The Jesuit Problem

It's no secret that the Jesuit Congregation, once staunch defenders of the Catholic Church, is starting to 'change' for some reason.

We've seen it mostly in the Catholic University institutions they helped build, as in the most resent Notre Dame scandal. And I've been noticing it in theological opinions in the Catholic news, with support for 'women in the priesthood', support of gay marriage, of stem cell research, even abortion.

The exact opposite of what the church teaches. I don't know what's the cause of this, modernism, relativism, I just don't know. There are more learned people that can articulate this and with more authority than I can.

But as lay Catholic, I believe this is becoming a big problem. A problem because it appears that the church flock is being mislead by a few of it's supposed protectors and shepherds. People are now starting to rationalize there going against the church by siding to these dissenters.

What's the Church to do. We can look to the Vatican for answers, which we should do and not stray from. But all to often we realize that the wheels of the church grind slowly, though when they do grind... they grind to a pulp.

We as a lay Catholics need to have our wits about us. We need to question the sources. To study our faith, pray for our church and it's leaders and shepherds.

Here's another case in point.

Father Donal Godfrey, a prominent Jesuit University Official is to speak at a gay-rights Dignity conference. This organization Dignity USA opposes the Magisterium's teaching on the grave immorality of homosexual acts. Now I hope that Fr. Godfrey is there to share the true teachings of the church, of it's love for all, forgiveness and understanding, but firmly against the practices of the the homosexual life style.

But I doubt it.

Prominent Jesuit University Official To Speak At Gay-Rights Dignity Conference

The Catholic Church is also looking at the various Congregations of Sister in the U.S. . The Vatican did this 'looking into' , reviewing, whatever you want to call it, of the U.S. Seminaries following the priest scandal.

They needed to do this, and in my opinion they need to review the good sisters as well. The Sisters numbers in America have gone down drastically, as with the priest in the US, and the Vatican wants to get a full understanding of what's going on.

The Sisters have done, and continue to do great work in our parishes and communities. Sometimes it hard to see their accomplishments... especially when you don't know who they are since many don't wear habits anymore.

The good sisters have their dissenters as well. Just read the NCR and some of their stories and contributors.

The NYTimes is reporting this one:

U.S. Nuns Facing Vatican Scrutiny

Some sisters are not happy campers at all, and oppose this 'Vatican intrusion'. Just ask Sr. Sandra M. Schneiders professor emerita of New Testament and spirituality at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, in California. she urges her fellow nuns not to participate in the Vatican visits to the various congregations.

Well, again lets pray for the religious and pray for vocations. We have many wonderful priest, deacons, bothers, sisters and nuns.

A few bad apples doesn't spoil the whole bunch.