I’ve been avoiding the LCWR vs Vatican discussion for at least four reasons. One, I didn’t have time to look into the background (fixed). Two, I don’t live in the US and I don’t presume that what I know about nun/magisterium relationships here in NZ automatically transfers elsewhere. Three, US bloggers were already having a field day, and I didn’t see that I had anything to add. Four, it’s a hot-button issue for at least one of our commenters, and I wanted to avoid a combox full of cliches and undercover venom.
Now the Anchoress has summed up my feelings on reasons three and four in a masterful post that also provides links for those who want to examine the issue in more depth. Thanks, Elizabeth.
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There is a very good summary here with links to a bunch of the original source documents from the CDF and LCWR.
http://www.uscatholic.org/blog/2012/04/half-truths-and-innuendo-about-leadership-conference-women-religious
Fr Francis Clooney SJ has an excellent analysis of Sr Binks’ LCWR address which the CDF expressed concern over.
http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&entry_id=5075
As for the allegation that LCWR/NETWORK are silent on abortion, NETWORK’s own website proves that they are not:
http://www.networklobby.org/legislation/healthcare-reform-law-and-network-values
I urge readers to read the CDF document and look into the allegations made by going to the original source documents.
While no doubt some US nuns have fallen into various errors (the same could be said about any group in the Church), the case against the LCWR seems to evaporate when investigated.
No doubt it would be helpful for the 3 man Bishops team to meet with and assist the LCWR and I’m sure both parties could learn much that is useful from each other.
I do think that the demonising of the LCWR from some conservative US Catholic blog sites is very damaging to the Church and inconsistent with the CDF document which is actually remarkably appreciative of the work the LCWR is doing and remarkably light in it’s actual criticism.
God Bless
“I do think that the demonising of the LCWR from some conservative US Catholic blog sites is very damaging to the Church” Yes, I agree Chris.
My comment awaits moderation (number of links).
God Bless
A parishioner sent me this which probably sums up how many nuns feel.
One wonders how much damage the LCWR intervention is doing the public image of the Church in the USA right now. Can’t be helpful for the New Evangelisation.
God Bless
This is just another take on the topic… Over the years I have had a lot of contact and life with different different orders of nuns both in Australia and here in NZ … this link thanks the good nuns who have done so much good work as this link points out
http://www.realcatholictv.com/daily/?today=2012-04-30
I’ve been very impressed by the nuns I’ve met in our parish, around New Zealand, and those who taught me scripture and theology. They are a wonderful witness to the Catholic faith and one of best PR cards the Church has. Publicly attacking them is not going to do us any good.
The St Mary MacKillop excommunication reminds us that, sadly, the bishops cracking down on uppity nuns meme is an old one, and one that hasn’t always worked out well for the bishops.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_MacKillop#Excommunication
The Vatican suppression of St Mary Faustina Kowalska’s writings by the Office of the Inquisition aka Holy Office aka Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reminds us that Vatican doctrinal crackdowns against nuns haven’t always worked out well for the Vatican either.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Faustina_Kowalska#Growth_and_suppression
God Bless
Yep. I thought we’d get someone casting the bishops as mustachioed twirling villains before the thread was finished.
Chris,
The excommunication of St Mary MacKillop was later lfted ..admittedly it need never have been placed on her nor the suppression on St Fasustina but neither of these two good women came into conflict with the magesterium or teachings of Holy Mother church as do a number of nuns in today’s world .
One of things we can learn from the past is that the saints don’t regard an uncanonical excommunication or an unjustified suppression as an excuse for disobeying the uncanonical or unjustified orders.
That is *no* justification for wronging innocent people 😦 The hierarchical Church’s behaviour is all too often wicked.
Of course it isn’t a justification. Who said it was?
Thank God then that it His to judge and not ours for we can never really know the motives of anyone apart from ourselves …. and sometimes even that can take a lot of reflecting on…. so often too , our understanding leaves a lot to be desired so years of life have taught me that this can cloud our ability to judge.
Shalom