Posted on 09/11/2007 6:43:12 AM PDT by NYer
Three nuns who recently learned that their Santa Barbara convent would be sold to help cover the costs of Los Angeles' multimillion-dollar priest sexual abuse settlement say they have been overwhelmed with offers of help -- and media attention.
"The support has been just unbelievable," said Sister Angela Escalera, the local superior of the Sisters of Bethany house. "It's come from all parts of Santa Barbara and outside too. And from all denominations. It's just astounding." She and two other nuns at the small, eastside convent received word in late August that the dwelling, which is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, would be sold to help pay for the church's $660-million priest sex abuse settlement. At least $250 million of that amount will be paid directly by the archdiocese.
Escalera, 69, a retired notary public and social worker, has lived at the convent since 1964. She is still an active community volunteer, working mainly with the area's many poor and undocumented residents. Another of the nuns, Sister Consuelo Cardenas, 55, has lived in the building about 25 years and works as a religious education coordinator at a nearby parish. The third, Sister Margarita Antonia Gonzalez, 49, is a relative newcomer to the community, having lived there about four years. They have until Dec. 31 to move out, according to a letter sent by the archdiocese.
Since news of the likely sale broke last week, the phone at the convent has been "ringing and ringing and ringing," Escalera said Monday. Among other appearances in the past week, the nuns have twice been interviewed by Spanish-language television network Telemundo and on Friday by the hosts of the "John & Ken Show" on talk radio's KFI-AM (640). "We feel real bad for her, getting tossed out of her home like that".
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Gonzalez, left, and Escalera read the letter from the archdiocese telling them they were being evicted. "We're just so hurt by this," said Escalera, who has lived in the convent since 1964.
Gonzalez, left, and Escalera read the letter from the archdiocese telling them they were being evicted. "We're just so hurt by this," said Escalera, who has lived in the convent since 1964.
The Sisters of Bethany convent is next to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Santa Barbara.
Escalera says the most hurtful part of the proposed sale of her convent is that the proceeds will be used to pay for the misdeeds of pedophile priests.
What a classic shot. The one on the staircase.
The world was a better place when Christians had nuns.
Quite a black statement for the son of a woman who grew up in Boston with Richard Cardinal Cushing as the local priest.
Maybe all the financial help that’s being offered can be used to build the dear ladies a modern, handicapped-accessible residence.
***Among other appearances in the past week, the nuns have twice been interviewed by Spanish-language television network Telemundo and on Friday by the hosts of the “John & Ken Show” on talk radio’s KFI-AM (640). “We feel real bad for her, getting tossed out of her home like that”.***
VERY bad publicity for Cardinal Mahony...
There are still plenty of members of the Catholic Church who have moral authority and backbone. It's just too much of her hierarchy who have had their God-given authority lessened.
We still have them, and more than many folks think. Young ladies, in habit, joining explicitly traditional and orthodox orders. Many such orders have been formed in the last 20 years, and are overwhelmed with vocations.
Meanwhile, the '60s leftovers that "kicked the habit" are vanishing.
Yes, very bad publicity for him. As it should be.
Yes, very bad publicity for him. As it should be.
Yes, of course, money can and does buy anything. But this is their home . How much do you suppose Mahony will get for this old house that hasn't been updated in decades, and, is next door to a Catholic Church. That is probably up for sale as well. Let him sell that monstrosity he calls a cathedral!
His silken tongue is controlled by other forces; he'll talk his way out of this jam.
Alfredo Rodriguez thanks Sister Angela Escalera for helping with the paperwork to allow his wife in Mexico to join him in the U.S. Escalera and the two other nuns at the Sisters of Bethany convent help poor, mostly immigrant residents is east Santa Barbara.
However, in my opinion, excessive attachment to an earthly dwelling place is inconsistent with the religious vocation. I would expect religious, even more than laity, to see Heaven as their home, and the building as a temporary shelter.
I know it’s wrong of me to be glad, but I think he chose the wrong people to pick on. I think it will backfire in ways he never imagined.
All the talking in the world will not be able to cover up his cruelty. People are seeing him for what he is - a heartless villain.
I know of several aging priests in Los Angeles County who, although part of various orders and not technically “diocesan” priests, have lived at various parishes, administered the sacraments regularly at said parishes, had decades-long tenures at Catholic High Schools, and have been drummed out in the last year by Mahoney. Not even to sell the property. A number of them have been effectively kicked out and removed from their lifelong ministries into a state of quasi-retirement. These are not priests with any allegations of any wrongdoing. They’re simply becoming a burden to the archdiocese and Mahoney basically told them to go back to their orders.
This incident, therefore, is hardly suprising. What’s so shocking is not that Mahoney has the authority to do this - he does. It’s technically not “their” home - they don’t profess to own anything. It’s property of the archdiocese, plain and simple. What IS shocking is how grossly UNNECESSARY this is in the scheme of the archdiocese’s financial woes. To put a minor dent in their debts owed to abuse victims, they’ve decided to up-end the lives of these holy women. Could they have picked on a more sympathetic group? It’s truly mind-boggling and further evidence that the inmates are running the asylum in L.A., completely tone deaf to the plummeting reputation of our Church and digging the hole even deeper.
I am not surprised, however, by the outpouring of charity towards the nuns by others. God provides for those who do His work.
We still have them, and more than many folks think. Young ladies, in habit, joining explicitly traditional and orthodox orders. Many such orders have been formed in the last 20 years, and are overwhelmed with vocations.
What a nice thought. Not everyone is cut out for marriage and the orders gave people more scope than they have today.
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