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{"id":13400,"date":"2014-02-03T11:30:04","date_gmt":"2014-02-03T19:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thedudeabides\/?p=13400"},"modified":"2015-03-10T10:02:44","modified_gmt":"2015-03-10T17:02:44","slug":"pontifexcellent-nuns-are-grrreat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thedudeabides\/2014\/02\/03\/pontifexcellent-nuns-are-grrreat\/","title":{"rendered":"@PONTIFEXCELLENT: “Nuns Are Grrreat!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

After Mass in St. Peter\u2019s on Feb. 2, Papa Frank spoke to the world about those leading the \u201cconsecrated life,\u201d i.e., clergy and men\/women religious. (Sunday was the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord<\/a>, which the Catholic church marks as \u201cWorld Day for Consecrated Life.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Catholic News Service, Papa Frank said:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is such a great need for their presence, which reinforces and renews the commitment to spreading the Gospel, Christian education, charity for the neediest, contemplative prayer, the human and spiritual formation of the young and families, and the commitment to justice and peace in the human family,\u201d the pope said.<\/span>Straying from his prepared text, Pope Francis told people gathered in the square: \u201cThink what would happen if there weren\u2019t any sisters, if there weren\u2019t any sisters in the hospitals, no sisters in the missions, no sisters in the schools. Think what the church would be like without sisters \u2014 no, that\u2019s unthinkable.\u201dConsecrated life is a gift that moves the church forward, he said. \u201cThese women who consecrate their lives to carrying forward the message of Jesus \u2014 they\u2019re great!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I couldn\u2019t agree more, Papa. <\/span><\/p>\n
Below are a few shots of some of the thousands of sisters who gathered to celebrate Papa Frank\u2019s inauguration mass not quite a year ago. I LOVE nuns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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