St. Cronan FAQ’S regarding the Interdict against Sr. Louise Lears
Who is Sr. Louise Lears?
Sr. Louise is a Sister of Charity, until recently a member of the Pastoral Team of St. Cronan’s parish, and an adjunct professor of Medical Ethics, and of the Spirituality of Non-Violence, at St. Louis University.
Sr. Louise is a woman of integrity and courage. Friends and colleagues call her a bright, energetic, compassionate and faith-filled woman. She has been consistent in her pastoral efforts to achieve justice in a nonviolent manner.
What are the charges against Sr. Louise?
Archbishop Burke found Sr. Louise guilty of four canonical crimes: (1) persistent rejection of the teaching that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer ordination on women; (2) an especially grave violation of Divine or Canon Law, leading to the infliction of spiritual harm and grave scandal; 3) public incitement of the subjects of the Apostolic See or the Archbishop to animosity and publicly provoking these subjects to disobedience against legitimate church authority; and (4) participating in a prohibited ceremony.
Why was Sr. Louise targeted for prosecution?
Sr. Louise has promoted the full inclusion of women in the ministries of the Catholic Church for many years. Of particular concern to Archbishop Burke is the fact that Sr. Louise attended the ordination of the two women as Roman Catholic Womenpriests in early November 2007. Central Reform Congregation, the only Jewish synagogue in the city of St. Louis, hosted this ceremony. More than 600 people attended the ordination, including other women religious and employees of the Archdiocese and Catholic institutions. At the time, Sr. Louise was an employee of St. Cronan Church, a parish noted for its advocacy of social justice issues, including those within the Catholic Church.
St. Cronan’s held an Advent Vespers service at which Susan Talve, the Rabbi at Central Reform Congregation, talked. Parishoners at St. Cronan’s have a warm and long-standing relationship with Rabbi Talve, who, as in past years, had again been invited to speak at the Advent Vespers service. Subsequent to Rabbi Talve’s invitation, the Archbishop banned the Rabbi from any interfaith events, because the women’s ordination ceremony was held in her synagogue. The Archbishop demanded that St. Cronan “disinvite” Rabbi Talve from speaking at the service. However, the parish council, the pastoral team, and a parish assembly decided that doing so would violate the parish’s core value of hospitality as well as the interfaith relationship between St. Cronan and Rabbi Talve. The parish decided to hold the service outside of St. Cronan’s Church, in the street. Sr. Louise was apparently, but not completely accurately, held responsible for this event.
Why do people think that Sr. Louise has been treated unfairly?
At no time did the Archbishop speak personally with Sr. Louise regarding his concerns about her actions. Instead of initiating a personal dialogue with her, which would be in keeping with his role as shepherd and consistent with the gospel requirement to seek out and be reconciled face-to-face with those against whom one has a grievance, Archbishop initiated an investigation of Sr. Louise (unknown to her or to her religious superior). Then, on 28 December 2007, Sr. Louise received a written summons, delivered by courier, to appear at a hearing before Archbishop Burke’s representatives. She had no prior written or personal communication from any diocesan official in her 14 years as a member of the diocese of St. Louis.
Sr. Louise and her canonical advocate responded in good faith to every condition demanded. Yet, the canonical process seemed to indicate that Sr. Louise’s guilt was a foregone conclusion. A document dated prior to the delivery of the initial written summons stated that “… no fraternal correction, or reproof, or other method of pastoral care, can restore justice, reform the probable offender, and sufficiently repair the most grave scandal created..."
Sr. Louise was never provided with a copy of the case, which contained the accusations and proofs against her. When Sr. Louise came to the Chancery to read the final acts of the case, in order to prepare her final defense, she was handed a copy of the Final Decree, which found her guilty of all four canonical crimes.
The official diocesan statement regarding the final penalties, published on the Archdiocesan website and printed in the St. Louis Review, stated “The Archbishop met with Sister Louise Lears to inform her of his concerns.” However, Sr. Louise never met Archbishop Burke prior to the delivery of the initial summons on 28 December 2007. The Archbishop was not present for the first hearing. He presided at the second hearing in February 2008; this was the first and only time that Sr. Louise met Archbishop Burke. The impersonal and legalistic nature of the Archbishop’s interactions with Sr. Louise are of grave concern to those who believe that an employee of a parish, a woman religious, and member of the diocese should be treated in a more personal and dignified manner.
Why are people particularly concerned about the penalties imposed on Sr. Louise?
Archbishop Burke imposed two severe penalties on Sr. Louise. The first, an interdict, prohibits Sr. Louise from receiving the sacraments, no matter where she lives. The interdict is not limited to the diocese of St. Louis. We believe that the sacraments are food for the journey, not rewards or punishments for behavior that a particular Archbishop finds unacceptable.
Second, Archbishop Burke prohibits Sr. Louise from ministering in the archdiocese of St. Louis. Sr. Louise was commissioned by her religious congregation to minister in St. Louis. It seems that her religious superior should have authority to determine where the sisters in her congregation minister.