QUOTE TO NOTE: Pope Francis’ Words of Hope for the Nuns
Pope Francis and the leadership of CLAR
In the same conversation that Pope Francis spoke about a ‘gay lobby’ in the Vatican, he also provided hopeful words for America’s women religious and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) currently experiencing Vatican censure.
According to report by National Catholic Reporter, Pope Francis met with leaders of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious Men and Women (CLAR) and urged religious to live the gospels without too much concern for the Vatican’s politics. The key quote:
“‘Perhaps even a letter of the Congregation for the Doctrine (of the Faith) will arrive for you, telling you that you said such or such thing … But do not worry. Explain whatever you have to explain, but move forward … Open the doors, do something there where life calls for it. I would rather have a Church that makes mistakes for doing something than one that gets sick for being closed up…'”
One facet of the Vatican’s gripe with American Sisters has been their welcome to LGBT Catholics. New Ways Ministry continues to support the sisters in their struggle, and if you would like to become involved you can visit the Nun Justice website.
For full coverage by Bondings 2.0 of the American women religious’ courageous stand, you can click here.
–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry
I am focusing on “move forward” and “open the door”…it seems to me that while he may be long experienced in the risks of moving forward, he is also experienced in trust being put to severe trials …I don’t think someone in his position (albeit one of authority) is unaware of the high stakes gambling involved in his situation. I think of his name choice and of Francis of Assisi’s history, one filled with unsentimental encounters with opposition, not just birds lighting on one’s finger tips on a spring day….
I agree with Rachel. I am giving Pope Francis maximum “good faith credit” because: a.) he refuses to wear the traditional “Pope Costume” or to live in the Papal Apartments; and b.) he is showing an endearing down-to-earth-humanity seldom observed in the Papacy since the reign of the beloved Pope John XXIII, who convened the Second Vatican Council. Pope John Paul II had his charisma and his virtues, but he became more conservative and traditionalist as he grew older. However, Pope Francis’ window of opportunity to become “A Pope For The Ages” will not remain open forever. He needs to move NOW to make much-needed reforms in Church governance, if his Papacy is to fulfill its initial splendid promise.
I have heard that the council he appointed is due to give him their report on reform by September. Stay tuned!
It really is refreshing to hear a pope make “off the cuff” remarks. Because if you want to know what a person REALLY believes, don’t listen to their scripted remarks, listen to their conversations, jokes, and off the cuff stuff. Now if he will just in an off the cuff way explain what he means by a “gay lobby!”