Community supports ousted St. Louis nun

I have to say it. It is really sickening to read this article, and the comments in support of a woman (and an Order), which has an agenda and purpose totally contrary to the Roman Catholic Church and its teachings, traditions, and belief.
My suggestion to this nun, to her entire Order, to American "Sisters" which support this agenda, and also laypeople who likewise support positions totally oppostite to the Catholic Church, to consider leaving the Catholic Church and joining any number of several hundred various Protestant "groups" or "Christian communities", where your aspirations and inclinations can be met.
But don't verbally bash Archbishop Burke, who did the correct thing and upheld the teachings of the Church. He's been promoted....and I hope his sucessor is just like him. Don't bash the Pope, or Catholic tradition. Don't wreck the Church just to push your own failed and heretical issues.
Use your two feet, and walk away from the Roman Catholic Church and find somewhere else to feel fufilled as a Christian. There's plenty of choices in the Protestant communities.

How can women continue supporting an institution that continually oppresses them?
Let's hear it for a female branch with Joan Chittister for Pope-ess!!!!!
Picture THAT college of cardinals. We'd all be wearing red shoes and putting an end to the B.S.

Holiness does not exist without humble submission to a successor of the apostles. Sister Louise may show other great gifts but humility doesn't seem to be one of them.

The cafeteria is closed and the patrons are mortified. But the doors of the Church are open both to those who belong but, more importantly, to those who want or need to return. Like Sister Louise.

Well said! The laity should not be walking into those church doors. If God has called her to the priesthood than who is the Vatican or Burke or cannon law to say otherwise? If God is for her than who is against her? It is time for the people of God to choose: for the Vatican or for God's will. To me, it is obvious that this beautiful woman is the true priest of God and that she is doing God's will. It is also obvious that Burke and the Vatican are not doing God's will. How do I know? As this letter writer put it so well and as I will summarize: fruits of the spirit. The woman priest in St. Louis has them and the Vatican does not so it is high time that American church separate and become the American Catholic Church. We need a American Catholic Luther. Maybe this woman priest will be our Joan of Arc, our Luther, our Martin Luther King. People of America, land of the free, shed the chains of slavery that Christ has died for and our ancestors set the foundation for and set up an American Catholic church where women's priesthood is practiced. Let there be a priesthood of men who are married. No more sending money to the Vatican. What is given in American stays in American unless it is to help the poor in the world. Who will being this?

I am sitting here at home crying!
I was as a youth sexually abused by a priest. He is still in charge, but is only mowed to a new post to another country. The Church did never, when it was possible and time for it, take any serious actions against him. Today the case is to old to follow up.
Sister of Charity Louise Lears, on the other hand is been set under interdict for asking questions.
Why are women in the Church treated so much as second class members of the Church? Why are they subject for so much harder judgements than men?
She has only done as so many, even saints have done before her, she has asked important questions.
Rape is not important for the Church, but one woman with some questions is "so dangerous" that she has even been set under interdict one of the hardest reactions the Church can give.
I am really crying for the Church.

thank you for your integrity. i appreciate your work with the poor. I work with women and children who have no home. i know how impt it is for them to have acceptance and the gifts of a lived gospel life. my prayers are with your duringthis time of loss and pain. Cathie

Jesus would not have denied Sister Louise communion. Jesus offered Judas communion at the last supper even though he knew that Judas would betray him. Does the Archbishop believe in Jesus Christ or does he make his own rules? Men in power fear women of vision. That should tell us something.

I can well understand all the emotion that this incident has caused. From way off in Australia, and not knowing the facts surrounding this matter, it seems that there are issues that are pertinent to the Universal Church. These are:
Was Sister Louise given natural justice? Was she counselled and given an opportunity to respond to her accuser(s)? Were the proceedings open and impartial? Was the penalty appropriate to the 'offence'?

Why is it that church people accused of deviant opinions are tried, convicted and sentence imposed, all in secret?

I agree with another correspondent that priests and religious who have committed serious crimes against children have often been moved on to green pastures and the matter has been covered up and neither reported to the civil authorities nor any appropriate penalty imposed by the Church. Yet offering an opinion contrary to a ruling by a former pontiff appears to have incurred instant excommunication.

I am sorely perplexed.

I looked "Abbot" Christiansen up in Google. You're not an "Abbot" of any offial, approved Catholic Order or community, but rater a leader of an inter-demoninational (non-Catholic) group the "Community of St. Elizabeth of Hungary and St. Francis de Sales", whatever that is....which also supports gay/lesbian/bisexual marriage, etc.etc.etc. Having read that, I'm fignuring that you gotta be another lunatic Epsicopalian, or have connections to the Episcopal Church.
As a traditional Catholic, I resent that you people (and by extension the NCR) habitually is trying to tear down the traditional CAtholic faith, and instead supporting the lunatic fringe group of "catholics" such as radical femminst nuns (Sr. Lears etc.), gay priests and seminarians, homosexuality in general and gay marriage, radical liberals, ecumenists.
Millions of faithful Catholics like me would love to see the NCR, and your little "religious Order", close up shop for good.

Well that's rather judgmental don't ya think Abbot? You can judge Burke to be one of the wicked hierlings about whom our Lord spoke, but Burke can't identify this nun as being a wolf in sheeps clothing?

Knock off all the self-righteousness and indignation. The 60s are over with. GET OVER IT!!!

'Let us all be banished from the sacraments, excommunicated, interdicted - whatever punitive measures the hierarchy can create - and we will, together, re-assemble away from the institution to create the church Jesus came to build.'

LOL! those are bold words. Now, I seems to remember something about the Catholic Church being necessary for salvation? That's it: Extra ecclesiam nulla salus. Christ built his Church on the rock which is Peter. Ubi Petrus ibi ecclesia. ubi ecclesia ibi vita aeterna.

Dear Long-time Employee of the Chicago Archdiocese,

A group of us at Holy Family Parish in Inverness are also dismayed by the way the church hierarchy is treating fine, committed men and women. They have lost touch with us, and we agree that it's time that we join together - to protest? to form a real Vatican II church that welcomes women, gays, lesbians and anyone else whose views do not conform with a doctrine created by old men to protect their power and territory?

The real crime is that any attempt to organize like-thinking Catholics is squelched before it gets started. We obviously need a strong, charismatic leader to give us the courage to make lasting changes. If you have any suggestions for what we can do in the meantime, please let me know.

A Long-time and long-frustrated Catholic

I will with many others stand up in total accordance with this comment

I think that Sr. Louise sounds like a wonderful and spirit filled woman. It is a terrible mark on the Vatican to have someone like Msgr. Burke running around condeming people (it isn't because she is a woman?).

Raising 5 children and working in church ministry is my life. I have learned through the school of hard knocks (working for the church) that a paid employee can be treated unjustly because you are following one's conscious. The business world can and does treat employees with respect. I still volunteer for the church and I long to see spiritual people in leadership positions. It does take courage and the conviction that one's life is following the Lord. Unforunately, we have many good and kind Bishops but know one will lead us to a higher spiritual path of love and mercy. I want to see women's ordination, and to see the gospel lived out in parishes. It sounds like Sr. Louise lived out the Gospel in her parish and followed the Lord. How happy God is.

Well, Eileen, while you deal with the "anger and outrage" that you feel toward the "arrogance of some of our bishops," I'll be dealing with the anger and outrage that I feel toward people like you who have tried to dismantle the Church and undermine her teachings with your crazy ideas and then try to talk about how humble you and this nun are and how you think that you are being guided by the Holy Spirit.

I, as a young, unlearned man (I'll grant you), find that we, the Church, in our current form, are in a grave state of sin; we are comitting a heresy against Jesus. Jesus sat at table with whores, but we refuse to share the meal of salvation with those who support contraceptives. Some of Jesus', and the early Church's, most important disciples were women; Paul writes about women who could be Deacons or even priests; we've found paintings that make it clear that, from the earliest days when the Church was still The Way, women were priests; and certainly no one can argue at the least that Peter, the Pope, was a married man, that Bishops were married, and that most of the Christians, priests, deacons, or laity, were also married. And yet the right-wings in our Magesterium claim Tradition as one reason why the question of the co-ed un-celibate married priesthood isn't even discussed, let alone considered. I'd like to know who's tradition they're following: Jesus', or the Sadducee's?

And it's been made clear to me that if I voice my opinion to the Church at large, I will be the one excommunicated with heresy. I say, fine. I would rather be excommunicated than to let evil happen while I "sit back and do nothing."

I think it is a grave sin to block vocational calls; and it's stories like these that will find people being lost. I myself almost left and joined the Episcopalians, who have the priesthood I'd like (their "Pope" is a woman!), and they have transubstantiation; and while I realized that this is the Church to be in (at least that's where I'm at now), I know that many of the sheep will stray if we continue to sin. Sin, after all, is really just turning away from Jesus; Jesus would've eaten with gays, with women priests, with those who support abortion and contraceptives; Jesus was more than just liberal, He was a radical heretic! But that's because He's GOD! Jesus is calling us to be as accepting and as perfect as He is.

But instead, the Most Reverend Raymond Burke is sending a sheep away from us, leaving the 99 left behind confused as to what happened, saddened by our loss, and liking the shepherd we read about in the Bible much better.

Archbishop Burke's "either be 100% complicit or we'll excommunicate you" stance reminds me of George W. Bush's stance about supporting the current war: either we're for or against it. It's a black/white, either/or mentality, and I don't buy it, either from our so-called president or from any bishop.

Do you ever read the Gospels? I seem to recall Jesus having some very strong words for such people as the pharisees. Did you accidentally overlook those passages?

I feel strong that Sister Lears has been a victim of Burkes unjustly ruling but please do not policitize you comments. It is a shame that some people simply hate George Bush and it has to come through in every comment they make. Sister Louise is certainly not about hate and you should not not comment in a way that is simply against everything she stands for!

What rock are you living under, Jay? The next generation of the Church is about to come to power and most of us don't agree with your liberal ideas. The "constituency" is changing. Wake up!

As I recall, the year of enlightenment saw many losing their heads in France. Perhaps you should find a better metaphor.

By the way, Galileo already got his apology. This heretic nun won't.

Dear JoAnn,

I bet that, when you try to think of what Jesus would do, he always ends up endorsing your own personal opinions. What a coincidence!

Thank you for writing this, Frank Puthoff. I feel very similarly. I'm also very tired of saying to my non-Catholic friends and family that the these self righteous, presumptuous, and power driven actions of those aspiring to Vatican positions truly do not represent Catholicism, nor are they inherently Christian actions. The Church I love is one of compassion, love, forgiveness and mercy. Unfortunately, this Church, the real one, is being over shadowed by the power hungry, fearful, small minded people who hold institutional power and who wield that power whenever they feel threatened and outshined by someone like Sister Louise who seems to exemplify a life of faith with Christ's compassion and love.

Thank you for writing this, Frank Puthoff. I feel very similarly. I'm also very tired of saying to my non-Catholic friends and family that the these self righteous, presumptuous, and power driven actions of those aspiring to Vatican positions truly do not represent Catholicism, nor are they inherently Christian actions. The Church I love is one of compassion, love, forgiveness and mercy. Unfortunately, this Church, the real one, is being over shadowed by the power hungry, fearful, small minded people who hold institutional power and who wield that power whenever they feel threatened and outshined by someone like Sister Louise who seems to exemplify a life of faith with Christ's compassion and love.

Dear William,

You said: "Burke, Law, McCormick, Mansion Murphy, Mahony compose but the tip of this iceberg of corruption known as the hierarchy of the church. Despots and
mediocrities in Roman collars. They are deluded by the grandeur the enabling arm of the Vatican provides. Mincing men in dresses unable to see they are but players in an immense farce. Yet, their delusional minds prevent them from seeing the injury they do to others - the innocent."

Well, here's my version of that rant: Chittister, Louise, etc. compose but the tip of this iceberg of corruption known as the religious orders of the church. Despots and mediocrities in pants suits. They are deluded by the gradeur the enabling arm of the NCR and Call To Action provide. Mincing women in pants suits unable to see they are but players in an immense farce (that began somewhere around 1960). Yet, their delusional minds pervent them from seeing the injury they do to others - the innocent (i.e. Burke and others who uphold orthodox teaching).

In response to the person who questioned whether something was missing in the story, I can say I am blessed to know Sr. Louise and if anything, the article understated her commitment to the community and to the causes of justice. The only thing missing in the story is mention of the fact that Archbishop Burke had neither the courage nor the courtesy to actually meet with Sr. Louise to ask her whether the charges he leveled against her were true. He acted as the sole prosecuter, judge, jury and executioner which is exactly what is to be expected of a person in power who abuses his power to oppress other persons.

I, too, am waiting for the specifics.

This rush to judgement is also not what Jesus would condone.

The archbishop certainly is innocent till proved guilty.
It is unfortunste he will not be around to do so.

YES, let us pray for both sister and the archbishop

As a member of Cronan's (being with Sr. Louise from the beginning) that is EXACTLY the point. She went to the ordination with several hundred other people and was singled out for punishment. She did nothing more than the other people and was told that she committed "grave scandel to the church" and "threatened immortal souls".

As a member of Sr. Louise's parish, I can tell you for certain that her attendance at the women's ordination is, indeed, the 'crime' for which she has received such a severe punishment. Please continue to pray for Sr. Louise and all of the wounded but faith-filled Catholics that have suffered under the reign of Raymond Burke. And in the true spirit of the Gospel, we must also pray, as we do every week at St. Cronan's 'for our brother, Raymond'.

I am proud to say I am a traditionalist Roman Catholic, aged 26.
I love the ancient teachings and traditions of my Church, the Gregorian Chant, the Tridentine Latin Mass, the incense, the contemplative quiet and prayerfullness at Mass, the beauty of the altar, the magnificence of the music, the faithful young priests, monks, and friars nuns and sisters all dedicated to Catholic tradition and obedience to the Pope.
I resent the radical liberals in the Catholic Church who took much of their inspiration (especially in the fabricated Novus Ordo Catholic Mass), from you Episcopalians and other Protestant groups, and who tried to tear down the Catholic Faith in 40 years.
I am proud of our Pope, Benedict XVI who is trying to bring Catholic ways and worship back.

The "Reformation" has given you the earthly right to ordain whomever you chose: women, gays, married, married gays, etc. The Roman Catholic Church has 2000 years of Sacred Tradition that will not be altered and changed to suit the whims of peoples' feeling. The world is already noting the effects of artificial birth control (increased divorce rates and loss of respect for life). Episcopalians, and other Protestant sects have all the "freedom" you want to act on your feelings. Where has that really gotten you?? Freedom is hinged on responsibility. Who are we to say we know what pleases or displeases Jesus?? Jesus was obedient to the Father unto death. Obedience is a clear element that is often overlooked when it is no longer convenient. Viva il Papa!!

Marci, if you live in K. C. MO, this is Dorothy--I am trying to locate you. My e-mail is Dorothywalters72@ yahoo.com
My blog is www.kundalinisplendor.blogspot.com thanks.

Dear Jan Tuller:

And I thank you for the opportunity to express my appreciation that you had the integrity to leave if you felt that way. Perhaps Sr. Louise should develop the integrity that you have.

I pray that one day you will accept the truth and come back home to the true Church. But not until you are humble enough to admit that you were wrong. Otherwise you'll just be another Sr. Louise trumpeting her "humility."

In response to Stanley Williams' comments: Did not Jesus himself embrace nonviolence and justice as his response to false accusations, plotting and scheming for his downfall, and injustice?

Stanley,
I am proud that you are free to say such judgmental and angry things about a nun who has dedicated her life to God's people. That proves that we live in a free country. I am so sad that you consider yourself able to define what is Catholic. I thought it was baptism? Who knew it was something else.
If people like her are removed from the ministry we will have a strong church, that serves no one but you and your self righteous companions who didn't need Jesus to save them anyway. You are probably already perfect.

Sir, why have you not noticed by now that the church, spelled HIERARCHY, uses power and control to intimidate, punish, and excommunicate. Where in the gospels do you read that this is what Jesus did? Most of us are quite practically PROTESTant because we protest.