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PDF versionSandra Schneiders on religious life
by Richard McBrien on Mar. 16, 2010
Sandra Schneiders is a Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (known to many as the "IHMs") and professor of New Testament Studies and Christian Spirituality at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, in Berkeley, California.
She has written extensively on Religious Life, not only in the National Catholic Reporter, but in her projected three-volume work on Religious Life in the new millennium. The first two volumes were published by Paulist Press in 2000 and 2001 respectively. She is currently working on the third volume.
Schneiders recently published on-line in the NCR an extensive study of Religious Life as a prophetic life form. It ran in five installments from Jan. 4 through Jan. 8. She had previously published a four-page article on Religious Life in the NCR's Oct. 2 issue, and this column subsequently summarized its major points.
Her most recent article is difficult to summarize, but I shall try to do so in this week's and next week's columns. To make the effort as easy to follow as possible, I will simply list some of Schneiders's main points, whether directly or in paraphrase.
- Religious life is a prophetic life form, as Pope John Paul II acknowledged in Vita Conse-crata, a post-synodal apostolic exhortation published in 1996. As such, it is based entirely on Jesus' own prophetic ministry, which called for the end of all domination systems, where power is exercised by the few over the many.
- The current struggle between some in the Vatican and the overwhelming majority of religious communities of women is really a power struggle between those who favor the renewal and reforms promoted by the Second Vatican Council and those who do not. Women's Religious Life is "being used as a symbolic scapegoat" in this confrontation.
- Sisters are a particularly important target because of their sheer numbers and influence. They are also "the largest, best organized, most geographically ubiquitous, most ministerially diversified, and therefore probably most effective promoters of the vision of Vatican II." As such, the Sisters are "the greatest source of hope" for many Catholics, and the "most serious danger" to "the real (that is, pre-conciliar) Church," which others are trying to restore.
- The current investigation of religious communities is confined to communities of women. Male religious communities have declined in numbers just as steeply as women's, but the males are not being investigated. Why is this so?
- Religious Life is also "a charismatic life form, called into existence by the Holy Spirit," which means that its members "live corporately the prophetic charism in the Church." Religious communities, therefore, are not "a work force gathering recruits for ecclesiastical projects," nor is their mission or their particular ministries determined by the hierarchy.
- As for the "shortage" of vocations to Religious Life, "No Congregation 'needs' more members than are actually called to it by God....The purpose of the life is not to perpetuate particular Congregations nor to staff Church institutions; it is to live intensely the witness to the Gospel to which the Congregation is called and for as long as it is called."
- Canon 586, for example, expressly forbids the intrusion by ecclesiastical authorities into the internal affairs of religious communities. They have "a rightful autonomy of life, especially of governance."
- Ministerial innovation by a religious community is not a mark of "instability or infidelity to its originating charism. Such innovation belongs to the nature of the vocation as prophetic rather than institutional."
- The good news of the Kingdom, or Reign, of God applies to the here-and-now, and those who proclaim that good news do so in a compassionate, not judgmental, manner, just as Jesus himself acted when he confronted the religious authorities in defense of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). Thus, the "ministry of religious to people suffering insoluble conflicts of conscience or caught in impossible life situations, is not rebellion or insubordination but a carefully discerned and courageous fidelity to their primary ministerial vocation: to mediate the good news of God's compassion and justice to people in concrete conditions."
- Sisters are not clerics. Their "non-clerical status...has extremely important implications for their prophetic ministry of which many in the Church are unaware or about which they are ill-informed." A cleric makes a promise of obedience to his ecclesiastical superior and his succes-sors. Religious do not. They make vows to God alone, in the presence of their superiors, to lead the Religious Life. "In the concrete, this means that religious, unlike the clergy, are not agents of the institutional Church as Jesus was not an agent of institutional Judaism."
© 2010 Richard P. McBrien. All rights reserved. Fr. McBrien is the Crowley-O'Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame.
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Love the last sentence,
Love the last sentence, especially. I think we all would do well to contemplate, as Sister Schneiders obviously has, the contrast between Jesus' relationship to His Father and His relationship to the leaders of His church.
I loved this one: "As for the
I loved this one:
"As for the "shortage of vocations to Religious Life, "No Congregation 'needs' more members than are actually called to it by God....The purpose of the life is not to perpetuate particular Congregations nor to staff Church institutions; it is to live intensely the witness to the Gospel to which the Congregation is called and for as long as it is called."
What I love about this passage is that it points out how kinda foolish it is to think that God would somehow abandon his church by not providing it with enough people to sustain it. At the very least, it should put into perspective for everyone how much infrastructure the church actual needs to continue its ministries. Volunteer groups are just as strong as ever. With the advent of the Internet and access to real-time global communication, it may be a sign that we need to rethink how effective and sustainable all of our institutions are with regard to how we interact with the world. More so than ever, we have the tools to decrease our footprint on the physical world while using our resources to increase our ability to coordinate helping hands.
Anyway, it was a beautiful post.
Peace & Love,
Lisa Caponigri
Thanks for the useful
Thanks for the useful informations,very good work guys.
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As well as at your local
As well as at your local CAtholic bookstore, volume one may be found at
http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Treasure-Religious-Ecclesial-Millennium/dp...
and volume two at:
http://www.amazon.com/Selling-All-Commitment-Consecrated-Millennium/dp/0...
And if the Holy Spirit wills
And if the Holy Spirit wills that obsolete religious congregations who have ceased to be useful in the Church cease to exist, so much the better when they finally disappear. May the IHMs soon be known only in history books. The Holy Spirit's writing is on the wall regarding the future of women's religious congregations. In thirty years about 50% of them will have become extinct.
Stephen "cease to be useful
Stephen "cease to be useful in the church(sic)",maybe they will be useful to the people of God"s world.Poor Jesus is up there saying,"no,no that's not what I meant"
The extinction is going to be
The extinction is going to be faster than thirty years. Many congregations are already "de facto" extinct meaning that they have merged with other congregations and / or are no longer actively seeking new members, and have only a handful of members that are not retired.
Thanfully, there is hope on the horizon with several new orders.
Hey Tex, not so quick there
Hey Tex, not so quick there buckeroo. Jesus is riding off with the LCWR toward a grand new sunrise. The hopeful horizon you speak of is sunset. You trads have had your day. Read the signs and headlines. Your day is rapidly and thankfully coming to a close. But, that's ok pardner, we'll lasso your version of church a shelf in one of them museums.
Stephan on Mar. 16, 2010.
Stephan on Mar. 16, 2010.
You stated:
"And if the Holy Spirit wills that obsolete religious congregations who have ceased to be useful in the Church cease to exist, so much the better when they finally disappear. May the IHMs soon be known only in history books. The Holy Spirit's writing is on the wall regarding the future of women's religious congregations. In thirty years about 50% of them will have become extinct."
---------------------------------------
The Holy Spirit's writing on the wall concerns the absolutist, monarchial, governance style by the Vatican and the hierarchy. Jesus specifically stated that the Apostles were not to imitate the manner of governance/life style of the great ones of the earth. Yet that is exactly what the papacy/hierarchy has been doing since the reign of Charlemagne.
I absolutely do not believe that the Holy Trinity condones the sexual abuse of young people---but God can and is using it (and in a swift manner) to "force the highest ranks of hierarchy/papacy to come clean."
Secondly, religious congregations are not TOOLS of the institutional Church. Sr. Sandra wrote that in other words above. Apparently, although you know how to read, you apparently don't comprehend what you read.
Oh yes that typical liberal
Oh yes that typical liberal argument. The Holy Spirit descended upon the Church in 1960 and yet was sent away from the Church by evil bishops in the 80s until today. Everything the Church did in the 60s and 70s was the work of the Spirit (except Humanae Vitae of course) and everything after was against the Holy Spirit. Liberal orders dying out and traditional orders growing--not the Holy Spirit! The growth of the Church under JPII and Benedict XVI--not the Spirit! Apostolic Visitation--certainly not the work of the Holy Spirit. After all, how can the evil men know what the Holy Spirit wishes? Only women religious and the NCR know what the Spirit says!!
You are sooo right! Evil men
You are sooo right! Evil men do not know what the Holy Spirit wishes and thwarts Her all the time. Indeed, the Holy Spirit was thwarted when the church put the skids on Vatican II. Nevertheless She is having Her way these days by raising up Her own Sons and Daughters all over the world to speak Truth to power seeking justice for those who have suffered abuse in all its ugly dimensions. Too bad the men did not listen to the wisdom of women in their midst instead of insulting them with the arrogance of an investigation. The patriarchal church and its henchmen may one day be the new the walls of Jericho when they too come tumbling down.
Anonymous on Mar. 18,
Anonymous on Mar. 18, 2010.
You Stated:
"Oh yes that typical liberal argument. The Holy Spirit descended upon the Church in 1960 and yet was sent away from the Church by evil bishops in the 80s until today. Everything the Church did in the 60s and 70s was the work of the Spirit (except Humanae Vitae of course) and everything after was against the Holy Spirit. Liberal orders dying out and traditional orders growing--not the Holy Spirit! The growth of the Church under JPII and Benedict XVI--not the Spirit! Apostolic Visitation--certainly not the work of the Holy Spirit. After all, how can the evil men know what the Holy Spirit wishes? Only women religious and the NCR know what the Spirit says!!"
----------------------------------------------------
I suggest that you seriously study Church History. If you do, you will find out that whenever changes in the Church needed to be made, it wasn't the hierarchy (or the papacy often), who brought about changes---it was the religious orders.
Secondly, Popes John Paul II and Benedict took/have taken it upon themselves to re-write the Vatican Council II according to their own beliefs. And they have tried to stiffle the actions of the Holy Spirit.
As far as traditional orders growing----as I have stated over and over again----it doesn't matter how many enter the order---it only matters how many take final vows and remain.
There still will be a great priest shortage as well----and until the Vatican decides to dialogue about optional celibacy---this shortage will continue.
Finally, those of us who have studied carefully the pontificates of JP II and
Benedict---know what a 'con' job they have done with some of our youth and insecure Catholics who need the assurances of the hierarchial church or else they can't be sure that they are orthodox! The Church is the entire People of God---not just the hierarchy.
But JP II and Benedict have been moving hell and high water to turn back the clock to the pre-Vatican II days---pretty much like Pope Pio Nono tried to do in writing his "Syllabus of Errors"
or in convening Vatican Council I---to get himself declared infallable. Pius IX wanted to go back to the days of absolutist monarchies and papacies.
Benedict wants to go back to the days of pre-Vatican II, when Popes could tell the 'little people' what to believe and what not to believe.
History and the Holy Spirit have proven that Pio Nono was not infallible and they will prove Benedict to be in the same category.
Oh Stephan- Do not Judge...
Oh Stephan- Do not Judge... !
"ceased to be useful in the Church"
They built and taught in schools, feed and clothed the poor, built hospitals and staffed them, gave mercy to the sick and injured, lead MILLIONS of CATHOLICS through changes that were even difficult for the orders in some ways.
The population will NOT stop the religious congregations GREAT WORKS of the World...we will continue on the important and urgent issues of life... and Rome and the patriarchy will have to buy $$$$$$ there way out of there own mess !
And there are many of us who are NOT going to pay for it !
The Pope is now reaping what he has perhaps sewn.
Wow! Such a harsh comment by
Wow! Such a harsh comment by Stephan. I suppose that he is advocating longeivty to all of the "male, holy orders" that continue to this day to fuel a system that perpetuated global sexual abuse and exploitation of the most innocent and least able to protect themselves, our children. And we haven't even touched some of the scandals waiting in the wings, e.g., fiduiciary abuse. It is no surprise that this institutional sin is now reaching the Vatican -- that is truly the work of the Spirit -- the Spirit is moving to overturn the tables of the moneychangers in Vatican City and diocesan chairs.
May all of the religious sisters continue their prophetic work; the words and prayers of women susch as Schneiders and Chittister, my mentors 'tho' they do not know me, are what keep me continuing in this religious structure. They truly seek to serve the Community of Jesus Christ -- the People of God -- and they will speak His truth no matter the cost. "I have called you friends . . ." Bravo, dear Sisters! Bravo!
enjoy
enjoy
This was a very helpful
This was a very helpful summary Richard.
It gives me great hope to know that Sandra has such a powerful vision and this vision is so badly needed at this time. These religious sisters may be the Trojan Horse that saves our citadel... Perhaps we all need to listen and learn from their shared experience.
Thanks,
Jim
Religious women such as
Religious women such as Sandra Schneiders and also Joan Chittister are definitely "the greatest source of hope" to lay women like myself who find themselves "outside the gates", at the outer margins of the church because we have a different vision of what it means to be "church" and who desparately need that hope because we can't find a "room at the inn". Thanks for the excellent summary of Schneiders' articles and books.
Unfortunately many are not
Unfortunately many are not aware of the harm she caused to many religious after Vatican II. She and others in authority. I know I was part of religious life during that time. She is to blame for much of the decline in religious communities today and why many left religious life.
In 2010 religious are no longer the largest nor best organized organization. Speak to religious who will be honest and you will hear a different story.
Really! One woman, Sandra
Really! One woman, Sandra Schneiders, who by her gender alone is marginalized, "is to blame for much of the decline in religious communities today" --that statement is so ridiculous as to be laughable. Did she have any idea that she wielded such power? She is trying to live from the truth of Jesus Christ, who was crucified for speaking and living out of the scriptures and truth of God revealed to him.
The men in the fancy dresses who sexually molested children and who enabled and hid the abuse, and refused to address their own (mal)formation process bear no responsibility? Wow! Now that is a case for rejecting "personal" revelation, i.e., as long as we define "personal revelation" as the way the church's structural hierarchy exploited and continues to exploit their power and engage in processes of coercion and intimidation (e.g., the investigation og the sisters) rather than washing the feet of women such as Sandra Schneiders and Joan Chittister and men such as Bishop Robinson and priests such Donald Cozzens, and Roy Bourgeois.
Once again statements from
Once again statements from those who know nothing of the struggles of the years after Vat II. Yes she and others in authority were the cause of many to leave religious life. Do your homework and read!
We were there after Vatican
We were there after Vatican II Andre Joseph and we know the vial and intimidating tactics of reactionary conservatives that hated Vatican II people in their churches and chanceries. They are the one's who slandered and threatened many, killing the Spirit in numerous areas of the church. The Sisters were counseled by their prelates to embrace Vatican II and thru their obedience and good will embrace it they did. Their obedience and good deeds in that Spirit did not go unpunished ... like Murphy's Law.
One moral of this story is: If someone yanks you one way, reels you in, and yanks you another way know you're a fish on a hook and the guy on the other end of the pole is not only responsible for your decline he is about to be responsible for your death.
The other moral of the story is: Blind obedience will get you nowhere.
The sisters i know live lives
The sisters i know live lives of profound prayer, strong work for social justice and compassion for the poor and forgotten. These lives are prophetic since they point me and others toward the mission of Jesus.
Sandra Schneiders does us all a great service with her clear thinking and informed analysis. The spirit is moving in this time and it is our job to keep the windows open.
Thank you for this article.
Thank you for this article. Bravo, Sister Sandra. Keep on speaking your truth. We need you!
I read with great interest
I read with great interest and care all of Sr. Schneiders' writings that I could find on the internet, especially the five-article series published by NCRonline. I belong to a society of apostolic life with vows that are private, but reserved. I have a few reflections, and a caveat.
1) As I read Sister's historical analysis of the rediscovery of the founders' charism in many communities, it struck me that many comgregations believed that their founders really wanted them to be apostolic societies, but could not found them as such, given the tenor of the times (it was a revelation to me that the Holy See did not recognize a real distinction between the solemn-vowed and simple-vowed communities until the beginning of the 20th century). 2) What happened in terms of surveillance of women's congregations by higher authorities also happened to the Jesuits throughout history--the last episode being the appointment of the then Fr. Dezza to run the Society in 1981.
3) In the United States, where the Church systematized so much of its own apostolate through the schools, the hospitals, and the Diocesan Social Service departments (Catholic Charities) in a way unparalleled in any other local Church, the control exerted over religious congregations of women is understandable, though not completely excuseable.
The caveat: I thought that the emphasis on the prophetic role tended to isolate the Spirit within the sisters' communities from the Holy Spirit throughout the Church. For myself, the rediscovery of the charism of Vincent de Paul has been excellent; however, we have only begin to explore the meaning of "being evangelized by the poor," without which we can never achieve a true sense of horizontal ministry. It seems to me that the same applies to women religious, so that they not be isolated from Church and society (being "in the world, but not of the world").
I was taught by the IHM's.
I was taught by the IHM's. Sister Sandra is an example of what wondeful women they are. god bless them and the great work of the Sisters of all communities. Maybe it is time for the clergy to start listening to the Spirit also.
Instead of the condemnations
Instead of the condemnations of present religious life (and many of you keep leaving out the men's congregations and societies), could we all view this as where the Holy Spirit is indeed active and leading us to new styles of religious committment? Isn't it possible that the traditional forms are passing through a transition to something new and exhilarating? The proof is there for all to see, that vowed religious life as it has been will be a very small number of people in the Church, while lay institutes and sodalities and deacons will increase as much as those options are openly supported. While we can be sad in seeing those wonderful nuns, sisters, brothers and religious priests dwindle in number, it should not blind us to the new doors that are opening in front of us. Can we all have a little faith that God will lead us out of the deserton this journey, too? A Blessed Lent to all.
I'm glad to have this
I'm glad to have this summary. Also see discussion questions for each of Sr. Schneider's articles over at my blog site. The article is reprinted first and the discussion questions are at the end. Check out the first article here: http://rosemarieberger.com/2010/01/05/sr-sandra-schneiders-the-perniciou...
This is really important work that Sr. Schneider is doing!
I was a Sister of St. Dominic
I was a Sister of St. Dominic from '57 to '70 and did not leave the convent because of the changes of Vatican II. These changes in the church made liturgy and Eucharistic celebration more available to all. For once we all knew what was taking place and prayed together as a community. Sr. Sandra is one of the strong and educated women like those I served with. They are beacons of the Church. Mystery and foreign language do not a religion make. The Sisters have taught us much and as has been said were there in the trenches, where God's work was being done all these years. It would be enlightening if the PRINCES of the church who have settled comfortably in their IVORY TOWERS got their hands dirty dealing with some of the messes that make up life. Maybe they might become real people instead of corporation managers.
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If someone yanks you one way,
If someone yanks you one way, reels you in, and yanks you another way know you're a fish on a hook and the guy on the other end of the pole is not only responsible for your decline he is about to be responsible for your death.
The other moral of the story is: Blind obedience will get you nowhere.
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As Professor of New Testament
As Professor of New Testament Studies and Christian Spirituality, Sr. Sandra Schneiders teaches such classes as New Testament, Gospel of John, hermeneutics
I did read the paper and I
I did read the paper and I think that that quote is not out of context, but is the apex of the gist of the paper: post-Christian, syncretist, feminist, pan-sexual, etc. In a word, heretic. At least she herself acknowledges that that does not attract vocations, blessed be God!
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Thank you very much for this
Thank you very much for this so useful for me post
It gives me great hope to
It gives me great hope to know that Sandra has such a powerful vision and this vision is so badly needed at this time. These religious sisters may be the Trojan Horse that saves our citadel... Perhaps we all need to listen and learn from their shared experience.
Sandra Schneiders does us all
Sandra Schneiders does us all a great service with her clear thinking and informed analysis. The spirit is moving in this time and it is our job to keep the windows open.
A person plainly know a whole
A person plainly know a whole lot about the subject, precisely what covered so many basics.
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