Nuns Must Hear 'anger and hurt' of American Catholics

The NCR has a interview with an important Vatican official that is worth reading. See Vatican must hear 'anger and hurt' of American nuns, official says

Rome must acknowledge the “depth of anger and hurt” provoked by a visitation of American nuns, the Vatican’s number two official for religious life has said, saying it illustrates the need for a “strategy of reconciliation” with women religious.
Archbishop Joseph Tobin, Secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, said that he does not expect any “punitive” fallout from the visitation, and that before any decisions are made, women’s communities should have a chance to know the results and to respond.
That addresses a central concern of many women religious, who have objected to what some perceive as the secrecy of the process. Tobin said that as a matter of “justice and charity,” he will “strongly advocate” for feedback and a right of reply.

Read it all. Let me say I agree with that. I really do .

However lets recall there is a flip side to this. In my personal experience I have seen many American nuns in positions of power in parishes freeze out parishioners and viewpoints they saw as pre Vatican II.

In Campus Ministry I saw close up and personal how this occurred and their own theological viewpoints(often close to heretical) were imposed on countless young minds.

I have seen an open antagonism toward Catholic Orthodoxy when many were teaching in the schools.

Regardless there was much un traditional Catholic Thought taught at retreat Centers where they were seemed to be given free reign.

I could could go on and on about all these "alternative" Catholic liturgies.

I have seen American Nuns take it upon themselves of the arbitrators of what is Catholic Justice which in reality is closed to many ideas.

For those of us in the pews that wanted the right to a sound Catholic education and environment WE HAD NO APPEAL or RECOURSE. Bishops ignored our pleas partly because they wanted to avoid looking anti Female. Needless to say the Congregations of these Religious did not give a huge ole flip what we thought.

In essence many (NOT ALL) of these nuns became an female example of the male clericalism they ranted about.

Many wanted to rebuild the Church in THEIR IMAGE and if the poor misguided ignorant folks in the pews disagreed that was just too tough.

That being said I realize these religious have done good work. Even the ones that drove me up the wall with their agendas I still have great love and respect for.

However good work with the poor and the least among us does not give them Carte Blanche to do anything they please especially as to the Catholic faith.

There are reasons this visitation is happening. Part of that is because outrage from some in the pews have festered too long.