Nuns mobilize to empower women Religious; plans to open theology training center

Catholic nuns in the country mobilised last week in Mangalore, instituting a new vision of opening a theology research institute to empower women Religious and redress the gender disparity in religious studies.

The four–day annual plenary of the women's section of the Conference of Religious India proposed the initiative before it ended on Jan. 1.

About 350 major superiors representing more than 90,000 women Religious gathered in Mangalore, 2,290 kilometers southwest of New Delhi, for the assembly, reported UCA news.

According to the report, a seven member committee has been commissioned to work out plans in establishing an inter–congregational institute to spur education, development and research among women Religious.

The new center will "enable the women to empower themselves" through scientific and systematic research and study on the contributions of women in general and Religious women in particular, explained Bethany Sister Jyothi, a committee member.

Sister Jyoti was one among many others who protested and expressed concern over gender discrimination within the church. Some said women Religious are treated as "just decorators," reported Sister Jyothi, also vice president of the meeting's organizing committee.

The center, according to Sister Jyoti, will carry out research on gender issues and women's studies, with special emphasis on theological and religious perspectives for women's social, economical, cultural and spiritual" empowerment.

Chavanod Sister Evelyn Monteiro, a theologian, observed that one reason for male domination in the Church has been women's lack of competence in theology. Addressing the gathering, she said professionalism in any field could empower women Religious. She proposed a theology institute for training nuns.

The Congregational leaders in a statement after their annual assembly, which ended on Jan. 1 said they will redesign their formation program to "nurture a God–experience based spirituality that fosters a life of contemplative prophecy."

“Such formation will stress "emotional and psycho–spiritual–sexual growth" and "encourage theological study and research" aimed at enhancing nuns' capacity for analytical, critical and creative thinking. This will "reinterpret and contextualize our charisms" for social relevance, says the congregational leaders, quoted UCA news.

During their four–day meeting in Mangalore, the senior nuns gathered and discussed on the theme Prophetic Mysticism: The Call of Empowered Religious Women.