She Makes Us Look Callous

She makes us look callous
Living in our palace
Twiddling our thumbs
While she works in the slums
She makes us look greedy
Neglecting the needy
Protecting our wealth
While she spreads love and health

She's asked for permission
For a new Congregation
Who's this nun in Calcutta
Who's got hearts all a-flutter
And a poverty fixation?
She's asked for permission
To start a new Order
Don't we have too many?
Do we have enough money
To cross a new border?

Let's give them permission
To start the Order they want
By our own admission
They're doing what we ought to, but don't

She makes us look callous
Living in our palace
Twiddling our thumbs
While she works in the slums
We're living in luxury
Silk, velvet and jewelry
Counting gold nuggets
While she cleans lepers' maggots

Where did we blunder?
When did we lose our thunder?
Young people today
Aren't religious I say
They think we're passé
Nobody's joining us
Everyone's leaving us
We offer security
She offers poverty
In her they find Purity

Let's give them permission
To start the Order they want
To our great contrition
They do what we ought to, but don't
Let's give them our blessing
To form their Congregation
This talk of slums is depressing
Let's think of our next celebration

What a great photo-op, she will be
For our Pope, wait and see
We'll come out on top
Oh, we can't imagine the scope.
Her new congregation, will be good
For our reputation, and it should
Redeem and salvage
Our damaged image