After some thought, (for me a time consuming effort), I have a question brought on by Fr Fox’s comment to a previous post chastising us for little respect to Sisters. I will yield the fact that the Sisters are consecrated persons, brides of Christ if you will, However some of the brides seem to have forgotten their “husband”. As evidence I post these blog links from Fr Z, just what respect exactly do we owe these Sisters, I am asking out of concern.
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/04/nuns-gone-wild-a-trip-down-memory-lane/
http://wdtprs.com/blog/tag/magisterium-of-nuns/
I also recommend
the slow descent into relativism and humanism.
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BTW when I refer to polyester nightmares, I am referring to a particular “sister” that had a wardrobe of ill fitting polyester pantsuits that did her no favors and made her look silly, then she would speak and confirm it. Had this annoying practiced of announcing the priest as “presenter” at our engaged encounter and later when we worked at one. Totally threw me for a loop. Really, when I look at how far some orders have fallen it is frightening, and then the collection comes for their retirement.
another note
In a recent article ,which I can no longer find back, it was stated that the average age of Sisters belonging to the LCWR is 70 or so, it seems they are dying anyway.
Now some one help me, the same story listed the second largest group that represents sisters, seems to be more orthodox membership, quite a bit younger and growing, any help?
I do make it a practice when seeing a Sister or group of Sisters in habits to go over and thank them, God Bless then for their dedication and witness to the faith, and the same for a Priest in a cassock, such a sight for sore eyes
30 April 2012 at 12:26 am
In a recent article ,which I can no longer find back, it was stated that the average age of Sisters belonging to the LCWR is 70 or so, it seems they are dying anyway.
As I have remarked elsewhere, the orders that have embraced doctrines of libertine sexuality, New Age nonsense, and cheerleading for or in many cases directly facilitating abortion, are dying and dying fast. The reason is the same reason the Episcopal Church is a smoldering pile of rubble: When your faith is no different from vacuous secular Leftism, why waste time on Sunday or mess with vows of poverty and celibacy? Thus, the Church has 3 options. a). Ignore it and let the tick-tock solution take care of it. b). suppress and dissolve these orders by ecclesiastical fiat or c). Insist on reformation and that orders re-affirm orthodox Catholicism. The Church seems to have chosen option c, so apparently they think these orders are both salvageable and worth saving. To wit: it IS the charitable response.
As far as respect due, we should avoid cheap shots and bad name-calling, but really that’s about it. There may have been a time when a consecrated commanded an amount of innate respect beyond what a normal lay person could (never forget they are consecrated laity–especially when the question of authority comes up). But no more and appealing to “Not all sisters are like that” just isn’t going to satisfy anyone with their head screwed on right. To put it bluntly, the infamous heresiarchs of which Fr. Z gave a (very) small sampling of peed in the soup for everyone. The good ones gotta earn the respect like the rest of us schmos, which, btw, goes for bishops and priests.
30 April 2012 at 5:59 pm
“The good ones gotta earn the respect…”
Well, I have to disagree. I think (a) everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt and the presumption of good faith. We’re not living in a Hobbsean dystopia. (b) I think those who take the vows of religious life deserve the respect that goes with that reality. They don’t have to “earn” it, because they have flaws, or don’t wear a habit, and least of all because some among their number say or do things you don’t like.
Good grief: we’re not talking about al Qaeda, we’re talking about brothers and sisters in Christ.
30 April 2012 at 7:58 pm
Father, Over 40 years I have watched priests and religious run through the Church with reckless abandon causing much damage. There was a time when respect was assumed. I am afraid that time has passed. Maybe it will return. But I for one take each priest and religious I encounter with a great deal of skepticism till I learn otherwise – that is earning respect – at least my respect. For me the great sadness is your point should be taken, but cannot based on experience. I accept each as my brother or sister but whether you or they like it or not you occupy a position deserving a level of respect beyond my ordinary brother or sister. Many women religious shed habits precisely because they wanted to be just members of the greater community. I take them at their word and give them no more respect, help, or support than any other member of the community. If equity with all other workers in the vineyard is their goal they seem to have gotten it. I wish they would take what so many are willing to given them – an opportunity to lead, teach and point to the master of the vineyard. I don’t see it. I’m with Scott.
30 April 2012 at 8:04 pm
Well, I have to disagree that you are disagreeing. I thought that presumption of good faith was implied when I talked about having the respect due to a lay person, but I can see how it doesn’t look that way. Look, if you can’t read my mind, I can’t help you.
.
30 April 2012 at 8:46 pm
Maybe a recent example will suffice. Our regular priest went on vacation and his substitute came in. Now, the best good faith presumption I could manage was wait and see. In all likelihood he’ll be ok. Well, Mass starts up and when we get to the first “The Lord be with you.” and we respond with “and also with you” (ok, it wasn’t that recent) he looks up and goes, “What was that?!” and basically forces the congregation to say it louder. At that point my mind thought ohh boy strap yourselves in, we are going for a ride. And I was right as the priest turned the entire Mass into an amalgam of variety show, pep rally, and bull session with him in the spotlight as the master of ceremonies. I suppose my point is that my good faith presumption was more like a resignation in that there was little I could do about it. What? Am I supposed to vet these people before they take center stage in the three-ring circus? The larger point is that we have now arrived at the point that it is a bloody crap-shoot. And the snake-eyes that keeps turning up makes me wonder if the dice are loaded. No one should have to wonder.
1 May 2012 at 4:17 am
I’ve had the same experience, of course. Most of us have. Sigh.
30 April 2012 at 5:55 am
These women were very good to me and to my generation. Even if your mother turns out to be human – or to have even more obvious faults – you do owe her something. Jeering at these women, fastening insulting names on them, making fun of them, ill becomes those of us who were raised by them and loved by them.
But I am older than most of you here.
30 April 2012 at 11:29 am
I doubt that the good women for whom you are so grateful are the same as the women at whom so many Catholics of your generation are, as you say, jeering. Consider the woman at whom I admittedly jeered with the following post:
http://otritt.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/those-zany-sisters-of-st-benedict/
Do we, as you say, “owe her something,” other than the derision that she seems to be consciously inviting?
30 April 2012 at 8:07 am
Jeering at these women, fastening insulting names on them, making fun of them, ill becomes those of us who were raised by them and loved by them.
I agree completely and I think you will find here that when someone goes for the low-blows, someone steps in to put the brakes on it.
30 April 2012 at 8:26 am
What posting was Father Fox chastising? I must have missed that…
30 April 2012 at 11:30 am
Yes, I missed it, too. Can you give us a link or a URL?
30 April 2012 at 12:16 pm
CatholicBuckeye
http://otritt.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/liberal-catholic-heads-exploding-in-5-4-3-2/#comments
Yes I have a sharp tongue, comes from raising 5 kids and losing one, as I get older I have tended to lose some of my inhibitions.
I too was educated by Sisters, Society of the Precious Blood, they taught the 1st 3 grades at Minster Local, plus the music teacher and the elementary principal, 8 or 9 Sisters I believe. I really do think the School System took advantage of them over pay. At the time they lived directly across the street in the Visitation of Mary convent. Over my 12 years of school I witnessed the change from black habit to grey habit to no habit to the destruction of the convent and eventually the Sisters. I’ll never forget the day the wrecking ball exposed the chapel to daylight, I sat in a classroom directly across the street and the whole class just stared. I believed it was the 5 or 6th grade, really disturbed me and many of my classmates. The Sisters sold off the convent and old girls orphanage and school for a condo complex, the received a double unit in the deal. beginning of the end.
they have my respect.
30 April 2012 at 5:39 pm
Those “Zany Sisters of St. Benedict” in St. Ferdinand are dying out – they were probably thrilled to have a new postulant and immediately put her on their brochure. I visited their monastery a few years back, and it’s a sad sight. A huge complex, expanded in the late 50s or early 60s, now completely empty except for a reminent of elderly women. I’m sure they never expected to end up like this when they took their vows. So sad…