Home // November 2-6 2009 > Rode defends apostolic visitation

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Rode defends apostolic visitation

Published: November 05, 2009

Cardinal Franc Rodé

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Vatican Cardinal Franc Rodé has said the Holy See decided on the apostolic visitation of women religious in the USA after hearing "the concerns expressed by American Catholics - religious, laity, clergy and hierarchy."

He said the January announcement of the visitation brought "great interest," including "news accounts" and "various inquiries," Zenit reports.

The visitation "hopes to encourage vocations and assure a better future for women religious," he added.

"For many years this dicastery had been listening to concerns expressed by American Catholics - religious, laity, clergy and hierarchy - about the welfare of religious women and consecrated life in general, and had been considering an apostolic visitation as a means to assess and constructively address these concerns."

He stated that the "multitude and complexity of these issues were made clear by speakers and participants" at a 2008 conference on religious life. "This helped me understand that such an evaluation of the challenges facing individual religious and their congregations could benefit the Church at large as well as the sisters and institutes involved.

"My hope is that the apostolic visitation will not only provide the Holy See with a thorough analysis of the condition of religious life in the United States, but also be a realistic and graced opportunity for personal and community introspection, as major superiors and sisters cooperate with this study."

California bishops support US women religious

Meanwhile, California bishops voted last week to pass a statement of support on behalf of US women religious who are facing a Vatican investigation, NCR Online says.

Word of the support came in a letter dated November 2 written by Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony.

"We are all aware of the special anxieties which surround our women religious these days," wrote Mahony, "and I am writing to offer you my prayers of gratitude and my support for all of your members. The bishops of California met last week and passed a statement of support for all of you, and I am pleased to send a copy of that statement to you."

He praised "the historical presence" of women religious in California beginning back in the 1800s. "I can honestly state that there would not exist our Catholic schools, hospitals, and social service outreach apostolates without you."

FULL STORY

Official Explains Vatican Visitation of US Nuns (Zenit)

Cardinal Rodé defends apostolic visitation of US nuns (NCR Online)

California bishops offer support to U.S. women religious (NCR Online)

LINKS

Full text of statement issued by Cardinal Franc Rodé

PHOTO CREDIT

Image from the Regnum Christi website

 

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Recent Comments

  1. Of course, it is the MALE bishops and clergy of the Institutional Church who will never be satisfied until everything is under their domination that demanded this fiasco against the People of God.

    Posted By: gjg

  2. Let's speak frankly and call a spade a spade. After decades of dissent, heresy and new age apostasy, these US sisters cry foul over a Vatican- initiated investigation. What are they really afraid of? Perhaps, being exposed for what they have become - dying congregations diminishing by the day due to their failure to adhere to their original charisms. Furthermore, is it any surprise that the most outspokenly liberal Cardinal in the US writes in support of these same sisters? Birds of a feather flock together...

    Posted By: Michael Bernard

  3. Perhaps Benedict would like to be invited to Australia to talk to Australian Catholic Women and hear their perspective on the Church in our contemporary Australian context. When I have finished telling him what's on my list, the next woman can book in for her 2-day stint!

    Posted By: chookwoman

  4. Cardinal Franc Rodé, can we also have an investigation of the Vatican because of "the concerns expressed by Catholics world-wide of religious, laity, clergy and hierarchy" of the questionable activities going on in the Vatican.
    Barry Sinclair

    Posted By: Barry Sinclair

  5. More power to the Cardinal's arm.
    I'm sick of these religious, men or women, who remain in the Church all the while backbiting her teachings and causing scandal to the faithful.
    As to the bleatings of 'Australian context' I fear that it would be so much like speaking with the hens.

    Posted By: Peter

  6. Barry: Of course you can have an investigation; all you have to do is set up your own Church, call it what you will [except Catholic] get your feminist mates together and GO FOR IT.
    But then just look ahead to your church in 10 years or maybe sooner, when you have your own dissenters from your political agenda ... what will you do then?
    Finally, "... expressed by Catholics world-wide ..."
    Catholics? Are you sure about that?

    Posted By: Chris Saidou

  7. Unlike Michael Bernard, I’ll wait for the final report before I conclude anything about the Nuns’ conscientious beliefs or the Vatican’s motives. Michael, you represent yourself often in these columns with the same response to almost any story. One might think that either you have been granted personal infallibility, or if not, that it is a case of a closed mind overreaching its capacity. Rarely, if ever, is it charitable. We have diverse views on many issues. I for one do wonder why the Vatican did not, many years ago, investigate the parlous state of the Priesthood in Australia. In comparison, the current action does beg some clear explanation. We hope we get it.

    Posted By: Boutros Neru

  8. Peter: You clearly share Fr Graeme Mitchell's sentiment that there is no such thing as a female rooster (Aust 22/10). While this may be so, I invite you to join forces with Fr Mitchell, and contemplate the plight of the dodo! I have a great relationship with God and continue to be challenged by my relationship with Church, but I hang in there because I hold great hope for the future.

    Posted By: chookwoman

  9. Dear Michael Bernard: Please do not presume bad motives in others, especially bishops. The statement by the California bishops (not Cardinal Mahony alone) contains not the slightest hint of criticism of the apostolic visitation, nor any support for any heretical or disobedient views or actions. Of course the bishops support and appreciate the nuns in their dioceses. Do you expect them to say that they don't support them? I'm sure the bishops' statement was warmly appreciated by those Sisters who are valiantly trying to remain faithful to the Church and to their vows, despite the poor leadership of many congregations.

    Posted By: Peter G

  10. This may be too little too late for those orthodox nuns, faithful to their vows, who have suffered decades of martyrdom under the tyranny of the rebellious regimes in their convents.

    Posted By: Lance Eccles

  11. Remember Our Blessed Lady at the feast of? She said to the servants "do as He tells you". Too much energy is wasted on talk, talk, talk. Stop bellyaching about the desire and need to be in positions of power and blaming everything you don't like about the Church on male clergy and a male priesthood. If you are consumed with a sense of injustice about a male priesthood take it to Christ in prayer He was the one who chose 12 males.
    Jesus showed us by the washing of the feet that service is the heart of faith and he told us not to care about who is in the best position. It is sad to think of the enormous amount of time and energy wasted on nonsense.

    Posted By: Mary's Example

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