I will express myself with civility, courtesy, and respect for every member of the Sojourners online community, especially toward those with whom I disagree—even if I feel disrespected by them. (Romans 12:17-21)

I will express my disagreements with other community members’ ideas without insulting, mocking, or slandering them personally. (Matthew 5:22)

I will not exaggerate others’ beliefs nor make unfounded prejudicial assumptions based on labels, categories, or stereotypes. I will always extend the benefit of the doubt. (Ephesians 4:29)

It’s not a bad idea to include a similar “code of conduct” for posting and commenting on A Nun’s Life. Plus I think it would be great if we could get a “federation” of Catholic bloggers who would support and promote such a code. I like the biblically-based approach that Sojourners takes. What are your thoughts on this? What would you add/change? Are there some positive statements that can be added?

The issue in question is how nasty Catholics can get when discussing issues related to the Catholic faith. The authors refer to this as an “intramural Catholic culture war”. This war not only makes casualties of fellow Catholics but also of how the Catholic Church is regarded by others.

It is not pretty and, more importantly, its viciousness serves only to confirm to those outside the Church that, while we call ourselves Christians, we are unable to live out the most basic precepts of Christian compassion and charity.

Disagreement and debate, like the authors wrote, are not themselves bad things. But engaging in them out of hate and one-upmanship is a big problem. There’s nothing Catholic or Jesus-like in that.

I’m going to take a good look at who I chose to follow in my social media world and make sure that the dominant tone is charity — no matter how clever or intelligent the media source might be. And I’m also going to be vigilant about ensuring that A Nun’s Life is a welcome, hospitable place for all visitors. (P.S. Thanks, David, for hooking me up with this article.)

Mother Mary McKillop, the foundress of the Australian-based Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, was, in 1871, officially excommunicated by her local bishop, on the grounds that she “’she had incited the sisters to disobedience and defiance.”  That same church leader, Bishop Sheil, had earlier invited her to work in Adelaide, where she and her sisters would eventually set up schools, a women’s shelter and an orphanage, among their many works….

In April of this year, in an extraordinary gesture, Bishop’s Sheil’s successor, the current archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson, made a public apology to the Sisters for their foundress’s excommunication.  Standing before her statue, said that he was “profoundly ashamed of the Bishop’s actions in driving the Sisters out onto the streets.”  McKillop was beatified (the next-to-last step for canonization) by Pope John Paul II in 1995.

This is an interesting article in its own right but also in light of the swirling news about the Apostolic Visitation to some U.S. women’s religious communities. There is a great variety of speculation, study, interpretation, experience, and plain old ignorance about the Visitation. Sadly, some in the Catholic blogosphere have used this opportunity to slander individual Catholic sisters and nuns and congregations with accusations that sound pretty much like the ones Mother Mary McKillop received. I am reminded of the words of Saint Augustine (which someone had posted elsewhere as a rebuke to slanderous comments) — “In essentials, unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity.”

I’d love to hear your comments about Father Martin’s piece, Pope Hopes Excommunicated Nun Might Become Saint. The article goes a lot deeper than the headline suggests and includes the fabulous line “Musty stories of dead nuns?” How can you resist wanting to know how Father Martin slipped that line in??

Any other blogs that you are aware of that I can add to the list of blogs by Catholic nuns? My basic criterion is as follows:

• blogs by women religious and those women who are formally in the process of formation AND
• blogs which are currently active and not anonymous

Any that are listed that are no longer updated? Any links that are wonky?

While we are on the topic of soliciting feedback, anything you’d like to see more of on A Nun’s Life? topics? media (e.g. video, podcast, etc.)? guests?

Would appreciate your input!

How to Do an Online Book Discussion:

1. Check out the Discussion Forum to learn more about the book Lying Awake and the author Mark Salzman.
2. On the Discussion Forum you’ll find important tips such as discussion guidelines and technical helps such as how to insert a hyperlink.
3. Introduce yourself to other book discussion readers. This helps everyone get to know one another.
4. Take a look through some of the suggested discussion questions. These may give you ideas and inspirations as you read through the book.
5. Read the book! It’s available at bookstores, online at Amazon.com, and at your local public library.
6. Note your questions and ideas as you go through. If there are particular passages, please make note of the page and, in case there is a discrepancy between hardcover and paperback, the chapter.
7. Check in now and again on the Discussion Forum to see what people are saying, to enter into a conversation, or to start one of your own!
8. The Discussion Forum is open 24/7 for ongoing discussion.
9. We’ll  have some specific times for major themes. To start with Major Theme #1 will be on overall impressions of the book. I haven’t figured out the rest but other major themes may be The Reality of Cloistered Life Compared to the Book’s Portrayal of Cloistered Life; The Relationship Between Illness and Holiness; Experiencing God. Depending on how the group feels, a Major Theme might go for a week or so and then I’ll post another.
10. We’ll also have one or two opportunities for a “live” discussion — a set day and time when we can all meet online. These will probably involve a guest and/or a specific topic of interest to many readers.

How does this sound? I’ve never done an online book discussion before so I’m not sure we’ll know what to do until we do it! Let’s begin!