As a product of Catholic schools, my relationship to sisters of faith has been, well, complex.  But, when the Vatican decided to publicly humiliate 80% of Catholic sisters by calling them ‘radical feminists’ I was surprised and saddened.  First the sad part.  The bishops seem to use ‘radical feminist’ in the mean-spirited way it is tossed about in public discourse along with ‘feminazi’…a free floating signifier vaguely referring to anyone thoughtfully engaging in dialogue that challenges authority. 

Second, imagine my surprise, as a kid who was always on the other side of the law at Catholic school, to feel myself proud to say: I love my sisters.  They are courageous, humble, and Christ-like in their focus on a church family that is less about doctrine and more about a way of living, listening, and learning.  The bishops look like bullies becoming increasingly violent in their desperate efforts to defend their own power and privilege.  Though I give the bishops credit (and here they agree with sisters of faith) on their spirited challenge to both the Paul Ryan budget and to Paul Ryan's assertion that his budget reflects Catholic teachings.