter — they actually prefer to be women, and let men be men. You know, in Heaver, Alter, men on Earth are MEN and women on Earth are WOMEN — our gender follows us for ALL eternity — kinda bothers you, doesn’t it? You know, people like you who think gender is optional, and God uses it only as a last resort to create babies, but that God Himself wishes there were just one gender. Do take you ball and go home. I for one will not miss you. Pusillanimous indeed.
And finally, Alter — NEVER did I assert that “males … have an edge on intelligence” — you cannot find that in one of my posts. What I did say is that male and female strengths are complementary. But, perhaps you are lacking a bit in intelligence that you so distorted and twisted what I have posted. Bah — BYE.
Oops, one final comment, Alter: you said “Jesus did not choose humans with penises to be shepherds over humans without them.” That, of course, is factually not true. Do you hear voices?
And yet here you are posting your same insipid comments and wanting your own penis. Good luck with that.
There we go, Merton, another great post from you that really outlines your position and provides supporting evidence. Why don’t you respond substantively to what I have said to Alter, instead of posting another effete comment? For example, I challenge you to find where I EVER have asserted that men are superior to women, as Alter accused me of doing. Also, show me the evidence that Jesus did NOT apppoint only people with penises to be in leadership positons. Again, Merton, respond with substance, or please don’t respond at all.
What it amounts to, Merton, is that most Christians misunderstand who Jesus was, and what He wants from us. You are not used to a devout Catholic calling you on the carpet for your garbage. But, this poster does understand (at least better than most) what Jesus wants from us, particularly from men. He does not want you to corral your masculinity — he expects you as a man to challenge others. I’m sorry, Merton, that you have been brainwashed, as has virtually all of America, with regard to the role of men. Jesus does not want you to continue to be pusillanimous; he made you to be a warrior, a leader.
Jim, have you read Richard Rhor and his stuff on masculine spirituality? He points to John the Baptist as the arc type of masculine spirituality.
Tony — I’ve not heard of him, but I do appreciate that reference. John the Baptist is, for me, a tremendous example of a holy man: he had nothing Satan could take from him, as he ate locusts, covered himself with minimal clothing, and his “home” was the dessert. Again, thanks for that reference.
It’s Richard Rohr, OFM. great on masculine spirituality.
Thanks, Tony. Yes, I already Googled him and found him. Are you familiar with a specific book or blog of his that you would recommend, given my interests in this area?
addendum: I found the reference to which you likely were referring: The Wild Man’s Journey: Reflections on Male Spirituality (with Joseph Martos) (1992, reissued by St Anthony Messenger Press; New edition edition 1996) ISBN 978-0-86716-279-0
Thank you so much for that information.
Hey sister, take your J C Penny habit and hit the road. Your either catholic or your not. You are not allowed to think for yourself.
Sister is correct the issues are more about what the Sisters have not said than what they did say.
I think it comes down to the nuns having more guts and greater leaddeship skills than the inept bishops. The Sisters are showing themselves to be the true disciples.
Not true at all, Anthony. Follow the link to the source article — you will see that the LCWR supports female ordination still, they just aren’t publicly saying so. Also, they essentially think the Church should change its dogma on homosexuality — so, Anthony, you are supporting heretical nuns. Now that you are aware of their heresies, if you continue to support them, that makes you a heretic also.
And, Anthony, if in fact the nuns are demonstrating greater leadership ability than the genuine hierarchy, then what they need to do is quit trying to be the leaders — God did not make women to be in leadership roles — and help the men, the legitimate leaders, be better leaders.
I won’t put up with male-bashing, Anthony, nor will I tolerate women’s usurpation of men’s rightful headship. As a man, you should re-think your position. What women ACTUALLY want in their feminine soul is to be led by strong men who will protect them. Replacing the male leaders with people not equipped to be leaders will hurt both the men and the women. If you are married, ask you wife to be honest and tell you what she thinks about my assertions. Go, Anthony, be a man and raise the issue with your wife — ask her if she wants you to be the clear leader of your home. I expect you’ll be surprised by her answer.
The Church has changed its position on slavery, on science, like the Gallilio position and even evolution….on altar girls….it can and will eventually change its position on homosexuality and women’s ordination.
My wife and I collaborate in all we do as a couple and as parents thank you!
If the LCWR decides not to comply with the mandate (the second of the three options listed), their organization will go the way of Father Corapi — it will fade into the dust. Here’s the deal, sisters: men think in black and white; women think in shades of gray. This is precisely one of the reasons women cannot be in leadership roles: there is a confusion of issues, with no clear direction. I hope the sisters fully comply with the mandate, both for the good of the Church, but also for their own good.
I hope that Sr. Pat is correct , in that thae mandate is directed toward many issues, that the Sisters have nOT spoken about. This should be cleared up by dialog. It is amazing to me ,however that Sr. Pat has chosen Terry Gross, a pro-abortiopn media outlet who has a record of anti-catholic positions. This does not help her effort to promote understanding.. and agreement within the Catholic family.