Catholics want women religious to speak out on policy issues

Since I was 6 years old, the nuns in my parish were very important to our community. I could write a book on how they openly assisted the people. The nuns I grow up with, were loving, caring and intelligent women who know what was needed and had numerious meeting for the change of the world and the community.
With the big turn over after the 1960's nuns had to make changes within themselves in order to best serve and they did.
There should be much more spiritual reflections with nuns and the lay people and they the nuns should have a much broader voice in the church. It is not a mans world anymore,. Sorry fellows.

I would suggest a trip to the Maltz Museum in Beachwood, OH, to see the magnificent exhibit about American Sisters who helped build America into the nation it is today. The exhibit is titled Women & Spirit. Check the internet for information.

I could not agree more with this sentiment.

My life has been challenged and has grown as much from my associations with women religious as it had from priests and monks.

A family that is respectful of its members, and is secure enough in its familial bonds, that it allows its members the freedom to contribute and to critique, is stronger for the charity.

Women of the church. Women of hope. You have lived church and you are church.

Women Religious need Affirmative Action. The Catholic People need to give it to them.

I'm not a fan of polls or surveys...whether scientific or of a new type of survey as espoused by Knowledge Networks. I find most questions in surveys very limiting...rarely finding a choice that represesents my viewpoint. Even if most of the people feel a certain way, I often wonder just how informed about a specific issue the respondents are. Having said that, I do agree with the results of this survey, that Women Religious need to speak out on policy issues...and it is interesting to find that the very low percentage of people who feel that nuns should go back to a cloistered existence (in so many words) Not only do I appreciate women religious speaking out on policy issues, they keep me focused on the issues that matter, especially faith/spiritual issues. If it were not for women religious, I would have given up hope a long time ago. I think the work they perform as it relates to all sorts of poverty and the very fine writing that they produce help me understand what CHURCH is all about at his point in time. I don't want to return to the Middle Ages. I don't find the Vatican to be representative of what it means to follow the Gospel Message of Jesus.

Who is more qualified than the nuns to speak out on policy? They are the ones who have done the work among the people of the church. They have been the true leaders, quietly, who have brought the laity to higher levels of spirituality. They are the ones who have lived among the poor and desolate. The women have been the ones who have seen the effects of policies created by the male hierarchy. Women are entitled to a voice.

Hmmm.. this survey has a pretty wide margin of error. That said, it still seems obvious to me that religious women are the only part of the official church that has real moral credibility, and that because of this the hierarchy views them as a threat.

A margin of 6-7 percentage points is a lot, but the survey still reveals interesting data. However, it's entirely useless. Throughout history nuns and brothers have been respected and highley regarded. However, I fall into a different category, nuns should make public statements only when those statements don't go against Catholic doctrine.

I did not participate in the survey.
I am RC and agree that women religious have strongly - and are still strongly contributing to building the Church and maintaining its true mission.
Sisters have a right, and a call, to speak out in any way they discern the Spirit leading them. That's what most of these women are about. We have always needed voices and ways of living as a corrective to the inevitable urge to maintain an institution- as in "Institutional Church". Rather than simply "obeying a law", Sisters in community are in a process of ongoing discernment of the Spirit. An honest discernment process does not exclude any topic or idea.
In the discernment they may realize the Spirit is calling them to lobby politically, to protect an innocent, or to work to change an institution.
"By their fruits you shall know them." The poorest of the poor are lovingly served, the Compassion of Jesus is lived today through them, the Good News -- of the Divine Mystery's love for all of us and Presence with and within us -- is being proclaimed by their living, by their ministry. Discernment is an ongoing process of listening ever more deeply.
I believe we are all called to this kind of discernment of the Spirit in our lives.

NO LINK to the survey in question so we can view and interpret the data for ourselves?

Do they want these women lying? Not only about authentic Church teaching but about simpler things? Network totally misrepresented their support and numbers when they claimed that they had 59,000 women agreeing to their position when in fact they only had a little over 100.

A couple of comments~
It seems to me that there is a substantive difference between the manner of women religious speaking out and the hierarchy. The women seem to speak from a perspective of community, of value inbued knowledge,experience, faith and value. True, they have learned this the hard way, emerging from a strong adherence to and being subject/victim to the hierarchical model. The hierarchy tend to expostulate and impose from a perspective of imperium and control. There are generalities just as most personality distinctions predicated of men and women but are, to me, noteworthy.

It is truly unfortunate that the general catholic population, especially women themselves are not concerned with the investigation of leadership and the visitation of women religious congregations. If one begins with the traditional exclusionary view of women and their "chattel" status and then read Cardinal Ratzinger's recent(2004)substantive treatise on women "...in the church and in the world" (with the blessing of John Paul II)one can see quite clearly that the church's contemporary position is quite similar. It is the emergence of a quite distinct spirituality, theology, sociology, philosophy and psychology embodied by women religious that the visitation and investigation are meant to crush. This is especially significant for women, not merely women religious - note that the title embraces women, religious and otherwise; and women, not only in the church but "in the world". I would suppose, that the "communitarian" approach to spiriuality and faith seemingly espoused by women religious (as distinct from the imperial clericalism) and the women issue are important for us all.

So..."beware, take care...."

Hooray for these women. I love them. They have life. Look at the bishops. A bunch of frail, angry men who have lost their way. Sad!

This should be sent to every Bishop in the the US. Show them who supports who. The laity understands who has the real moral authority in the Church.

I like the new type of survey organization! This is fabulous! Thank you.

I think the investigation of women's religious orders is an attempt to control the members by intimidation. At the moment the organizations of women religious are held in higher respect than the male leaders - the Bishops and the Vatican - who have been unable to understand the horrible consequences of sexual abuse of children. These leaders have obviously forgotten the words of Jesus, "Suffer the little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

I think this is wrong. Only certain people have teaching authority on specific matters, not everyone who has an opinion can promote their ideas and views in a public way claiming to be Catholic or with Church weight or authority.

Dissent Catholics continue to confuse, undercut and sow disorder that is weakening the body of Christ. There is a time and place for discussion and debate but there is also such a thing as obedience.

In my estimation, the nuns could run the church one heck of a lot better than the career-obsessed, sin-obessed, blind obedience-obsessed large percentage of the clergy.

"Nuns make moral choices. Churchmen often make moral speeches and pragmatic choices." Tim Unsworth

I want women religious in UK to speak out on policy issues too!

Roberts relates: "The poll also showed Catholics had little concern about the ongoing Vatican investigation of women’s religious orders."

I for one have a GREAT DEAL of concern for this on-going inquisition handled by the most far right wing of the group, and would appreciate very much continuing NCR coverage of the process.

After the earlier excellent and courageous reports through NCR, we now have only a frightening silence, waiting for the other shoe to fall . . .

Please continue this crucial coverage, in solidarity with our good and holy sisters in their service to us poor, before we all wake up to discover ourselves automatically excommunicated.

frère charles du désert OSB OBLAT (Congrégation de Subiaco)

Why just "Women Religious"? Why not the non-professional women, who are often actually just as much or more religious?

A similar although less informed report on this survey may be found at

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/06/catholic-n...

with the usual comments beneath

Women religious should not only speak out but should refuse to acknowledge that the clerical bureaucracy of the Vatican has any licit authority over them, regardless of what our obsolete code of canon law says. The days when women religious were to obey the clergy are no more; the clergy, by their active and passive moral turpitude, have forfeited any legitimate claim that authority flows through the priesthood. If it does, my take on that is that authority flows through the priesthood of the laity, not through the power-hungry, women-fearing clerical caste system.

1. It appears that 3-4% of Catholics are misogynists.

2. I think your run-of-the-mill Joe & Mary Catholic have no idea of the Vatican's witch hunt of the women religious in the U.S., so it's not surprising the investigation wasn't a big concern for most Catholics.

3. I wonder what the response be if Catholics were polled on their views of priests, bishops, & cardinals?

When can we elect nuns and other women as Bishops and Pope? Not soon enough for me.

The sensus fidelium is loud and clear. Deo gratias!

Women religious are far more educated than their male counterparts and this is a threat too. Not only do they "talk the talk, they walk the walk". When are people in the pews going to learn the power of boycott: $$$$ and shop around for a parish that treats women as equals. Is the Vatican investigation already a fiasco? Stay tuned.
How about an investigation of bishops and cardinals who obstructed justice in the "priestly" pedophile crisis for decades throughout the world?
How about starting with Bernard Law?
Oh, I forgot, he's living like a "prince" in Rome--the "old boys club" is dying and gasping for air! More and moe evidence shows that JPII knew about this global scandal and failed to take the right measures.

I AM concerned about the Vatican investigation into the lives of American non-cloistered religious women. I was NOT pleased that the SISTERS and the Bishops were asked to contribute financially to its execution (well-chosen word). I wrote to the USCCB and to my own Bishop and said that until such time as I see a statement on their websites that they will not contribute to such a venture, they will get no contributions from me. Nothing on the sites. No reply from either. Silence speaks volumes. It certainly indicates that they do not even care enough to acknowledge any other viewpoint. No matter; there are other worthy causes to contribute to.

And doesn't this speak volumes: "Only 4 percent (all men) saw them as “Women who have not done much.” It would be very good for ALL women associated with church institutions to go on a simultaneous "vacation" for a month or so and see just how well things go.

We want our nuns to be totally faithful to the Church. That includes obviously being faithful to the Pope and the Bishops who are in union with him. And all the Magisterial Teachings.

I'm not a regular viewer of this magazine, but I was shocked to see a poll where everyone is in agreement, wow. If I understand the question it seems quite clear. Should religious sisters make a statement of support for (in this case health care reform) an issue that the USCCB has spoken out against. Wow tough call, are we called to be a church of opinions or the truth. Who has the "right" is not the question. We have a responsibility to be obedient to our Mother Church. I'm sure that most of the women religious had to take a vow of obedience, hmmm, to whom?
The problem with the secularists even those in our church, they think that heaven and God want a democracy in our church, they seem to forget that it's the Kingdom of God. Why, I'll quote Ben Franklin:

Democracy is two lions and lamb taking a vote on what they'll have foe lunch.

I didn't see any comments about why this public statement was so outside Church teachings, it's about abortion. Health care via the goverment probably will make it mandatory for health care providers to offer abortions and contraceptives. Does that mean anything to all the catholics who responded?

Of course, women religious should speak out on important cultural and religious issues. Why wouldn't they...unless of course, they fear the heirarchy's reaction. This lastest attempt at intimidating "the good Sisters" seems to be back firing on the Vatican. One community I heard had only 8 Sisters agree to be interviewed by the investigators. Another went the opposite direction and 250 Sisters plan to "tell the investigators" just how happy they are in their community.

Many (most??) Catholics don't know of the Investigation because their pastors haven't mentioned it from the pulpit. How on earth could a pastor explain the Vatican's desire to investigate these good women? Talk about being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea!

I am a not-not catholic. Catholicism is in my blood, I reccieved thru my Mothrs breast milk. Today I can no longer participate in the traditional catholic ritual. The Holy spirit has called me out kicking and screaming. I cannot no longer adhere to or repeat many things that are no longer true for me.

I love Mother Church but not the established church. Society has corrupted the established church. It is hierachyle, it discriminates against women, it does not protect children, it comprormised the Gospel for the Gross National product rather than the human person
I am "In Love With Jesus"------= translate as in "Gods'Love" with Jesus. For me Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. The institutional church for me no longer is the rock, it has sold out.

After a year of silence before this important move being in my late eighty's with a family of 11 children who were educated in caatholic schools, and 42 years of committed marriage I do not say these words lightly.

As for the Sisters, America and I presume other countries, tho I do not pretend to know, America would be barren indeed without the compassionate work of these ccourageous, compassionate women. I acknowledge they were not
without their weakneses coming from the disfunctional families of the times. However they carried the essence of humanity,compassion for all life.

I wholeheartedly proclaim and support the Sisters are the voice in the wilderness for todays world, and am hoping the investigation will give them the power of the spirit of their lived experience to speak out in truth and love.

The laity is so disgusted with the current hierarchy of the Church that they would allow Jimmy Lee Swaggert to lead the them. At this point any entity that would bring some truth and logic to the situation would be acceptable. The women of the Church are the natural (and I believe correct) "next level" to look to for some relief. Let no one assume that these women are without sin. There have been abuses of different kinds, mostly having to do with the exercise of power and the mishandling of money. But these things are visible, manageable and irrefutable, unlike the sins of our Fathers.
I am for telling them to stand up and take more control. Eventually, I would like to see them form the nuclease of the new American Catholic Church. In the final analysis Rome is just a place, even if it current is the seat of toads and lepers.

It's time for feminist and liberal U.S. nuns who subscribe to the principles of feminism and to Cardinal Bernardin's 'Seamless Garment philosophy' in preference to Catholic doctrine to wake up. In case they haven't noticed their numbers are declining because they can't draw young women into the environment they have created. As proof of this look at the growth of the more conservative orders as compared to the liberal ones.

So I welcome the investigation of the LCWR by the Vatican. I pray it will result in convincing them to chuck the business suits, mini-skirts, bongo drums, make-up and jewelry. Convince them to stop slandering the Holy Father and the Vatican, to stop lobbying for feminist causes, to stop calling for change within the Church that doctrine forbids and return,in fathful obedience, to the Church.

Mike Malone

Mike Malone

Absolutely, I feel women religious should speak out in many ways -- on matters of public policy and on issues related to our Church, in ways that engage the wider Church in a conversation, as a voice of the Spirit, and more.

In particular, I am VERY GLAD they spoke up about Health Care Reform. I do believe that our bishops got it wrong. In any event, while this issue does have important moral implications in a number of ways, it is NOT a matter of doctrine, but more of a PRUDENTIAL JUDGMENT on a public policy matter. The US Catholic bishops should NOT be the only voice speaking for the Catholic Church in such a situation.

To be heard, they will have to speak louder, much louder, then their misguided and ignorant bishops. Remember sister Kane who bravely spoke out and was brutally rebuked by pope John Paul II, the Great Paedophile Protector?

Women religious will have to renounce their canonical status before they will be free to witness to the gospel teachings of Jesus. Being a member of a monastic or religious order is not a Christian calling though it is a traditional vocation in the Roman Rite Catholic Church.

Federal regulators complained in a scathing internal memo about "significant deficiencies" in BP's handling of the safety of oil spill workers and asked the Coast Guard to help pressure the company to address a litany of concerns.
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I want to hear from faithful sisters, but not the ones who think themselves better than the Church.

Don't ordain religious women priests. Can you imagine what kind of church we would have if we ordained nuns bishops? This RC church would rock!!!

Someone in the Catholic church needs to speak the truth with love, and it might as well be women religious. Parish priests who speak out risk their careers, and others have either resigned themselves to or actively support the clerical culture--a culture that is profoundly unpastoral.

Only the nuns who don't have to answer to a Bishop are truly able to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and to speak the language of "sensus fidelium". The nuns of "The Cenacle", many of whom were trained in the practice of Ignatian Spirituality, as well as a few Jesuit priests I met through these nuns, truly loved and guided me spiritually and instilled in me a constant desire for ongoing communication with God. They answered my questions, gave me books and/or referred me to further reading. They were never afraid to say they didn't know an answer if that was the case. They were well-educated, in touch, truthful, compassionate and were following the Way and the Truth and the Light. And they honestly loved their neighbor.

Most of the parish priests I spoke to and questioned over a ten-year period often and immediately became evasive, or spouted formulaic answers which they knew were not true, and/or got peeved if I persisted. They also avoided any serious issues when speaking from the pulpit, merely rehashing warmed-over sermons they wrote years ago. When you are in fear of losing your health insurance, your living, and your future retirement you cannot speak truth to those who hunger for it. If God is Love and God is Truth, and if "the truth will set you free", many of the hierarchy are sadly imprisoned and in danger spiritually. "Do as I say and not as I do". God help them.

During Vatican II and immediately following, most women religious "got it" and
did what the Church asked them to do: they changed what needed to be changed, kept what was essential and moved on with the Holy Spirit. Most older priests dragged their feet and resisted change.
I'm amazed at how many people don't know what Vatican II was, and go by what they hear. The Pope and 2500 bishops gathered together and made decisions. If the Holy Spirit wasn't there, then where is She to be found? If that wasn't the magisterium speaking, then what ss? But the women religious who "got it" were often maligned, criticized, and mistreated by many for following what the magisterium required at the time. These courageous women are still faithful to their calling - but many right wingers still don't see it. Thank you Sisters, for your deep faith and courage. Like most women in the world, you are doing most of the work while men in power still get the attention and credit.