It is with a heavy and incredulous heart that I post the news that our beloved Father, Fr. Santan Pinto, died suddenly in a car accident after just arriving for a home visit in India. Apparently, Fr. Pinto was the passenger in a car that was struck and he died instantly. A Bishop in India, the Bishop of Belgaum, has contacted our community and confirmed this sorrowful news. Fr. Pinto's funeral will be tomorrow in India. It's interesting, you know, after just posting Father's Christmas message yesterday and then posting the clip by Fr. Barron about the true nature of Advent, we never know when God will take us home. The media and secular society loves to mock celibacy and the priesthood but it's easy to see that Fr. Pinto has more spiritual children than those people ever will. God will not be mocked. Father was a priest who was faithful to the end, who loved God more than anything and made countless sacrifices for his many spiritual children. To say that he will b...
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She's saying this directly to the Apostolic See, mind you, in response to their reform.
'In their own statement, the nuns said the Vatican's doctrinal assessment of the group...may "compromise" the ability of female nuns to "fulfill their mission."' The rest of the article in a sense reflects the fear of compromising their "mission." You sense it in her comments regarding women's roles in the Church and how she seems to have this view of women being oppressed by the Church.
How heartbreaking to see that the "mission" of these nuns is defined by their work, their apostolate. While that is essential in the world today and the Sisters do much good there, we can't lose sight of the reality that the identity of religious is not defined by their ministry. Their identity lies in their espousal to Christ, to being His bride and witnessing that union with their community, to the world.
Regarding what she said when asked about women's ordination.. "Because our deep desire for places of leadership of women in the church be open. It remains a desire." How beautiful the day will be she realizes that the church's stance on ordination is not to oppress women or diminish their gifts. That that "place" is essentially open in a different way through her ability to work with the poor and the marginalized. She may be the only face of the Church they see. When there's security in my identity in Christ, we begin to see that the life we live, who we are as women, & she specifically as a consecrated religious, has the potential to change the world.
If there were one thing that I could say to her.. it would be the words from Vita Consecrata #16..
"It is the duty of the consecrated life to show that the Incarnate Son of God is the eschatological goal towards which all things tend, the splendour before which every other light pales, and the infinite beauty which alone can fully satisfy the human heart."
Our Lady, pray for us.
With the possible exception of choosing between the life of the baby and the life of the mother, I dont see any conflict between the Church's position on abortion and other right to life issues. So it is possible that her statements support the arguments for abortion being an option for social or financial reasons. If so, it is horrible to present that as the position of the Catholic community.
As for discipline I think it depends on the charter of the order and the vows and commitments. Some Orders clearly have chosen to submit to the discipline of the Bishops and should do so.
I was educated in the "Question Everything" philosophy of the Jesuits and Holy Cross fathers. So I think it is healthy to have a dialog and even diversity of opinion about the application of doctrine.
This is not a matter of Papal Infallibility. I am among those who is not comfortable with the Bishops bully tactics to surpress collegiality.
Lastly, I dont necessarily criticize Orders who have a different idea of their mission and vocation. But you have taught me to appreciate and respect the SOLT philosophy of traditional approach to a clerical life.