In mid-19th century United States, the education of young women was focused on developing virtues such as piety, modesty, subservience, and gentleness. French, drawing, dancing and music were also common in the curriculum. It was an education aimed at preparing young ladies for motherhood, and education that, according to Bishop John England of Charleston, SC., "was precisely the type of education that prepared young ladies for heaven."
However, religious women, who had already estamblish over one hundred academies for young ladies, began to introduce science, Latin, and mathmatics, what were known as "the masculine branches of learning," into the curriculum of their schools for young women.
Showing posts with label US Church History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US Church History. Show all posts
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Religious women and bishops
“An even greater challenge (than giving attention to the so-called ‘masculine branches of learning’) was the lifestyle of the very nuns who supposedly were its exemplars. They resided in a self-governing community of women and were confident, independent and authority figures to many. Consequently they were compelled to protect their way of life from clerical interference…
“Resenting challenges to episcopal authority, especially from laywomen and women religious, bishops tried to obtain unquestioned obedience form nuns. Sometimes they established their own religious orders with special vows of obedience. They also forced communities to separate from their motherhouses, intervened in elections, diverted funds, and even drove recalcitrants from their diocese. Occasionally convents were placed under interdict, supervisors excommunicated or deposed, and sacraments denied. The hierarchy generally shared the belief of Bishop Celestine de la Hailandière that to oppose a bishop was to revel against God and that the least priest in a diocese had more power over sisters than their superior general.”
from The Encyclopedia of American Catholic History
“Resenting challenges to episcopal authority, especially from laywomen and women religious, bishops tried to obtain unquestioned obedience form nuns. Sometimes they established their own religious orders with special vows of obedience. They also forced communities to separate from their motherhouses, intervened in elections, diverted funds, and even drove recalcitrants from their diocese. Occasionally convents were placed under interdict, supervisors excommunicated or deposed, and sacraments denied. The hierarchy generally shared the belief of Bishop Celestine de la Hailandière that to oppose a bishop was to revel against God and that the least priest in a diocese had more power over sisters than their superior general.”
from The Encyclopedia of American Catholic History
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
An Little Known Story
Considering the contributions that religious women have made to the development of the Catholic Church in the United States, it is somewhat surprising how little is known of those contributions. In an effort to provide a picture of those contributions an exhibit entitiled "Women and Spirit, Catholic Sisters in America" traveled across the country these past several years. It is available on DVD from www.womenandspirit.com.
More recently, KQED Plus aired a progam, Question of Habit, that contrasted to depiction of Catholic nuns in contemporary culture with the lives of actual women religious, both historical and current. Needless to say, our current cultural depictions have little to do with the reality of the lives and work that these women have done and continue to do.
More recently, KQED Plus aired a progam, Question of Habit, that contrasted to depiction of Catholic nuns in contemporary culture with the lives of actual women religious, both historical and current. Needless to say, our current cultural depictions have little to do with the reality of the lives and work that these women have done and continue to do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)