World

Mostly Cloudy with Showers 13° London Hi 14°C / Lo 8°C

US nuns on the run from Vatican inquiry

Church gets tough with liberal habits of American sisters

By David Usborne in New York

American nuns could be said to have their habits in a twist in the face of two investigations by the Vatican into whether they have come to espouse lifestyles and views on the Church that may just be a tad too modern. Except that many don't wear habits any more. They wear regular clothes, even jeans.

Many nuns have stretched beyond the cloistered life to enter professions like teaching, the law and social work, and often eschew convents in favour of living alone. But, for the Vatican, it seems that American nuns may have strayed a bit too far from the traditional path.

There was a warning shot in March when the US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a decree telling Catholics that they should desist from practising Reiki, an ancient Japanese healing technique increasingly favoured by nuns involving the laying-on of hands, and very far from the traditional approach that Rome seems to prefer.

Pressure on the nuns, whose numbers in the US have dwindled in the last four decades from 180,000 to just 60,000, has grown however since the launch of a so-called Apostolic Visitation ordered by the Vatican. With interviews and questionnaires, this is a formal inquiry into the activities of women's religious institutions being conducted by Mother Mary Clare Millea, an American nun who lives in Rome.

In addition, a so-called doctrinal assessment has been ordered by the Vatican into the course being followed by an umbrella group of women's religious orders in the US, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which may not have been toeing the line on issues such as the primacy of the Vatican.

Some nuns may have angered the Vatican with their views on the ordination of women and letting priests marry. Cardinal Franc Rode, who is in charge of religious orders in Rome and who ordered the visitation, complained last year about nuns who "have opted for ways that take them outside" the Church.

Probably more famous than any American nun (aside from Whoopi Goldberg on screen) is Sister Helen Prejean, whose campaign against the death penalty was celebrated in the film Dead Man Walking.

Sister Prejean is writing a new book called River of Fire. In her latest blog entry – she does Twitter and Facebook too – she says it will give an "account of how I evolved from being a nun sealed off from the (wicked) world, only leaving the convent to teach, then hurrying back to the safety of the cloister."

Other nuns are also expressing disquiet about the new scrutiny from Rome. Sister Mary Traupman of Pittsburgh long ago left the convent but remains loyal to her faith as a lawyer. She still remembers the years of struggling with the long restrictive habits. "All this for the church," she said this week. "And now we're being investigated."

Some nuns are refusing to cooperate. Sister Sandra Schneiders, who teaches theology at Berkeley, told The New York Times that the Vatican authorities are out of touch. "Our vision of our lives and their vision of us as a workforce are just not on the same planet," she said. And in a leaked email to colleagues she said investigators should be treated as "uninvited guests".

Sister Millea says these fears are overstated. "It's an opportunity for us to re-evaluate ourselves," she said. But Catherine Pepinster, editor of the Catholic weekly The Tablet, disagreed. "A visitation suggests an inspection, as if the nuns cannot keep their own houses in order," she said. That's why I understand the nuns' fear that a chill wind is blowing their way from Rome."

Post a Comment

View all comments that have been posted about this article.

Offensive or abusive comments will be removed and your IP logged and may be used to prevent further submission. In submitting a comment to the site, you agree to be bound by the Independent Minds Terms of Service.

Comments

U.S. Nuns
[info]frootyb wrote:
Friday, 3 July 2009 at 11:57 pm (UTC)
Unfortunately it's 30 years too late, the damage is already done. The Holy Sea, needs to MAKE the Nuns return to their traditional position within the Catholic Church, including returning to the habit, and the holy orders. Our Catholic Schools need to be reopened, and taught by the Nuns, our Catholic Hospitals need the nursing nuns in habit, and all pro modern pro Vatican 2 liberal jean wearing women calling themselves nuns, need to be brought into order immediately, or excommunicated. And as soon as our Nuns have been brought back on line, lets go after them Priest's next, and get them straightened out as well....God Bless America, and God Bless our Holy Priest's and Nuns....Frank B. ..Columbus, Ohio.
Re: U.S. Nuns
[info]freerange1 wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 02:54 am (UTC)
Oh please, welcome to the 21st century... The ongoing suppressive policies and actions of the catholic church (and they are not the only religious institution for which this claim can be made) continue to illustrate its path toward self-destruction. Nuns have NEVER been given the respect they deserved within the male dominated church, no matter what they were wearing! (As a former Catholic and seminarian I know of what I speak.) Further, the idiotic policy of forced celibacy for both priests and nuns is the ultimate insult to our intelligence. Priests were ALWAYS allowed to marry up until the time around the middle ages when the church began to fear that the priests' families would start to claim church property upon their death - it was NEVER about a sanctified religious obligation, it was pure economics. So Frank of Columbus OH, if you are so obsessed about clothing, put a sock in it.
Re: U.S. Nuns
[info]timspooner wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 07:47 pm (UTC)
Yes! And make them wear a burqa, get them all cicrcumsized, lock them inside the convents and make them pray 10 times day. That's what they all need!!!
Re: U.S. Nuns
[info]regnad_kcin wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 09:42 pm (UTC)
Strange that such a devotee of the Holy See wouldn't know how to spell it correctly.
Re: U.S. Nuns
[info]dr_john_smythe wrote:
Sunday, 5 July 2009 at 01:56 am (UTC)
Those who whine, snivvle and complain about people who have made vows and sworn to uphold certain ideals show their true colours about being able to keep their own word and tell the truth.
U S Nuns
[info]pmpearson wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 02:31 am (UTC)
The gulf between the Vatican/the hierarchy and the majority of the laity and religious sisters continues to widen. There is no return to the pre-Vatican II world, reformations just don't work like that. As a friend said, the bishops are refereeing a game that no one else is playing.

The church needs prophetic leaders like John XXIII who will lead the people of God forward in the spirit of the Gospels, taking the word out to the people of God, not hiding it behind cloister walls and habits. Thank God for the prophetic witness of these nuns.
Re: U.S. Nuns
[info]freerange1 wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 02:56 am (UTC)
Oh please, welcome to the 21st century... The ongoing suppressive policies and actions of the catholic church (and they are not the only religious institution for which this claim can be made) continue to illustrate its path toward self-destruction. Nuns have NEVER been given the respect they deserved within the male dominated church, no matter what they were wearing! (As a former Catholic and seminarian I know of what I speak.) Further, the idiotic policy of forced celibacy for both priests and nuns is the ultimate insult to our intelligence. Priests were ALWAYS allowed to marry up until the time around the middle ages when the church began to fear that the priests' families would start to claim church property upon their death - it was NEVER about a sanctified religious obligation, it was pure economics. So Frank of Columbus OH, if you are so obsessed about clothing, put a sock in it.
Naughty Nuns
[info]16tim16 wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 06:13 am (UTC)
Yet again that bunch of old men in dresses in Rome try to bring their women to heel - maybe they would be happy to back to the days of the Inquisition. It's all about power and control, not good works for others.
NUNS AND USA BIG STUFF I LOVE YOU ALL
[info]famulla wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 06:17 am (UTC)
1. Only in America......can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
2. Only in America......are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.
3. Only in America......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
4. Only in America......do people order double cheese burgers, large fries, and a diet Coke.
5. Only in America......do banks leave both doors to the vault open and then chain the pens to the counters.
6. Only in America......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
7. Only in America......do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want to talk to in the first place.
8. Only in America......do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
9. Only in America......do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well: Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'.
10. Only in America......do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
Give more money to poor not these ones.
After a difficult first quarter, chief-in-waiting Hans Vestberg is keeping a watchful eye on the company purse.
Although a lot could happen in the next six months, LM Ericsson Chief Executive Carl-Henric Svanberg has picked a pretty good time to bow out. He will start his new job as non-executive chairman of oil major BP on Jan. 1, 2010, after a successful seven-year tenure at the Swedish network supplier in which he helped transform it from a bloated dot-com casualty into a profitable market leader.
Change seat often.
West makes a mistake, West rushes to Russia, Japan, India, Korea, Iran, and try to dominate these. West takes oil from the Middle East hoards this and sales at the price we have no idea in transit. East is messed up because of West. On the other hand, is East or was following USA to be specific all the time? Now that USA is leaning badly in the grooves of the economy quagmires, we talk of UK out now USA as West. Friend the BBC I read has another name if you did not hear. It is Bush Blaire Corporation.
UK is following blindly to USA including this bloody keyboard I use and the spelling of centre to center.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla
I do not believe this IS THIS USA OR UK PLS HELP
[info]famulla wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 06:26 am (UTC)
Tony Blair 'Given A Black Eye In The Gym'
Politics can be a dirty but judging by the black eye Tony Blair is sporting, even in retirement it is still a nasty business.
The former PM was seen with the unsightly black eye as he was reunited with confidant Peter Mandelson at an award ceremony.
Mr Blair was receiving the medal for his contribution to British relations with India during his tenure as the nation's leader.
A noticeably greyer Mr Blair made no reference to his injury as he was presented with the Fenner Brockway medal by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson at Deutsche Bank's London headquarters.
Lord Mandelson, as he handed over the trophy, joked that the pair had always shared favours over the years.
The pair also shared many enemies.
Meanwhile Mr Blair's former pugilist-in-chief, Alastair Campbell, asked about Mr Blair's bashing at a funeral they both attended.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla
NUNS AND USA BIG STUFF I LOVE YOU ALL
[info]septimusgrunge wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 06:32 am (UTC)
Well said famulla
The Vatican is a remnant of the Roman Empire, that hijacked Christianity!
[info]nooraza wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 09:23 am (UTC)
I'm sick of the gold-plated Vatican, that is so full of Dark Age sexist, homophobic and racist crap! Thus is why the great Reformation in Christianity happened, that gave birth to diverse interpretation and identity in Protestantism. Where, in the true spirit of Christianity, the oppressed especially the gay communities, the poor and women/girls, can reclaim back God's Word accordingly to their own develop personal being, interpretation and relationship with a just God. A God that has declared all human beings are equal and free! If we care to read the Gospel rationally that is, not out of pure blind faith! Thank you Christ!
"Bad" Habits of Nuns
[info]ivydot wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 12:40 pm (UTC)
The male hierarchy needs to put its own house in order, e.g. stop protecting priests who are pedophiles, etc., before investigating nuns. If they were smart they would be highlighting and lauding the good works of the nuns in an attempt to cast the Catholic Church in a better light.
Incidentally, I don't remember ever reading that Jesus said that anyone had to be dressed in a particular uniform to do his work.
Re: "Bad" Habits of Nuns
[info]theelectrician wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 03:14 pm (UTC)
"..I don't remember ever reading that Jesus said that anyone had to be dressed in a particular uniform to do his work."

Yes indeed, but the modern Catholic conglomerate has little time to consider the teachings of Jesus nowadays, compared with the effort of organisational power struggles, corporate investment planning, maintenance of political and economic power bases etc. It's very difficult to run a massive global organisation and these nuns are a threat to internal discipline and the established rules. The organisation must respond as it does in order to maintain the current power structure.
They still have bad memories of the initially small Protestant spin-off organisation that grew and ended up severely reducing their income stream and political power base in northern Europe and beyond. The nuns must be stamped on for the greater good of the corporation.
Sweet dissidence
[info]ambricourt wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 04:15 pm (UTC)
Ambricourt

Why don't these nuns, and their more cautious male counterparts, start a new church?

They have the education, at the expense of churchgoers; the intelligence, honed by church discipline; and the will, fortified by years of studying church-approved philosophy.

Too many pseuo-dissidents want to protest some aspect of Roman Catholicism but remain within its protective arms. And then they complain about the quality of milk seeping from patriarchal breasts...!

There is a distinctive hypocrisy about their sweet dissidence.
US Nuns On The Run From The Vatican
[info]ceciliag wrote:
Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 09:18 pm (UTC)
In my opinion, this investigation of the Nuns of Our Church is merely a smoke screen to mask the subculture of pedophiles and sexual predators who have operated so freely for so many years among the male clerical population of the Roman Catholic Church. And it has now become the habit of quite a few nuns in the United States to openly criticize the indifference, inepitude and failings among the Male Roman Catholic Clergy and Hierarchy. This is why the Vatican is yearning for the "Old Day" when Catholic Nuns were seen and not heard;did not speak unless spoken to. But the Nuns of Our Church today are neither Fools, Simpletons, nor "Hand Maidens" to their Clerical Male Counterparts. The, "Pandora's Box" that was Vatican II, gave nuns and other catholic clergy the freedom they now take as their right to live, teach and dress as they see fit. The sad part of Vatican II is that our churches around the world, lost an educational system the likes of which we will never see again because, so many Roman Catholic Women Religious took Pope JohnXXIII at his word to "Modernize"; and this same modernization has taken our once Ancient and Honorable Faith to the brink of extinction so now it is too late to put all that has transpired back into the, "Trindentine Bottle". Our Parish Churches have been stripped of the Latin Masses, Communion Rails, Statues, Saints, Traditions, Rites; even the Blesses Sacrament, which is considered by Catholics to be the Living Body of Christ, has become a Second Class Citizen in HIS Own House because HE has been moved to some side altar or cubby hole away from the Main Altar, the Place of Honor where HE has always resided. This present Pope has made mistake after mistake and he is certainly making a "DOOZIE" of a mistake trying to investigate Our Roman Catholic Women Religious of the United States of America.
Who cares?
[info]ejh16 wrote:
Sunday, 5 July 2009 at 09:47 am (UTC)
Enough about this cult and its weird habits and attitudes. We don't get updates on every little event or decision in the Unitarian Church or Aum Shinrikyo or any other cults, so why does The Independent waste time with the Catholic Church? I realize that they are big and many of their sheep/followers must be Independent readers (though, unlikely "independent" thinkers, unfortunately) since since many of them live in Britain, but I still think the Catholic Church gets far more print than they deserve. They ought to be ignored unless they are harming people (raping children, etc.). http://theunpeople.blogspot.com/
Re: U.S. Nuns
[info]sthomasphd wrote:
Monday, 6 July 2009 at 03:03 am (UTC)
The investigation as ordered by Rome is indeed a veiled effort by the Vatican (e.g., Ratzinger's work) to root out and destroy every progressive element that resulted from Vatican II's moves towards modernization of the Catholic Church. One can only hope that there is a John XXIII somewhere out there waiting to be elected Pope after Benedict XVI finally leaves us. One note, however, on the (rational) discussions of women religious and habits. When I was in a men's religious order, my studies of religious life brought me to an interesting theological point. A unifying element of Catholic religious life is that members pay witness to the Eschaton (forgive me if I spelled it wrong - it's been a while!), or the Second coming of Christ. Since they (vowed religious) bear this witness in prayer and by living the Evangelical Counsels (Vows), it also follows that they bear witness via an external symbol, traditionally done by the wearing of a habit. No place in the Vatican II documents does it say that religious men and women should stop wearing habits: only to "moderize them." And remember, habits (or not) are only one piece of the whole fabric of religious life. It does appear that some very real reexamination of what religious life truely is and what it calls for is quite overdue. But, I suggest, not by the heavy-handed, conformist and opressive operatives from Rome. They are not interested in the truth - only in supressive obedience to the Catholic right's (e.g., fundamentalist) way of seeing things.

Article Archive

Day In a Page

Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat

Select date