'Sacrilege: Liberation Enters the Church'


The teaching of Carl Rogers had a massive influence on the Catholic Church in the United States, from which it has never recovered.[44] For Rogers the therapist was only a facilitator (a word that still haunts Catholic meetings) who gave unqualified acceptance (unconditional love) to the client. Rogers, an unbeliever who had been formed in a strict but affectionate Protestant home, wanted everyone to explore and accept his deepest desires. Rogers's deepest desires were civilized and humane, but not everyone is like him. Rogers unwisely kept reassuring people that they should have no fear about "calling up and unleashing their hidden desires."[45][46]

Rogers and Coulson set up a massive group therapy program for the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) nuns, who invited them in to help with the period of reflection that the Vatican Council had asked for. Coulson was a good Catholic. When he and Rogers got in touch with their inner selves, they discovered sensitive, enlightened consciences. When their patients were in the presence of Coulson and Rogers they too discovered sensitive consciences that gave good direction. But Coulson and Rogers trained facilitators who, they discovered, were unable to evoke such a conscience. Under these facilitators' direction, the nuns got in touch with their inner selves. What they discovered there was that they did not want to be nuns and they did want (at least some did) to be lesbians. The order disintegrated in a matter of months. Cardinal Manning became alarmed, and attempted to stop the collapse, but he only made it worse. The Jesuits wanted to get in on the act. They consulted Rogers's associate William Coulson and discussed the new concept of the "third way between celibacy and marriage." Coulson asked what they meant. A Jesuit replied, "It means you don't have to marry the girl."