Vatican Will Send a Bishop to Set U.S. Nuns Straight

[Recusant]

New York Times | "Vatican Reprimands a Group of U.S. Nuns and Plans Changes"

The Vatican has appointed an American bishop to rein in the largest and most influential group of Catholic nuns in the United States, saying that an investigation found that the group had "serious doctrinal problems."

The Vatican's assessment, issued on Wednesday, said that members of the group, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, had challenged church teaching on homosexuality and the male-only priesthood, and promoted "radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith."

. . .

"I'm stunned," said Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of Network, a Catholic social justice lobby founded by sisters. Her group was also cited in the Vatican document, along with the Leadership Conference, for focusing its work too much on poverty and economic injustice, while keeping "silent" on abortion and same-sex marriage.

Continues

Can't have the sisters going off the reservation. How dare they focus too much on poverty and economic injustice, while neglecting the really important things?! I'm sure they'll be back on the right track in no time once the bishop has laid down the law. It's a good thing that the Vatican was keeping an eye on them!

[DeterminedJuliet]

New York Times | "Vatican Reprimands a Group of U.S. Nuns and Plans Changes"

The Vatican's assessment, issued on Wednesday, said that members of the group, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, had challenged church teaching on homosexuality and the male-only priesthood, and promoted "radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith."

. . .

"I'm stunned," said Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of Network, a Catholic social justice lobby founded by sisters. Her group was also cited in the Vatican document, along with the Leadership Conference, for focusing its work too much on poverty and economic injustice, while keeping "silent" on abortion and same-sex marriage.

Come now, instead of focusing on the stuff that Jesus actually talks about in the Bible, don't these women know they're supposed to be crusading against other women (amongst other groups)? Priorities.

[xSilverPhinx]

Heheh all my support goes out to the nuns.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

If all Christians focused on poverty and economic justice instead of sticking our noses in everyone's business, most people wouldn't have any problems with us.  In my opinion, the key for both problems is education - well-educated people usually aren't poor and usually are at least in the middle class. Nuns would probably do a pretty good job providing education for pre-schoolers, which is critical because we loose a large portion of our youth before they ever get into kindergarten.  But the bishops are more concerned about doctrine because that's how they keep the status quo, which keeps them on top (figuratively, of course).

[Sandra Craft]

If all Christians focused on poverty and economic justice instead of sticking our noses in everyone's business, most people wouldn't have any problems with us. 

Amen.  I dare say Xtians would have more allies than they knew what to do with if more of them acted like Christ's followers.

[Firebird]

If all Christians focused on poverty and economic justice instead of sticking our noses in everyone's business, most people wouldn't have any problems with us. 

Agreed. A lot of the anti-poverty stuff they do is really admirable. Though I do wish they weren't so hostile to birth control as part of that.

[Amicale]

If all Christians focused on poverty and economic justice instead of sticking our noses in everyone's business, most people wouldn't have any problems with us. 

Amen.  I dare say Xtians would have more allies than they knew what to do with if more of them acted like Christ's followers.

Yep. And I daresay they'd find that not only would they have more allies, they'd probably have more people willing to stay in the Christian faith if more of them acted like Jesus' followers, too. A heck of a lot of people ultimately leave the religion not because they have serious issues with Jesus' ideas, but because they have serious issues with the people who claim they represent him. The leaders of the Catholic church, for instance...

Anyhow, good for those nuns. I am on a friendly basis with a local priest and nun, and both are awesome people who are just about obsessed with helping the poor, the sick, and all those generally in need of some love. They don't speak out against homosexuality, or anything. They're too busy focusing on their own business, which appears to be being excellent examples of what it means to love others.

So, hey, kudos to the nuns that article mentions. I hope they don't back down and start blindly obeying 'the powers that be'.

[Recusant]

It sounds like at least some of the nuns aren't going to just kowtow to the bishop.

From BBC | "Leader of 'radical' US nuns rejects Vatican criticism":

Sister Campbell suggested a difficult time ahead: "It's totally a top-down process and I don't think the bishops have any idea of what they're in for."

The bishop (of Seattle, Washington) that the Vatican has appointed is urging Catholics in that state to work to repeal the law which allows same-sex couples to marry in that state. So there's no doubt that he has his priorities straight.

[Tank]

I wonder if the bishop realises the magnitude of the poison challis he's been given

[Jimmy]

Catholicism would be in much better shape if the nuns were in charge.

[Sandra Craft]

So, hey, kudos to the nuns that article mentions. I hope they don't back down and start blindly obeying 'the powers that be'.

What concerns me is the likelihood of their being shut down if they don't back down.  Someone posted a YouTube vid of Penn Jillette giving his opinion of the 2012 Repub candidates, and in it he said something to the effect that he believes all this extreme religiousity and fanaticism is the death throes of irrationality, it's last, doomed fight to stay alive.  I certainly hope so.  I hope I can see in my lifetime the end of such things as nuns rebuked for being more concerned with injustice and poverty than moral scolding. 

[Amicale]

Catholicism would be in much better shape if the nuns were in charge.

Depends on the nuns, I guess. The more modern, liberal nuns... sure, I agree. The pre-V2 nuns (ie, Tridentine, SSPX, FSSP, etc) nuns... those can be on the strict and quite alarming side. And some of them in the more traditional orders are still around! The ones my grandmother grew up with used to whip her and her friend with the priest's belt, just for coming into their church foyer on cold winter mornings to get warm before school.  

[Ali]

If all Christians focused on poverty and economic justice instead of sticking our noses in everyone's business, most people wouldn't have any problems with us. 

Amen.  I dare say Xtians would have more allies than they knew what to do with if more of them acted like Christ's followers.

From your mouth to the Vatican's ears.

So can they actually "kick out" the nuns if they don't straighten up and start persecuting homosexuals and women who need abortions?  What happens then?  I guess if the nuns wanted to keep practicing, they would have to get their own headquarters (presumably their "cloister" or wherever they are belongs to the Catholic Church) and then they could keep doing what they do, but not be endorsed by the Catholic Church?  Presumably they would have to start gathering donations and declare themselves an independent non-profit.

[The Magic Pudding]

The ones my grandmother grew up with used to whip her and her friend with the priest's belt, just for coming into their church foyer on cold winter mornings to get warm before school.  

That and worse is the often repeated story of Catholic and semi secular education up to the 1960s.
If some one knows the theory behind beating the love of Christ into little children, I'd be interested in hearing it.

[Recusant]

National Public Radio's Fresh Air | "An American Nun Responds To Vatican Criticism"

Pat Farrell, president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, is interviewed by Terry Gross. At the linked page, it's possible to listen to the interview, view a transcript, or just read the article and the selected quotes.

Honestly, I've never had a high regard for nuns, having known some rather wretched specimens in my early life. Still, Sister Pat seems to be a relatively reasonable and well spoken woman.