Pope Francis gives U. S. nuns back the control of their organization

Long-time readers of ShrinkRap know of my sharp criticism of the previous Pope Benedict for his utter imbalance (in my view) of church theology and human life.   

One example was his declaration that "the use of condoms increases the spread of AIDS."

Speaking from his other-worldly theological throne on the eve of his historic visit to Africa -- where there was an epidemic of AIDS transmission from unfaithful husbands to their wives, who then bore HIV positive children, who quickly became orphans when both parents died -- I thought his choice to emphasize doctrinal purity over health and survival was unconscionable.   (See ShrinkRap, March 21, 2009:  "The pope and condoms.")

Another example was the Vatican's taking control of the U. S. nun's national organization, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.  Control was given over to a group of priests, appointed by the Vatican.

Aside from the objection to a group of men taking away the autonomy of a group of women, this seemed especially outrageous to me because of the specific complaints against the nuns that "justified" their need for male control.   They were said to be spending too much time working in soup kitchens and advocating for social justice -- and not enough time protesting abortion and gay marriage.

Well, that was Pope Benedict and his other-worldly Vatican.   Now we have the breath of fresh air from Argentina, Pope Francis, who is more flexible in how he applies the doctrinal rules when it comes to human lives.   He is pope-as-pastor, not the pope-as-theologian.

The latest beneficiaries of that are the U. S. nuns.   The more tolerant Vatican under Francis has just declared, about the mandate to overhaul the nuns' Leadership Conference, that the work "has been accomplished."   In short, control of their fine organization has been returned to the nuns themselves.   Which seems an implicit message:   go back to doing your work with the poor and needy.

I do not share the theology of Pope Francis, but I greatly admire his humanity.

Ralph