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LCWR, Tony Gentile / Reuters, file
Sister Janet Mock, executive director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), is among a delegation meeting Cardinal William Joseph Levada on Tuesday.
ROME - What do American nuns do when they are accused of being radical feminists? They respond as radical feminists might: by challenging the male authority face-to-face.
Sister Pat Farrell, head of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), the umbrella group that represents 80 percent of the U.S.'s 57,000 Catholic nuns, traveled to Rome to confront accusations that her organization promotes "radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith."
Farrell met American Cardinal William Levada, head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on Tuesday. The gathering was aimed at reconciling their differences, but it has the potential to permanently alienate many American nuns from the Holy See.
From the beginning, the meeting was fixing to be a titanic clash between strong-willed servants of God.
On one side next to Farrell sat Sister Janet Mock, the group’s executive director.
Opposite them, Cardinal Levada was joined by Vatican-appointed Archbishop Peter Sartain, who has been named to oversee the overhaul of the the LCWR. Sartain has been given the power to rewrite the group's statutes, its meeting agendas and liturgical texts.
US priests reportedly behind Vatican crackdown on nuns
Alessandro Speciale, the Vatican Correspondent for Religion News Service, said the discussions – held in private – were unlikely to have been amicable.
The Catholic Church accused the nation's largest organization of American nuns of espousing "radical feminist" ideas. MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell discusses the charges with Sister Jeannine Gramick, who was once silenced by the Vatican, and Jeff Stone, communications director of Dignity USA.
"It will (have been) a deaf argument," he told NBC News. "They will both try to force their message across, but it's unlikely to be a friendly chat."
Both sides emerged from Tuesday's meeting without giving much away.
Farrell told journalists outside the Vatican she had an "open dialogue" with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and found the support in America "very affirming."
Likewise, the Vatican did not go into much detail on the meeting's outcome, but said the gathering had happened in an "atmosphere of openness and cordiality."
Catholic nuns group 'stunned' by Vatican scolding for 'radical feminist' ideas
What is almost certain is that Farrell, a determined representative of thousands of American nuns, asked Levada to reconsider the damning assessment his office issued about her group. The report followed a two-year investigation into the nuns' outspoken social and political outreach, which has often differed from the Vatican's official position.
Tensions between the American nuns and the Vatican have been simmering for years, and stem from the open discussion among LCWR's members of sensitive issues such as gay marriage, contraception and on the ordination of women.
On April 18, the Vatican harshly criticized the group, and accused it in a statement of perpetuating "a distorted ecclesiological vision, and (having) scant regard for the role of the Magisterium as the guarantor of the authentic interpretation of the Church's Faith."
Magisterium, the official teaching authority of the Catholic Church, is made-up of the pope and bishops. Ecclesiological refers to the nature and functions of the church.
Catholic heavyweights challenge Obama rule on contraception
In his first ever Twitter message, Pope Benedict XVI announced a new online portal that aggregates the Vatican's various media on one website. The Tweet from the pope was sent from and ipad.
The Vatican then appointed a trio of bishops to deal with the differences with the LCWR.
The LCWR's official response came more than a month later, but it was just as strong-worded.
The nuns said that the Vatican's charges are 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."
Whatever happened behind closed doors at the Vatican on Tuesday, the meeting will eventually help the world's estimated 1.2 billion Catholics understand whether the Vatican and the American nuns can reach a compromise – or, as seems more likely, remain poles apart.
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I will guess that given the current positions of the ever increasingly conservative men in Rome and Sartain we will see a growing movement away from the Church in Rome. NOt a reformation, but given the moves away from Vatican II (and remember the earlier popes works are not suppose to be undone given they were done by an infallible pope) certainly a move away from the Church in Rome. Not just in the US, but as the church fails to meet the needs in South America and elsewhere also. Already less than 50% of the faithful support the American bishops. Some even believe that they should shut down the church since it was effectively a criminal enterprise in its pedophiliac abuse of children. We will not return to the Dark Ages.
The problem is "We left the Dark Ages". The church should not conform to modernism, that has been our down fall. Vatican II was a mistake that has been haunting us ever since. We do need to return to the so called dark ages. All modernism has done is brought evil into the church and it has effected everyone.
The Catholic Church has always been and always be the one true church, "there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church". No one wants to think this way anymore because it hurts peoples feelings. Jesus himself said, "I do not bring peace, but a sword". The truth is the truth whether people like it or not. The pharsis didn't like Jesus because he spoke the truth, how do people speak of his Church today?
To be truthful and honest the Church made some very huge mistakes in regards to the shuffling and hiding of these priest that abused their position and most importantly lost souls. Vatican II is to blame for this and until we return to our traditional self or the Dark Ages as you put it, the Catholic Church will be demonized.
We have a spark still yet with the Traditional's and we must not compromise with evil and allow modernism to be accepted. It was being traditional that made us Catholic.
Blah blah blah you sound more like a radical Muslim
Tired, one last thing. You pointed out that the "earlier popes works are not suppose to be undone given they were done by an infallible pope". Prior to any Vatican II (1963), Pope Pius X in 1911 already spoke out against modernism. His works were undone by Vatican II, which would be....... wrong and anything changes of vatican II should be null and void as they should never have been made in the first place.
Joey, Vatican II didn't cause evils within the church, priest did and the ones that hid it and moved them around. The church does not follow the full teaching of the bible, the biggest one that comes to mind at this moment is " Judge not lest yea be judged" also "be fruitful and multiply". The catholic church is the first to judge, I can guarantee you that if these serial pedophiles can make it to heaven I have no problem in the church of my choice.
Vatican II is official Catholic Doctrine - done like it - leave.
The curremt Pope was a principle Staffer on the organisation who drafted Vatican II - well, he should now hold up his own conviction and tell the Vatican Fossils using the LCWR for internal political anti-Vatican II fodder, to take a hike, because the Nuns have demonstarbly been carrying out the letter and spirit of Vatican II.
This has nothing to do with "discipline" and well you know it. It has everything to do with Vatican Fossils trying to use LCWR as a political weapon, and your personal dislike of Vatican II - well they and you have met their match, and found an infuriated Public who hold Nuns dear to their heart. They have dug their own graves on this one.
I'm sorry that you feel so bad for these nuns in having to obey a priest. It is however, something they chose to do. No one forced them to take the vow of obedience but now that their actions are disobediant and catholic and more modern main stream media.... they need to take a stand? Wrong, they are obedient to the end and that's a promise they made personally to God and no one else. That vow is not made to any man, Priest or Pope but to God alone and disobey the Pope is to disobey God.
If they are in fact promoting the acceptance of immorality, with homosexuals and abortion. If these nuns are not willing to reform should be excommunicated.
The original report that was filed was based on the complaint that they were not taking enough of a stand against those things and instead were too focused on administering to the poor and downtrodden. Let me ask you this. If you managed a department for someone and they suddenly came to you and informed you that they'd been investigating you for 2 years without your knowledge, that they saw several issues with your actions over that time and that they were going to take over that department and condemn you publically without EVER once giving you any indication that there was an issue, without giving you an opportunity to explain yourself or correct the situation, would you think that was fair and just? Would you believe this to be the manner in which Jesus expected people to behave? Or would you perhaps think it unfair and be a bit pissed - especially if you believed you WERE following the teachings you had sworn to uphold?
Wrong, these women new they were under investigation. In fact they were notified, twice along with all nuns having to fill out questionairs which the majority refused. This prompted, there disobediance to Rome. Yes, there are helping the poor and doing many good works, however that does not excuse their acceptance of immoralitly. To be Catholic is to oppose those issues, you can't wash one had while keeping the other dirty. Protestants pick and choose parts of the Bible they wish to follow, believe and obey, this is modernism and now these nuns are doing the same, falling into modernism and gaining support of the devil and his modernist play.
Jesus lived among the sinners but Catholics are too good for this ? Nun Power !
Well, I was mistaken in that it was a 3 year investigation rather than a 2 year, but according to the nuns organization they had no idea this was coming. They had recently attended an annual conference with no mention of it and suddenly they get hit with this out of left field. Of course, it doesn't help that the Pope has publically announced he's still pissed off at them for not apologizing for a stance they took in 1977 - even though many of the nuns from 35 years ago probably aren't even around. Amazing what you can find with a google search.
Yes Jesus did, but did he teach their way of life was right or ok acceptable to God? Infact he spoke out agains sin. Catholics are not too good for this, they are lower than you, they only spread the truth, whether people like it or not. Even if it hurts their feelings. The truth is the truth and people don't like it. Sorry!!
Joey, the Pope is not God, they made a vow with God to serve the people. They need to leave this hell hole of a church and do their teachings. The Catholic Churches hierarchy pick and choose what benifits their coffers. The church teaches abstinence, I guess having sex with 12 year olds isn't sex.
So, Joey -when are you joining the clergy? There is a difference between the word of God, and the dogmatic ramblings of a papal or Vatican based set of rules. If you honestly think that God wants anything to do with this political nonsense, then you are indeed lost in the forest. No one is infallible, not the Pope, not anyone else. No laws of man are irrefutable. Period. This schizm is how new religions are formed. It will run it's course. Historically, in any movement involving humans, 10% will be staunch advocates and see it through no matter what. 70% will wait and see who the winner is and go with that. 20% will never change the old ways and be firmly entrenched in doing things the same way. the nuns will follow the same path. Perhaps 5000 of them will defect, if any at all, and this is a drop in the bucket for the Catholic behemoth. Sorry - can't get riled up over nuns flapping wings in the US and Popes getting flustered in Italy over misbehaving children. They aren't a democracy and were never intended to be. Any by the way, having been brought up Catholic, gone to Catholic school taught by nuns, I have to tell you, not one of them was sane, nor saintly. They were angry young and old ladies with severe issues. I am a firm believer that no priest nor nun can really associate with non-clergy until they live their lives, bring up children and are faced with the same hard choices. Don't give me crap about their sacrifices, they get by quite nicely on funds given to them by the Vatican, the Diocese and the congregation. Excuse me if that doesn't sound a bit easy. So they visit the sick and infirm and the poor and so on. Baloney - that's not walking in those people's shoes. Likewise for the priests. This is an archaic, dogmatic form of religion that forgets the basic premise - God resides within you and you serve him as best you can. It is not about a church, or a bunch of nuns or priests. That's all man made and not found in the bible. Just another empire - so expect there to be political wars within the empire and the side with the leverage wins. I don't see much leverage for the nuns here. THis is about power - not God. What complete utter nonsense to believe nuns are any better than you or I.
The Catholic Church needs to wake up. The year is 2012 not 1612. The concept of keeping women barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen went out a long, long time ago. I hope this movement among Catholic Nuns continues to grow steam, the powers that be will find a force that they will have to recognize. Because they are nuns does not mean they should be subserviant to the fat boys club in Rome.
The church teachs no such thing, women are held in very high regard and treated with the up most respect. As for this movement, the devil is pushing the modern agenda, we are in 2012, times do change but not God. Our love and respect of God should not change and accepting mordernism is changing God. God doesn't want us killing babies, or accepting homo's as a form of normality. That is people wanting to change that is the devil.
Jesus once flipped tables in the Synigog because people were turning his house into a market place. He should just anger... What would he do today. He would still love everyone as we all should even those that are wrong but he would stand for what is right.
And Retired, they must be obedient to those men in Rome. They made a vow to God, not a priest, or a Bishop, Cardinal, or even the Pope but to God and God alone. And to honor that vow they must remain obedient, no if and or buts. That is the vow they made, no one else and they were not forced. If they disobey the Holy Father, they disobey God. That is fact.
I'm sorry this maybe 2012 but compromising with evil to appease a few people is wrong.
women are held in very high regard and treated with the up most respect
Forget for a moment that that's the same thing men who follow the Islamic faith say, this statement sounds as though you are referring to how you treat your staff, not your partners. I'll not argue that men and women are fundamentally different and traditionally fulfill different roles in the world, but it is possible for them to do so and still be viewed and considered what they are - equal. Christianity, and the Catholic church in particular either haven't yet figured that out or do not wish to.
Joey < Compromising with evil . Really ?You are so twisted. The nuns are doing exactly what they should be doing. Not hiding behind the Bible or a religion who says one thing but does another.
Monkey, is it wrong to treat a woman that way. I'm not saying they should be slaves in the house, i'm saying the church teaches to treat our woman with respect. If a woman is successful more power to her, she should still be treated with respect as should a wife or daughter.
CD. These Nuns actions are good, there is no denying that, but writing books about the acceptance of homosexuality and abortion are not catholic and should be brought into question. And yes Modernism is compromising with evil. And they are hiding behind the bible, just a most modernist do, they justify there actions by using Jesus as someone who hung out with sinners. He did but he didn't condone there actions.
Retired, yes do google, however even if they didn't know, their actions or lack there of promted this and to say it was a blind side is obsurd, they knew it was coming.
Actually, Joey, the book that I can only assume you are referring to is a completely separate incident from this organization. There is absolutely no indication or reference that Sister Margaret Farley has any association of any type to the nuns group currently being discussed. Now SHE has come out and admitted that she knew full well the Vatican would strongly disapprove of her writings. However, as many of the Catholics have pointed out (and rightly so) one rogue priest does not mean all are bad - just as one rogue nun does not mean all behave the same.
How do you answer the fact that the current Pope was a principle Staffer on the Vatican tean who drafted Vatican II, and is now Pope?? As the Pope endorses Vatican II as formal Catholic Doctrine, and helped draft it, that puts a coach and horses right through your strawman.
The fact remains no matter how unpalliatable it is, that Vatican Fossils who are against Vatican II are using LCWR as a vehicle in their internal fight against Vatican II. In doing so, both you and they are going against formal Catholic Doctrine and The Pope's word.
What punishment do you and they feel that willfull disobedience should merit? None by any chance? - neither do the Nuns, the difference is they stood up and faught back, and thats thrown the Vatican Fossil game plan.
Shame ....
Your silly fairy tail is still relevant how?
A so called church that has a Nazi leader who claims to speak for God and still hides child raping priests. I pity the catholic lay, they can't admit they belong to an apostate church, so in the face of proven organized heinous evil, they try to believe it's just those people and not the institution, and time and time again they are proven wrong.
Here's the truth, God cares less what denomination you belong to unless it's a denomination that has behaved in direct opposition of the teachings of Jesus Christ as the catholic church has. Anyone who thinks a church that protected evil doers as they have and still do has anything at all to do with the Lord is dishonest or a fool. If you fail to reject it, you most assuredly will be in hell with the priests.
IT IS WRITTEN...
1 Corinthians 14:34
women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.
1 Corinthians 11:5
And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head--it is just as though her head were shaved.
　1Corinthians 14:35
If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
　1 Timothy 2:11
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.
1 Timothy 2:12
I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.
Titus 2:5
to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
Wow and I thought the Islamic faith made slaves out of women, guess the Christian faith does as well.
As far as Corinthians is concerned, there is a lot of dispute among (even Catholic) scriptural experts about whether those were ever penned by St. Paul. They could easily have been written pseudonymously by a follower. As for the others, you have to consider the council that came up with the gospels and letters included in the Catholic Bible. The number of times Jesus is in the company of women, teaching women, and considering the number of women among the disciples in the beginning of Christianity says volumes more about what He thinks about women's purposes and responsibilities.
Absolutely all religions have there Kooks .Just read anything on this vine from Joey.
Momcatt99 is in denial... God would not allow his "inspired" word to be adulterated so if you doubt one part of it then you doubt God's ability to preserve his word...Hence you do not believe...
1 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
Yes, Jesus did spend much time with many faithful women, but he never appointed a woman as an apostle, one who takes the lead in teaching.
Paul was a raging misogynist. He hated women and dedicated far too much of his writing to how to keep them in their proper place.
But he claimed to speak for god.....
Once I started looking into the Catholic religion, I quickly realized that the differences are too great for it to ever be for me, however, I have always had the utmost respect for the women of that faith who selflessly dedicate their lives to improving the lot of others, specifically the nuns. The manner in which this has been handled from start to finish has shown nothing but disrespect on behalf of the church towards the nuns and makes it clear that the RCC continues to view women as nothing more than a subservient second class. While I would like to see a respectful compromise come of this with the nuns ultimately prevailing, I suspect what will happen is that most of the nuns will break from the RCC and then be deginerated by that institution thereafter. They certainly deserve better.
I think in the long run, the nuns have been more exemplary disciples of the actions the Gospel entreats us to do. God sees all their work "in the field" as it were, and he also sees the guys with funny hats and big bellies and what they do.
The opinion of a recovering Catholic: I just feel that the hierarchy has a very narrow view as to what social issues are to be affectively addressed. I think the nuns in the US are trying to bring these issues back to the consciousness of the Church. Regardless of how you interpret the Bible, everyone needs compassion. The issue of gay marriage is about so many things other than just the sexual act. I have friends who aren't even allowed to visit their partners in the hospital who are sick - because they are not legally married. It's jacked up folks. Compassion is a hard thing to practice, but putting yourself in someone else's shoes is a very enlightening experience. That's what Christ did. Every day of his life he practiced compasssion. He loved the sinners. He loved the marginalized. I don't hate the catholic church, because they are all human beings. I just hate the prejudice and the lack of compassion that comes out of that corporate entity, which allows a voice for so few. Who exactly is the Church? St. Laurence, my chosen saint of my confirmation would have said it was the weak, the meek, the oppressed, and the sinners. And he was burned alive for that. Who are the modern day Pharisees?
I like what you said about compassion, especially pointing out that it's what Jesus practiced everyday. A lot of the "Men Who Wear Funny Hats" could learn a lot from taking His example.
Compassion is why I loved Christ. It is a challenging act to undertake, but a very simple message. No need to look elsewhere. No need to follow old rules at the front of the book. It is more universal than Catholicism, more universal than Christianity. The Dalai Lama preaches it, Bishop Tutu preaches it, and so does any saint who's worth his or her salt. Another thing that is universal is sin. That's why we all need compassion, no matter where we are or where we come from.
Keep it simple; just do what the Bible says, not man-made tradition. That's what gets people in trouble. God spells out roles for men and women; things work best when we just do what He says.
When they joined the club, they agreed to remain celibate, stay poor, obey the patriarchy, put the safety of the Organization ahead of any of its teachings, and to not to reveal the Secret Handshake. These nuns are clearly violating the rules of the club, so they should no longer be allowed to be members. They need to be kicked out. They should form their own club.
Let's see, we have a bunch of kept males, gigilos by any other standard, dictating the behavior of women. Yep, sounds like the root of all evil, Religion, boy's clubs given special names. They hide themselves in guilded cages built off the backs fo the poor, full of pomp and circumstance, and whine like the cowards they are saying, 'these ungrateful women should be bowing down to me and feel privledged to wash the crap and semen stains from my tighty whitey's.'
Not surprising that bullies and cowards point to others when hiding their crimes. This pope is an accomplice to molestation and is no better then the sexual predators he houses and protects. Time for women to turn away from these pompous asses. Let's see how far they get when they have to take care of themselves. Of course, when you appoint what is probably the most evil looking man in modern times then the purpose of the catholic church is clear, complete and utter male domination over women and children and sheep disguised as men. when the catholic church comes calling, you know the wolf it at the door and if you don't have money, that's fine. They'll take your wife and child for sex instead.
Put a bunch of men in charge of women's well being and inate sense of right and wrong and you have a disaster in the making. Time to leave this men's club ladies. They hold no truth for you. They are the problem - not the solution. Women KNOW. Men can only guess then screw it up. If there is a god - she is pissed!
If the church wishes to remain relevant in the lives of the people it must change and adapt. What influence the hierarchy has had on the public is well evident in the slim pickings of devout normal men to join their ranks leaving us with the socially inept and sexually weird ones to assume the role of teaching the gospel while perverting it in practice. Tolerance and acceptance to a fault? The fault is evident. As one Catholic here I'm backing the ladies, you go girls!
Change and adapt what? The message, or the way the message is conveyed? If you are arguing to change the message, I have to disagree with you, as they are SUPPOSED to be teaching the bible and morality/ethics as Jesus did, and the Holy Spirit guides them. If you are saying HOW they teach/preach the message, you have a point.
I spend a lot of time at the local seminary, and can tell you that the boys/men going there are not the outcasts or socially marginal people you portray them as. Nor are many of the 200+ priests serving the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Sure, you have some that are highly intelligent but have trouble getting the message across in a seven minute sermon; and you have some that would be better in administration jobs than dealing with people; but on the whole I think they are a great group of guys. And unfortunately there are those who have inappropriate sexual urges/actions.
How often do you deal with priests, Thom? Are you basing your assertions on a handful of dealings years ago? Do you attend mass every week/every day? Are you active in your parish's social ministries? If so, good for you, I hope you keep at it and bring more in with you. If, however, you are like so many here who base your opinions on a few bad experiences years ago, and second hand stories and gossip, I pray that you get yourself back to church and worship and bible study, and not be a Catholic in name only. I think you'll see that most of the priests serving Christ's body on earth are fine men with varied personalitys, abilities and interests; who have been called to do a thankless job to ingrateful and unknowing people.
pittsburghboy, wouldn't they have to have morals to teach morality?
Lot's of luck nuns. I think you will find that the Vatican is not full of PC wussies like the USA is. What plays in the USA don't much concern a word wide organization and the Doctrine of Faith.
Trust me. As one who had my knuckles whacked a few times and cleaned erasers and blackboards on my after school time, I learned my lesson well. I hold the tenets of my Faith dearly. The Catholic Church is not a Church of Convenience by any means. Follow the Doctrine or just resign and go find yourselves a "Leper Colony" somewhere to be do gooders. Just saying.
For you nun supporters, go fly a kite. I don't care what you think. I care what the Vatican thinks, so there.
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was called The Inquisition until 1965.
The Inquisition is still around.
Can someone explain why The Inquisition is still around?
Because no one expects it.
Old cardinals that live within the confines of the Vatican and bishops that identify and commune with temporal wealth and power are hardly qualified to interpret and guide. People that live and work among the vast majority of poor and disenfranchised have a clearer understanding of Christ's teachings, especially as they apply to a world distant from Church hierarchy. Mother Theresa is an example of a nun that lived Christ's teachings, and there are many more like her.
Pope John XXIII strove to make the Church more human. Too much of the hierarchy since has been committed to regression rather than administering to those most in need of help.
wait a sec....i don't get it. the pedophiles they shifted around and hid for ages get the free pass but these ladies get the shame-shame finger wag?
it just doesn't make sense to me.
Too many times have the nuns differed from the bishops and cardinals in the political arena, this has diluted the political power the catholic church has. Most recently where the nuns differed from the contraception debate on the Obama health care plan, this infuriates the Catholic leadership when they want to hammer the govt.
The Nuns are doing there job. I fear you support the Lets bash the sinners instead of lets help the sinners. GO NUNS
There are two things here, CD: yes, we are all called to serve the poor/homeless/hungry, and have compassion on sinners. But, it is another thing to tell them it is ok to sin. Jesus forgave sins, but then admonished the sinners to go and sin no more. He didn't say it's ok, keep doing it.
It's about Dam Time your Holiness. These Gal's have been tearing up the Catholic Church and it's Traditions hear in the U.S.A. for too long !
Maybe if you had attended a school taught by nuns you would have learned to spell!
The original definition of heretic had absolutely nothing to do with the Church or being burned at the stake. The Church perverted the phrase and used it as a label for everyone who didn't agree with them. What a bunch of bullies. The original meaning was simply a young person who's trying to determine what philosophies to live by, plain and simple. Everyone has the right to interpret. So everyone in this life is a heretic. Even Catholics. They all have made a choice (well, the adults at least) about what philosophies to live by.
As with ecumenical discussions with the Vatican, about the only topic open for discussion is whether to order pizza or burgers for lunch.
Go sisters!
I'm a Catholic woman, and over the years have become increasingly dissatisfied with the old boys' club mentality of the Vatican. If you live by the Ten Commandments, then I think you can die happy in the knowledge you did the best you can throughout your life. You don't have to be a Catholic to live by the basic tenants set out in the Commandments.
...and the Sermon on Mount... and all of Jesus' teachings, not Paul's, who never even met Christ, who preached the denigration of women which was customary in his Roman culture even though Jesus "respected them as equals." Jesus who came to enlighten people, Jesus whose teachings were not included when Jerome was commissioned to produce a Bible but was not allowed to include these teaching because it didn't suit the Roman upper class at that time.
careful, no one is watching the young boys...
I would say you have a much bigger problem with your priests rather than your nuns...