It would seem the BBC is a bit behind. This was widely reported in the German press a few days ago. Today, the Austrina newspaper "Der Standard" is reporting that Fr Rungi has called off the "contest", because he has been "deliberately misunderstood". His only aim had been, he says, to show the beatuy of the life of religious sister. Cf. http://derstandard.at/?url=/? id=...d=1219581718477
Gregor | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 4:52 pm | #

What a dopey stunt. I won't even get started.
Ed Peters | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 5:35 pm | #

What we really need is a Ms/Mr Catholic Brains and Beauty Blogger Contest!
Dopey | 08.25.08 - 6:03 pm | #

Swing and a miss, Fr. Rungi.
Anonymous | 08.25.08 - 6:50 pm | #

And the winner is...? Dr.Ed ! Sorry, wdtprs...perhaps, next time. :0)
rose | 08.25.08 - 7:43 pm | #

These have to be the same group that set up the inflatable church on the beach. Bad idea after bad idea after bad idea...sigh ...
Michelle | 08.25.08 - 10:41 pm | #

cnn has the story so even though the pageant has been called off it is still being reported.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH...y.ap/ index.html

"Nuns will fill out a pageant profile including information about their life and vocation as well as a photograph. It will be up to them to choose whether to pose with the traditional veil or with their heads uncovered."

I thought it sounded like a dumb idea at first too but after reading the above statement I think the Fr is on to something. A beauty contest may not be the best idea but I still like the general idea of posting a photo and their vocation story that way lay young women can see what nuns their own age are like, and it may help vocations.
g | 08.25.08 - 10:43 pm | #

g - see:

http://www.americanpapist.com/20...t-for- nuns.html
AmericanPapist | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 11:48 pm | #

I was at the seminary in New York when the Pope came to the U.S., and I saw some of the most beautiful young nuns imaginable there. IT's got to be something with the habit, or something to go along with the vocation!
Peter H. | 08.26.08 - 12:58 am | #

It would of been a wonderful site to read the profiles of the Nuns and see where they live, what they do, where they came from. Maybe not the voting but the information, the important things they do.
Spice | 08.26.08 - 1:24 pm | #

Nonetheless, it is being called a beauty pageant; meaning parading them based on their beauty. Besides, the fact that one wouldn't put priests up for the same purpose to see who is more innocently beautiful - sexism, in one of its more negative forms, still applies here.

The very fact that this article exists also seems to attack those who are old...and if the message of beauty is not skin deep, then the priest seems to be lost here. It shouldn't make a difference whether nuns are young or old; it's their service to God and their parishioners that counts.

Although I understand a desire by the church to promote Catholicism, and have people return to the church; like bingo - we shouldn't break God's guidance in doing so. 5pillar.wordpress.com
5-Pillar Scribe | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 2:22 pm | #

The priest who had this insane idea was a member of the Passionist Order...St. Paul of the Cross, slap him alongside the head!
irishgirl | 08.28.08 - 11:05 am | #