Pope Francis and the American Sisters

[cbayer]

Last edited Thu Apr 18, 2013, 11:13 AM - Edit history (1)

http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/atheologies/7036/pope_francis_and_the_american_sisters/

April 16, 2013
By MARY E. HUNT


Nun for all and all for nun!

Mary E. Hunt
Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D., is a feminist theologian who is co-founder and co-director of the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER) in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. A Roman Catholic active in the women-church movement, she lectures and writes on theology and ethics with particular attention to liberation issues.

The jury is still out on Pope Francis in a pontificate that may well be shaped by women. A month after Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was named Bishop of Rome, his Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Most Reverend Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, met with the presidents of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an umbrella group of American nuns that had come under doctrinal scrutiny and been found wanting.

Archbishop Mueller claimed that he had “recently discussed the Doctrinal Assessment with Pope Francis, who reaffirmed the findings of the Assessment and the program of reform for this Conference of Major Superiors.” On the face of it, this means that Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, Bishop Leonard P. Blair, and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, who were named to enforce the terms the Congregation’s findings against the LCWR, are given carte blanche to do so. There may be more to this than meets the eye.

LCWR’s statement on the meeting includes just the facts and a dignified conclusion: “The conversation was open and frank. We pray that these conversations may bear fruit for the good of the Church.” Pundits are left to parse the rest.

It is early in a pontificate to make definitive judgments. Jesuits, I am informed, usually wait 100 days before making major decisions in their new positions. Perhaps Francis is observing the custom, hence some warrant for the bated-breath approach of some progressive pundits. As an inveterate pope-watcher and advocate for justice for women, let me offer a few insights to guide future evaluation.

more at link

[Tumbulu]

1. Don't see the link but hope

That Pope Frances reverses this very shameful attack on women religious.

[cbayer]

3. Sorry about that - link added.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

2. Alas, the Pope did not return leadership of the LCWR to women

The Vatican preaches the equality of men and women, but when push comes to shove, it really does not mean it.

[cbayer]

4. In what way does the Vatican preach this equality?

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

5. Well, you might start with Pope John Paul II's letter

Mulieris Dignitatem -- "The Dignity of Women". This has statements such as "both man and woman are human beings to an equal degree, both are created in God's image" and "The biblical text (ie, Genesis 2) provides sufficient bases for recognizing the essential equality of man and woman" and so on. However, JPII is also the author of Ordinatio Sacerdotalis -- "Priestly Ordination". This can be summed up as "Women cannot be ordained because I say so. Now everyone is to shut up on this subject."

However, in the Vatican hierarchy, there is exactly one woman in a significant position, Sister Enrica Rosanna, who is under-secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life. All senior Vatican officials must be ordained, and thus can only be men.

[cbayer]

6. Well, I wish they could move towards matching their deeds with their words.

I look forward to a show down with the American nuns. The institution would benefit greatly from more women in positions of authority, imo.

Thanks for the info.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

7. Unfortunately, the attitude of Vatican bureaucrats can be summed up by Governor LePetomane

In Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles, "We have to protect our phoney-baloney jobs, gentlemen!"

[cbayer]

8. Lol! I can think of a few other similarities between that movie and the vatican!