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Nuns: Bishops act "like blinded Pharisees"

Smoke

Done here.
Nuns blast bishops over gay teen suicide : Washington Blade – Gay News

An organization of American Catholic nuns has denounced the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for reiterating its opposition to legalizing same-sex marriage at its annual meeting in Baltimore this week while remaining silent on anti-gay bullying and gay teen suicide.

In a statement released Tuesday, the National Coalition of American Nuns accused the bishops of acting like “blinded Pharisees” for waging a fight against marriage equality while failing to speak out on gay teen suicides brought about by school bullying and harassment.​

Full text of statement (from here):

NATIONAL COALITION OF AMERICAN NUNS
FOUNDED TO STUDY AND SPEAK OUT ON ISSUES OF JUSTICE
IN CHURCH AND SOCIETY

November 16, 2010
Contact:
Jeannine Gramick, SL (301-864-3604)
Donna Quinn, OP (708-974-4220)
Beth Rindler, SFP (313-891-2192)

Nuns to Bishops: Condemn Bullying, not Marriage Equality

On behalf of GLBT Catholics, their families and friends, and thoughtful Catholics across the United States, the National Coalition of American Nuns is appalled at the lack of sensitivity of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to lesbian and gay persons.

More than a month has gone by since the media broke the news about a series of gay suicides. During that time, the US Catholic Bishops failed to make a single statement regarding these tragic, preventable deaths. Not one bishop's voice was raised to condemn a culture where youths are bullied for being who God created them to be and are sometimes pushed by society's judgments to attempt suicide. Many people have accused certain segments of organized religion, including the Catholic hierarchy, of fueling these attacks and contributing to suicides.

The annual meeting in Baltimore of the US Catholic Bishops this week offered an opportunity to decry these horrendous events. Instead, the bishops have chosen to discuss "the defense of marriage," their well-funded attack on same-gender couples.

Like blinded Pharisees, they fail to see that the Catholic community is embarrassed by their silence in the face of brutality and incensed by their push of a political agenda against marriage equality—all at a time when their credibility on sexual matters is at a record low.

The bishops have not learned from the Minnesota experience, where Catholics returned the anti-gay DVD's the hierarchy sent to each household in the state. The anger of Minnesota Catholics is erupting all across our country. Faithful Catholics believe their bishops should be preaching a message of concern and understanding, instead of rejection and hate.

The National Coalition of American Nuns calls on all US Catholics to rise up and say, "Enough, enough! No more discriminatory rhetoric and repressive measures from men who lay heavy burdens on the shoulders of others and do not lift one finger of human kindness and compassion.​
 

linwood

Well-Known Member
Wonderful sentiments.

I wonder why these nuns continue to work for an organization that so obviously misrepresents their beliefs with such transparent bigotry.

Then again I wonder the same about all Catholics.
 

Smoke

Done here.
I wonder why these nuns continue to work for an organization that so obviously misrepresents their beliefs with such transparent bigotry.

Then again I wonder the same about all Catholics.

I understand, I think. I stayed so long myself in a Church that taught things I knew to be wrong that it's hard for me to judge others for it. But I did come to see that that kind of contradiction can't be sustained -- at least, I can't sustain it.

I read an interesting comment by Father Daniel Berrigan today:

He [Berrigan] was critical of the Catholic Church, saying that Pope John Paul II, who marginalized and silenced radical nuns and priests like the Berrigans, "introduced Soviet methods into the Catholic Church," including "anonymous deletions, removals, scrutiny, and secrecy, and the placing of company men in positions of great power." He estimated that "it is going to take at least a generation to undo appointments of John Paul II."​

I agree with that as far as it goes, but I don't think John Paul II is the heart of the problem. The authoritarianism of the Catholic Church, and its grasping for power, were in place well over a millennium before John Paul. I think the institution is rotten to the core.
 

Duck

Well-Known Member
So, is there a pool regarding how long until the Nuns get slapped down by the male hierarchy (aka some Cardinal or other?).
 
A

angellous_evangellous

Guest
Wonderful sentiments.

I wonder why these nuns continue to work for an organization that so obviously misrepresents their beliefs with such transparent bigotry.

Then again I wonder the same about all Catholics.

Nuns are so cool. At least the ones that I know.
 
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