Arizona nuns blast Vatican, Catholic teaching
December 04, 2009
Women religious contacted by the Arizona Daily Star for an article on the current apostolic visitation used the opportunity to criticize the Vatican and express their dissent from Catholic teaching.
“We are closing schools and churches and they are asking the diocese to spend money on this type of thing?” said Sister Lil Mattingly, a Maryknoll Missioner. “We try very hard to review our own lives and how Jesus is calling us to live, but I'd like to call on Rome to work on that.”
Franciscan Sister Elizabeth Ohmann added, “Are we going contrary to Rome's teachings? I say, 'Yes, it is contrary to Rome's teachings.' But it is not contrary to my own conscience.”
Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, saidd that the apostolic visitation will give women’s religious communities the opportunity to “identify the significant contributions they have made to the mission of the Church.”
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Further information:
- Study of Catholic sisters focuses on religious role of women (Arizona Daily Star)
- Apostolic Visitation of Institutes of Women Religious in the United States
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Posted by: Ken -
Dec. 05, 2009 2:57 AM ET USA
"Yes, it is contrary to Rome's teachings.' But it is not contrary to my own conscience.” - says it all.
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Posted by: Pete -
Dec. 05, 2009 12:11 AM ET USA
What "significant contributions" does Bishop Kicanas refer to when the report from the Arizona Daily Star said the nuns "used the opportunity to criticize the Vatican and express their dissent from Catholic teaching"? Sounds to me like the "good" nuns need to get the heck out of the Church and start their own religion--very liberal I'll bet. They can take Bishop Kicanas and his support with them!!!
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Posted by: bppettie -
Dec. 04, 2009 6:03 PM ET USA
If they don't like it, tell them to leave and join another church!
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Posted by: ltoscan2645 -
Dec. 04, 2009 3:45 PM ET USA
God saves us from liberal and lost nuns and sisters. Mother Mary please pray for their conversion.
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Dec. 04, 2009 12:40 PM ET USA
Time to cut them loose.
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Posted by: -
Dec. 04, 2009 10:56 AM ET USA
"all the bishop could muster was blather". Well, this isn't any old blather, it is the blather of his Excellency, Bishop Kicanas, a man with a very blurred vision between what constitutes sexual abuse and why one should not ordain those who do the abusing.
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Posted by: Miss Cathy -
Dec. 04, 2009 10:55 AM ET USA
If their houses were in good order, they would welcome the light of the Catholic Church in. Their response to the visitation is an indictment in itself that they cannot stand before the light of the Church.
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Dec. 04, 2009 8:30 AM ET USA
A religious sister in the diocese boasts she is contrary to "Rome's teachings" and all the bishop could muster was blather how the visitation will give the nuns an opportunity to talk about "significant contributions to the mission of the Church"???? According to the nun they reject the teachings of the Church!!! How many of our bishops refuse to get it about the Visitation????
