The apostolic visitation looking into the quality of life of women religious in the United States is
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Comments (181)
Visit Necessary
By Anonymous (not verified) on Tuesday, October 13, 2009I am so grateful for the visit. I have worked with so many adults who grew up in Catholic schools in the 60's and 70's and truly have no idea what the Church teaches. They have stories about banners, guitars, and goofy prayer services. They are genuinely convinced they know everything about the faith and are sincerely stunned to learn their faith in more detail. I have attended conferences led by Sisters who have had us do yoga, enneagrams, and Native American smoke ceremonies. I have attended Scripture Studies by Sisters who use the class to promote women's ordination and reproductive "rights." Enough is enough.
I give thanks to the
By Fr. Brian (not verified) on Monday, October 12, 2009I give thanks to the wonderful religious Sisters, the Brentwood Josephites who were my teachers in two elementary schools. They were excellent educators, kind and compassionate women, and taught a Vatican II theology in a pre-Vatican II church.
I have worked with Dominicans of Sparkill, Benedictines of Atchison, Cordi-Marian Missionaries, Charities of Leavenworth, Holy Cross, Missionary Catechists of the Sacred Heart,and Dominicans of Mission San Jose. I have found these women to be profound faith filled role models for all the people of God - male and female, lay, religious, and the ordained.
I think these Sisters have taken Vatican II more seriously than any other group in the church. Perhaps they could visit others to help them (parishes, dioceses, men's groups, the Roman Curia) really apply the teaching of Vatican II.
Thanks Sisters.
I think Fr. Brian's comment
By Brother Charles (not verified) on Tuesday, October 13, 2009I think Fr. Brian's comment speaks so well of the blessing Sisters are to the church.
Please let us know, Father,
By GA Catholic (not verified) on Monday, October 12, 2009Please let us know, Father, what teachings of Vatican II you are particularly talking about.
Knowing the readership of US
By Jimmy Mac (not verified) on Sunday, October 11, 2009Knowing the readership of US Catholic as I do, I sincerely question the polling results as being representative of that readership.
Could an interference by a certain priest who writes for The Wanderer have something to do with this vote?
Your Comment Gives me Hope
By Anonymous (not verified) on Wednesday, October 14, 2009I felt the same way about the results of this on-line survey. I can't believe there are so many people who read the US Catholic that feel this way.
Your insight into a negative priest who writes for the Wanderer makes a lot of sense and gives me hope that there are more who feel this study is unjustified.
God Bless our US Sisters who are being targeted.
Poll results
By Jim Wilson (not verified) on Monday, October 12, 2009I agree. How could so many people really believe this is necessary? Would those same people also think that the "male only" groups should be investigated too????
Don't seminaries count as
By GA Catholic (not verified) on Monday, October 12, 2009Don't seminaries count as "male-only groups?"
They were investigated.
My concern as a former religious
By Anonymous (not verified) on Sunday, October 11, 2009I want to begin by saying I have so much gratitude for the 12 years I served as a Religious, my love for God is deep because of those years. I have a lot of gratitude to the sisters with whom I lived and learned and with whom I served God. I do however carry a concern that the particular order I was in, since it was still in its foundational years and the Church was in such tumult, that traditions and practices have taken root that block their growth and possible survival. I wish that when there is a history of former religious making complaints that a deeper investigation would be made to help them move through the order's developmental hurdle they cannot seem to do so on their own. I pray with love for them and sometimes regret that I was too young to understand that I could have stayed and made a difference with God's grace.... that I did not fully understand at the time! Choicest blessings on all who choose to serve Jesus in this way!
A Second Opinion Needed
By Sister Zelda (not verified) on Friday, October 9, 2009Reading the hundred some comments before mine is an eye opener. I have no doubt that the apostolic religious women, who have grown together through these post-Vatican years, will draw grace and blessing through this visitation. With a century of communal response to God's life giving call, they will find the spiritual depth necessary to make this experience life enriching. Were I to have a dream, it would be that all the data turned over to Mother Mary Clare would also be turned over to an independent auditor for a "second opinion." Surely there are foundations and scholars a plenty up to the task of giving this "second opinion." Before major surgery a "second opinion" is often sought. Before the secret report is written, and the Vatican decrees prepared, such a "second opinion" would assist the communities being investigated with a deeper understanding of their own realities as they read the "official first opinion."
