Reporter: Vatican selection of Seattle Archbishop in nun crackdown significant

The Vatican has decided to rein in the country’s largest organization of nuns and the Church has chosen Seattle’s top Catholic to lead the effort, but some say the choice of this particular Archbishop indicates the church is treading lightly.

The Vatican has named Archbishop Peter Sartain to lead an overhaul of the organization known as the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and provide direct oversight.

The church issued a report describing a grave crisis of doctrine, claiming the organization was embracing ‘radical feminist themes.’

Reporter Grant Gallicho is with Commonweal, an independent bi-weekly journal of opinion, edited by lay Catholics, writing about religion, politics and culture.

He explains that the church is worried about two things. One, the nuns seemingly diverting from church teachings and two, “the Vatican document complains that this particular congregation of nuns has been insufficiently attentive to a couple of issues, abortion and homosexuality.” Adds Galicho: “I can’t recall a time when the Vatican has cracked down for not doing something.”

Gallicho thinks the choice of moderate Bishop Sartain is significant, an indication that the church will not drastically change the lives of nuns.

“Rome knows this wasn’t going to go over well. According to the L.C.W.R., they were ‘stunned’ by this decision,” said Gallicho.

“You can’t look at this and have a reaction other than shock and a kind of holy despair,” said Benedictine Nun Sister Joan Chittister, who once headed up the L.C.W.R. “If you send out a signal that the Catholic Church is the one place you can’t go to discuss difficult issues or to think them through, you’ve doomed the church,” declared Chittister.

But Gallicho thinks the selection of Bishop Sartain certainly sends a message that the Vatican knew that it had to tread lightly. He’s skeptical that the church’s decision will lead to sweeping changes. Just because the Vatican has appointed a bishop who has a broad mandate “it doesn’t mean that the lives of these nuns will certainly be altered,” said Gallicho.

The nuns could disband their organization and reform, or just leave the church. Likely, neither will happen.

“These are women who’ve dedicated their lives to the church,” said Gallicho. “[Quitting] would be akin to saying ‘I’m no longer a member of my family.’ Well, they could say that but your DNA is your DNA,” said Gallicho.