Monday, May 21, 2012

Social Media Jesuit And His Twittersphere

The report from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith -- the church's orthodoxy watchdog -- was publicly released last month by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The report said that although the women's leadership group had been vocal about social justice issues -- the report praised the nuns' work with the needy -- the group had been unacceptably silent on other issues, notably opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion. The Vatican ordered the nuns to focus more on promoting church orthodoxy. Reactions to the analysis have included standard letters and phone calls as well as Facebook posts and Twitter hash tags. "Fifty years ago, a document like this would have been published internally and then trickled down," said Sister Janice Farnham, a retired professor and historian at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. Farnham said she read about the report on the BBC's wire and not through the "traditional avenues of the church." The document quickly reached the masses via Internet links and re-posts. Social media are the perfect place for people to weigh in when they feel voiceless, said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author of "The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything." "Everyone who is baptized is part of the church, but sometimes Catholics don't feel that they have venues in which they can express their views," he said. 
Martin started a hash tag (.whatsistersmeantome) to thank nuns for dedicating their lives to the communities in which they work and to separate the comments from the rest of the Twittersphere. The conversation soon grew to include voices supporting orthodox, habit-wearing orders. Jacob Biddle tweeted, "Sisters to me mean habited women who fight heresy and the devil, not embrace them like LCWR." Robert Salazar tweeted a link to a cloistered community in New Jersey and praised its work. 
"Great sisters -- obedient to God and His Church." Some associated with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious don't agree with the claim that they've strayed from church doctrine. "For me, to follow Jesus was to engage in my community that struggled for civil rights," said Campbell, whose organization, Network, was singled out for criticism in the Vatican's review. "To nourish my faith was to nourish my quest for justice, and my community does that." The assessment, based on a two-year investigation, shook those affiliated with the conference and brought attention to how nuns conduct themselves. For example, some take a more activist role to their work, while others may focus on a more contemplative life. "There is room for both kind of sisters," Martin said. "The problem is some Catholics think that being a traditional sister is the only way."
Link (here) to read the full story at The Portland Press Herald

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

What do male bishops really do ? i have a question - why are so many bishops and cardinals - Tim Dolan being one of then so overweight? there are starving people in the world and they live like kings AND DO NOTHING

Maria said...

"The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything BUT OBEDIENCE."

Anonymous said...

To answer my fellow Anonymous' question about what bishops do: they investigate nuns & the Girl Scouts, have drinks and steaks with Bill Donohue, and try on their new vestments. From the murmurs I've heard over the years some also do some illicit and illegal things.

I have been in soup kitchens, homeless shelters, poor neighborhoods, hospices, and inner city Catholic schools for decades. I have NEVER seen a bishop in any of these places. Not once.

Maria said...

MR. ANONYMOUS:

I think you are a tad confused about precisely what it is that a Bishop does.

The job of a Bishop entails:
"the power of administering the sacraments, including the consecration of other men as bishops. The second is the office of teaching authoritatively and sharing in the Church’s divine guidance of communicating revealed truth. The third is the right to govern and direct the people of God according to norms of conduct which are binding on the consciences of the faithful."

You'll have to recruit your marxist guerilla compadres elsewhere, I suppose. Have you tried Boston College, Fordham, Georgetown? The list is as long as your arm. You should have no trouble ;)

Anonymous said...

Jesus ate with the lepers.

Why do you write about the bishops having "jobs"?

Maria said...

A few things for "Fr. Jim" to ponder:

Superiors in a religious community are IMPORTANT.

Effective renewal of religious life is MAINLY IN THE INTERIOR RENEWAL OF SPIRIT.

THE UNQUALIFIED CENTER OF EVERY COMMUNITY SHOULD BE THE EUCHARIST.

The poverty of the religious should be? GENEROUS:

The pursuit of holiness in the religious life is – PRIMARY.

What mainly distinguishes secular institutes from religious institutes is- COMMUNITY LIFE.

Wearing a distinguishing habit by religious is – REQUIRED by the Church

The counsels are related to Charity as its –MEANS.. In other words, supernatural Charity is protected, is increased, can be perfected through the practice of the counsels.

Things others in the Society understood, a long, long time ago...

Julianna Gulden said...

"You'll have to recruit your marxist guerilla compadres elsewhere, I suppose. Have you tried Boston College, Fordham, Georgetown? The list is as long as your arm. You should have no trouble ;)"

Volunteering in a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, hospice, etc. is the work of 'marxist guerilla'?

Maria, please seek professional help.

Maria said...

Will do, Mrs. Alinksy.

Maria said...

Will do, Mrs. Alinksy.

Maria said...

PS Ms. Guldem:

One doesn't get to engage in corporal works of mercy INSTEAD OF assenting to the below:

Superiors in a religious community are IMPORTANT.

Effective renewal of religious life is MAINLY IN THE INTERIOR RENEWAL OF SPIRIT.

THE UNQUALIFIED CENTER OF EVERY COMMUNITY SHOULD BE THE EUCHARIST.

The poverty of the religious should be? GENEROUS:

The pursuit of holiness in the religious life is – PRIMARY.

What mainly distinguishes secular institutes from religious institutes is- COMMUNITY LIFE.

Wearing a distinguishing habit by religious is – REQUIRED by the Church

The counsels are related to Charity as its –MEANS.. In other words, supernatural Charity is protected, is increased, can be perfected through the practice of the counsels.

God is not interested in a marxian utopia where He is not the main event in a woman's life in religion.