# Vatican: Nuns should spend less time on social justice.... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 20, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349 "2012-04-20T01:42:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/21 "2012-04-20T10:19:56Z")
Sjeesh. Is the Pope actually deluded and sheltered enough to think he is in a position to _lecture_ anyone in the US at the moment? Why is he not deep in the Vatican licking his wounds, re-evaluating his values and in general waiting out the time untill the outrage about the child molesting has died down? Talk about hubris. Talk about brutality. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/22 "2012-04-20T10:22:55Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > That would be a triple “yep”, **BigT**. Each order and convent will decide what to do, but in the end it’s more a matter of what the nuns _talk_ about publically than about their _work_. That is, unless Ratzi is planning on shutting down not just \* every Order whose chapter says it’s dedicated to teaching or to taking care of the infirm (yeah, sure, we’ll shut down the Sisters of Mercy, great PR coup, dude!) At the \*, it should say “not just the Jesuits (again) but every other Order…” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/23 "2012-04-20T10:29:11Z")
Do the nuns need the Church’s money, or are they self-supporting? ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/24 "2012-04-20T12:20:35Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Do the nuns need the Church’s money, or are they self-supporting? > [@](#): > > Consecrated religious live in community with other members of their order. They share all meals together and try to work together, pray together, and recreate together. Because they take a vow of poverty, they don’t own their own car, and they have no personal savings or checking accounts. The religious order they belong to provides all this, and they must ask their superiors when they need or want something. This is where that vow of obedience kicks in. I don’t know what is the financial connection between the order and the RCC. Anyone have some pointers? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/25 "2012-04-20T13:35:56Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > “But I thought I could change him…” 🙂 I want to feel sorry for the nuns, but come on ladies. This the Catholic Church. You knew what you were getting into when you donned the habit. I know lots of nuns don’t where habits anymore, but it wasn’t long ago that all nuns looked pretty much like women in Saudi Arabia. And I promise I don’t still hold a grudge against Sister Mary What’s-Her-Name for whacking me on the knuckles with that 2" dowel for whatever silly offense I committed in class way back when. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/26 "2012-04-20T14:08:18Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I want to feel sorry for the nuns, but come on ladies. This the Catholic Church. You knew what you were getting into when you donned the habit. I know lots of nuns don’t where habits anymore, but it wasn’t long ago that all nuns looked pretty much like women in Saudi Arabia. I suspect a lot of the tension between the Nuns and the current Church is due to the current leadership (and given the age of the average Nun, much of the membership) of the Sisters joined around the time of Vatican II and expected the Church to continue liberalizing. So I’m not sure they really did know what they were getting themselves into. My mothers family are religious Catholics (and includes several Nuns), and they’re sort of like this. They’re very attached to the idea of the Church as the dynamic, socially active, more ecumenical organization they pictured it was becoming in the 60’s, and are continuously disappointed as the Popes succeeding John XXIII have instead been focused on using the Church as international sex-police. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/27 "2012-04-20T14:22:56Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Do the nuns need the Church’s money, or are they self-supporting? The female Orders I’m familiar with are self-supporting in Spain; this includes contemplative Orders (cloistered nuns), teaching Orders, Orders in hospitals and Orders in hospitality (houses for Spiritual Exercises, college dorms). Priests get a small salary from their Diocese, but monks who are not priests do not. Monasteries have a long tradition of supporting themselves by their own work; for example, [la Trapa](http://www.trapa.com/) chocolates used to be made by a monastery of Trapa monks and [MASH pillows](http://www.mash.com.es/almohadas.html) (no relationship to the TV series AFAIK, but maybe the Mother Superior was a fan) are made by nuns in a monastery. Sweets, preserves, books on cooking, cooking programs on TV (specializing in “cheap, healthy and tasty”), embroidery work or translations are other sources of income I know of. Oh, and remote IT. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/28 "2012-04-20T14:35:52Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > cooking programs on TV (specializing in “cheap, healthy and tasty”) There this old Swiss nun that had a show on Argentinian TV (don’t fucking ask!). My husband and I had a blast watching her wipe the sides of the bowl with her fingers so nothing would be wasted. She always did that. It brought memories of my Catholic school, it did. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/29 "2012-04-20T14:44:09Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I suspect a lot of the tension between the Nuns and the current Church is due to the current leadership (and given the age of the average Nun, much of the membership) of the Sisters joined around the time of Vatican II and expected the Church to continue liberalizing. So I’m not sure they really did know what they were getting themselves into. > > My mothers family are religious Catholics (and includes several Nuns), and they’re sort of like this. They’re very attached to the idea of the Church as the dynamic, socially active, more ecumenical organization they pictured it was becoming in the 60’s, and are continuously disappointed as the Popes succeeding John XXIII have instead been focused on using the Church as international sex-police. I don’t know how much the Church has really changed since the 60s, and we tend to hear more about the sex police stuff than all the rest of what the Church is doing. Plus, things like SSM wasn’t even a topic 99% of the people in the US thought about in the 60s. ---
**Author:** ![theR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@theR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theR)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/30 "2012-04-20T17:58:26Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The female Orders I’m familiar with are self-supporting in Spain; this includes contemplative Orders (cloistered nuns), teaching Orders, Orders in hospitals and Orders in hospitality (houses for Spiritual Exercises, college dorms). > > Priests get a small salary from their Diocese, but monks who are not priests do not. > > Monasteries have a long tradition of supporting themselves by their own work; for example, [la Trapa](http://www.trapa.com/) chocolates used to be made by a monastery of Trapa monks and [MASH pillows](http://www.mash.com.es/almohadas.html) (no relationship to the TV series AFAIK, but maybe the Mother Superior was a fan) are made by nuns in a monastery. Sweets, preserves, books on cooking, cooking programs on TV (specializing in “cheap, healthy and tasty”), embroidery work or translations are other sources of income I know of. Oh, and remote IT. Don’t forget the beer! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/31 "2012-04-20T18:15:04Z")
“All across the nation, people are leaving the Church and going back to God” - Lenny Bruce (attrib.) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/32 "2012-04-20T18:26:28Z")
As someone who has nothing but contempt for “social justice,” I wholeheartedly agree with the pope on this one. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/33 "2012-04-20T18:37:43Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > As someone who has nothing but contempt for “social justice,” I wholeheartedly agree with the pope on this one. Oh good lord. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/34 "2012-04-20T18:38:59Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > So these nuns just discovered they belong to one of the most autocratic, socially conservative, morally rigid, cumbersome, male-dominated organisations on the planet… Exactly my thought. They are certainly welcome to nail up a list of their counter-beliefs and go worship separately if that’s what they think their god supports. Otherwise, they signed up for the heirarchy and aren’t the ones that get to make the rules. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/35 "2012-04-20T18:44:08Z")
Why not? Its their Church too, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/36 "2012-04-20T18:44:31Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > As someone who has nothing but contempt for “social justice,” I wholeheartedly agree with the pope on this one. Jesus be damned, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/37 "2012-04-20T19:02:31Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > As someone who has nothing but contempt for “social justice,” I wholeheartedly agree with the pope on this one. Are you paying attention, Ratzi? **Crafter Man** is agreeing with you! If there were ever a sign that you need to reevaluate your position… ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/38 "2012-04-20T20:40:03Z")
> [@theR](#): > > Don’t forget the beer! Well, this is Spain, they’re more into wine… ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/39 "2012-04-20T20:45:02Z")
The nuns should send a message back: Dear Your Holiness, If the men of the Catholic Church would spend less time molesting children and having secret families, there would be less need for social justice. Sincerely, The Leadership Conference of Women Religious ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349/40 "2012-04-20T21:36:34Z")
Yeah, like that one guy in the Bible who was all on about social justice – I dunno, he had long hair, and was always talking about loving everyone, and helping out the poor and stuff? What was his name… Sounds like the Pope needs his knuckles smacked with a ruler. The vast majority of nuns I’ve ever come across (in fact, I’d say all of them!) were all about social justice. My first grade teacher still wore the habit, and was always telling us the stories of Jesus helping the poor, the needy, the sick, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vatican-nuns-should-spend-less-time-on-social-justice/619349.md?page=3)