The manner of living, praying and working should be suitably adapted everywhere, but especially in mission territories, to the modern physical and psychological circumstances of the members and also, as required by the nature of each institute, to the necessities of the apostolate, the demands of culture, and social and economic circumstances.
___________________________________
 |
| Right before the dam broke: Conference of Major Superiors of Women (CMSW), later Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), August 1963 - Source. |
From the website of the "Leadership Conference of Women Religious" (LCWR), regarding the CDF report on this dissenting group of individuals:
LCWR Board Meets to Review CDF Report
[Washington, DC] The national board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) held a special meeting in Washington, DC from May 29-31 to review, and plan a response to, the report issued to LCWR by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.The board members raised concerns about both the content of the doctrinal assessment and the process by which it was prepared. Board members concluded that the assessment was based on unsubstantiated accusations and the result of a flawed process that lacked transparency. Moreover, the sanctions imposed were disproportionate to the concerns raised and could compromise their ability to fulfill their mission. The report has furthermore caused scandal and pain throughout the church community, and created greater polarization.The board determined that the conference will take the following steps:
- On June 12 the LCWR president and executive director will return to Rome to meet with CDF prefect Cardinal William Levada and the apostolic delegate Archbishop Peter Sartain to raise and discuss the board’s concerns.
- Following the discussions in Rome, the conference will gather its members both in regional meetings and in its August assembly to determine its response to the CDF report.
The board recognizes this matter has deeply touched Catholics and non-Catholics throughout the world as evidenced by the thousands of messages of support as well as the dozens of prayer vigils held in numerous parts of the country. It believes that the matters of faith and justice that capture the hearts of Catholic sisters are clearly shared by many people around the world. As the church and society face tumultuous times, the board believes it is imperative [Rorate note: !!!] that these matters be addressed by the entire church community in an atmosphere of openness, honesty, and integrity.June 1, 2012
46 comments:
Remind me again why the SSPX was said to be in schism all these years while the sisters continue to be in good standing?
What reaction to this communiqué would be appropriate on the part of the Holy See?
Am I the only one to think that a punitive measure of a scale unparalleled, to enter the pages of the History of the Church, should be adopted against those "religious women" who adopt this behaviour? Starting, of necessity, with the canonical suppression of the LCWR.
In a way, it is good that the LCWR respond as they did, because then they show their true face, and expose their flawed ecclesiology, inviting the necessary corrective measures.
They just don't get it!
I hope the Pope and the Vatican thru the CDF supresses all of these religious Orders.
It is what they deserve for this kind of reaction to the legitimate concerns of the Pope.
They're smug and self-confident now...but I think they are in for a bad surprise!
Let us pray for the repentance and conversion of these Sisters into the true service of Christ Our Lord and His Holy Church.
Also, let us pray for their male counterparts the Jesuits that they to may repent and convert in the true service of Christ Our Lord and His Holy Church.
Suppress them.
Replace them.
Dear Sisters, those white male chauvenist pork bellies just do not get it. If they only took your example and chase butterflies and hug trees they would find their true inner selves. Meditate for them.
Given the present rate of decline, the members of this 'Board' will soon find that they constitute the entirety of the sisters whom they represent, so that the representatives and those represented are one and the same group of people. Before that happens, they will be outnumbered by the S.S.P.X-affiliated sisters who, of course, are not sisters, are not Catholic and are not Catholic sisters. To qualify as a Catholic sister, you must now put in service as an abortuary escort.
P.K.T.P.
What a great picture. It shows a major turn for the worse in our culture and attitude towards religious life overall, and really what we have lost.
Matt
Josephus: They "get it," but they refuse it. That's worse.
Oh, it's time for some S.S.P.X numbers Why not? I don't want to overburden visitors with too many numbers all at once. I start with a list of countries that are important to our movement. I name the country, followed by the per centage of faithful who live in a diocese in which there is at least one every-Sunday T.L.M. recognised by the Pope and bishops, and then this is followed by the number as it would stand if S.S.P.X Masses be added after a recognition of the Society by Rome.
England: 98% ... 100%.
New Zealand: 91 ... 100.
Switzerland: 85 ... 100.
Germany: 95 ... 99.
U.S.A.: 95 ... 97.
France: 90 ... 96.
Austria: 92 ... 92 (i.e. no change).
Belgium: 74 ... 87.
Netherlands: 48 ... 87.
Australia: 70 ... 76.
Czech Rep.: 65 ... 65.
Canada: 62 ... 64.
Poland: 49 ... 57
Ireland: 46 ... 54*.
Italy: 51 ... 52*.
Chile: 41 ... 41.
Spain: 41 ... 41.
Argentina: 17 ... 40.
Hungary: 35 ... 35.
Brazil: 33 ... 34†.
South Africa: 23 ... 29.
Philippines: 26 ... 26.
India: 0 ... 23.
México: 12 ... 24.
Colombia: 17 ... 20.
Notes: * The numbers for Italy and Ireland are misleading because those countries still have their tiny mediæval dioceses. Many Italians and Irishmen can go diocese-shopping in the way most others go parish-shopping. So the situation in Italy and Ireland is much better than it appears to be in these numbers.
† The S.S.P.X in Brazil is about to lose its monastery and apostolate in Nova Friburgo and also one other priest elsewhere. They are refusing Bishop Fellay's deal with Rome.
Notice that, in terms of these numbers for diocesan territories, a deal btw. Rome and the S.S.P.X will make no difference at all in Austria, the Czech Republic, Chile, Spain, Hungary or the Philippines. It will make almost no difference in England, Canada, Italy and Brazil.
I have grossly understated the effect of a Society reconciliation in India. It would have a huge effect, bringing recognised access of T.L.M.s to nearly a quarter of all Indian Catholics. The effect is also enormous for Argentina; however, the S.S.P.X has very little presence in Latin America north of Argentina, except a bit in Mexico.
P.K.T.P.
THEY CAN'T DIE FAST ENOUGH!
Now I list countries by the number of extra T.L.M.-dioceses a reconciled S.S.P. would add. I give the country name, the number of dioceses having the T.L.M. every Sunday and the number of dioceses which would be added by a reconciled S.S.P.X.
India: 0 + 10 = 10.
France: 79 + 8 = 87.
(N.B. The eight include Reims, Soissons, Langres, Cambrai, St-Denis: where N.O. bishops have essentially told the Pope that he can go fly a kite.)
Argentina: 6 + 8 = 14.
U.S.A.: 146 + 5 = 151.
(Note: the U.S.A. reached 150 in 2011 but has since fallen back to 146. Thank you, P.C.E.D. for doing NOTHING to implement S.P.)
Mexico: 4 + 4 = 8.
Italy: 58 + 3 = 61.
Poland: 16 + 3 = 19.
Australia: 9 + 3 = 12.
Brazil: 30 + 2 = 32.
(but it will likely only be +1 now.)
Canada: 17 + 2 = 19.
Netherlands: 3 + 2 = 5.
Switzerland: 4 + 2 = 6.
The following countries would gain only one diocese owing to a recognition of the S.S.P.X: Germany, England, N.Z., Belgium, Ireland, South Africa, Colombia.
This is all going somewhere. I am showing that a recognition of the S.S.P.X would have very little or no effect in most countries, some effect in a few important countries, and would be big news for Argentina and India, fairly important for France, and 'somewhat important' for the U.S.A.
Given how limited this effect is, why on earth do the liberals fight us so? We are no threat to them. The threat to them is them. But freedom for us is important because of a long-term building effect. It is imperative to bring the Mass of the Ages to all who want it everywhere. It belongs to everyone equally; it is not only for Westerners and Filipinos.
P.K.T.P.
. . . Deep in my heart, I do believe, We shall overcome some day.
In my third listing, I name countries and then show the per centage of *DIOCESES* which would have every-Su. T.L.M.s in their respective territories were Society Masses recognised by Rome:
England: 100%.
New Zealand: 100.
Switzerland: 100.
France: 94.
Germany: 89.
Belgium: 88.
U.S.A.: 86.
Austria: 78.
Netherlands: 71.
Czechland: 63.
Poland: 48 (but Poland's movement, unlike most of the others, is still growing under S.P.)
Australia: 43 (in stark contrast, Australia's T.L.M. movement is dead in the water: there is no growth now for *years*).
Canada: 31 (pathetic but the Northern dioceses are populated most by polar bears, who are almost as little Catholic as the Quebeckers, who are the other problem).
Ireland: 31 (Ireland and Italy do better than the numbers suggest owing to tiny diocesan territories).
Italy: 29 (see last comment on Ireland).
Argentina: 22.
Hungary: 20.
Spain: 19.
Philippines: 14 (but apparently growing again).
Brazil: 12 (helped a bit by the Campos priests).
Mexico: 10.
Chile: 8.
India: 8.
South Africa: 7.
Colombia: 5.
Not included in my analysis are tiny countries or countries having few Catholics but nevertheless good access. An example would be Estonia. I don't include microstates or one-diocese states (e.g. Singapore, Monaco, Liechtestein, Luxembourg). I don't include countries having some but really negligble access (e.g. Ecuador, Paraguay, Lebanon, Russia). I left out Lithuania and Russia, which have some but very little access. I left out Sweden and most African countries have access only in one or two sees (Nigeria, Benin, Kenya; China). I should have included Gabon but simply forgot it. I'll update and include it in my files.
Some important Catholic countries have ZERO ACCESS, esp. some in Latin America (e.g. Venezuela, Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia, Haiti, most of Central America), Malta, some in Africa (e.g. Congo P.D.R.).
P.K.T.P.
Yes, Matt, that must be one of the most dramatic images we have ever posted here, mostly because of its timing, August 1963.
Mother Mary Catherine of the Sisters Adorers of the Most Precious Bloog is there, the bottom left. I knew her immediately. You can just make out the gleam of the Heart they wore, on a chain--see it, almost at waist level? If the picture were in color, you would see their magnificent crimson belt/sash. It has to be one of the most beautiful habits under God's heaven, and may those who wore it and cared for us girls in East St. Louis rest in peace. Sister Mary Pauline, Sister Patricia, Sister Clotilda, Sister Syvana. What women! What women!
But the seeds of modernism were there, under Mother Mary Catherine's administration. It was just then, 1962, that the waters came crashing over us.
How bad are these nuns? They make Cardinal Levada look like a traditionalist by comparison.
Here's the thing... These women are not dumb. They are well educated and smart.
This is a calculated response that plays to their "base" – their members and supporters. The fact of the matter is that they will continue to 'defy' authority - until "Real" consequences are imposed. Why? Because there have NEVER been any real consequences in the past for their behavior and drift away from the faith. Just as children will continue their inappropriate behavior and impose their will upon their parents – Until…. Wait for it… Their parents impose consequence that the child can no longer bear and are forced to amend their ways! It’s really that simple.
My general conclusion on the numbers is simple. Most S.S.P.X Masses are offered in dioceses where there are also approved T.L.M.s. This is no accident: the local bishops have used the various indults to limit the reach of Society chapels by opening up shop right next to them. Simple.
A reconciliation will make a real difference only in India and Argentina, and it will ruffle a few, only a few, feathers in France & the U.S.A. The entire importance of the 550 Society priests is not what they can provide today but what they can offer into the future if they are reconciled in complete independence of the local bishops. This entire endavour of the Holy Father matters little for the present and mostly for the future. It matters not for the next few years but over the next several decades, for it will take decades to bring this treasure of the faithful to all who are attached to it.
For that reason if for no other, he should sign the recognition as soon as possible. This will not cause liberals to jump off of buildings (sadly). But if he waits too long, the Grim Reaper might pay him a visit when he leasts expects it, and Reap always keeps his appointments. This work is too important to be delayed, for the next pope might not follow through.
I implore him to reconcile them while he still can. He failed in 1988. 24 years have passed since then. We don't know if he will have even 24 more days. Now is the time to finish this business and move on.
P.K.T.P.
P.K.T.P.,
I agree with you, the impact of the reconciliation will not be large, in practical terms, at the moment, or even for some time.
But the liberals will still jump off buildings. :) Why? Because the enemy, with his angelic intelligence, thinks in terms of decades and centuries. He will do everything he can to prevent the graces that flow from the traditional Mass from ever regaining a foothold in the Church, however small that foothold may be at the moment. He knows that when it does, and its beneficial influence starts to grow, the jig is up.
PKTF,
Nice analysis and I assume that these bishops would add even more regularly scheduled TLM's to their diocese to keep the SSPX from stealing away their sheep.
Uncle Clairborne:
Yes, that's true of the grand conspirator who is behind this but less so of his minions. They do think in shorter terms, for they hope to rule in this world and take little thought of the next. The point is that, from a human point of view, the Pope is now well positioned to make this change without much risk of causing a large divide in Holy Church. So he should act as soon as he can. Nobody lives forever. Leo XIII lived to be 93 and he was the oldest pope in some time. This Pope is already older than his predecessor was at the time of the latter's demise. This is a time not for words but for action.
P.K.T.P.
Thank you P.K.T.P. for your statistics. Though your posts I learned that what really matters is to have every-Sunday Latin Masses. Our situation has improved since Summorum Pontificum.
Dear PKTP,
I am from Belgium and I can say to you clearly, the situation is NOT like you describe it! In the six dioceses of Flanders (the largest part of Belgium), there are but two non-sspx TLM's and they are in run-down chruches, once a month. Or celebrated by a priest who gives handcommunion. The SSPX-churches are glorious and have a lot of faithful and a vibrant parishlife. Your assumption is woefully incorrect and biased. In Belgium, the SSPX is one of the last bastions of catholic orthodoxy. I don't know where you get your numbers from but they are a complete false representation. I pray for a quick reunion.
Suppress this pustule of dissent and throw these good wymmin onto the street.
"Benedict Carter said...
Suppress this pustule of dissent and throw these good wymmin onto the street."
Best answer yet. Awesome ,Buddy!
I used to respect sisters...even the layclothes gag, until my little cousin was about to make his First Holy Communion. The old femminist layclothes nun (Sister of Saint Joseph of Carondolet Order) who was instructing the class told the kids that the Sacred Host were "Jesus Cookies" which they were to take in their hand and eat like a cookie.
She also said "perhaps one day you young boys AND GIRLS will be able to give "First Eucharist" to children as priests."
Supress them all!tianriu
As long as SSPX will not be subject to the diocesan bishops and their respective chanceries, the 'deal' should be done. Otherwise there could be prevarication on the [puerile] issue of 'Faculties' amongst other problems.
Examples of bishops' attitudes to even moderate Traditionalism abound. In Lancaster Diocese [UK], with an iconic but expensive to maintain church and changed parish demography, they sought first to sell it and did not. A Traditionalist group floated the idea of taking over the liability from the diocese - not acceptable. Why? Because there would be a detrimental movement away from other parishes in that town.
In Liverpool, as I understand it, an oral agreement was given to a priest to have a wholly Traditional parish established [in a surplus church]. Due to pressure from both the chancery and the association of [NOM] clergy that deal was reneged upon.
On the other side, where the bishop has moved to accommodating Traditional parishes, Wisconsin and Shrewsbury, the bishops have come under personal attack from all manner of, apparently, vested interests.
An iconic city centre church which I attend, ex Jesuit, was to be sold, but saved and regenerated, by a group and initially a sole priest, to relative magnificence providing both TLM and NOM [with absolute reverence and strictly to the norms]not to mention solace and all the other requirements for old-time Catholicism.
+Fellay has stated it may take generations to resolve the problems within Mother Church, but doing the 'deal' would be another step towards such resolution and the bishops and their lackeys could not fall back upon their usual canard of "schismatics"!
Don't suppress them. Force them to go full habit, cloistered with perpetual Adoration. That'll either cure them...or kill them. Either one would be fine with me.
Secular nuns - i.e. women religious not in a monastery/cloister - is a relatively new experiment, and occurred only in the West. So whether they are suppressed or just die off, perhaps the entire novelty should be forgotten.
right before the dam broke
Or, one might say, right before all hell broke loose!
Either way it's a beautiful picture!
My dying, 90 year old grandmother is in the care of the Little Sisters and it has been a gift from God: those habited, and almost silent sweet sisters daily toiling over the aged and dying.
And it is nice that they don't escort for abortions!
If you do one act of Charity today, I beg you, I plead you to donate just $5 to the The Little Sisters of the Poor.
They are the real-deal, and toil daily over the sick and dying.
Hello PKTP,
Thanks for posting those numbers on the TLM.
I think there's another connection between the question of the traditional mass and what we see unfolding in trainwreck that is the LCWR, and it's made well in this 1963 photo of their predecessors.
Every one of those women religious not only lived in traditional religious life - full habits, communal life, daily traditional devotions - but also attended only the traditional mass (however indifferently celebrated). And yet: Look what became of nearly all of them in just a few short years. The cancer of modernism was clearly well advanced, only awaiting an opportunity to metastasize. The Council - specifically Perfectae Caritas and its implementation - provided that opportunity.
This affirms for us what we already knew, but sometimes lose sight of: that the traditional liturgy is no sure inoculation against modernist thought. And yet: We also know that there's no real chance that any religious order devoted to the exclusive (or predominant) devotion to the traditional liturgy would jump off the cliff that the CMSW/LCWR orders did in 1965-1971. And the reason why is that the frogs can see what the water looks like and feels like when it's boiling. We know where all that leads - i.e., senescence and death for the order. No new vocations. And too many shipwrecked souls.
What Rome is doing today should have been done 40 years ago. And even so Archbishop Sartain's recent comments suggest that even this small belated step will be slow and watered down. These orders (median age: 79 and rising) will simply die off, for the most part, before the Vatican is ready to take assertive measures. And perhaps that's what their thinking really is now.
With the top statement in mind, I have always maintained that the sisters should not be fully blamed. They were encouraged to go this route all along and now, just now, the Church is waking up and saying, "Oh! No! You went too far!"
That said, they keep touting the fact that they have received thousands of messages of encouragement. Yes, something like 53,000 messages, yep all 53,000...out of 7.7 Million U.S. Catholics...53,000 agree.
RJH
PKTP, thank you for the roster!
I've always marveled why the Island-Nation Malta, arguably the most Catholic in the E.U. next to Luxembourg, doesn't have a single Latin Mass??
The impertinent response of the American Women Religious to the Vatican did not address the central issue, which is why they are devoted to Social Justice and Feminism instead of teaching the Gospel.
They claim to be motivated by "Social justice" - but notice that Our Lord Jesus Christ is not even mentioned in their release - how can there be justice without Our Lord?
Dear PKTP - thanks for all those figures! Really interesting with helpful analysis.
I'm just wondering where the figures came for 100% in England though? In Hallam there is not a weekly Sunday TLM. There are very few TLMs at all, just 'crumbs from the table' really. There isn't a SSPX Mass Centre either.
In Lancashire [not sure of the Diocesan name] the exact same has happened. The principal SSPX church/priory has been there for some time now. However, there is a diocesan church, literally round the corner, that held a full Tridium this Holy Week under the
'62 missal. What more needs to be said?!
As for those 'sisters', Rome has begun to make a stand...but will there the 'gumption' to follow through?!
"Paul said...
THEY CAN'T DIE FAST ENOUGH!
"
This comment creeps me out big time!
I wish an erroneous idea, a misplaced loyalty and a heretical agenda to die ....but not people.
Conversion of heart and lifestyle is probably impossible for these people.
I hope they are dead as an organization, and as individual Orders. I hope the Pope surprises the world, calls their bluff and in one masterstroke, supresses each Order and disbands the LCWR.
What I worry about are all the 90% empty Motherhouses, etc still operated by these genuinely evil women. Who gets all the property once they are disbanded?
Also, if they are supressed etc., no good USA bishops should have them in his schools, or chancellory etc. Where do they go?
I feel bad for all the good the nuns did up until 1965. The massive network of schools, hospitals, Motherhouses, etc. All in ruins since 1965 and the Council.
If I didn't believe that the Holy Spirit doesn't promote/imspire evil, considering the results...I would be sure that there was something diabolic behind Vatican II, and what happened to these nuns.
What Vatican II originally intended in it's very, very first days WAS an inspiration of the Holy Spirit (a Council similar to the Roman Synod of 1960), BUT between 1960-1965, something evil took hold.
And these people have been part of it. Really disturbing if you thinl of it.
Supress them and don;t look back!
I think it is clear that the comments refer to the death of their corrupt institutions and perverted rebellious spirit, not the ladies themselves. May we all die in the state of grace.
A Carmelite nun friend [RIP] gave me, inadvertently, a tape-recording of a conference, given to them, by a local priest - it was vile. Inter alia, it made a joke, in bad taste, about the opening prayers of the TLM. This was in 1987. What harm have the clergy done to the enclosed orders who have been denied a wider knowledge of Mother Church. Anyway, my friend found Msgr. Lefebvre's photo reassuring as to his honest face.
Peter, The figure for Mexico is not exactly right:
Current situation without FSSPX (at least every sunday mass):
# of Dioceses: 5 (Guadalajara, Morelia, Monterrey, Tijuana and Mexicali) out of a total of 94 which would be 4.26%
Percentage of population in those diocesis: around 20%
The situation with the FSSPX would be:
# of Dioceses: 5 (Guadalajara, Morelia, Monterrey, Tijuana and Mexicali + Mexico City, Cd. Juarez, Gomez Palacio/Torreon, Cordoba and Orizaba) out of a total of 94 which would be 11.70%
Percentage of population in those diocesis: around 32% The amount is really bigger because I am only taking into account the Archdiocesis os Mexico City and not all the rest of the diocesis of the metropolitan area of the whole DF.
I don't think the use of the element "number of parishes" reflects the situation as well as "number of masses." If you were to use that measure, things would get thinner. We share priests. Our dear pastor is on the road most of the week. We get mass on Sunday, sometimes Monday, first Friday, and most Saturdays. We don't get daily mass. We don't get a full time pastor. We don't have the services of a parish that has a full time pastor. We are starved for mass, although if we had it we would not have such great numbers, because we live so far away, not clustered around the church as others are so very lucky to be. We do not have daily mass. We do not have square dances. We don't have anyone immediately available when we die. It's not the same. Most especially, let me say again with the hopes that God Himself is listening to Rorate: we don't have daily mass. The figures you have given us, dear Mr. Perkins, and thank you for them, compare parishes with a full time priest and even assistants--at least some of them, not all, but so many more than SSPX--with parishes like mine with a shared priest who has to suffer from chronic jet lag, bless his heart.
P.K.T.P. - Is it fair to say that Cardinal Ratzinger failed in 1988? It seems to me that he did the best job that could have been expected of him: he was instrumental in working out an agreement acceptable to both parties, and if fell through because John Paul II wouldn' name the bishop(s) to be ordained for the Society. I certainly agree that it is very important to get this done now under this pope. But I cannot blame him for anything negative that has ever happened between the Society and the Vatican. It seems to me that he has only been a positive force.
The photo is beautiful. Smiling nuns! Now, you don't see THAT everyday, do you? If there is anything that characterizes these rad nuns it is there inability to smile. Leon Bloy once said that "joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God." The inverse must be the sign of the absence of God.
I WILL NOT SERVE!
Where have we heard that before?
Jo
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