Anchoress writes at 'First Things' – UPDATED

Oh, isn’t that awful? My header, I mean. It’s all about me, me, me!

But I am very pleased to have a piece running as a Daily Article over at First Things, the invaluable ecumenical journal (founded by one of my rosary partners, Richard John Neuhaus) that gathers us together at the corner where faith and politics meet. It’s a happy day!

In the piece – which you can read here, I am responding to Sr. Sandra M. Schneiders’ recent hootenanny of hubris published over at the National Catholic Reporter, wherein she waxes needlessly defiant over Rome’s impending visitation to women’s religious orders.

I am, as you know, always very respectful to our vowed religious, so I was not rude. Here is an excerpt:

Sister and her associates seem to have birthed a form of Religious Life that no longer receives “everyone as Christ” but parcels out the hospitality like upper-crust dames who will nod at the social climbers (and even condescend to having them to tea, if it will dispense with an obligation) but who will have the place fumigated once the undeserving have finally been shown the door. Sounds like she’ll count the teaspoons, too…

…There is nothing wrong with celebrating the actions of a community one loves and serves, but Sr. Schneiders’ tone is rather elitist, which is incongruous with the life of humility and obedience to which a sister–even a progressive one birthing new forms of the life–is presumably vowed. Coupled with the cynicism that dismisses out-of-hand the possibility that the visitation could be anything less than a hostile takeover (with an ever-present threat, apparently, of “violence”), Schneiders’ “new form of Religious Life . . . sounds like it promotes a selective sort of openness – one so narrow that the Holy Spirit may have to suck in His breath and slide in sideways to get access.

You can read it all here

Fr Z has a deal less patience, it seems. He calls Sr. Schneiders’ a “drama queen.”

People going after a sister? Eek. This could get ugly. Stay tuned. Check back for more links.

UPDATE: Rebels Without a Clue?. Father makes the very interesting point that when these older orders do finally fade out, they will likely leave their properties to secular institutions. That will be interesting, when put aside the idea of an emergent “Catholic Church of America” which I see forming down the road.

Patrick O’ Hannigan: Scores Sister’s Ride for Her

Curt Jester says they’ve birthed a version of religious life that does not reproduce itself