UNITED STATES
Indie Theology
by Michele Madigan Somerville
I was not at all surprised to read about the Vatican’s fresh attempt to crack down on nuns in the United States. When the class bully strikes out with the tough guys in the schoolyard, what, in his desperation, does he do? He moves on to the girls. A “Get the nuns!” strategy makes perfect sense at this point in time.
The Vatican is losing the war of public opinion in the pews. Prominent practicing Catholic politicians are refusing to budge on equal marriage rights and medical insurance coverage of contraception. The sexual abuse stories keep coming – I think they are getting uglier. In the United States, the Vatican has failed to muster adequate support in the pews for its (secular) political agenda. The Holy See’s efforts to strong-arm American politicians have failed and are likely to backfire. Some of the Vatican’s own bishops are refusing to campaign against equal marriage rights in their dioceses. The hierarchy itself is sharply divided. In the US, the Vatican has struck out with the president its long-shot dream of an Opus Dei in the Executive Office has gone the way of ripples on a pond.
The Vatican needs to flex its muscles. More urgent, still, is its need to push tales of Vatican corruption, child molestation and news of its colossal failure to convince Catholics to vote in accordance with the Magisterium off of what we once called “the front pages.” The Vatican needs to create fresh fear.
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