Pope Francis takes on "radical feminist" American nuns

By Michael J.W. Stickings

The new pope has been a breath of fresh air, at least with respect to poverty and social justice, but let's not forget that he's a dogmatic conservative who is solidly orthodox on most matters (how else could he have been chosen by a group of cardinals appointed by John Paul II and Benedict XVI?). And he's now going after those dangerous heretics, U.S. nuns:

Pope Francis has backed the Vatican's doctrinal crackdown on a major group of American nuns, reasserting the Roman Catholic Church's conservative approach to various social issues in a move that could cool the warm reception he has received from some liberal Catholics since taking office last month.

The Vatican said in a statement Monday that Francis had reaffirmed the doctrinal evaluation and criticism of U.S. nuns made last year by the Holy See under his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. The assessment accused the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an organization that represents most U.S. female Catholic orders, of promoting "radical feminist themes" and ignoring the Vatican's hard line on same-sex marriage and abortion.

Oh sure, the symbolism is admirable, and it's nice that he'll wash the feet of women and prisoners, and that he'll buck stale tradition now and then, and that he's got a softness to him, and what appears to be genuine humility, but really, what did you expect?