BishopAccountability.org
	Sacramento-Area Nuns Puzzled, Indignant over Vatican Probes By Jennifer Garza Sacramento Bee September 16, 2009 http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2185727.html Everybody knows the nuns run this corner of Oak Park. There is Sister Jane, telling a young mother that she needs to make a doctor appointment, today. Nearby, Sister Judy makes sure another woman is served a healthy breakfast. And Sister Esther, though officially retired five years, assists in the Wellspring office on Fourth Avenue. Together, the three nuns helping the poor have served in the Catholic Church for 156 years. "They're good women, pillars," says Deena Smith, a regular at the drop-in center that provides free breakfasts for neighborhood women and children. What many don't know, and what has concerned the sisters and others, is that the Vatican is investigating nuns like them across the country without explaining why. Earlier this year, the Vatican launched two investigations of American nuns, prompting speculation about what it means to the many "women religious" or sisters who have been working for decades on the front lines for the church. "They have a lot of nerve," said Sister Esther O'Mara, referring to the investigation that seemed to come out of nowhere. O'Mara, 75, is a sister with the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary religious order. "What is the point? They haven't said." They have to live with the uncertainty until the Vatican completes its investigations in 2011. Some church experts suggest the investigations are one more sign that the Roman Catholic hierarchy doesn't understand American nuns, who are often better educated and more theologically progressive than their counterparts in other parts of the world. "They are educated, smart women and they ask questions. Frankly, Vatican officials don't know how to deal with them," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, senior fellow at Woodstock Theological Seminary at Georgetown University. "There are some people in the church who would like to see the sisters in more traditional practices," he said. Many U.S. nuns traded in their habits for casual blouses, pants and comfortable shoes long ago. They live in residential houses, not convents. They're more likely to be found working at social service agencies than at parish schools. They're not shy about attending rallies and marches. Many support the ordination of women. Their outspokenness has not pleased the Vatican, experts say. Declining numbers The number of nuns in this country has declined dramatically – from 180,000 in 1965 to fewer than 60,000 today. In the Sacramento area, 127 women from 26 religious communities serve in the Sacramento Diocese. "This seems to have come out of the blue," said Maura Power, a sister of Mercy, the largest religious order in the Sacramento Diocese with 70 members. Power works in adult religious education at Our Lady of Mercy in Redding. "My hope is that some good will come out of it. … but I'm also wondering, who is funding it?" asked Power. One of the Vatican investigations, which will look into about 340 U.S. congregations, is called an "Apostolic Visitation." The Vatican has stated the purpose, "is to look into the quality of life" of religious institutes. Reese said church leaders have not explained what, exactly, that means. "It's like a grand jury investigation that has an open agenda to look anywhere for anything," he said. Typically, the Vatican conducts such visits after serious problems. Vatican officials ordered a visitation of American seminaries after the sexual abuse scandal. It is currently conducting one on the Legionaries of Christ, whose founder, Marcial Maciel, was accused of sexually molesting students. He died in 2008. The second investigation, headed by the Doctrine of the Faith, cites the nuns' failure to follow 2001 instructions to conform to church doctrine. Church experts believe this refers to the national gatherings held by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which has had guest speakers who support women's ordination as priests. The organization is the largest association of American nuns. American nuns intend to cooperate with the Vatican investigations, leaders said. "We understand our responsibility in terms of responding to church questions," said Sister Marlene Weisenbeck, president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in Silver Springs, Md. Weisenbeck said the women will conduct themselves "in the spirit of charity and truthfulness. With that said, there are also a lot of questions." Many sisters, saying they have been asked by their superiors not to speak publicly about the investigation and citing vows of obedience, declined to speak on the record. "All I can say is that the sisters have had an incredible impact, especially here in the Sacramento region," said Sister Susan McCarthy, campus administrator for the Our Lady of Mercy sisters in Auburn. Sister Jane McKirchy said no matter what happens, they still have work to do. "And it's work we'll continue to do even after all this is over." Once a nun, always a nun At 75, Sister Esther O'Mara is retired, but that only means she works less. "Our funeral is our retirement," she said, quoting a nun in her order. O'Mara has no savings, no pension plan, no money of her own. She has been a schoolteacher and social worker for most of her ministry. Three times a week after morning prayer, she heads to one of the several service agencies where she volunteers. O'Mara lives in a tidy two-story home owned by her religious order near Mira Loma High School. Two other nuns, Sister Francis Clarke, 84, also an IBVM sister, and Sister Mercedes Braga, 80, with the Sisters of the Holy Family, live with her. With the number of nuns dwindling, it is now common for women from different orders to live together. Right now, O'Mara and the other sisters are waiting for the evening news. Each sits in her own recliner facing the TV. The three may not live in a convent, but they are a sisterhood. They share meals, go shopping – "but our store, Gottschalks, is closed so we don't do that so much anymore," said O'Mara. On most nights, they gather around the TV to watch the news, "Wheel of Fortune" and whatever shows they can agree on. Sundays, they attend morning Mass at St. Francis Parish together. They do their own cooking, cleaning and yardwork. O'Mara is the fixer, using her handy skills to repair broken appliances. She never thought this was something she would do when she took her vows more than half a century ago. Now, she wishes she could fix what is happening to her religious order. Only 80 women belong to the IBVM order in this country. The median age is 76. "If it disappears, it disappears," said O'Mara. "We're doing what we can." While many of the progressive orders are declining in numbers, traditional women's religious orders are seeing an uptick in new members. In these groups, the women wear habits, live in convents and adhere to a more structured schedule. O'Mara said there is room for both. "One isn't better than the other, they're just different," said O'Mara. "The church is big enough for all us." She said women in her order wear street clothes because they don't want anything to separate them from the people they serve. O'Mara also supports women's ordination and married priests. "Should women be ordained? Absolutely, no question," said O'Mara firmly. "Celibacy should also be an option." The nun is not sure she'll see either in her lifetime. O'Mara was 18 and a recent high school graduate when she took vows of chastity, obedience and poverty. She was excited to "do the work of the church, to spread the Gospel." She still is. And that's what she wants church leaders to learn about American nuns during their investigation. "Wouldn't it be nice if, after all this," O'Mara said, "if they recognized all the good work that has been done?"
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.