The “investigation” of our American Catholic nuns (technically called an Apostolic Visitation) is proceeding on  schedule. This is true despite widespread criticism and despite  the fact that without conversation, planning or collusion of any  kind, many religious communities have responded to the  detailed 36 page Vatican questionnaire (Phase II) with either very limited and minimal responses or by politely submitting  their long ago approved constitution and by laws as answer  enough. On-site visits (Phase III), actually nineteen, have  been scheduled for April, May and June, with more to come in  the fall. One has been completed here in our own diocese with  the Mission San Jose Dominicans. The visits are being  conducted with graciousness, politeness and professionalism  on all sides. Results will be summarized (Phase IV), sent to  Rome and kept entirely secret from all the participants. Then  we wait.

My hope is that Vatican officials either be so  impressed with the record and service of our American nuns,  or be so embarrassed by the whole procedure that they will  either respond with compliments and affirmation or let the  process die a quiet and natural death.

My fear is that no matter how positive and  supportive the overall results may be, armed with a few slight  areas of criticism, those who started the process in the first  place will simply follow their own agenda; meanwhile many  continue to wonder what exactly was the point of all this to  begin with. It may well prove to be to mandate a gradual  return to Pre-Vatican II criteria and standards for vowed  religious life. The fact that American nuns, more than anyone  else, have followed the values and reform of the Council, has  exposed them more than anyone else to those who might  oppose the Council and its renewal. 

As the “investigation” is ongoing so are the reactions  it provokes, which include shock, sadness and a smile. 

Shock The first reaction, certainly from your  average Catholic parishioner has to be shock. We know that  despite all the “little nuns” cartoons, the funny nun stories, and  the occasional memories of a tough nun with the legendary  ruler in hand, American Catholics treasure and trust their  women religious with fond and more accurate memories and  ongoing admiration for their current witness and service.  They know that it has been primarily selfless religious who  have built the largest private school system in the world’s  history to educate ourselves and our children; they have  produced the largest private healthcare system in the nation to  care for the sick and the poor; and they have established social  services that range from eldercare, to nursery and the  preborn.  Over 4,000 signatures by our parishioners to support and  defend the sisters after a single announcement witness to the  shock registered. Typical reactions include shock that given  the many areas for which the Church might well be  embarrassed and could reasonably hope for an “investigation”,  Vatican officials have chosen the one group that continually  makes us look good for a change!

Sadness When you think of the number of elderly  sisters who have given 50, 60 or more years of selfless service  to the Church only to hear they are being “investigated” by the  Vatican and challenged by the Church they have faithfully and  at times painfully continued to serve, can you imagine how  distressed, confused and betrayed they must feel? I would  hope and pray Vatican officials can imagine as well, and feel  the sadness.

Smile The sisters I talk with, some active, some  retired, and some in key leadership posts, have the faith and  integrity to smile at it all. They may be being critiqued and  criticized by Vatican officials; they may be facing their own  aging status, decreasing vocations and dwindling numbers, but  they are well aware that in the past they have had to adapt to a  foreign land, to a new world, and more recently to the  challenges of modern society, and they have done it; in the  past they have faced harassment, persecution and some few  founders have been excommunicated (and later canonized)  simply by being faithful to the gospel call and they have done  it; in varied hardships at great personal cost, they have faced  the difficulties of living up to the gospel and they have done it.  They smile and we do too. 

Meanwhile a parallel “doctrinal study” of the largest  coalition of American women religious (LCWR) has for the  moment been suspended. Representatives from the LCWR  have attended one meeting in Rome and continue to try to  maintain a dialogue. Is anyone listening? Hopefully yes.