American Catholic Nuns

Raise your hand if you're tired of hearing about the pope!!! 

ME ME ME ME ME!!!!

I mean, is the pope Catholic, right? Am I? Nope. Are 1.8 billion people on this planet? Sure. But the rest of us 5.2 billion aren't and seeing as Benedict simply Palin-ed out of his leadership responsibilities because the rest of the world doesn't believe condoms are made from the devil's skin, we can give it a rest as far as the 24/7 news coverage is concerned.

I'm sure the next pope will be like the last pope who was like the last pope who was like the last pope, times infinity, forever and ever, amen. For all this incessant talk about the possibility of great revision within the Catholic church during the next papacy, one might be tricked into forgetting change is not the forte of the church. Francis can wash as many ladies' feet as he wants, but I'm not buying this hopey, changey stuff. (2 Palin refs, 1 post!) 

How do I already know nothing will change under new pope Francis? Umm, well, again with the lady feet washing. Many viewed this act to be ominous and foreboding. Ominous and foreboding? But how? If the pope could and would dare to wash a woman's feet, what else would he then possibly bestow upon the lesser sex!? Female ordination!? L'horreur! The Vatican is the OG Bro-dom; so I really don't know why anyone would freak out about the potential possibility of women priests being allowed to exist anytime soon just because of a little, albeit radical, foot wash. But they did. Which makes me wonder, can you imagine if women were so adamantly opposed to men in leadership positions? 

What if we flipped shit every time a man was elected or ordained or chosen!? We don't and we wouldn't of course because just like everyone else we're conditioned to believe men are the rightful, natural leaders. But are they? Not all of them, certainly. The women's movement was vilified for pointing this out which is how the man-hating, hairy, god-denouncing, feminist stereotype was born. As Jimmy Carter affirms in the following quote, men in religious leadership positions have actively worked against women by interpreting Biblical text to their benefit:

Religions are only successful when a group of like-minded individuals come together to decide on an interpretation. Like our governments, modern day religions have developed under male leadership. To retain power, the best way to subjugate other groups is to claim they are less- than under the laws of god. Godly authority seems to be the most difficult for us mortals to question. The Catholic church is one such religion that has excelled at packaging gender roles and distributing them to followers as god-given fact. Thus, no lady priests, bishops, cardinals, or popes. 

As I predicted, the newest "Supreme Pontiff" has doubled down on the godly tradition of woman-hating by affirming the last "Supreme Pontiff"s persecution of American nuns. Less than 2 months and this new guy's change campaign is already over and done. 

"And Eve took that apple from the tree of knowledge, and she ate that shit, cuz Eve was a baller." - The Bible - Babe Parker

Luckily, women are awesome and unafraid of rejecting any false interpretation of our position. Always have been, always will be. Sorry to disappoint "Papa", but there are plenty of amazing nuns out there who actually don't really care what "His Holiness" has to say about their leadership abilities. 

After being accused of "radical feminism", undermining the church, not promoting male-only priesthood, not opposing same-sex marriage, etc., The Leadership Council of Women Religious (which represents about 80% of American nuns) has continued it's mission of serving the poor, educating generations of children, and speaking out against the patriarchal values that relegate women to a second class status. 

When asked by 60 Minutes what her reaction was when she learned her group was being accused of radical feminism, Sister Pat Farrell (former president of LCWR) said:

"I don't know, but it feels to me like fear. What would happen if women really were given a place of equality in the church?"

LCWR March

FEAR!!! The church is afraid of the same thing all male dominated institutions are afraid of: loss of power. I'm reading Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In" right now and I can't recommend it enough. Even though she's speaking through a capitalist lens with regards to women in the corporate world, a lot of what she calls for from women is what the nuns are already doing. They are making their voices heard by being fearless and leading without waiting for male approval. The men in the church are so afraid, the office that is investigating the LCWR is the same office that was once The Inquisition! For those unfamiliar, The Inquisition tortured heretics, burned witches, and even persecuted Galileo by calling his stationary sun "theory" contradictory to the Bible!!! (Global Warming skeptics, anyone?) The church is literally going medieval against a bunch of women who'd rather take their spiritual cues from their own brains, community service, and connection to god than a group of men who've completely overlooked and covered up their own GLOBAL PEDOPHILIA CRISIS. 

Tradition is a staple of the Church. There can be meaning in following the same rituals as people who have lived centuries before, however, if the main thing your ideology has going for it is tradition and history, it is antiquated and unnecessary. Progression must be a part of the equation. Priests can baptize, marry, counsel, and preach. It is not unfair for nuns to want to perform these duties for their parishioners. If they believe the people they serve need access to comprehensive health care that includes reproductive care, the Church should trust their motivations. And, as Sister Farrell reminded 60 Minutes, the nuns traditionally have "never wanted the men to tell (them) what to do." 

Damn yo, I wanna be a bad ass nun. I mean, not really, but if I could someday be half as brave as they are, I would die an accomplished woman. 

I understand many find solace and comfort from the guidance of their priests and look to the pope for spiritual inspiration. I am not saying the church is all bad nor am I saying all male leadership is corrupt. In fact, many priests are on the side of the nuns. Noted peace activist, Father Roy Bourgeois has been excommunicated for his efforts to ordain Catholic nuns to the priesthood. In an interview with Democracy Now! he points out the hypocrisy within the Church: 

"Less than three months after I attended the ordination of a woman in Lexington, Kentucky, less than three months, I received a letter from the Vatican demanding that I recant within 30 days or I will be excommunicated. The severity, the swiftness of the Vatican’s letter, I think it calls into question, you know, just what’s going on here. What really is the problem? I do believe that I did not commit a crime. I am following my conscience. Women—you know, it’s amazing, the thousands of priests and the many bishops were aware of these crimes of their priests, they remained silent. These priests committing the crimes and the bishops who remained silent have not been excommunicated. Yet, the many women who have been ordained to the priesthood and the priests and bishops who support their ordination are excommunicated. I do believe that there is a problem here. This is also a grave injustice."

The Catholics who defy the Vatican insist they have taken a vow of obedience to god and not the Church. This is an important distinction. I don't know what it exactly means to be Catholic or a "good" Catholic, but it seems when you have devoted followers in a world that is hemorrhaging spiritual believers, you should probably work to keep the faithful you have instead of needlessly excommunicating them from their community. As Sister Simone Campbell says:

 "I am Church."

Sister Campbell came to the national stage during the last election due in part to the budget laid out by Paul Ryan and endorsed by Mitt Romney. Ryan proclaimed his budget to be in line with the principles of the Catholic church and used his faith to campaign for the Republican party. The right regularly declare themselves the moral center, but there are plenty of progressives who are religious leaders. Ryan's budget really irked the women who are working on the front lines of the war on poverty. They formed "Nuns on the Bus" and campaigned around the country for economic justice. In her speech during the Democratic National Convention, Campbell stated their position:

"Paul Ryan claims his budget reflects the principles of our shared Catholic faith. But the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops stated that the Ryan budget failed a basic moral test, because it would harm families living in poverty. We agree with our bishops, and that's why we went on the road: to stand with struggling families and to lift up our Catholic sisters who serve them. Their work to alleviate suffering would be seriously harmed by the Romney-Ryan budget, and that is wrong."


You should note that this criticism came before Ryan posed for his infamous soup kitchen photo-op. What a nerd.

Ryan, working hard to scrub clean dishes.

Perhaps the main reason the male leadership of the Church is persecuting the nuns is because they are redefining what it means to be pro-life. By focusing the term on providing for our nation's most vulnerable families, and spending day after day caring and listening to their needs, the nuns have a more comprehensive understanding of what life is actually about as Campbell stated in an interview with NPR: 

"When you don't work everyday with people who live at the margins of our society, it's so much easier to make easy statements about who's right and who's wrong," Campbell said. "Life is way more complicated in our society and it's probably way easier to be 8,000 miles away in Rome."

BURN. 

The fight by some Catholic organizations to preserve the separation of Church and State with regards to Obamacare covering abortions (it doesn't) and employers not wanting their health care plans to "pay" for birth control is ridiculous. It's important to acknowledge that these efforts are a waste of time because if they succeed, where would it stop? Not being able to use the money from your paycheck to pay for the pill because of your employer's personal beliefs? The nuns are working toward real things for actual people and it's shameful they don't have the support of the Vatican simply due to gender discrimination. The "Nuns on the Bus" supported the bishops after all, but the men are not being interrogated and harassed. Today, the pope addressed 800 nuns in Rome and told them to be "chaste mothers" and not "spinsters". Great tip! He also reminded them to be obedient to the Church/him. Submission, ladies! It's your calling!


Sister Joan Chittister* has been leading the charge against the Church's sexism for years. She maintains it is not an opposition view to disagree with the Vatican but rather her own understanding based on spiritual commitment and research. She doesn't advocate for abortion (does anyone?), but as a rational human working with actual women, she knows the reality: abortion is sometimes necessary for the health and well-being of the woman. The anti-choice movement is oftentimes at odds with the end result of carrying a pregnancy to term: a human being. Chittister summarizes this perfectly: 

"I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born, but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. That’s not pro-life. That’s pro-birth.” 

PREACH SISTER! 

I've been working hard on this post for a while now. I think I've had a difficult time writing about these women because there is too much awesome to compact into one readable post. And that is the point I want to leave you on. Look further into the work they are doing because whether or not you are a Catholic or understand any of the motivations behind religious people, I believe inspiration can be drawn. Sisters Farrell, Campbell, and Chittister and many other American nuns do not limit their work to people who believe what they believe. They reach outside of their religion to affect actual change within their community. In addition, they are standing up to one of the oldest, most aggressive male organizations the world has ever known. This will impact all people for many generations to come and for that work, I am grateful. 

While I understand the Church's use of the "Radical Feminist" accusation is meant to be a dis, I'd say that is EXACTLY what the nuns embody and we should look up to them for it. To march in the face of obvious subjugation, at the risk of excommunication from your chosen church for the betterment of that very church: this is the purest form of revolution. I hope they succeed because I know their leadership will make the entire world a better place. 

*Please, please read the full transcript of this interview with Sister Joan. She is extremely eloquent and clearly states her positions and the basis for them. It is incredibly informative.

And Just for Lawlz:

Evelyn Joan Kamps Jansen

Guest Post: I've reached out to some friends who have been really supportive of me and Calista Jones over the years to submit their own posts to the blog. I told them they could write about anyone they wanted and to make it as personal as they want. My friend, Liz Jansen, is the first in what I hope will become a regular series of guest posts about the many varied ways in which women have inspired us. I'm lucky to know Liz as she is a woman of exceptional character and devotion to others. If you'd like to submit a post, just contact me at olson.julia@gmail.com! 

When thinking about this piece, my initial and obvious goal was to make it about the influencer, my subject.  As soon as I decided to write about my mom, I knew it’d be hard to avoid some self-reflection. I'm adopted, which has the capacity to complicate things like family, race, and ethnicity (if those weren’t already complicated enough).  Adoption is simultaneously a defining part of who I am, yet almost completely irrelevant to my day-to-day life.  In one sense, I am adopted.  My life would have been vastly different had I not been or had I been adopted into a different family.  In another sense, adoption—as a past event—is completely banal.  It’s something that happened in 1985 and is done.  It is simultaneously a past, concrete event and a present, fluid experience.

As a state of being, adoption gave me somewhat of a blank slate to work with as far as identity is concerned.   To sort of elaborate, I know I look Asian and often deal with inaccurate expectations based on my physical appearance, but I do not identify with and am therefore free to act outside of the norms of traditional Korean culture. Additionally, because I am adopted and don’t look White, I am also free to act outside of the norms of traditional, middle-American, suburban, White culture.  While not fitting in can be daunting, in my experience, it’s also been liberating.  As an adopted person, I may not quite fit into a specific category, but I’m also not beholden to a specific category.

I don’t quite have the words to describe my adoptive experience, and that attempt is for another time and place, but the point of this digression is to give a small sense of the many ways my story could have gone and to emphasize that who I am—the best parts of me—is almost entirely dependent on my family and the strong influence of the woman you’re about to meet.

Bill, Sue, and
their eldest daughter Donna.

Evelyn Joan Kamps (now Jansen) was born on January 29^th in Allegan, Michigan.  Her father, William (Bill) Kamps, was a dairy farmer his entire life and also worked at a sawmill during the winter months. Her mother, Suzanna (Sue), worked in a factory until she had their first daughter, Donna.  After the birth of Donna, Sue dedicated her life to her family, which eventually grew to include five daughters.  Sue was able to stay at home until my mom was about three or four years old, at which point she went back to work full time. In remembering her parents, my mother writes, “They were hard working people who didn't take things for granted…walking close with God and trusting in him was evident in their lives.”

By the age of ten, my mom was in the barn working with her dad.  Although, instead of working I think she actually meant playing, because the only story she shared was about how she used to dress up “a big old tomcat” in a bonnet and push him around in a stroller. After the dressing up tomcats phase, my mom transitioned to horses and enjoyed riding with the neighbor kids.  On growing up and the prospects of growing up, my mom writes, “I always wanted to be a mom.  I didn't really want a career and never really thought I was smart enough for that. Little did I know you had to be super smart to be a parent, which doesn’t come with a handbook.”

In July of 1976, my mother took the first step towards her dream of a family when she met my dad, Christopher David Jansen.  In proper Christian Reformed fashion this romance revolves around the church, where they initially met. One day during service, my mom spotted her future husband across the sanctuary sitting with a family she knew.  On her way out, a mutual family friend introduced them and set them up on a date, a movie a neighboring church was hosting for “young people.”  So began a courtship of Wednesday night church softball leagues and dates to the Dairy Queen in Dorr (extra points to anyone who has been to Dorr, MI).  Dairy Queen eventually led to horseback riding and dinners with the family.  During this time, Sue was sick with Leukemia, obviously a tough time for my mom.  Thankfully my dad was able to experience her legendary humor and hospitality before she passed.  Eventually Chris and Evie were married and had a reception featuring ham on buns in their church’s basement.  (I’m sure potato salad was also included.) 

After marriage, my parents moved in with my Bill (my grandpa) and eventually came a baby in a baby carriage (or rather an airplane).  Born in Seoul, South Korea, I arrived in the summer of ’85.  My parents adopted me because they were initially unable to conceive, a problem more than overcome once my mom had three biological children in a row (1992, 1993, 1995), officially ending my 7-year reign as queen of the Jansen household.

On achieving her dream of motherhood, Evie writes, “When you kids were small I enjoyed being home with you and taking care of you.  In fact, it was probably one of the happiest times in my life, but I am also now ready to move forward to a little more mom and dad time…” (I don’t want to know what “mom and dad time” means.)  As she continued to reflect on her experiences as a mother, she writes, “Wanting to do the best for each kid’s personality is sometimes a big job, but I remember being pleasantly surprised when suggesting something, giving [you] time to think about it, and letting [you] come to [your] own conclusion.” My mother continued to reflect on how hard this was for her as her natural impulse was to protect through managing decisions.  She overcame this fear and need for protection through a strong faith she defined using Q&A 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism, “What is your only comfort in life and death?  That I am not my own, but belong body and soul and in life and death to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.”  Like her mother before her, Evie’s life has been grounded in faith and family.  Those have always been and still remain her top priorities. 

My family has made me who I am, and this is but a small piece of our ever-evolving narrative. The good parts of me are because of their influence and support. A huge (but by no means complete) portion of that influence and support comes from my mom, Evelyn Joan Jansen.  My mother is a warrior and she is a survivor.  She is strong and tender, courageous and gentle.  My mother, like all women, is complex and paradoxical.  It is because of her ability to let me come to my own conclusions that faith and family remain cornerstones in my life.  Though I may live out these traditions in different ways, my mother succeeded in making sure the foundations her parents laid remain a steadfast part of who I am.

I drafted much of this on my iPhone on public transportation surrounded by people, all strangers and all with a unique story of how they got to be on the Purple line express on a rainy spring-ish type day in Chicago. As I sat there, thinking about my story, how I got to be on the Purple line express and where I could have ended up, I was reminded of how infinitely grateful I am for my mom.  It is a testament to her love and support that two people who were born worlds apart, who should be strangers, and who remain vastly different are eternally bound by the words mother and daughter, words that transcend and defy both blood and biology.