Vatican begins study of US women religious

As a former religious, this visitation is good. I experienced nothing 'radical' about the apostolic women religious with whom I lived. While there were some dedicated women, mostly older nuns who survived all the changes of Vatican II, many more sisters were emotionally underdeveloped and complacent about the order. There was little to no accountability: no fiscal accountability, relational accountability, or ministerial accountability (for the ones who actually worked) etc. The depth of spirituality is characterized by one sister's Lenten fast, :"I'm going to give up drinking scotch every night, but I'm still going to drink my wine and beer with dinner." True story. My life as a single woman, before and after my life with the sisters, was, and is more radical and obedient than anything I experienced in religious life. My old religious order spent a year debating about buying another vacation home for the sisters, claimed as their own all the work that non-religious were doing to promote the sisters' old school apostolates, and bickered about minutia around the house or apartment where they lived. Why bother entering one of the these orders? While NOT characteristic of all the apostolic orders, there is a reason dynamic young women are not entering these orders, but flocking to the ones where there are clear and distinct marks of a radical life: habits, clear theology and fidelity related to the vows, and a foremost dedication to prayer and relationship to God that is the hallmark of every religious life. Giving up scotch for Lent just won't cut it anymore.

An "anonymous" post that appeared on February 26, 2009 , claimed women are flocking to religious orders where their are clear and distinct marks of radical life. The "anonymous" poster sites "habits" (costumes worn by women centuries ago, when orders were founded, i.e., veils, long dresses, no hair showing, etc.) which have been proven to be unhealthy and unsanitary when worn day in and day out, (hygiene issues apply here), coifs and veils caused loss of hearing and safety issues when driving a car or near machinery such as heat irons, and more importantly, as symbols of oppression by men in power. As for "clear theology and fidelity related to vows", I think the "anonymous" poster is so far removed from the reality of what long and detailed studies have revealed about religious life over the centuries, that it becomes fallacious to imply that the transformation of American Catholic sisterhoods since the Vatican II period has been flawed because these remarkable women have not stayed within a narrow minded definition of what makes a woman Religious. The vast majority of these communities renewed and updated their orders to conform with their original purposes and to engage the modern world. Ignorance is one thing but posting under "anonymous" is without integrity. You have to at least have the courage to reveal yourself and stand by your good name. It's appears unchristian and cowardly to post anonymously. It's like a hit and run. Operating in the shadows "just won't cut it anymore."

Please Jesus, let all involved deeply listen to Almighty God the Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! He is Risen indeed!

I understand there are two Apostolic Visitations going on. Both are concerned with women and the possibility that they might not be toeing the lines drawn in the sand by the male hierarchy of the church. The purpose of the first is to find out why fewer and fewer women are entering religious orders. It is curious that they are excluding contemplative orders. Perhaps they make fewer waves as far as the press is concerned but believe me their prayers could be quite a threat to the hierarchy if they knew what prayers were being prayed! Just think if all those contemplative sisters were secretly praying for the Holy Orders of Men be extended to women as well. Why don't the bishops instead of asking women religious why women aren't entering the orders in sufficient quantities, ask the young women Catholics who are finishing high school and entering colleges. Send out surveys to all recent female Catholic high school graduates.
They will tell the bishops why they are not entering. Many doors have opened up to women in the past 50 years. Women can become doctors, lawyers, CEOs, dentists and so on. However in the church most doors remain closed.
The special graces afforded males in Holy Orders are not meant for women. Women are to be excluded from the priesthood. There are six sacraments for women, seven for men. Then too there may be another underlying reason for all the recent attention to women in the church. The religious orders are aging. There are more sisters over 40 than under 40. That is a huge pension load. Perhaps if this inquisition can weed out a few of our liberal sisters, that pension load would be a bit lighter. I don't see these bishops poking around among the male orders of priests and monks except in the case of the Legionaries of Christ.

The ultimate "door" for women in the Church is Our Lady. The quest for priesthood among women is not about following Jesus Christ... it is about POWER. Lost in the din of whining feminists is why our dear Lord ordained 12 bumbling stumbling men and yet did not ordain His sinless and perfect Mother. The answer has to do with the root of original sin, propitiation, and the male human person of Christ. Let's stop playing the gender card every time our feelings get hurt. The priesthood is reserved for men because original sin is passed down through man. The Jews know this… and we… if we are Catholic also know it. Of course... if you don’t believe in original sin... you might have difficulty understanding that.

There is nothing unhealthy about a religious habit…as one commenter stated. Show me one credible shred of detailed scientific evidence, which is backed up by empirical data which affirms such a silly theory. Also... you would insult our Moslem friends if you went down that road (Heaven forbid).

Do these sisters look oppressed to you?

http://desertnuns.blogspot.com/

Please... the sixties are over. Give me a break!

I watch with interest and some measure of concern the unfolding of the coming Visitation of the Congregations of Religious Women in the United States. On the facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=60994567428)1800 people have joined the group in the promise of prayer. This is not a bad thing to do, to say the least. However, in examining the profiles of these individuals it is clear that there is a great commonality. Many of those singled out as being outstanding by those in the group are individuals such as Sarah Palin, John McCain, Karl Rove,Sean Hannity, Bobby Jindal. It would seem that there is an underlying, unspoken expectation here. Now let it be said clearly that one has no control over who joins one's fan club when one signs up on facebook. Still there is clearly a "magnetism" in play, and one which I find quite disturbing. I watch and wait and am grateful that it is "from afar". I hope that God hears all of our prayers and that we are open to an answer, and that our prayers are not just those seeking to remove the speck from another's eye.