what sanctimonious BS ... this is the church that holds that women are inferior to men, must subject themselves to male gods, to a male clergy, patriarchal and medieval culture ?? hospitable to women ?? the wonder is that there is one nun left. and, of course, there are many fewer since I had nuns in grammar school ...

Just "feeling sad" about the situation is not enough cardinal....you must be proactive in your views to promote justice and fairness for the sisters to be able to live out their call to build a more just society.....It is so difficult to affiliate with the Church in any way possible for me....first...blame the gays and gay marriage...now blame the nuns....disgusting.

Well Seano I'm happy to hear you are sad, especially because the truth hurts.

It seems the good cardinal's concern was fleeting at best. How can any institution claim to have little room for discussion on any aspect of its tenets when the society in which it exists is in constant flux? How can they possibly expect to remain relevant? No, ultimately O'Malley works for the Vatican and the current administration runs a tight ship. "Embracing secular values" is simply code speak for the usual anti gay rhetoric from Rome and O'Malley wouldn't be cardinal if he didn't wholeheartedly embrace those same principles. His claims of the current negative characterizations of the church as being "hurtful" are a ridiculous comment given the intensity of Rome's comments regarding the nun's behavior. The Vatican's rebuke of intelligent women who love their religion's ideals and attempt to effectively implement them in contemporary society is the behavior that deserves censure.

Keeping nuns subservient while pedophile enabling priests are elevated to Rome as in Cardinal Laws case. Keeping nuns from the alter while pedophiles stand before the congregation. Maybe it is time to give the nuns, and females in general, a greater role in the church.

Two words...female priests

The Catholic Church has not taught for 2,000 that contraception is a sin, that priests cannot marry, that homosexuals are disordered. Jesus of Nazareth did not teach so either. He taught and commanded us to LOVE LOVE LOVE. "O'Malley said the nun dispute is about the specific activities of the Leadership Conference, not about US nuns at large." Cute. And condescending. What is needed and required is an all-out acknowledgement of the disaster that the Church brought upon itself and an outright apology to women religious. That would be a start and the right thing to do.

"Obviously, when people are trying to portray the church as being antiwomen - it's very disturbing and hurtful'' Gee, ya THINK? I wonder WHY the church is being portrayed this way? "We have nothing but affection for them." AFFECTION? Curious choice of a word. Affection like you'd have for your pet puppy? How about RESPECT?

I am reminded of Atticus Finch's comment, "It's a sin to kill a mockingbird." These women are not mockingbirds. They are committed adults who deserve respect and a place of responsibility and decision making in the modern church. If they don't get it, they will get it elsewhere.

Isn't the primary purpose, if not the sole purpose, of women in the Catholic church to pump out as many little Catholics as possible?

Cardinal O'Malley, "The reubke of a U.S. Nuns group may have foestered a "perception" that the Church is inhospitable to women"??? Nonsence!! All you have to do is point out that the Vatican allows women to clean The Pope's apartment and toilet bowls, provided they are properly and fully consecrated. I mean, just between you and me pal, hos more do dees broads want anyhows, right? for Christ sake!!

ya..."affection" like everyone ought to own one of these nice things called women!!!! I mean Are these guys caught in a time warp or what!!!

Worried and saddened....worried and saddened??? You guys have become so ridiculous, and such a daily parody of yourselves, that I don't even know how to make jokes about you anymore. How does one make a joke about a joke?

While it is true that nuns and lay women have undertaken vital roles in Catholic institutions and parish life, it is not true that this is a reflection of the esteem in which the hierarchy holds them. Rather its a reflection of the diminishing ranks of the priesthood. The hierarchy relies on these women out of necessity and nothing more. In fact, their actions betray their annoyance at this reality. What the Catholic hierarchy laments is not the discord that is created by their shameful action toward these women. What they lament is the circumstances that lead them to have to depend on all these females, both the uppity nuns and the demanding laity. What they desperately want is a return to what they consider the glory years - when there were more men entering the priesthood. If that were still the case, they could dismiss these voices of discontent with ease. One need only look at the outreach to conservative married protestant ministers as an example. This is not an ecumenical action; it is an effort to bring in more men (conservative men) and diminish the role of these women they claim to hold in such high esteem. They reach out a welcoming hand to married men while they figuratively backhand these women. The hierarchy continues to move further and further away from the few people left in the pews and the many people in the community who support the work these nuns have been performing.

O'Malley's comments do more to damn him than to portray him as sympathetic to the nuns and secular women working for the church. That eternal whipping boy, "the media" don't have it wrong this time. Sisters are subservient, and they had better be obedient. His words are clear: don't question teachings that are 2,000 years old or you will be disciplined. "We have affection for them" -- how insulting and dismissive. Sisters today are highly educated and do the real work of the church with real people while the old white guys in charge play chess games with abusive priests. They only acknowledge nuns and women when they step out of line. Disgraceful.

Beautifully and insightfully put. Thank you.

There won't be any chance at progress until Pope Benedict is gone. What a disaster for the Catholic Church he is - and his cardinals and bishops are mostly just as bad. If you are not a pull-string puppet or wedge (simplest tool known to mankind)you are not a cardinal or bishop in good standing with the Vatican. It's pretty sad, yet they wonder why the pews are empty.

Why in God's name, would you, Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley be afraid to tell the Truth. Jesus knows exactly the "perception" that His Church has of Women. Why are you wearing a 'Red Cap'? Are you afraid and scared of the Truth? These nuns that profess, masturbation, same-sex marriage, and women should be priest? Are you kidding me? You better tell them the Truth because they are headed for Hell for professing that intrinsically evil acts are not serious sin. Why do you not explain, that to be a true women, is to know what the Blessed Virgin Mary said. The Blessed Virgin Mary is an example to all the women by God Himself. She is the most beautiful, perfect and Holy of creatures made by God. A woman cannot do better than that. What were the most important words that The Blessed Virgin spoke on Earth? "I am the handmaid of the Lord". "Be it done unto me according to your word" (God's Word). Then at The Wedding Feast in Cana, the Blessed Virgin Mary said, "Do as He asks".(Jesus's directions). The leadership of the nuns in America are so far off base that it should be very easy for you ,as a Cardinal, of The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, to teach the Truth. As Blessed John Paul II said, "Be Not Afraid". How about pointing out the Doctors of the Church that are woman? They were not priest, but nuns that knew they were women and very Holy. "Perception" does not matter, but the 'Truth' matters.

And that pretty much sums up what is wrong with the Catholic Church. They think their problems can be solved by better spin doctors.

Cardinal O'Malley invited Cardinal Rode ( originator of the infamous investigation of women religious in the US) to a conservative symposium at Stonehill College celebrating the Boston Archdiocese's 200th anniversary in 2008. This symposium, with conservative women religious and others such as Bishop Molino, was credited by Rode as providing an impetus to him for his investigation. Card. O'Malley also refused to wash women's feet on Holy Thursday when he first arrived-he said he had to "ask permission" from Rome to wash women's feet. Make of what he says what you will. His actions speak loudly. http://ncronline.org/news/women/stonehill-symposium-played-role-women-religious-study?page=1 http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2008/09/rode-at-stonehill.html http://womensenews.org/story/religion/100209/vatican-probe-us-nuns-moves-quietly-forward?page=0,1

The Bishops should all be required to clean the toilets for the nuns. What backward donkeys they are. I concur completely though with another poster who said there will be no substantive changes while that faux leader in Rome is still on this side of the grass. We do have to watch out for his replacement though. They've got their eye on that big blowfish Bishop in New York, that Morley Safer interviewd on 60 minutes, as the next Pope. After conversing for a bit, Morley apparently thought he was talking to someone who was rooted in today's reality, and asked him (more or less...I'm paraphrasing here) if he was going to bring the Church into the 21st century on such matters s women being priests, and homosexuality, etc. He laughed a hearty Santa Claus-like laugh, and said Oh, no Morley, don't be silly. I'm not REALLY going to change ANYTHING! The trick is to laugh and talk with people, maybe have a beer or two with them, and make them THINK you are a progressive and a regular guy dealing with reality. But I'm not going to change a THING, and I'll let you in on a little secret here---that's the way they REALLY want it. They want the 2000 year old orthodox rules, and they want them enforced. it gives them security and comfort. Then, at the end of the interview, the camera retracts away from the bishop and sees him through a window, sitting on a throne in his colorful ourfit, bestowing his blessing on someone. For anyone with a brain....scary stuff. For Catholics...the stuff of dreams. So we have to watch what we ask for, we just might get it.