File this under “What On Earth Is Going On In Our Church?” (Should that become a new category at Pray Tell?)
Fr. James Martin, SJ, posted on “What sisters meant to me.” And then it got ugly. Read the story here.
Jim – good for you, and thanks for expressing our thanks.
awr
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Fr. Martin’s story is not surprising.
Even PT’s “A Prayerful Reflection and Word of Gratitude for Our Roman Catholic Sisters in the US” contains a goodly number of snarky comments.
I suppose it’s just another example of the fifth “mark” of the Church — one, holy, catholic, apostolic — and funny.
Oremus pro invicem.
And dear Benedictine Sisters of Atchison, KS, Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Amarillo, TX, Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ), and all other sisters and former sisters who have touched my life (all for the good, by the way) over the past 60+ years, mille grazie.
It is sad that things devolve so quickly. I have posted on this on my blog, one that is hosted by a daily newspaper no less, and I am surprised that I only have one borderline comment. The rest are very well put. So far, anyway!
In any event, it is a good effort for so many to reflect on what gifts have been given by so many women religious.
I have been educated from grade one through my B.A. by the Sisters of Mercy (Catherine McAuley, pray for us!)……. and the Jesuits too. I am still in touch with many of these intelligent and devoted women who shaped my life and I offer them my deepest thanks!
“Should that become a new category at Pray Tell?”
I think so, yes.
Let us not pretend to be politically naïve.
Support for women religious in the present context is also political opposition to the bishops. The slogan should be “Support the Sisters; Scrutinize and Reform the Bishops.”
There is very little to scrutinize and reform among women religious, and there is much, much that needs to be scrutinized and reformed among the bishops. The timing of LCWR notice might have been meant to detract attention from the Philly trial. The bishops’ invention of a phony war about conscience may be motivated by the need for a Republican in the White House if there are not to be more indictments of bishops.
Women religious contributed at least as much if not more to the building of the Church in the USA than the clergy. They are the primary models for active participation of educated laity in the Church today. In many ways women religious became Vatican II before Vatican II.
Laity should view the current attempt of the Bishops to infringe upon the freedom of religious women to speak and talk about issues of importance in the Church as a direct threat to our freedom to speak and talk about such issues. The Bishops attempt to regulate how religious should be religious is also a direct threat to our ability to live out our Christians lives in both the Church and the world as we see fit.
The lessening numbers of women religious should not concern us. Many laity, especially some tough-minded women, will take their place.
When Bishop Richard Lennon began closing 50 Catholic churches in and around Cleveland three years ago, the bulk of the faithful quietly moved on.
But Patricia Schulte-Singleton was not intimidated by a Roman collar, a bishop’s edict or the raised eyebrows of the obedient.
This is about power and influence in the church. Let us not be naive.
Schulte-Singleton said that when Lennon came to Cleveland in 2006, he met with her and other parish council presidents. “He told us we had to be bold leaders in our parishes,” she said. “Well, I’m doing what he told me to do. I’m being bold.”
Let us not pretend to be politically naïve.
Exactly. Fr. Martin knew precisely what he was doing.
Samuel – and your point is? (oh well, guess you know the mind of Fr. Martin)
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