About 80% of nuns in the United States are members of an umbrella organization called Leadership Conference of Women Religious. This organization devotes the bulk of its efforts to helping the poor and less fortunate, probably like Jesus would have wanted. The last pope did not like the Leadership Conference and the new pope, who many hoped would herald a liberal turning of the tides for the Catholic church, doesn't like them much either.

Recently, Pope Francis announced that the Vatican will continue the "program of reform" — set in place by Pope Benedict — to restructure the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. But why would two popes in a row want to limit a Catholic organization that's actually doing good in the world? Why, because according to the pope emeritus, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious undermines “issues of crucial importance to the life of Church and society, such as the Church’s Biblical view of family life and human sexuality” and promotes “radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith."

You mean that they care more about those in need and rights of women than they do about keeping people from getting gay married and using birth control? Man, no wonder these nuns are so threatening to a group of decrepit old men who live in a castle made of stolen gold.

Pope Francis is moving forward on the reformation by appointing three male bishops to rewrite the nuns' conference statutes and help ensure that they begin following the Catholic teachings more to the Vatican's liking.

Executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference Erin Hanna remarks, “We expected Pope Francis to dismiss the mandate against the nuns but instead he broke the hearts of Catholics everywhere."

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious proves that there are a lot of wonderful, kindhearted Catholics out there — a fact that's important to keep in mind as the Vatican continues to do everything it can to remain one of the most backwards and fucked up institutions on the planet.

Pope Francis reaffirms Vatican censure of “radical feminist” nuns [Salon]

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