Nuns were the often-unsung workers who helped build the Roman Catholic Church in this country, planting schools and hospitals and keeping parishes humming. But for the last three decades, their numbers have been declining — to 60,000 today from 180,000 in 1965.
While some nuns say they are grateful that the Vatican is finally paying attention to their dwindling communities, many fear that the real motivation is to reel in American nuns who have reinterpreted their calling for the modern world.
In the last four decades since the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, many American nuns stopped wearing religious habits, left convents to live independently and went into new lines of work: academia and other professions, social and political advocacy and grass-roots organizations that serve the poor or promote spirituality. A few nuns have also been active in organizations that advocate changes in the church like ordaining women and married men as priests.
Some sisters surmise that the Vatican and even some American bishops are trying to shift them back into living in convents, wearing habits or at least identifiable religious garb, ordering their schedules around daily prayers and working primarily in Roman Catholic institutions, like schools and hospitals.
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As women have claimed an equal place in society the numbers of nuns have gone down.
At one time being a nun was a way for a woman to have a professional career and escape the expectations of marital slavery.
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Lol nuns face scrutiny. How about we get a little scrutiny of child molesting priests instead of just moving them to a different church?
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Sounds like regression to me.
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Sister Dianne Marie Vande Voorde, Sister Kathleen L. Mourisse both guilty of torturing my family and I during a trip to Rome March 10-21, 2003 with the Diocese of Peoria. The Iraq war started March 19, 2003. The Pope was against the war but the Diocese of Peoria was not. The Diocese of Peoria nuns and priests need to face a lot more than just scrutiny. One of the first strike bombers in Iraq was a Catholic from Peoria. His wife ran the concessions at the Catholic school. The mayor is a Catholic and wants people to carry guns. I couldn't believe it when a police officer went up with his family to present the offerings during mass. He carried this huge gun in his holster. Peoria is amoral.
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For all us victims of our government's ENDLESS war.
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21 Guns lyrics by Green Day
Do you know what's worth fighting for,
When it's not worth dying for?
Does it take your breath away
And you feel yourself suffocating?
Does the pain weigh out the pride?
And you look for a place to hide?
Did someone break your heart inside?
You're in ruins.One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky,
You and IWhen you're at the end of the road
And you lost all sense of control
And your thoughts have taken their toll
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul
Your faith walks on broken glass
And the hangover doesn't pass
Nothing's ever built to last
You're in ruins.One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky,
You and IDid you try to live on your own
When you burned down the house and home?
Did you stand too close to the fire?
Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stoneWhen it's time to live and let die
And you can't get another try
Something inside this heart has died
You're in ruins.One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky (x2)you and I.
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Wake Me Up When September Ends.
