Saturday, December 21, 2019

Attending the administration of 'sacraments' allegedly becoming tempting for Catholic Nuns?

Perhaps, this is a puzzle that remains unanswered for a long time among laity, that while they invite catholic nuns, who are their close relation, for the baptism or marriage of their brother, sister, niece or nephew, etc. the nuns turn it down on grounds of not being allowed to attend such ceremonies. We hardly see any catholic nun attending sacraments such as baptism or marriage, when the whole religious life is centered on building up better christian families.


How come attending the administration of sacraments themselves allegedly become tempting for religious women in the Catholic Church?

While they should be co-custodians of sacraments in catholic church as well as co-celebrant for the administration of the sacraments along with priests, on what grounds are they denied their participation in the performance of Sacraments, which is the very foundation of christian life?

The superiors of religious congregations deny permission for the nuns, stating that nuns generally do not attend the administration of the said sacraments. They don't give any specific reason for denying the permission. The unofficial reason behind the denial of permission is while attending the sacraments such as baptism and marriage, nuns would be tempted to entire into married life. The new born babies are like angels sent to earth and who can't but attend their baptism, where they are officially welcomed to Catholic Faith and they are freed with original sins they were born with. 

If we go by the same logic and argument, what about the young priests who closely administrate these sacraments, would they not be tempted at all?

Haven't the nuns undergone enough formation to overcome such temptations, if at all, while attending the administration of sacraments such as baptism and marriage? If that is the case, why don't religious congregations allow their nuns to attend the same after their menopause?

We should not forget that we live in a century where there is so much of discussions about women priesthood in catholic church.

Whereas, catholic nuns are increasingly encouraged to attend the jubilee celebrations of religious vows of nuns, as well as silver and golden jubilees of priestly ordination, which are not Sacraments that they ought to attend.

Beyond all speculations and clutches of the laws of the religious congregation,  catholic nuns, who renounced their family and worldly things for a cause, should be given permission
to attend the administration of sacraments of their near and dear ones on both humanitarian and religious grounds.

As increasingly less candidates are joining religious congregations each year, aspiring to be nuns, the congregations need to demolish their age old practices and embrace the new to remain floated and relevant in the modern times.

(It is written in the background prevailing in Kerala Catholic Church) 

Image Courtesy: http://www.ncregister.com/

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