Modern Social Perspectives
"The Church has a history of too quickly jumping to conclusions and they have learned from that. This is why this investigation has taken years."The LCWR has obliterated the meaning of what it means to be a religious sister. The media is making this look like a bunch of fat Italian bishops beating up on nuns. That is false. This is the power struggle and the nuns want shared corporate power and they want a voice for their own theology whether it's Catholic or not." Stephen Miletic, professor of scripture, Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio
The Vatican's congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Pope Benedict's old bailiwick, has been assigned by him to correct the activities of the American nuns whose activities are causing great uproar within the Holy See. The CDF's Doctrinal Assessment of Americans of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, states there exist "serious doctrinal problems which affect many in the consecrated life".
"I think the inference that many people could draw from the publication of the Vatican document is that we are unfaithful, that we are not in communion with the Church. We really do not see ourselves in that way", protests Sister Pat Farrell, the LCWR's president, speaking on the record to the National Catholic Reporter.
The Church hierarchy does not regard fondly the very thought of independence for nuns. Strict obedience is the order of the day, each and every day. Not to be trifled with. "We're a bit more vibrant than the European folks", said Sister Campbell charitably, part of the order the Sisters of Social Work, an offshoot of the LCWR.
"I don't know anything the bishops are saying is true. I don't think we're radical feminists. We now have advanced degrees, often more education than the bishops have, which makes the bishops nervous.
"What irks the bishops is that ordinary people look to Catholic sisters for their moral perspectives and find us credible teachers. We understand the complexity of life. When you can live in the Vatican without engaging in real people in pastoral settings it's way easier to be black and white."
The Vatican is understandably nervous about the intentions of the American nun sisterhood. Entirely too careless about grave matters such as gay relationships, and of course other sexual issues - although it is not the sisters who have been accused of molesting children, but Vatican insiders, priests, bishops, those whom the Holy See protects scrupulously.
The sisters, however, produced a document in 1977 questioning the all-male priesthood. Female priests, not that again...? That, and contradicting Church teaching on masturbation, on abortion, on homosexuality. Emphasis by the sisters on social justice is all very well and good, but they are nuns, not social workers, and their silence on euthanasia and abortion is mortifying...
Many sisterhood communities in the LCWR have abandoned communal prayer, and the wearing of habits. These are issues that have traditionally defined the religious life. They represent correct Catholic teaching. "These elements of religious life were meant to promote and protect the consecration of religious life as 'in the world but not of it'".
Alas! Alack, as in a lack of modern social perspectives.
Labels: Realities, Religion, Revolution, Social-Cultural Deviations
posted by Pieface @ Monday, June 11, 2012
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