Politics Daily
Inside Politics Daily
Valentine's Dinner Odds in Blizzard Season
Scott Brown and the Palin Path: Will He Choose Brassy or Boring?
Democrats Leave Health Care Behind for Jobs, Toyota, Gays in Military
Murtha Turned Against War, but Not Grab-While-You-Can Politics
Rep. John Murtha, Advocate for Pa. District, Pentagon, Dies at 77
Liz Christman, Enemy of the Passive Voice, Who Rocked Some Jaunty Hats
Is Obama's Search for 'Common Ground' Real?- Tim Tebow's Brilliant Fake Leads to Pro-Life Score
'Snowmageddon' in D.C. -- The Politics, Talk Shows and Snowball Fights Go On
Sarah Palin Serves Tea Party Delegates Red Meat and Certainty
My Left Breast Put Fancy TSA Scanner to the Test
From a Grass Roots Tea Party, a PAC Blooms
Vatican Cracks Down on . . . Nuns?
Why is the Vatican messing with American nuns? It's not like there are that many of them.PD toolbar!
The Vatican is conducting two investigations, says an article in The New York Times. "While some nuns say they are grateful that the Vatican is finally paying attention to their dwindling communities, many fear that the real motivation is to reel in American nuns who have reinterpreted their calling for the modern world," the story says.
Instead of sticking to traditional work in hospitals and schools, many are active in professions and live independently.
The Vatican is being vague, but one organization being studied, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, was warned decades ago about loose talk on the ordination of women.
Some nuns are urging their sister sisters not to cooperate. I'm sympathetic.
From kindergarten through 12th grade, I was taught by the nuns – the Oblate Sisters of Providence and the Daughters of Charity. Some were brutal. Many more were quite kind and encouraging. Sister Mary Augustine pulled me into the newspaper room at Seton High.
Over the years, I saw their habits change, literally and figuratively. Most of the nuns I know now are working in the community, as teachers and social workers. They speak up, too. It goes down a lot better than the deference to priests, which – even in first grade -- I found pretty creepy. Considering what some of the priests were doing, more backtalk would have been a good thing.
It's no surprise that such a patriarchal institution is keeping a close eye on convent life. But if the church wants to encourage vocations to fill the diminishing ranks of the religious, a crackdown isn't the best recruiting tool.
and download the new Politics Daily toolbar!
-
PRINT
-
IM
-
E-mail
5 comments
+ add your own
Mary C. Curtis
Mary C. Curtis, an NPR contributor based in Charlotte, N.C., was previously a writer and editor for The New York Times and the Charlotte Observer... moreRelated Articles
Related Articles
- Emily Miller Talks National Enquirer's Edwards Coverage and Pulitzer...
Politics Daily columnist Emily Miller appeared on the " America's Morning News " radio show on Tuesday to discuss the National Enquirer's coverage of the John Edwards scandal and its place in modern...
- James Grady and Bonnie Goldstein's PD Investigations
With the publication of today's main story by Adam Zagorin and Michael Smallberg, Politics Daily is launching its new investigative reporting unit. Our investigative coverage, dedicated to the...
- Identity Politics Gone Wrong: How Gender Loyalty Blinded EMILY's List to...
Click play below to watch Politics Daily's new online Sunday show:
Comments (5)
KAYE
10:43AM Jul 2nd 2009
If nuns can go out in the world and be easier for kids and people to talk to because of the chg.its better. Nuns who are dressed in black and hoods on thier heads are not a good way to put a person at ease.
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(-3)
(-3) 
Simplicity
2:14AM Jul 30th 2009
Children are better at reading adults than people give them credit for they can recognise those who care about them and respect them the outward apparel makes little difference.The issue is not about habits the issue is about being faithful to Church teaching by word and example. The many nuns leading faithful and faithfilled lives will have no problems with any Vatican visitors.Those who might experience some discomfort are those who have happily enjoyed the Church's support while actively denying Church teaching while still trading on and exploiting their status as religious with the laity.
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(0)
(0) STATEMAN26
11:43AM Jul 2nd 2009
Ms.Curtis, I couldn't agree with you more. The Vatican is so out of touch all over the world, they look for demons in the forest and can't even see the bark on the trees. It is the priests they need to be concerned with and the purple clad perverts who have protected them, continue to look the other way to this very day, and continue to obstruct justice with the local DA (as in the Philadelphia archdiocese) in collusion with them.
Pope Benedict XVI is desperately trying to make up for serious screwups he and his lackeys in the Vatican have made with Moslems and Jews. Now, he runs the risk of alienating millions of Catholic women all over the world by beating up on defenseless nuns--I too had them in grade school--and refusing to grant them full citizenship and participation in the life of the Church. Based upon the flimsiest of evidence and totally groundless arguments. All founded on what is laughably called "Sacred Tradition." A tissue of prevarication, distortion, a serious misreading and misunderstanding of history and outright fraud.
Pope Benedict XVI is desperately trying to make up for serious screwups he and his lackeys in the Vatican have made with Moslems and Jews. Now, he runs the risk of alienating millions of Catholic women all over the world by beating up on defenseless nuns--I too had them in grade school--and refusing to grant them full citizenship and participation in the life of the Church. Based upon the flimsiest of evidence and totally groundless arguments. All founded on what is laughably called "Sacred Tradition." A tissue of prevarication, distortion, a serious misreading and misunderstanding of history and outright fraud.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-3)
(-3) Simplicity
2:39AM Jul 30th 2009
Your comment "and refusing to grant them full citizenship and participation in the life of the Church" is not true Since Mary said yes to the angel Gabriel women have been an indispensable role in the Church. Church citizenship is via the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation which are open to all.
However I suspect what you are hinting at is the fact that the priesthood is open to men only but this is not based on flimsy evidence at all There were 12 men at the Last Supper and not even Mary Christ's sinles mother was present It was during this meal that the Eucharist was established.If Christ had wanted women in the priesthood at the very least His beloved Mother would have been there. Based upon the flimsiest of evidence and totally groundless arguments. "Sacred Tradition" is not laughable but a 2000 year treasure of wisdom to be respected and valued.
"A tissue of prevarication, distortion, a serious misreading and misunderstanding of history and outright fraud." Lies and fraud are the work of Satan not of those who follow Christ and who love His beloved bride the Church.
As to the abuses carried out by male religious These men were not obeying their vows and living according to Church teaching They betrayed Christ the Church and the poor innocent souls they hurt and scandalised and anyone reading this comment who was hurt should know that even if the perpetrator managed to elude earthly justice he will not escape God's justice.
However I suspect what you are hinting at is the fact that the priesthood is open to men only but this is not based on flimsy evidence at all There were 12 men at the Last Supper and not even Mary Christ's sinles mother was present It was during this meal that the Eucharist was established.If Christ had wanted women in the priesthood at the very least His beloved Mother would have been there. Based upon the flimsiest of evidence and totally groundless arguments. "Sacred Tradition" is not laughable but a 2000 year treasure of wisdom to be respected and valued.
"A tissue of prevarication, distortion, a serious misreading and misunderstanding of history and outright fraud." Lies and fraud are the work of Satan not of those who follow Christ and who love His beloved bride the Church.
As to the abuses carried out by male religious These men were not obeying their vows and living according to Church teaching They betrayed Christ the Church and the poor innocent souls they hurt and scandalised and anyone reading this comment who was hurt should know that even if the perpetrator managed to elude earthly justice he will not escape God's justice.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (0)
(0) c8tlin10
1:56PM Jul 2nd 2009
All of my high school teachers were the Sisters of Mercy(less)so I understand when you say some of the orders were brutal.
Personally I don't have a problem with this. There are so few really good role models these days, that a nun living accordingly to the standards of the Order is a good thing.
Personally I don't have a problem with this. There are so few really good role models these days, that a nun living accordingly to the standards of the Order is a good thing.
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(4)
(4) Add your comments
Woman Up on Facebook
Now Commenting
- jrotced02 on:
Robert Gibbs Gets Hands-On About Mocking Sarah Palin - Rheinhart Moxon on:
GOP Filibuster Stops Obama Nominee, With Ben Nelson and Blanche Lincoln's Help - john perry on:
Robert Gibbs Gets Hands-On About Mocking Sarah Palin - kathy on:
Voters, Especially Independents, Sour on Obama and Congress - john perry on:
Robert Gibbs Gets Hands-On About Mocking Sarah Palin - jrotced02 on:
Robert Gibbs Gets Hands-On About Mocking Sarah Palin
Submit Your Favorite Links
No.
Props
Props
- 34
- 37
- 29
- 32
- 26
- 21
Follow Politics Daily
Other News
- Get busy, Democrats
- Behind Liz Cheney's group, a weird legacy of torture
- The race is on for Murtha's seat
- The real political realities
- GOP dusts off Bush playbook
- Gay Soldier Invited Back to Guard Unit
- Schumer's Wall Street Donors Look for Revenge
- Michael Steele Suggests Racism Fuels His Critics
- Robert Gibbs Pokes Fun at Sarah Palin
- World Likes Obama Much More Than Bush
- The Revolt About to Rock Iran
- Punishing the Mullahs
- Here Comes Fashion Week
- Ellen's First Night
- The Perfect Homemade Candies
- U.S., Afghan Forces Poised to Seize Taliban Stronghold
- Obama: I'll Meet GOP Halfway
- Second Blast of Winter Slams D.C.
- Clinton Hostage-Taker Now a Fugitive
- Prius Owners in Japan Rush to Get Repairs
Politics Daily More Links