Hans Kung, one of the greatest theologians of the twentieth century (and maybe of the twenty-first, too), has served the church long and well and has suffered in and for the church.  The unfortunate lifting of his ecclesial licence does not constitute a declaration that he's a heretic.  I think that word and similar words, such as "orthodox" and "heterodox", are used too casually and often imprecisely.  That said, I don't and didn't expect Pope Francis to name him a cardinal.  If +Francis had even a slight inclination to do so, Fr. Kung's public flirtation with assisted suicide would make it difficult for him to do it.

I agree that Sister Chittister's strength and her most important work for the church is in the area of spiritual writing and directing.