The Huffington Post has a background article on Sister Pat Farrell, the president of the LCRW: Vatican Crackdown: Catholic Sister Pat Farrell Of LCWR Discusses Dramatic Life, from the Religion New Service.

an excerpt:

But it is Farrell's own life -- a vocation that has taken her from the Iowa heartland to ministry in Pinochet's Chile and war-ravaged El Salvador and back again to Iowa -- that may be the best way to understand the root of Rome's clash with the nuns, and why it may not be going away anytime soon, much as Farrell wishes it would.

"I've had a dramatic life, I really have. But the drama of it is not what's important," says Farrell, a soft-spoken, 65-year-old Franciscan who eventually, if hesitatingly, agreed to discuss her more than two decades in Latin America. "The best of what we do is not about high drama."

Indeed, behind the drama is a story of service to the poor, advocacy for the marginalized, and a radical spirituality that has profoundly shaped Farrell and many nuns like her -- as well as shaped the identity of the LCWR. Viewed in this context, the standoff is not a political struggle or power play as much as a contrast of complementary roles and experiences in the church.

While church officials often want to protect and emphasize doctrinal orthodoxies, sisters like Farrell often operate from a pastoral experience of faith in action that emphasizes a prophetic voice on behalf of the people they live with. (my emphasis - DD)

Below the article they have some other links (including to the NPR interviews). There are two that are responses to the interview with Sister Farrell that are pretty frightening. Having lived and worked in communities based upon consensus decision-making and non-hierarchical structure I recognize the vocabulary and concepts that Sister Farrell uses and that these two writers sneer at. I also recognize the attitude of those who don't understand the concept.

Sister Pat Farrell, president of the LCWR, deflects, blames, and otherwise obfuscates (by By Carl E. Olson, editor of The Catholic World Report. "Catholic World Report is an online news magazine that tells the story from an orthodox Catholic perspective.")

Analysis of NPR's interview of LCWR Pres. Sr. Pat Farrell: like a 7-year old's manipulative obfuscation (from "Fr. Z's Blog – What Does The Prayer Really Say?" by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, who notes, among other things, that he is a Rush Limbaugh listener. He writes like one. You may want to spare yourself viewing of this item.)

This is the same mindset that can find "community organizing" a sign of treasonous intentions.

Are there priests or brothers who have spoken out in support of the sisters? Is there any parallel in the world of male Catholic religious? I'm starting to google and see... I'll save it for another post.

~ Becky in Tucson