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Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
Nuns talk in St Peter's Square after newly elected Pope Francis appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on March 13, 2013 in Vatican City.
As the last puffs of white smoke dissipated at the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, women religious in the United States received the news of the pope's election with a mix of surprise and hope that he would shepherd the church through its current crisis.
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was chosen to lead the Roman Catholic Church as Pope Francis, a decision the nuns considered unexpected but auspicious.
"I think it's just wonderful," said Sister Michele of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady Mother of the Church. “The Holy Spirit worked through the cardinals, and God put in the man that he wants."
Francis is the first pope to be a member of the Society of Jesus, an order founded in the 16th century by St. Ignatius Loyola. Its members, known as Jesuits, take a vow of poverty and are known for their scholarship and work among the poor, which is seen as a draw to nuns, who devote their lives to charity and caring for the less fortunate.
Nuns flock to the Vatican and celebrate as new pope is elected
“There’s a lot of promise in that (he’s a Jesuit),” said Erin Saiz Hanna, executive director of the Women's Ordination Conference, which promotes women's ordination as priests. "It’s a breath of fresh air," she said, adding that Jesuits "are known to be more progressive."
The Sisters of Life, an order founded in 1991 that helps pregnant women and organizes a retreat for women who have had abortions, welcomed the news with "great joy," Sister Mary Elizabeth said.
“We're praying for [Francis], and we’re excited to see what the Holy Spirit brings," she said. "We’re all part of the family of God; we would rejoice no matter where he came from."
Sister Mary Elizabeth added that her order believes there’s a complementarity between men and women in the church, and they embrace their role modeled after the Virgin Mary, "a humble handmaid of the Lord."
The church's attitude toward women and its teachings on contraception, abortion and same-sex marriage are blamed by some for the decline in morale among Catholics. Last year, thousands stepped up in defense of American nuns after the Vatican's doctrinal watchdog issued a report questioning their loyalty to some church teachings, including the nuns' lack of outspokenness on issues such as gay marriage, abortion and contraception. (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was the head of the watchdog group before he was elected pope in 2005.)
The report targeted the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which represents about 80 percent of the 57,000 nuns in the United States.
Sister Annmarie Sanders, director of communications for the Leadership Conference, said Wednesday that while the sisters were surprised by the conclave's decision, they welcomed Francis with "heartfelt prayer."
"As a conference of leaders of orders of Catholic sisters in the United States, we welcome Pope Francis I’s spiritual leadership and look forward to working with him in carrying forward the Gospel message," LCWR's statement read.
A Pew Research Center poll conducted last month shows that 46 percent of U.S. Catholics surveyed think the new pope should "move in new directions," while 51 percent say he should "maintain traditional positions."
Hanna, of the Women's Ordination Conference, says she has "a lot of hope" that the new pope will address issues such as gay rights, divorce and contraception, which cause some women to feel excluded from the church.
And, she added, she hopes Francis will reopen the discussion on women's ordination.
Last year, Pope Benedict XVI denounced the priests supporting women's ordination, saying their desire to change the church was a "desperate push" driven by their "own preferences and ideas." Instead, Benedict urged the "radicalism of obedience."
But Hanna and Janice Sevre-Duszynska, a woman priest who was ordained in 2008, think the movement is growing and the time is ripe for women's voices to be heard.
"We deserve a better church than what we’ve been given," Hanna said.
Dmitry Lovetsky / AP
Cardinals from around the world gathered in the Vatican to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church following then-Pope Benedict XVI's resignation. On the second day of the conclave, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope, taking on the name Pope Francis.
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wow i am so excited i need to take a dump now
sirboss17, you are a dump. Aliblahblah, enough already. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz was appropriate but you've been all downhill from there.
I wake up.."Religious"...on Sunday...
No, "none-1414743", The pope is not good for you, women, gay, bi, transgender, or any other "oppressed" group that YOU deam stilted. The reason is, he doesn't care about your status. He sees "Humans"...ouch.
so you're a Nirvana groupie too..
Each person selected by the Church to lead it has had his own cross to bare, none have lead the church in earth shaking advancements. Each person was selected for what the leaders of the church saw as the person to fulfill a need, this person is no different. We can only pray Pope Francis I, leads with reverence and decency.
It's not a coincidence that there's illicit sex,including pedophilia and rape,in the Church,both Catholic and Protestant,and in the military.Since Eden,both Illicit sex and wars of guns and bombs,the sword,are of man's sinful nature his flesh. It's hypocritical to support wars,and oppose abortion,homosexuality and gay marriage,as wars kill life,even the innocent,and the reason abortion,homosexuality and gay marriage is sin is because it's against God's Command in Genesis to be fruitful and to multiply and fill the earth--to create life.Wars kill innocent people including fetuses and their mothers,and abortion kills life,the fetus,and homosexuality and gay marriage is not creating life within marriage of a man and a woman,and so not obeying God's Command in Genesis.Wars are violence,and violence begets violence,so wars beget wars,so wars don't make the world safer,but less safer.The Bible says Jesus was without sin,and when he said he who is without sin cast the first stone,he himself could have cast the first stone but didn't.And the crowd was not without sin and so could not cast the first stone--so Jesus is anti war,anti violence and anti capital punishment as stoning was capital punishment in those days.
soooooo...sleepy..after reading that...
You did better than me. I couldn't get through it.
Quakers...some..are Good Christians.....Society of Friends..
They sit in Silence..
and Listen........to themselves
The Catholic church is not to be used as a popularity contest but rather to offer salvation and a path to God thru Jesus Christ. Bring back the traditional teachings and spare us the liberal agenda; they are already infiltrating our government and weakening our country - keep them away from the sacred teachings of Jesus and from corrupting minds and contributing to immoral behavior.
not an easy task..considering the conditioning that is the norm in the educational system..
Under ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM..
it is IMMORAL..to stare..at a Virgin girl..Punishable..By DEATH..
Every FUNDAMENTALISM...leads to EXCLUSION transpiring to Alienation>to Violence..>large scale>WAR
Where does Jesus condemn contraception? It didn't exist in his time, yet a bunch of old men still call it a sin. Do you know why? They can't stand the thought of married people actually enjoying sex without having to suffer the burden of babies in the womb all the time. This used to be the biggest selling point, the biggest enticement, to draw able young men into the celibate priesthood. They would point at the poor overworked peasants with large families to feed and tell the lad, "See? This is the punishment for giving into lust," and thus entice them into vows of celibacy. Seriously. Now they can't find enough young men wanting to be lifelong celibates today, and if married couples can enjoy sex without "suffering" for it, why, who would want to enter the priesthood anyway?
A great deal of the money, hundreds of millions, taken from the local parishes to help those in need, is now going to pay restitution for molestations.
I want the first comments from the new pope, to be that the end of that suffering, starts here and now.
stymie..Does Alfalfa..concur..?
Check youtube for Sarah Silverman's video: Sell the Vatican and feed the world. It's spot on and only occasionally obscene.
God said to Abraham"Kill me your son"..
Abe said to God,"You must be..puttin' me on?"
God said,"NO"....
Abe said ,"What?"
God said,"You can do watcha' want Abe .,but...
the next time ..you see me commin'..you better run"
Abe said."Where you want this Killin' done..?"
God said."Out on Highway 61"
B.Dylan
The Church will never change its beliefs...The Catholic Church put together the bible...The holy father, as a successor of Peter, clarifies doctrinal confusion through the assistance of Holy Spirit...He is only infallible in matters of faith and morals...He writes encyclicals on matters of faith and morals...For example "Humanae Vitae" is an encyclical on the importance of each human being.
Women will never be priests...But they can hold high offices as lay people. This nun does not understand her own church...which is a shame...
UNDER SHARIA LAW..
A MAN'S DOG..
has More Importance ..than a woman..
crimson, so why was Peter married?
This woman is no longer Catholic--plain and simple. No one is forced to stay in the Catholic Church--one may come or go as one desires. However, if one is to call one's self a Catholic in the truest sense, one must embrace all of the Catholic Church's dogmatic & pastoral teachings--they aren't multiple choice. You don't like it? You think women should be priests? You think sex outside of marriage is dandy? Well, so be it! But, you'll have to go find another church if you want those ideas to be embraced. The Catholic church cannot embrace evil. And, she cannot reverse what Christ Himself taught. And, let's get something else straight: a woman who claims to be a catholic priest, even though she may have been "ordained" by a bishop does not, in fact, become a priest. She may wear the vestments, say the words of the Mass, and do all the things that a male priest does. The fact is that she will never, ever be a priest. A simple example: I wake up tomorrow morning and decide I want to be a turnip. I can dress like a turnip, smell like a turnip, and act like a turnip. I may even be able to convince a bunch of people that I am, in fact, a turnip. But the fact remains that I am NOT a turnip and never will be. A woman who receives "holy orders" from a rebellious bishop does not receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders and therefore is NOT a priest and never will be one. And, the bishop is IPSO FACTO excommunicated for gross disobedience. He then, can no longer say Mass or hear confessions, or act in anyway publicly as a priest or bishop. Now, that's Catholic facts. If you don't like it or don't agree with it, the door is always open to you to find another church where you might feel more "included". And that includes the radical-leftist "nuns" who have lost the Faith. I have PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with this bunch. The real nuns are those who live in community, pray the Divine Office, wear a habit, and practice humility and obedience.
And why can't women be priests? Maybe because in the pagan religions women were prominent as priestesses. But the one excuse I read about is this: "Women can't be priests because Jesus was a man." Wow! Really deep thinking, eh?
...and....all it would take is a Pope saying.... yup...it's time for women to be priests to change all that...
Also, the Catholic Church and its doctrine has always been against war and capital punishment...and slavery...
CATHOLIC CONVERSION..
In Many Islamic Countries..
Is Punishable..by DEATH...torture first
crimson, did you forget the Inquisition?
crimson....if the Church were against war....why did it start the Crusades?
How Many Boys Will He Rape Within The Next 4 Months - (Start Counting Now) Latins Are Asx-Holes As Well As Idiots And Stupid, And FXck Their Own Mothers And Sisters, As Well As Suck Their Dad's Cocks When Drunk!
The Church Only Chose A Latin Because That Is Where Most Of The Money Comes From, Then More Rapists Can Be Afforded In Lawsuits; And The Church Will Still Be Able To Make A Profit. . .Unless The Pope Rapes In Excess Of Church Projects! Latins Don't Know How To Add Or Subtract!
:)
:)
:)
Fxckin Son of a Bitches!
DIE IN HELL SOON!
DIRTY SMELLY GREASY LATINS!
MAD MARXIST..COW..Disease..
One of the Occu=plop.Kids ...at Cut and Paste camp
Ron, angry much?
Where is Gandhi..Now..?
ALL those ..
"Religions"..he Brought Together..as he Promised..under One ..Nation
Jesuit's may typically be more progressive, but if you (women) think he is going to overturn thousands of years of doctrine that oppresses women & doesn't see them fit to hold a significant position in the church, you are surely dreaming. The fact that they let and asked for Cardinal Mahoney to attend and participate shows you that NOTHING WHATSOEVER has changed with the Catholic Church.
Signed,
A Recovering Catholic
No one is forced you to stay in the Catholic church. You made your decision--you should be elated by now. Instead of tearing down the teachings of the Catholic church and venting your ignorance and hatred, why don't you let go of your hatred and learn to live a life of humility and obedience wherever you feel comfortable??? If I were as angry and full of hate as you are, I'd get some help--from somewhere and stop venting my poisonous hatred on comment forums.
I've sometimes thought that if I were forced, under pain of death, I would choose catholicism because the women seemed to be not so tightly tied as the protestants. Thanks for the confirmation. Are you seeing anyone?
carol-298145,
Your posts are spirit filled and I feel blessed to have read them. I sometimes wonder about these things and pray about them. Thank you, and blessings to you and your loved ones.
Silly mid-evil shenanigans, mans remnants to mythological fairy tales. It looked like the filming of a scene of some ancient ritual. Have we come no further than this?
The subject heading has to do with women in the church. Does that "hope" for women include more than just "hope" for women as to inclusion in the priesthood, and higher roles? Hope can drag on for ages without concrete action. The old boys will keep the holy offices within their ranks. Women need not apply. They, the old boys, are infallible.
I didn't read the article but being that it's from MSN, it probably means he's more tolerant toward abortion.
Sorry to disappoint you, but this new Pope stated publicly in 2007 that he believes abortion in any case, including incest and rape, is a serious evil and a mortal sin.
We have become such a selfish culture. We belly ache that the Pope, Church or Religion is bigoted and won't change its ways. It is us that need to realize that we are the ones that need to understand that it is our sinful ways that put the barrier between us and God. Even when we accept Christ and our savior it is our sinful ways that keep us from living a full and bountiful life with God. Instead we pout and criticize the Church for being backwards, hateful and irrelevant because we don't get what we want and how dare the Church deny us that. Well, its not the Church its God that is saying Don't do these things. So instead fuss at God and continue to follow the path that you choose instead of the path God has chosen for you and while you may still make it to heaven (if you are saved) you will have missed out on the most important relationship you can ever have one with God.
hell with him...even if is almost Italian...
you're a complete idiot if u respect this man all of you are like praise the new pope no moron praise god,jesus,allah whoever you're god is it is against all major religions to bowdown as if you're gonna blow this man and worship him and kiss his ring there's plenty of research you all need to do on the vatican i suggest you do it catholicism is stupid in this way because it is hypocritical! yes there are suppose to be phrophets but there are millions the people who actually arent fake and talk to the dude above us.
Ahhhh...another bleating know-it-all with an obvious public school education. Typical.
On the other hand, forget it. I was married 47 years to a good christian woman and it caused a good deal of friction.
I have a fairly good opinion of Catholic education, at least as it pertains to spelling and punctuation, but it also includes indoctrination in the faith. I don't blame you if you can't escape, but, never mind, I'll think for you.
Women have confidence. I wonder if the boys do.
you're a complete idiot if you respect this man all of you are like praise the pope! no praise god,jesus,allah or whoever you're GOD is this man is a fraud a pawn in the occultist game oscosciated with the vatican do you're research all he wants you to do is bow down before him as if you wanna blow him kiss and kiss his ring which is like kissing his ass its hypocritical to every main religion to worship a person yes there are prophets but he is not the one to go to if he even is one at all go to one of the millions of prophets known as normal people who have found their god and ask them for gods word all this guy is gonna accomplish is having more pedophilic preist get away with more crimes with no punishment whatsoever.
I'm an unbeliever, but Good Grief, how did you come up with such anti-Catholic nonsense? Catholics do not worship the Pope. If you think they do, you merely display your ignorance.
gregballard..... time to take your meds, dear....
The Church is losing members around the developed world, and especially in the U.S. There is no logical reason for their condemnation of contraception. They claim it is "artificial" and "defeats the purposes of God."Yet the Pope wears clothes, though he was born naked, he flies from country to country, though he was born without wings, and if he suffers a heart attack or any cardiac problem, he'll get the best heart care available, whether it involves angioplasty, the placement of stents on the coronary artery, or what-have-you. So, "artificial" death control is fine with them, but artificial birth control is a mortal sin. It's time the Church woke up to the fact that American Catholics, by and large, will continue their use of the Pill or condoms, and if the Pope makes an issue of it, they'll just say bye-bye to the bishops. Catholics in this country are not sheep, except for a minority.
Like an old joke once said, "he doesn't play the game, so he shouldn't make the rules," meaning he has no coital sex so why should he tell those who do what is proper in the eyes of God.
Contraception and the failure to ordain women as priests are going to be the death-knell for Catholicism in America. Same-sex marriage is another issue, and highly controversial. (There are many non-Christians who oppose same-sex marriage because marriage has for centuries been connected with parenthood within the relationship. But I think the overwhelming majority of Americans approve some kind of legal bonding for gays that has all the tax and inheritance privileges of a marriage.)
Overpopulation has been the decisive element fostering exhaustion of resources, destruction of the environment, extinction of species, and global climate change. To oppose contraception, in which there is no fetus involved at all, is a crime against humanity and the Church should recognize this and come out of its medieval mindset.
Bravo, Ron....well said
For a bunch of Non Catholics allot of folks have commented negatively on a event that doesn't effect them at all.
Do "They" line up and bash the Islamic Faith Jewish or Buddists Faiths or the Teacher molestations and Gay Boy Scouts Stories with same Zeal?
Buddhists don't have a Pope telling them what to believe or what is a sin, etc. The most prominent Buddhist cleric is the Dalai Lama, but he only has any real spiritual authority over Tibetan Buddhists, though he does have some good ideas and has a very tolerant and open mind. The Pope claims the authority to tell Catholics what to believe and what not to do, on punishment of eternal hellfire.
And THAT's the difference, you see.
If you've read my previous posts, you know that I "bash" all faiths. They are all sisters under the skin, from the Mormons, Muslims, etc. They all suffer similar problems of evidence and internal consistancy. And, of course, the grandaddy of all, the infinite regression problem. Briefly, if we needed God to make us, who made god. Ad infinitum. (pardon my latin) If God was a non caused cause, it kind of provided a precedent for other uncaused causes. Take your pick. Or, put another way, The Hindu world is reportedly supported on the back of an elephant which is, in it's turn, supported by a turtle and so on and so on. The only thing less plausible is some of the claims of physicists. It's impossible to tell when they're joking.
The Catholic Church could be a force for good in the world. But I am very pessimistic about the probability that it will choose that path. This is a church that has a long history of resisting any meaningful change. It exists as an institution determined to preserve itself, no matter what the cost. It is an institution run by, and for, men. It is a misogynistic institution that will never truly honor or respect or include women. It exists to preserve the power of men. And suggestion that it share power or allow women to be considered fully functioning human beings will always be rejected and the reason will always be given as God ordained, so no one will ever be allowed to challenge or confront the absolute contempt it shows to women. So long as it continues to demand that women be nothing but incubators, no matter how poor, how desperate or how sick they might be, they will never address the real crisis that exists in the world today. There are too many people! Demanding that women eschew birth control is to demand that the world self-destruct. Babies should not be brought into the world just to be hungry, sick and uneducated. Anyone who demands this is not working for God. They are working to destroy women and the world.