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Silence No More on This Good Shepherd Sunday (Podcast)
Photo by Pawan Sharma on Unsplash
On this Good Shepherd Sunday while the Church celebrates vocations to the religious life, for many former nuns this is a difficult day. For them it is not a day of celebration, but a day of recalling traumatic experiences in the convent, and remembering the days of smiling through the hurt and pain of physical, emotional, verbal, or spiritual abuse, usually that which took place during their years of formation.
I would like to share an interview I did with Alycia, on her podcast, "Call for Convent Reform." Alycia also runs the "Call for Convent Reform" blog where she shares testimonies and articles about convent abuse, and also provides a section for women discerning religious life to research if a specific community has any reports of abuse. The section for women in discernment is still a work in progress.
During the interview we delved into the disturbing reality of abuse that plagues far too many convents, specifically while women are in formation. In our conversation, I shared my own journey of losing my vocation to the religious life due to abuse within my formation program. It is important to note that my story is not unique; countless others have faced similar experiences. It was only yesterday that I read yet another story, this time in the U.K. of a former cloistered nun who had been abused in the convent. I speak not only for myself, but also for those who feel silenced, whether they are current or former religious sisters.
The issue of abuse within convents has been ignored for far too long by the Church. It seems that the Church has faced the priestly scandals, but cannot come to truly accept that scandals have occurred in the convent as well, and continue to occur over and over again. It is time to confront this reality head-on.
I am incredibly grateful for a recent book, that has now been translated into English, Abuses in the Religious Life and the Path to Healing by Don Dysmas de Lassus, and published by Sophia Institute Press. This was a much needed book to bring attention to the fact that those in religious life have also experienced abuse, not only seminarians. I hope and pray that this book will encourage more individuals to come forward and share their experiences to bring attention to this horror that is taking place, but also to let others being abused to know that they are not alone. The time for silence needs to be over and done with today.
Women who dedicate their lives to serving God should never endure abuse in any form. The truth must be acknowledged, even if it challenges the status quo. The crisis in the formation of many religious orders exacerbates the vocation crisis. It is clear that this is a pervasive issue that demands attention and reform.
Call for Convent Reform - Faithful Catholics Calling for the Reform of Abusive Convents
"Interview with Former Religious Christina"
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About the Author
Christina M. Sorrentino is the Editor-in-Chief at Ignitum Today and a regular contributor to Missio Dei. She is a theology teacher and freelance writer who resides in Staten Island, New York. Ms. Sorrentino has contributed to various publications, including Catholic Exchange, Word on Fire, and Homiletic & Pastoral Review. She is a published author, and co-authored her most recent book The Eucharistic Revival Project. You can visit her website Called to Love - A Listening Heart, where she writes about the musings of a millennial Catholic called to love, or follow her on X.
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