Slowly but surely, details about the Vatican investigation of American nuns is starting to emerge. When the probe was announced in January, it was said to be focused on the “quality of life” of the nuns, especially in light of the declining number of women entering religious life. A number of Catholic insiders familiar with how the Vatican works thought something more was going on — essentially that the investigation, sooner or later, would get around to questions of fidelity to Catholic doctrine.

This week, National Catholic Reporter and Catholic News Service have separate stories reporting that “the soundness of doctrine held and taught” by the nun is indeed one focus of the investigation.

CNS says: Topics to be considered are outlined in a working document distributed July 28 to the 341 leaders of the religious congregations to share with their members. The topics include the religious “order’s style of governance…and the process for dealing with sisters who disagree publicly or privately with congregational decisions, especially in matters regarding church authority.”

Also this: “how the (order’s) formation program offers members the foundations of the Catholic faith and doctrine through the study of Second Vatican Council documents, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and post-conciliar documents.”

Who’s funding all this work and who drew up the questionnaire to be distributed to the religious orders? The Vatican’s lips are sealed.