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Colbert and the nuns

 |  NCR Today

Uber-Catholic Stephen Colbert devoted a substantial portion of "The Colbert Report" last night to the issue of the Vatican investigation of LCWR, featuring Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of the Catholic social justice lobby NETWORK, as a guest and giving his two cents on the "radical feminist nuns."

"We’re certainly oriented toward the needs of women and responding to their needs," said Simone, responding to Colbert's charge of radical feminism. "If that’s radical, I guess we are."

Colbert stays in character, defending the rich and arguing that Jesus said, "I got mine, Jack," but, as usual, it's clear his sympathies lie in the opposite vein.

Campbell clearly convinces the audience who applaud after she says, "We’re faithful to the gospel. We work everytday to live as Jesus did in relationship with people at the margins of society. That’s all we do."

Claiming that "Jesus" is a cheap applause line, Colbert concludes: "Well, I’m not going to debate the gospel with a nun."

Colbert's monologue before Campbell's interview begins at 3:15 here. (Btw, Martin Sheen is his guest later in the show.)

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May 10-23, 2013

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