Ever since the apostolic visitation of women religious was announced in early 2009, U.S. Catholic has been covering the story, defending our Sisters. Our coverage started with Above and beyond the call, in which Bryan Cones argued that women religious deserved a medal rather than an investigation.
We continued to blog and post news stories about the visitation online, while also conducting a survey of both women religious themselves and our readers and web visitors. The below package of articles is the result of these surveys.
Entered into evidence: Women religious respond to the Vatican investigation
More than 800 sisters took U.S. Catholic's survey on how they see the ongoing Vatican investigation of U.S. women religious. Heather Grennan Gary compiles their views on the state of their state in life. See their take on the investigation of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in Under the watchful eye.
The Sisters of Mercy are not McDonald's
What's wrong with a little quality control from papal headquarters? Sister Sandra Schneiders, I.H.M. explains why franchise thinking about religious life is stuck in the drive-thru lane.
Character witnesses
More than 1,700 readers and other Catholics lined up to give testimony on the Vatican investigation of women religious in this Reader Survey. Heidi Schlumpf finds most of them ready to take the stand in their sisters' defense.
The conversations around our surveys were intense. You can get a sense for the most heated debate about the apostolic visitations at our Quick Poll. While the full surveys are closed, this poll is still open, so feel free to join the conversation and cast your vote.
WEB ONLY! A tale of two visitations
The biblical visitation would be a good model for the apostolic visitation, writes Fran Ferder, F.S.P.A.
Blog entries
More on the Sisters–and religious life
News stories
Apostolic visitation of US women religious moves toward 2010 visits
Bishops given 'sober' report on religious orders, with signs of hope
California bishops laud work, ministry of women religious in state
Cardinal Rode defends apostolic visitation of US nuns
Apostolic visitation questionnaire sent to US religious orders
LCWR says Vatican has not fully disclosed reasons for US visitation
House resolution honors work of women religious in United States
US women religious should be proud of their ministries, says Cokie Roberts
New study shows current state of vocations to US religious communities
Working paper outlines information being sought from religious orders
Vatican orders study of women religious institutes in United States
Other resources:
Official site for the Apostolic Visitation of the Institutes of Women Religious in the United States
