The Pope reprimands Catholic Nuns in U.S.

[Griff]

I wouldn't expect their care-taking to get better as their numbers decrease. There is an assumption that the people who stay with the Church will be the "better" Catholics more engaged better tithers etc... but I don't buy it completely. The choirs I remember were full of Vatican II types the CCD teachers a mixed lot the folks that showed up to work festivals were mixed some just neighbors not Catholics. A lot of the work that got done at our Church was just in the name of community not religion. I think the Bishops have so many yes men around them that they think the core of the Church are hard right true believers. We talked about leaving the Church a long time before we did it. The final straw was Lil' Griff's Confirmation. The Bishop decided it was time for a full-fledged wide ranging Cellar style abortion/small family rant instead of a coming of age conversation. I finally realized how unwelcome I was in a parish that was founded by my own Great great grandfather.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by glatt

Also, if you happen to be going by at 5:25 on a Saturday afternoon, be careful. Those Catholics come zooming in at the last minute and they are almost late, so they aren't so careful about pedestrians. Nobody gets hurt, but it's a little annoying.

Same round here, children being dropped off late at St Louis school. Residential area (the convent and school were there first), narrow roads, parked cars and - obviously! - children about.

The cars take the sharp turn up the school drive at what I guess is nearly 40mph, without indicating and sometimes even talking on their mobile phones. And they have the temerity to have Child On Board signs in their cars?!

I'm not claiming it's a Catholic thing though. My C of E school comes with similar parents, to the extent we had to have a PSCO (police community support officer) outside of the school for a week, issuing tickets to dissuade people from dangerous driving/ parking/ abandoning their cars where they fancied. The driving changed temporarily, but bad habits are creeping back...

[glatt]

It is a Catholic thing.

The idea is that you have Holy Days of Obligation. You are obligated to make an appearance. But you aren't obligated to stick around afterwards for coffee hour. So they zoom in at the last minute, and roar out as soon as it's over. I know, I used to be one.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by glatt

It is a Catholic thing.

The idea is that you have Holy Days of Obligation. You are obligated to make an appearance. But you aren't obligated to stick around afterwards for coffee hour. So they zoom in at the last minute, and roar out as soon as it's over. I know, I used to be one.

I used to be one, too.

Then I woke up.

Pope Shnope. Fuck em all.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by glatt

It is a Catholic thing.

The idea is that you have Holy Days of Obligation. You are obligated to make an appearance. But you aren't obligated to stick around afterwards for coffee hour. So they zoom in at the last minute, and roar out as soon as it's over. I know, I used to be one.

You're a Lutheran, aren't you. Lutherans have coffee hour. Catholics have breakfast a a diner, since they've had to starve themselves for at least an hour before mass started so they can take Communion (It's like swimming). So, actually, they are rushing out to be first in line.

[Lamplighter]

... with holy fire in their eyes



Here's a NY Times with a bit of history and an update.

The women of the 60's are now grey-haired, but still on the movement.

[Griff]

Nice voice! Will these old nuns outlive Rome?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Possibly the pope will learn why you shouldn't piss off the people that choose whether or not to starch your underwear.

[BigV]

somewhat off topic...

The Pope now has a twitter handle @pontifex.

The move is aimed at drawing in the Roman Catholic Church’s 1.2 billion followers, especially young people. “The pope’s presence on Twitter can be seen as the ‘tip of the iceberg’ that is the church’s presence in the world of new media,” the Vatican said in a statement.

Just do not expect the pope to start following you on Twitter or retweeting your posts, Greg Burke, a former Fox News correspondent in Rome who was named a Vatican communications adviser this year, said at a news conference. “He won’t follow anyone for now,” Mr. Burke added. “He will be followed.”

*chuckle*

[ZenGum]

Being the pope and all, you'd hope he was following someone!

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

It will be interesting to follow...

NY Times
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: April 18, 2012
Vatican Reprimands a Group of U.S. Nuns and Plans Changes

Another WOW !

I'm not a member of the Catholic Church.
But I do think it's important to follow the politics of this Church
because it affects the politics of so many countries.

Today, there are announments of the new Pope that are truly important...

NY Times
By JIM YARDLEY and JASON HOROWITZ
Published: December 16, 2013

Pope Replaces Conservative U.S. Cardinal on Influential Vatican Committee

ROME — Pope Francis moved on Monday against a conservative American cardinal
who has been an outspoken critic of abortion and same-sex marriage,
by replacing him on a powerful Vatican committee with another American
who is less identified with the culture wars within the Roman Catholic Church. <snip>

To replace Cardinal Burke, Francis chose Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington,
an ideological moderate with a deep knowledge of the Vatican but also with pastoral experience.
Father Reese noted that Cardinal Burke had been a leader of American bishops
arguing that Catholic politicians who support abortion rights should be barred from receiving communion,
while Cardinal Wuerl had taken an opposite tack.<snip>

The pope also removed Cardinal Justin Rigali, the former archbishop of Philadelphia,
from the Congregation for Bishops. From his committee post, Cardinal Rigali has long been
a crucial player in shaping the American hierarchy. He stepped down as archbishop
of Philadelphia amid a scandal over his handling of priest abuse cases there. <snip>

Some recent appointments have disheartened liberals within the church,
particularly the pope’s choice in October to approve the Rev. Leonard Blair as the archbishop of Hartford.
He was central in a doctrinal investigation that reprimanded a group of American nuns
who were deemed to have drifted from church teaching. <snip>

Since his election as pope in March, Francis has received glowing news media coverage
and widespread adulation from the faithful for putting a kinder, more inclusive face
on a global institution that had been widely perceived as out of touch.
He has expressed an intention to reorganize and overhaul the Roman Curia,
the bureaucracy that governs the church.

[glatt]

My executive summary of that quoted text:

Two steps forward, one step back. Could be worse.

[Lamplighter]

By coincidence or design, another anniversary for my posting

This year the situation is much better....


Vatican Report Cites Achievements and Challenges of U.S. Nuns
NY Times
LAURIE GOODSTEIN
DEC. 16, 2014

A Vatican investigation of American nuns started under the previous pope,
which prompted protests from outraged Catholics, ended in Rome on Tuesday
with the release of a generally appreciative report that acknowledged
the achievements and the challenges the nuns face given their dwindling ranks.

The relatively warm tone in the report, and at the Vatican news conference that released it,
was a far cry from six years ago when the investigation was announced,
creating fear, anger and mistrust among women in religious communities
and convents across the United States.
<snip>
Cardinal Rodé was replaced as head of the Vatican’s office on religious orders,
and the report was finished in 2012 under Cardinal João Braz de Aviz,
who said he wanted to “rebuild trust” with the nuns,
Francis, who was elected last year, has said repeatedly that he wants
to create more opportunities for women to have decision-making roles in the Vatican, and in church leadership.

[Sundae]

The older I get, the more annoyed I get with organised religion.
Then again, perhaps it's just that the older I get, the more annoyed I get.

It's probably a good thing that I am slated to die young, otherwise I'd self combust by the time I reached 60.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Sounds like he knows how the game is played, and is willing to leave his ivory tower to get down and dirty. Don't fuck with the bouncer.