Radical Feminists -- US Catholic Nuns?

Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Recently the Vatican reprimanded the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, a group that represents 80% of US Catholic nuns, for emphasizing social justice issues instead of abortion and same-sex marriage. Also the nuns were accused of having doctrinal issues.


The Vatican, according to the New York Times, accused the group of challenging "church teaching on homosexuality and the male-only priesthood, and promoted 'radical feminists themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.'" (NYT, 5/19/2012) Perhaps the accusation says more about the men in the Vatican than it says about Catholic religious women.


Apparently the Vatican was responding to a recently completed "investigation" (not to be confused with an inquisition?) of the US nuns by Bishop Leonard Blair (Toledo, OH), and although the Vatican does not cite specific examples of the "serious doctrinal problems," it does make reference to the group's "silence" on Catholic doctrine such as the right to life. If one finds it strange that Bishop Blair thinks silence is culpable, please remember that he encouraged Catholics not to contribute to the Komen Breast Cancer Fund because the Fund might at some time in the future fund abortions. (Recent history has revealed how ridiculous were his fears.)


But of course, the real story is about a patriarchal, military-style hierarchy worried about its power and its efforts to influence politics in the USA.


Sister Simone Campbell,  the executive director of Network, a Catholic social justice lobby founded by sisters, offered the following: "I would imagine that it was our health care letter that made them (the Vatican) mad. We haven't violated any teaching, we have just been raising questions and interpreting politics."  As the NYT reported: "During the debate over the health care overhaul in 2010, American bishops came out in opposition to the health plans, but dozens of sisters, many of whom belong to the Leadership Conference, signed a statement supporting it -- support that provided crucial cover for the Obama administration in the battle over health care."


The Vatican's message is loud and  clear: it is quite acceptable for the bishops to become involved in US politics, but nuns dare not express their political opinions.


Perhaps the Vatican is still stewing over the situation in 1984 in which nuns, along with several priests and theologians, took out a full page ad in The New York Times stating that "Catholics have differing opinions opinions on women's reproductive issues..." The Vatican demanded retractions, but most of the nuns involved refused. (cf. Wikipedia, "Vatican 24")


Suffice it to say: a dictatorship cannot abide freedom of expression.