Sad 'inquisition' imposed on nuns

As a Catholic, even I recognize that the Catholic Church cannot claim all actions taken by its administration regarding its membership to be private matters. And the latest move by the Vatican spearheaded by Franc Cardinal Rode to "renew" through "visitation" the religious communities of nuns in the U.S. is an inquisition by another name. It fools no one.

What has recently scandalized the world, much less members of the U.S. Catholic Church, is not only the criminality of priest after priest, but the cost of their protection and defense, and subsequent financial settlements which has bankrupted diocese after diocese, and thereby crippled the missions of service, education and social justice. One might think that some public penance would be due on the matter, but the hierarchy is seemingly still unbowed.

Now, in another brilliant tactical move, The Prefect of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (aka: Franc Cardinal Rode) has put communities of nuns (median age: 70) under scrutiny for the abandonment of medievally inspired religious garb and liberal views.

For those of us who were beneficiaries of nuns who taught and nurtured us, this undertaking by Rome is both painful and stupid. Visitation, indeed. It is shameful enterprise, and the Cardinal can't wordsmith his way out of it.

Judith C. Heikes

Glen Ellyn