I am a respectful and committed Catholic. I strongly support the nuns in the struggle for a Catholic Church that is in step with the century we live in and with the needs of many of it's members. I love my Church and hope for more reform in matters of birth control, women priests, allowing priests to marry, and gay marriage. Eating meat on Fridays is no longer a sin, the mass is now said in English in this country and there are other changes that have been made. So why can't the Vatican and the bishops discuss further changes without persecuting the Women Religious? I thank 60 minutes for bringing these issues and the unjust treat of the nuns in America to light.
This is a total joke of journalism. I'm glad that these kind of "nuns" which shouldn't really be called that, bc they are not faithful to the Magestarium of the Church, are dying out. May God have mercy on their soul.
I watched 60 Minutes segment on Catholic nuns in the Church on Sunday evening (March 17th). Unfortunately, some lack of research on the part of 60 Minutes sadly misrepresented the Church and the real reason why these nuns were called into question. Your story reflected Sisters as being victimized by the church because their views are being criticized or ignored. However, the truth is - many of these nuns are going against the sound doctrinal teachings of the Church. I can testify to this because I have associated very closely with many of them because I have worked for an Archdiocese for many years and have seen it firsthand.
The Church leadership represents the authority of Christ. Scripture specifically states this and counsels that obedience to authority is obedience to Christ himself. Yes, there are times when the fallibility of human nature comes into play, and we will disagree and feel compelled to call into question certain actions of our leaders, especially if they are sinful. However, when this is not the case, it is wiser to obey because in the end, God will always ensure that the Truth prevails. The Sisters are displaying their lack of trust in that.
Many of these Sisters are way off base in their thinking and are misleading others. The negative result of which is inconsistency and incongruity within the Church. The Sisters have developed their own perspective based on what they want to believe instead of trusting centuries of scholars, theologians and saints who have carefully and prayerfully brought to light the spiritual truths of our Catholic faith.
It is never acceptable to divert from doctrinal teaching and that is what they are doing. It is not only misleading the faithful but causing confusion, whereby the faithful sometimes do not know what to believe. It is very disheartening to see those who should be supporting and upholding our faith, being deliberately rebellious and disobedient.
This is our faith. Not everyone believes what we do. But we should have the peace and freedom to practice it without individuals deriding or polluting the purity of it with their erroneous ideas.
There are many good Sisters who are in sync with the Church and I applaud them for their loyalty and for their many good works. The bottom line - if these Sisters deliberately and willfully go against the fundamental truths of what we believe, than they should leave. Why would they want to be part of an organization in which they are not in alignment? It doesn't make sense and it is upending the balance and spirituality of our faith.
I watched your segment on Catholic nuns in the Church last evening (March 17th). Unfortunately, some lack of research on the part of 60 Minutes sadly misrepresented the Church and the real reason why these nuns were called into question. Your story reflected Sisters as being victimized by the church because their views are being criticized or ignored. However, the truth is - many of these nuns are going against the sound doctrinal teachings of the Church. I can testify to this because I have associated very closely with many of them because I have worked for an Archdiocese for many years and have seen it firsthand.
The Church leadership represents the authority of Christ. Scripture specifically states this and counsels that obedience to authority is obedience to Christ himself. Yes, there are times when the fallibility of human nature comes into play, and we will disagree and feel compelled to call into question certain actions of our leaders, especially if they are sinful. However, when this is not the case, it is wiser to obey because in the end, God will always ensure that the Truth prevails. The Sisters are displaying their lack of trust in that.
Many of these Sisters are way off base in their thinking and are misleading others. The negative result of which is inconsistency and incongruity within the Church. The Sisters have developed their own perspective based on what they want to believe instead of trusting centuries of scholars, theologians and saints who have carefully and prayerfully brought to light the spiritual truths of our Catholic faith.
It is never acceptable to divert from doctrinal teaching and that is what they are doing. It is not only misleading the faithful but causing confusion, whereby the faithful sometimes do not know what to believe. It is very disheartening to see those who should be supporting and upholding our faith, being deliberately rebellious and disobedient.
This is our faith. Not everyone believes what we do. But we should have the peace and freedom to practice it without individuals deriding or polluting the purity of it with their erroneous ideas.
There are many good Sisters who are in sync with the Church and I applaud them for their loyalty and for their many good works. The bottom line - if these Sisters deliberately and willfully go against the fundamental truths of what we believe, than they should leave. Why would they want to be part of an organization in which they are not in alignment? It doesn't make sense and it is upending the balance and spirituality of our faith.
I am the mother of a sexually abused child and sister of her predator, a Roman Catholic priest. Although this places me in a less than enviable position, it also compels me to use my voice. Watching the 60 Minutes segment on American nuns and their struggle to achieve power --their voice--in the Church and Vatican (3/17/13), I had a visceral reaction. While I fully support any woman striving for equality, their timing comes up short. Given the rising number of sexual abuse cases against the Church, many filed by former parochial school students, questions rise to the surface. Where, Sisters, were those voices when our children needed them most? Serving as teachers in numerous Catholic schools, nuns watched in silence as the good Fathers circled their young prey. Did no nun, despite being witness to this pattern again and again, connect the dots? Where were their voices, their outrage, their horror, then? 60 Minutes, I applaud your efforts to keep the Roman Catholic Church in your sights. Just keep mining. There are many more layers to unearth.
These women are in the trenches helping the needy, as they have been for hundreds of years, while their male counterparts were alternating between burning people at the stake, greedily accumulating wealth at the expense of the masses, and now, abusing children, or covering up for others who are doing so. The superior moral authority here is clear. What do I care what the priests think the Bible stands for? I care to follow those who practice what they preach.
The Bible was written by "men" and we need to remember that fact as Maryknow priest once reminded my class when we were studying the Old and new Testaments in college. I will never forget this fact. I too believe in following those who practice Jesus' teachings.
Nuns abused children as well. In Spain the collaborated with the government to steal babies away from mothers in the hospital and give them to more Catholic families. It went on for decades. They also abused children in Ireland. Tired of people giving a free pass to nuns because they're women. sorry, not perfect either
Most commenters here are too young to remember the "fresh air" John XXIII brought the Church, or the hope for genuine change inspired by the Second Vatican Council he convened. Sadly, John died during the Council's first session, and Paul VI -- and all the Popes who followed -- seem to me to have been engaged in a holding action against real reform ever since.
Meanwhile, the religious women I learned from school have served God and His people for decades, no matter what arcane battles the men in Rome fought. I respect those women and their work but fear that the men who have led the Church have never truly understood its Founder's message.
Amen to your message!!! So many of us were were hoping to finish the reforms that Vatican II started under John XXIII. Still waiting so many years later!!!
Bob brings up the "Inquisition" and asks the bishop investigating if the language used describing the nuns transgressions as "hyperbolic"? He then goes onto say that people are leaving the church. Yeah, a lot are, but you know else? A lot are joining the church! Americans must realize that we can't have everything our way, all the time. As a Catholic, you submit to the authority of the church, conform to it, not the other way around. These nuns are all over age 60, their formation took place in the 1960's probably. They don't wear habits. If Bob or anyone else wants to get a good feel for the church, talk to nuns under 40 years old who wear habits and get their thoughts on the priesthood and women's roles in religious life.
I couldn't agree more. Of course he makes the generalization that the Vatican is investigating very nun. It's not. Its investigating an organization that says it represents American nuns, big difference. Does your representative in Washington hold all the same views as you? Just because of the priest pedophilia scandal, does that mean the church is supposed to ignore every other problem and not try to correct it because they'll be views as hypocrites? Do you correct your child when he lies even if you yourself have told lies? Give me a break. This organization should be investigated. They're so far off the charts they shouldn't even be calling themselves Catholic. That doesn't go for all of the nuns this organization supposedly represents. Yes, people are leaving the church in the West but not everywhere. I love have they think that if the Vatican suddenly allows married priests and women priests everything will be ok!!! Have you check the Protestant churches that ordain women and have married clergy???? They are hemorrhaging people left and right, almost out of existence!!! I would also state that the problem of people leaving have less to do with the church's position and more on just apathy of modern people towards religion. It's not something that is easily uploaded on youtube, so therefore has no value to people. Haha.
As a woman, I agree completely with Jimmy Carter. And he states it so much more elegantly than I can about why I have dropped out of all organized religion:
Excerpt from a speech by Jimmy Carter: [i]"It is ironic that women are now welcomed into all major professions and other positions of authority, but are branded as inferior and deprived of the equal right to serve God in positions of religious leadership. The plight of abused women is made more acceptable by the mandated subservience of women by religious leaders.
The truth is that male religious leaders have had - and still have - an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world. This is in clear violation not just of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders of other great religions - all of whom have called for proper and equitable treatment of all the children of God. It is time we had the courage to challenge these views and set a new course that demands equal rights for women and men, girls and boys.
At their most repugnant, the belief that women are inferior human beings in the eyes of God gives excuses to the brutal husband who beats his wife, the soldier who rapes a woman, the employer who has a lower pay scale for women employees, or parents who decide to abort a female embryo. It also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair and equal access to education, health care, employment, and influence within their own communities." ~Jimmy Carter[/i] http://www.cartercenter.org/news/editorials_speeches/parliament-world-religions-120309.html
The all-male priesthood of the Catholic Church has nothing whatsoever to do with the myth that women are inferior to men.
It was Jesus Christ who instituted the sacrament of Holy Orders and restricted it to men. The Church preserves this order of the priesthood as part of the Deposit of Faith which we cannot change.
There were women priestesses during the 1st century but they were all pagan, rather than Jewish or Christian.
Dear Sister in Christ (I assume that's what you are): God created man and out of man He created woman. Both man and woman are equal before God. However, God gave them different roles and equipped them accordingly. The woman to bear and nurture children and to support the man and the man to serve, provide for and protect his family and to lay down his life for his wife as Christ laid down His life for the Church. It is sad that Satan has been able to turn the woman against the man because she wants to have his position, play his role. That is not God's plan. I know that because scripture is clear on the issue and because the body, the mind and the psyche of a woman vs that of a man makes that abundantly clear. We all know that men are physically much stronger than women, yet we act like that is not so. We all know that women are much more emotional than men and less able to think and act in terms of pure logic, yet we act like this is not so. We all know that men are much more aggressive than women, yet we act like this is not so. Respecting God's plan by living accordingly has made the West the most successful culture the world has ever known. All of the 1st world nations of this world have been Christian nations. The nations that have been catching up (through technology transfer from the West since WWII) are nations that have family structures similar to those of Christians. Now the West is in a rapid decline. Culturally, scientifically and morally. God's laws have been thrown out the window and replaced by moral relativism and other intellectually indefensible concepts. Really, though, the decline is occurring because of the breakdown of the family. "A house divided against itself cannot stand". That's what the Bible says. Both man and woman can't be in charge of the family. God has clearly ordained and equipped the man to be the head of the household. For woman to act like that is not so, is wrong on a factual level, on a moral level and on a spiritual level. The ones paying the bill for the quest of woman of become like man are the children. They are left to fend for themselves, are neglected not loved, pushed from one "family" to another. God's reaction to this is that not only the children of this generation are suffering but the effects will be felt down to the 2nd and 3rd generation of a family. There is no wound deeper in the heart of a child than the one caused by his parents getting a divorce. Sister, I know you know better because God's law is written on your heart, even if you never read and studied His word. It appears, though, that you have chosen your leader: Jimmy Carter. A man who I believe has no godly wisdom whatsoever. That is so very sad since you can just as easily choose to follow God. In His Love and for His Truth
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The Church leadership represents the authority of Christ. Scripture specifically states this and counsels that obedience to authority is obedience to Christ himself. Yes, there are times when the fallibility of human nature comes into play, and we will disagree and feel compelled to call into question certain actions of our leaders, especially if they are sinful. However, when this is not the case, it is wiser to obey because in the end, God will always ensure that the Truth prevails. The Sisters are displaying their lack of trust in that.
Many of these Sisters are way off base in their thinking and are misleading others. The negative result of which is inconsistency and incongruity within the Church. The Sisters have developed their own perspective based on what they want to believe instead of trusting centuries of scholars, theologians and saints who have carefully and prayerfully brought to light the spiritual truths of our Catholic faith.
It is never acceptable to divert from doctrinal teaching and that is what they are doing. It is not only misleading the faithful but causing confusion, whereby the faithful sometimes do not know what to believe. It is very disheartening to see those who should be supporting and upholding our faith, being deliberately rebellious and disobedient.
This is our faith. Not everyone believes what we do. But we should have the peace and freedom to practice it without individuals deriding or polluting the purity of it with their erroneous ideas.
There are many good Sisters who are in sync with the Church and I applaud them for their loyalty and for their many good works. The bottom line - if these Sisters deliberately and willfully go against the fundamental truths of what we believe, than they should leave. Why would they want to be part of an organization in which they are not in alignment? It doesn't make sense and it is upending the balance and spirituality of our faith.
The Church leadership represents the authority of Christ. Scripture specifically states this and counsels that obedience to authority is obedience to Christ himself. Yes, there are times when the fallibility of human nature comes into play, and we will disagree and feel compelled to call into question certain actions of our leaders, especially if they are sinful. However, when this is not the case, it is wiser to obey because in the end, God will always ensure that the Truth prevails. The Sisters are displaying their lack of trust in that.
Many of these Sisters are way off base in their thinking and are misleading others. The negative result of which is inconsistency and incongruity within the Church. The Sisters have developed their own perspective based on what they want to believe instead of trusting centuries of scholars, theologians and saints who have carefully and prayerfully brought to light the spiritual truths of our Catholic faith.
It is never acceptable to divert from doctrinal teaching and that is what they are doing. It is not only misleading the faithful but causing confusion, whereby the faithful sometimes do not know what to believe. It is very disheartening to see those who should be supporting and upholding our faith, being deliberately rebellious and disobedient.
This is our faith. Not everyone believes what we do. But we should have the peace and freedom to practice it without individuals deriding or polluting the purity of it with their erroneous ideas.
There are many good Sisters who are in sync with the Church and I applaud them for their loyalty and for their many good works. The bottom line - if these Sisters deliberately and willfully go against the fundamental truths of what we believe, than they should leave. Why would they want to be part of an organization in which they are not in alignment? It doesn't make sense and it is upending the balance and spirituality of our faith.
Meanwhile, the religious women I learned from school have served God and His people for decades, no matter what arcane battles the men in Rome fought. I respect those women and their work but fear that the men who have led the Church have never truly understood its Founder's message.
Excerpt from a speech by Jimmy Carter:
[i]"It is ironic that women are now welcomed into all major professions and other positions of authority, but are branded as inferior and deprived of the equal right to serve God in positions of religious leadership. The plight of abused women is made more acceptable by the mandated subservience of women by religious leaders.
The truth is that male religious leaders have had - and still have - an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world. This is in clear violation not just of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders of other great religions - all of whom have called for proper and equitable treatment of all the children of God. It is time we had the courage to challenge these views and set a new course that demands equal rights for women and men, girls and boys.
At their most repugnant, the belief that women are inferior human beings in the eyes of God gives excuses to the brutal husband who beats his wife, the soldier who rapes a woman, the employer who has a lower pay scale for women employees, or parents who decide to abort a female embryo. It also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair and equal access to education, health care, employment, and influence within their own communities."
~Jimmy Carter[/i]
http://www.cartercenter.org/news/editorials_speeches/parliament-world-religions-120309.html
It was Jesus Christ who instituted the sacrament of Holy Orders and restricted it to men. The Church preserves this order of the priesthood as part of the Deposit of Faith which we cannot change.
There were women priestesses during the 1st century but they were all pagan, rather than Jewish or Christian.
The ones paying the bill for the quest of woman of become like man are the children. They are left to fend for themselves, are neglected not loved, pushed from one "family" to another. God's reaction to this is that not only the children of this generation are suffering but the effects will be felt down to the 2nd and 3rd generation of a family. There is no wound deeper in the heart of a child than the one caused by his parents getting a divorce. Sister, I know you know better because God's law is written on your heart, even if you never read and studied His word. It appears, though, that you have chosen your leader: Jimmy Carter. A man who I believe has no godly wisdom whatsoever. That is so very sad since you can just as easily choose to follow God.
In His Love and for His Truth