In All Things
Apostolic Visitation Update
NCR has been providing in-depth coverage of the ins and outs of the Apostolic Visitation of women's religious orders, which has already begun. Several sisters have already told me of their congregations' meeting with Mother Mary Claire Millea, the superior general of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Apostolic Visitator. Tom Fox's piece here included mention of the oath of fidelity required of those participating in the visitation, which has some sisters reacting strongly.
Here's an excerpt: "Most women religious interviewed for this article did not want to be quoted by name, fearing they would draw attention to their religious communities. Nearly all remained skeptical about the Vatican-mandated study. Several questioned the need for a profession of faith and an oath in order to be part of the visitation teams. The requirement, these women said, would narrow ranks of potential applicants, making the teams less representative of U.S. women religious today. For these women, the whole matter of fidelity oaths seemed to be adding salt into old wounds. At issue are gender and authority questions, which have a contentious church history in recent decades."
The actual letter from Mother Mary Claire Killea asking for names for the team is here. "Please note that all those who take part in the work of the Apostolic Visitation will be acting in the name of the Apostolic See. For this reason, they must be willing to make a public profession of faith and take an oath of fidelity to the Apostolic See."
Fox's piece continues:
"In June 1998, Pope John Paul II re-opened these issues in an apostolic letter, Ad Tuendam Fidem, enshrining into canon law the tougher 1989 profession of faith and loyalty oath. On that occasion, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, now Pope Benedict XVI, listed examples of non-definitive church teachings that need to be upheld as part of core Catholic teachings. Ratzinger’s commentary singled out the ban on women’s ordination and the invalidity of Anglican ordinations.
“The change in the wording was troubling to many theologians at the time the profession and oath were altered in 1989,” said Fr. James A. Coriden, canon law professor at Washington Theological Union. “It required not just a personal act of faith, but also to firmly accept and hold certain non-definitive teachings. This went way beyond a profession of faith. Theologically, it seemed at the time like an effort to deal with the issue of the ordination of women.”
Reacting to the news of the requested profession of faith, Franciscan Sister of the Poor Beth Rindler said: “It seems so obvious that the men in official positions within our church are attempting to control us as women. We are their subjects and we are to do as they tell us, even to what we can think.”"
James Martin, SJ
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It's so disappointing that there appear to be some women religious who are so committed to viewing their relationship with the Church in terms of conflict, rather than communion. This visitation is a wonderful opportunity for women religious to grow in their faith and their capacity to love and dialogue, and instead some of them seem determined to adopt a closed off, defensive posture. You can sense the fear and apprehension in their comments. Please Sisters, consider that God is calling you out of a spirit of fear and into a new season of openness to the Holy Spirit! Openness to the Spirit and to change is a risk, but it's worth it.
Some sisters state that the requirement ''would narrow ranks of potential applicants, making the teams less representative of U.S. women religious today.'' Which religious would not be represented? Those who do not express loyalty to the Holy See? I should hope that they are excluded from a visitation!
As for Sister Beth Rindler, she was a supporter of Father Bourgeois who got himself excommunicated ''ordaining'' women. It is exactly because of sisters like her that a visitation is so badly needed.
Finally, it should be remembered that while not the case in 1989, the case for the ordination of women was closed by Pope John Paul II and reaffirmed by Benedict XVI.
We should all pray for the success of the visitation and for those convents that will be examined.
I want our dedicated best and brightest to think freely and boldly. Our church is a strong church and has depended on strong men and women to guide, lead and identify strengths and weaknesses.
Contol and terror are not positive traits. Some interviewed women religious did not want thier names printed. How unfortunate for the church! Intimidation was method od the inquisition. We as a people of God can talk to one another with love in our hearts.
Also, need I remind you that the Vatican is sending women to visit the convents. Visitations are a necessary and important tradition of Catholic religious life. This is not warfare, and this spirit of conflict with the Church is most unfortunate.
We should be praying for a productive visitation and for the wonderful women religious who have given their lives to service of God in His Church.
the Creed and faith in the resurrection ... wonder if this betrays the
purpose of the entire exercise ...
Luis
In any case, this hubbub about ignoring ex cathedra talk seems to not be in line with Pope Paul VI's Lumen Gentium (25) (a Vatican II document, nonetheless).
I always found the life of Religious appealing (and in part converted to the RC Church because the rest of laity construed their relationship with God in a similar manner) because of the striking, moving similarity to Mary's "yes." It is about wanting to submit. I wouldn't have an objection to taking these oaths and I don't really understand why any other Catholic should either.
may speak through the ordinary magisterium which Pope John Paull II
did. Speak to canon lawyers and they will tell you that this is a
closed issue.''
With all due respect, JP II did *not* speak through the ordinary magisterium. There was no conclave of the world's bishops to agree on these issues. He was speaking only of his own (and possibly his advisors and the Curia) beliefs.
With respect to the visitation itself, the supposed reason given was concern for declining numbers of vowed sisters. However, there is no similar visitation of men's orders, whose numbers have also declined. This, on top of the more recently announced investigation of the LCWR, makes it perfectly clear that this is all about power.
There are visitations of men's religious communities facing troubles. The Legion of Christ is currently undergoing one. In 2005 an there was an Apostolic Visitation of all US Catholic Seminaries, including mine. This is standard and it is a great help to the priests and religious, as I can tell you from experience. It has to do with the Vatican reaching out and helping the Faithful, not exerting power.
Unless and until the Church hierachy and the Pope redefine the role of women in Catholicism and recognize that the tradition of an all-male priesthood merely reflects the Vatican view of the inferior status of women, future Apostolic Visitations will have little to visit.
On the contrary, the fewer orders that clamor for women's ordination, refuse to wear habits, decline to submit to the Holy See, etc. we have, the more attractive religious life will become to young women. We can see this today, where the youngest, most vibrant, and fastest growing orders are those that don the habit and lead a far more traditional life - just look at groups such as the Nashville Dominicans, the Sisters of Life, and more. They are all so young! Their numbers of novices swell each year!
The church, remember had ''The Witches Hammer'' Malleus Maleficarum written in 1486 by Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger, two Inquiaitors of the catholic church. The sole purpose of this was to identify women as witches and kill them.
I take no comfort in the fact that the Mother Mary Claire Millea is a woman. Plenty of women during the inquisition turned in other women as witches in order to gain favor and avoid prosecution by the catholic church. I pray for and sympathize with the American sisters/nuns. May God bless them and our church during this ''dark night'' of our church's history.
If there were ever an event to cause an exodus of Catholics (who both honor and support the Sisters) from the Church - this egregious 'visit' is the catalyst.
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