Sister Jesme, a former nun who spent 30
years in a convent has released an autobiography named 'Amen' which is selling
like hot cakes in Kerala, India. In the book released earlier this year she has
detailed sexual harassment, bullying and lesbianism within the convent walls
that remain hidden from the public. However, the spokesperson for the
Syro-Malabar order of the Catholic Church, Dr. Paul Thelakkat denies all such
allegations saying the book exaggerates trivial matters.
 |
| Roman Catholic nuns in India |
“It is not my intention to make this book
controversial. I just want to express my feelings and explain what happened to
me”, says Sister Jesme, “…I want people to know how I have suffered. People say
that everything is fine, but I was in the convent and I think people have the
right to know what goes on. I have concerns for others.”
Sister Jesme says when she became a nun she
was astonished to discover that priests were forcing novices to have sex with
them. There had been secret homosexual relationships among nuns. At one point
she was forced into such a relationship by another nun who told her she
preferred this kind of sexual gratification as it ruled out the possibility of
pregnancy.
She says in the book that once she
travelled to Bangalore on a mission and was made to stay with a purportedly
pious priest who took her to a garden. “He showed me several pairs cuddling
behind trees and gave me a sermon on the necessity of physical love. He also
described several illicit affairs that certain bishops and priests have had.
After that he took me to his home, stripped off his clothes and ordered me to
do the same.”
She also alleges that the novices were
severely punished for even minor transgressions, and the senior staff turned a
blind eye to the actions of more ‘experienced’ nuns. She was not even allowed
to go home after she was informed that her father had died. She was given a
moment to see the body of her father barely 15 minutes before the funeral. She
was told by her superiors that the then senior sisters were not even lucky
enough to see the bodies of their parents.
Sister Jesme who resigned from the post of
principal at a Catholic college in Thrissur last year says the senior nuns
tried to commit her to a mental institution after she spoke against them. She
claimed convents had become houses of ‘torture’ saying the mental pressure was
unbearable. Sister Jesme says, “When I questioned the Church’s stand on
self-financing colleges and certain other issues, they accused me of having
mental problems. Once they sent me to a psychiatrist. Still there are many nuns
undergoing ill-treatment from the order, but they are afraid to speak out. The
church is a formidable fortress.”
These allegations are not the only
controversy to rock the Catholic Church in Kerala. Reports suggest there have
been a number of suicides by young nuns. Last summer, a 23 year old novice
committed suicide and left a note saying she had been harassed by her Mother
Superior. In November 2008, the police in Kerala arrested two priests in
connection with the rape and killing of Sister Abhaya. In 1992, the 16 year old
Abhaya was found dead in a well within the convent walls.
Reference: 1. The Independent
......................................................................
Written by: Ibrahim Nazim
1 December 2009, Tuesday
14 Thw al-Hijjah 1430
No comments:
Post a Comment