Today's Post has an article in the Metro section (B9) about the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. The article's not online; it's from the Religion News Service, and you can get a taste of it here. ("Traditional Order of Nuns Grows, Defying Trends.")
It's a pretty good article, touching on the rapid growth of the community (seventeen postulants expected this month!)and quoting the sisters on their vocations, their life of prayer, and their apostolates. It mentions that some of the sisters, when discerning their vocations,
"rejected religious orders that revised or moved away from traditional ways, including the habit, after the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. The council relaxed some of the more strict, traditional rituals in the Catholic Church."
Wow! Intelligent young women embracing traditional religious life! What's not to love? Obviously, we have to be balanced, though, and find the obligatory naysayer quote. Luckily, we don't have to look too hard to find it. The article continues:
Some church observers, however, question what they see as an attempt by small but wealthy and politically powerful groups to turn the faith clock back to a supposed golden age.'There's always been a rear-guard action among Catholics who don't like Vatican II,' said the Rev. Richard P. McBrien, former chairman of the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and a long-time observer of Catholic life in the United States.
Oh, brother. Let's take another look at this, shall we?
Some church observers, however,
Observers with an "s"? I only see one person quoted.
...question what they see as an attempt by small but wealthy and politically powerful groups
meaning Tom Monaghan? (Monaghan donated a pile of money to the Sisters' building fund, and his foundation built one of the academies where the Sisters teach)
...to turn the faith clock back to a supposed golden age.
Okay, so Tom Monaghan and his legion of faithbots kidnapped and brainwashed 64 women into becoming a legion of reactionary nuns who wear traditional habits, pray a lot, and teach in elementary schools -- and that's "politically powerful"?
"There's always been a rear-guard action among Catholics who don't like Vatican II,"
Rear-guard? The Sisters were founded in 1997. One of the Sisters quoted is 27. Last time I checked, someone who was born in the late 'seventies would have spent all her life in the territory occupied by the Spirit of Vatican II.
...said the Rev. Richard P. McBrien,
Ah.
...former
woohoo!
...chairman of the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and a long-time observer of Catholic life in the United States.
An observer -- as opposed to a participant?
Hey, Father McBrien, after you're done on The DaVinci Code movie, maybe you could see if there are any other movies that need your special expertise. Maybe Spielberg will consider making Jurassic Park IV?
UPDATE: GMTA -- Jeff Miller has something up on this article too.
At the end there, Did you mean MuckBrien rather than O? But I loved it, especially this phrase: legion of faithbots.
And, furthermore, you and Dale Price would make a pretty good team. But stay here. Pansy likes you.
I did mean Mc and not O, thank you. Fixed it. Wow, being mentioned in the same breath as the Fiskmaster? How you flatter me.
These sisters are located here in Ann Arbor, and there have been several vocations there from my parish, including two sisters from one family.
If you ask me, it is actually because of the relaxing of rules that all the old convents are dying out. Here in Québec, it is the same. All the old communities are dying out, while newer, more "traditional" ones are thriving. Someone who has the vocation to be a religious isn't going to feel pulled in by something watered down, they're going to want the real thing. I know, if I were to join a convent it would be one like these Dominican sisters, where at least 3 hours is spent in community prayer. I wouldn't want something that felt more like living in a university dorm.
Is there anywhere one can sign up to join the Legion of Faithbots? Do they have nifty uniforms?