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The apostolic visitation looking into the quality of life of women religious in the United States is

Monday, September 28, 2009

Thank you for completing the poll question. Women Religious, please click here to tell us more about the quality of your life as a women religious and share your opinion on the apostolic visitation. Lay people, please click here to take our Reader Survey on the apostolic visitation of women religious.

UPDATE: The deadline for our Reader Survey has passed.  Thanks for participating.  Look for the results in our upcoming January issue!

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Comments (181)

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Actually, I have read the

Actually, I have read the Bible carefully and I don't see the situation the same way as you do. What is clear is that good, open, prayerful people will see things differently. This is a challange for all of us, not just those of us who are part of the mystical body of Christ. Peace and prayers for your journey, Fr. Tim

Time for some Vaitcan

Time for some Vaitcan [filtered word]-kicking. The religious sisters are losing members at a rapid pace, it's time that order is returned so things can heal.

Vatican investigation of women religious

In reading the comments made on the Vatican's investigation of women's reliigious orders, I am appalled at all the appeals made to the "hierarchical" model of the Church.

Whatever happened the Church as "Servant," "Herald of the Gospel,"
and "the People of God?" Are we still in the Middle Ages that, as a last resort, we need to get our orders "from the top down?"

As a layman, my Baptism makes me a vital part of "the royal priesthood of Christ, a chosen people, a holy nation, God's very own possession."
(1 Peter2:9) Period! No excuses! No explanations to anybody necessary! So why don't we start conducting ourselves accordingly instead of sniping and back-biting at each other?

The "Priesthood of All

The "Priesthood of All Believers" to which you allude is a Protestant notion that was condemned by the Council of Trent. That condemnation, by an Ecumenical Council, is de fide and may not be overruled or ignored by any Catholic. I would say that your religious education has few gaps.

Baptismal Priesthood

Would you mind giving "chapter and verse" of the Council of Trent that condemns the baptismal priesthood (or the "priesthood of all believers")? The Catholic Church does indeed believe in such a thing. Popes Pius XI and XII wrote about it explicitly in their encyclicals Miserentissimus Redemptor and Mediator Dei.

Disheartened By Negative Comments

After seeing the results of this survey & the comments, I am disheartened as my experience of Religious Sisters and communities is very positive. I speak maninly of the Domincans of Sinsinawa. They were my teachers in grade school & college. I have also worked with Sisters of other communities.
This "study" is seeking answers to questions that pretain to Religious Orders of men as well as women. (Fewer convents are available for women to live in; the need for qualified people to work in all areas, not only schools & hospitals; fewer numbers entering; methods and what is being taught to name a few areas being "investigated")
The male Curia seems to be,once again, "picking on" the women that help do the work of the Lord.
Their is hope if women Relgious look at the example of Jesus and what happened to Him.

I am proud that Pope

I am proud that Pope Benedict is bringing about an end to the heresies that were rampant in our church for nearly 40 years. It is time to live out the Council as was intended by the Council fathers, not by those who took the Council to be an opportunity to dissent and push for whatever they wanted.

Uncharitable comments

Confer Jesus' words at John 13:35, and recall the observable trait of early Christians ..."see how they love one another."

To suppress the truth is not

To suppress the truth is not charity.
Admonishing the sinner and instructing the ignorant are spiritual works of mercy.

This is something that can

This is something that can be so easily abused. Before one is in a position to do the spiritual work of mercy of admonishing the sinner, they often have much to do concerning their own lives. My observation has been that often these admonishments come from those who are unwilling to do the other spiritual works of mercy, not to mention the charitable works of mercy.

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