Sisters In Trouble: Vatican Upholds Crackdown On Nuns For Promoting "Radical Feminist Themes"

On Monday, the Vatican reaffirmed that Pope Francis supports the Holy See's crackdown on the largest group of US nuns. Last year, the Vatican imposed an overhaul and crackdown of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. The Vatican praised the nuns for their humanitarian work, but objected to several other issues. The organization determined that the sisters took positions that promoted "radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith" and undermined Catholic teachings on the priesthood, homosexuality, and fighting abortion. 

As a result of last year's findings, the Vatican dispatched Seattle Archbishop Peter Sartain and two other bishops to review the conference's plans, programs, speakers, rewrite its statues, and ensure the group correctly follows Catholic ritual.

This prompted protests outside the Vatican's embassy in Washington, DC; vigils at parishes nationwide; and even a US Congressional resolution praising the sisters for their aid to the nation.

Many nuns had hoped that the Jesuit pope's emphasis on the poor and message of mercy rather than condemnation would take a different tack than his predecessor, Benedict XVI.  These ideals mirror the nuns' own social outreach in soup kitchens, hospitals, and schools, serving impoverished and marginalized people across the US. 

However, on Monday, the conference heads met with prefect Archbishop Gerhard Mueller for the first time since he was appointed in July. Mueller leads the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the organization that is is responsible for making the decision.  He upheld the crackdown, saying in a statement that Pope Francis had "reaffirmed the findings of the assessment and the program of reform."

This ruling disappointed many members of the conference, which represents about 80 percent of U.S. nuns, or 57,000 sisters. They stated that, although they would participate in discussions with Sartain, they wouldn't compromise their mission. They asserted that  the Vatican's conclusions were "flawed" and based on "unsubstantiated accusations."