Rachel Zoll, of the Associated Press, reports a strict Crackdown on US nuns continues under Pope Francis, indicating that whatever new directions Pope Francis may be willing to explore in some areas, these new directions do not include more lenient attitudes towards the Leadership Conference, the largest umbrella group for U.S. nuns. The Leadership Conference ran afoul of the Vatican under Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 when this group representing 80% of U.S. nuns were issued a "reform order" after a Vatican study concluded they were undermining the Church's teachings on homosexuality, the role of women in the Church, the ordination of women, and they were also promoting a "radical feminist agenda," among other transgressions.
Last week:
In last week's meeting, "Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, the Vatican's orthodoxy watchdog, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said he supported the conclusions of the Vatican review", and he .. "reprimanded officers of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious for planning to honor a theologian who had been criticized by U.S. bishops and said the sisters must show more willingness to cooperate. ...
The reform order was issued in 2012 under now-retired Pope Benedict XVI, after an investigation concluded the nuns' group had taken positions that undermined Roman Catholic teaching on the priesthood and homosexuality while promoting "radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith." Investigators praised the nuns' humanitarian work, but accused them of focusing too much on social justice and ignoring critical issues, such as fighting abortion.
After the 2012 ruling the nuns' group rejected this reform order saying it was "flawed." Apparently, many nuns had hoped that Pope Francis would take a different approach.
The Leadership Conference, which represents about 80 percent of U.S. nuns, plans to give its outstanding leadership award to Sister Elizabeth Johnson, a Fordham University theologian and author of "Quest for the Living God." U.S. bishops said the book contained "misrepresentations" and doctrinal errors, but Johnson has defended her work.
The nuns of the Leadership Conference were planning to give Sister Elizabeth Johnson this award in August in Nashville. It is not clear to me from this article if this is still the plan. It seems doubtful now. After the meeting Cardinal Mueller said the nuns must be sure to submit their plans for the award in advance to Seattle Archbishop Peter Sartain, who is in charge of overseeing the reform order. The Cardinal went out of his way to point out that Sartain was not informed of this plan, implying, to me, that it was therefore a "invalid plan." So it sounds to me as if the plan is going to be "reconsidered."
Back in 2012, I heard an inspiring interview with many of these articulate and lively sisters on NPR and was greatly encouraged by their "spunkyness." Reading this article makes me sad to think their spirit and hopes have been dashed.