By Noella de Souza
Mumbai, Nov 7, 2021: “Indians cheer Italian nun at key Vatican post” is the headline of a news report, but surprisingly the leaders of the sisters in India who have commented are precisely the ones who are the slowest in bringing about change in the lives and structure of life for women religious in India.
To me this seems lipspeak. I wonder why? Are they so afraid of the bishops and hierarchy that they want to keep in their good books and not soil their reputation? Would it not be to their advantage that they genuinely and authentically uphold their reputation by confronting those who systemically keep it down?
There are other opinions voiced after this appointment that seem to think that sisters are appointed as they can be easily controlled. Lay women make bold steps thus are not tolerated. Consequently the lot falls on women religious.
There are two completely different issues mentioned above, nonetheless both need to be given serious consideration.
There was a study on women religious recently done that called attention to the problematic issues faced by women religious in their relationship with clergy in different parts of India and yes, our leaders tend to connive with the clergy, but they need to ask themselves why they do it. For me, it’s betraying the faith their communities put in them. Once more I reiterate, what are the habituated and learned patterns by which they uphold their personal or congregational name? This needs to be seriously discerned by those who indulge in this behavior.
Secondly, the issue that sisters are appointed so they can be easily controlled….. Yes on this second point too. Unfortunately, the formation given in most religious congregations of women teach and practise, out of respect to listen to the clergymen who interact with them. This, to my knowledge, is misused by many, when you see the amount of power that is bandied around regarding the refusal of sacraments in convents, as a way of obliging sisters to conform to clergy demands.
Power is used from the pulpit or work place to humiliate, criticize and belittle them. Power refuses to acknowledge the professional competence of sisters, where oftentimes sisters are expected to give free service in the pastor sector. It is high time brothers that you left your male superiority and need for patriarchal control and prestige behind and thought of mutual respect and communion. Until now, there have been signs of change, but only on paper. NOW it is time for you, hierarchy included, to undertake a serious discernment regarding their relationship with the sisters they work with.
We sisters are also doing the same, and one thing is clear, we will not tolerate being enslaved by Church authorities and clergy anymore. There is less fear and more calls for ‘End of Patriarchy.’ The rumbling of the groundswell is increasing and slowly the awareness of many women religious is changing direction too. We are rising – beyond our exploitation, from our exclusion, against all odds, here and there, everywhere in the country, women religious are rising!
Can we answer our common call to work for a Mission where as equal partners we can sit at the same table, and on stretching our personal boundaries, collaborate in expanding the reign of God through structural and systemic change?
I sincerely hope we can take on this magnanimous in this task which lies ahead of us together.
My simple question to the writer:
Where is the UNITY among Catholic women and nuns on the issue of women empowerment???
What Sr Noella says about women religious organizations is equally true of all “recognised” organisations like CPCI, CRI, AICU, NCCWI etc. For them their certificate of recognition is of greater importance than their prophetic office.
Nevertheless we should welcome whatever steps are being taken by Pope Francis for women’s empowerment and inclusion. Let us strengthen his hands.
Congratulations on bringing up this issue of the voice of women! This can be on the agenda of the upcoming Synod!
It will surely take a long time to understand the vision of Christ. In our patriarchal society the Nuns who are actually the backbone of the Indian Church are kept away. Just listen to the Eucharistic prayer during the Mass- “we pray for the Pope….the bishops…and the clergy ” are they the only ones who make the body of Christ?…yes the word the faithful follows later. Those Consecrated have no place at all…
That is a powerful response and I second it. It is not that we lay [sic] women do not celebrate the fact that spaces are being created for women’s voices in the Church and we do it with joy. However, we cannot deny the pain at being denied a voice in the universal Church and the Church in India. We are the larger percentage of women in the Church, the ones primarily passing down the faith in the domestic Church and in catechetical programmes in parishes, active in the secular sphere – which Vatican II expects the laity to transform. and yet we are denied a voice. The Indian Church at the national level has a clergyman heading the laity commission! and sisters who work under Bishops for the women’s commission.
When will women faithful who make up most of the ones holding up the Church ..[take the women out of the pews and the reality will speak] have a voice is representing issues concerning them and the family? When will the statement of Vatican II that all are equal in holiness and dignity be acknowledged as more than a statement in a document? When will Women in the Church, lay and religious be prepared to be honest about their opinions and not live in fear of possible repercussions [that are spoken of in whispers in the corridors of the Church] from Bishops and priests? When will the Church be the body of faithful according to the vision of Christ.