Much of the influence that has helped to mold me as a person I credit to women of faith. First and foremost, to my mother, whom I have recognized and given to you in more detail in previous posts of this blog. But, more behind the scenes, I have benefited from the faith and wisdom of Catholic sisters. I owe much of my education and my catechism to them. Specifically, I remember Sister France Anne who was my first principal and led with love and courage (even when I was being disciplined.) I also remember Sister Judy who took a few of us out for Big Macs for helping her with office chores. Sister Carol was a gentle influence. She was one of the first teachers to encourage my creativity and share a bit of her religious life. Sister Rose Anne taught me passionately about social justice.
I observed, early on, that these sisters lived together. Only later would I discover that they lived in community, which heavily influenced my decision to work and live that way. In my adult life, I have had several fulfilling relationships with sisters who I have met through the the Catholic Worker movement and in other circles where I have chosen to associate myself with people who are committed to work for peace and justice. I am indebted to them! I talk about this work. I have high ideals and want the world a certain way. They put themselves in harms way to make it so. They witness violence and terror in places most of us would not go. They speak the truth in lands where this is dangerous to do and challenge politicians without being directly political. They live and work on the margins of our society, giving to the the poorest of the poor and the weakest of the weak. They are the servants of the church. (Let it be said that there are many priests and brothers doing this same work, but men are not being specifically challenged right now-to my knowledge.)
In recent days, the wisdom and value of these sisters has been questioned. An investigation, commissioned by the Vatican, has called sisters to the carpet and proposed that they are supporting values which are contrary to the values of the church. There are clear differences in the experiences of those on the front lines from those enforcing the laws of the church, pinned to its dogma. Any church doctrine that suggests someone operating outside the lines of the church is any less of a person or less whole in God's eyes needs to be questioned. As people, as a society, we have evolved in our recognition of the reality of human sexuality and we have given (at least lawfully) women the right to serve as equals in all offices. Women of the Catholic church deserve this same consideration. They fight for justice in the world and they deserve justice in their home, the church.
I stand with these sisters. I pray for them. I value what they have done for the church and for the world. I want to listen. I want to see what the church can learn from them. The officer commissioned to conduct the investigation has said, in so many words, that conformity is the only response the Vatican will accept. I hope this is not true. I hope the church will find an opportunity in this chasm to establish communities where people can hear the Word and know the Word is speaking to them. It will take time. It will take compromise and sacrifice. But this must happen for the church to survive these times. It must happen for the church to be whole and remain holy.
