Fordham University theologian Sr Elizabeth Johnson told an assembly of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in Nashville that tension between the Vatican and women religious has historical, sociological and ecclesiastical roots.

But a solution could be found, she said told the sisters, who had honoured her with an Outstanding Leadership Award.

Sr Johnson said there have always been tensions between religious communities and the hierarchy.

This is because one is based on a radical living of the Gospel and the other is based on administration, which requires order.

The issue is also sociological, she said, according to the National Catholic Reporter.

"The Church did not start out this way, but as an institution, it has evolved a patriarchal structure where authority is executed in a top-down fashion and obedience and loyalty to the system are the greatest of virtues," Sr Johnson said.

Finally, she said, the tensions are ecclesiastical because women religious have undergone the renewal called for by the Second Vatican Council and the hierarchy has not.

"Certainly, the LCWR and the sisters they lead are far from perfect, but they have got the smell of the sheep on them," she said.

"Post-Vatican II renewal has not taken place at the [Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]."

The decision to honour Sr Johnson led CDF prefect Cardinal Gerhard Muller in April to order that future speakers at LWCR assemblies be approved by a Vatican representative.

Cardinal Muller had noted the US Bishops' conference criticisms of Sr Johnson's writings because of the "gravity of the doctrinal errors".

But Sr Johnson said Cardinal Muller's comments showed he had not read her writings and simply reiterated the US bishops' criticisms.

She said the latter were deficient and unworthy of the teaching office of bishops.

Investigating women's orders was unconscionable when there were grave issues like covering up abuse and financial mismanagement in the Church, she added.

The LCWR has been undergoing a Vatican-ordered doctrinal investigation since 2009.

In 2012, the CDF ordered the group to reform its statutes and appointed an archbishop to oversee changes.

Sr Johnson praised the sisters for their commitment to "meaningful, honest dialogue" and urged them to stay the course.

Sources

• National Catholic Reporter
• Religion News Service
• Image: National Catholic Reporter

In Rome on April 30, Cardinal Gerhard Müller objected to a growing "focus of attention" within the Leadership Conference of Women Religious on a concept called "cosmic evolution".

Cardinal Müller, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, likened this to the ancient heresy of Gnosticism.

Two years ago, a keynote speaker at LCWR's annual conference was a leading thinker on conscious evolution, Barbara Marx Hubbard.

Since that address, Cardinal Müller said, "every issue of your newsletter has discussed conscious evolution in some way".

Its concepts have been found in the directional statements of religious institutes, he complained.

Cardinal Müller said the fundamental theses of conscious evolution are "opposed to Christian Revelation".

He said he was worried an uncritical acceptance means a "de facto" movement "beyond the Church and sound Christian faith has already occurred".

Cardinal Müller also challenged the LCWR leaders for bestowing a 2014 Outstanding Leadership Award to "a theologian criticised by the Bishops of the United States because of the gravity of the doctrinal errors in that theologian's writings".

Although he does not name her, Cardinal Müller was referencing Sr Elizabeth Johnson, a theologian at Fordham University.

He called this an "open provocation" against the Holy See.

The Vatican is insisting that speakers and presenters at the sisters' major programmes be approved by its "archbishop delegate" to the LCWR.

In 2012, the Vatican appointed Archbishop Peter Sartain to this position and gave him authority to revise the LCWR's statutes and programmes.

There is also an ongoing doctrinal assessment of the group.

Past LCWR leaders have said the Vatican's sanctions are disproportionate and compromise the organisation's ability to fulfill its mission.

Cardinal Müller concluded: "At this phase of the implementation of the doctrinal assessment, we are looking for a clearer expression of . . . ecclesial vision and more substantive signs of collaboration."

An LCWR statement noted that the discussion that followed the prefect's address was "an experience of dialogue that was respectful and engaging".

Sources

• National Catholic Reporter
• Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
• Image: Patheos

Dolan framed this central judgment clearly, publicly and graciously. It seems only appropriate, then to respond by citing his position and by indicating policies that might stand in need of further consideration.

In a July 7 letter to John E. Thiel, president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, Dolan wrote: "The document ["Doctrinal Responsibilities"] does not address the particular role of the USCCB Committee on Doctrine and its specific obligations. As you probably know, this document guides rather the work of individual diocesan bishops and does not presume to offer guidance to the bishops' Committee on Doctrine. That having been said, we bishops should always be mindful of improving the manner in which we engage theologians in a necessary discussion of their work."

I would offer the following reflections.

Certainly, "Doctrinal Responsibilities" makes no attempt to address the specific role of the Committee on Doctrine as such, but it necessarily touches upon its concerns insofar as it explores the proper functions of and the relationships between theologians and bishops (the magisterium) — both to encourage positive collaboration and to resolve any problematic areas.

[Jesuit Fr. Michael J. Buckley is professor emeritus of theology in the Department of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University.]

• Source: National Catholic Reporter
• Image: treehugger.com