Activists are urging Pope Francis to establish a fund for nuns who leave religious life due to abuse from priests and prelates, shining a light on an issue that has long been overlooked by the Catholic Church. According to the Vatican’s official newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, there are more than 600,000 nuns globally, and their exploitation and abuse has gained increased attention in recent years.
Pope Francis acknowledged the problem in 2019, specifically mentioning “slavery” and “even sexual slavery” within a women’s religious order that was dissolved by his predecessor Benedict XVI in 2005. German researcher and former nun Doris Reisinger, who has experienced sexual and spiritual abuse by a priest, made the request during a press conference organized by the BishopAccountability.org group on Tuesday.
Reisinger emphasized that while the pope has admitted abuse of nuns, he has not taken concrete action to address the issue. She also highlighted the issue of coerced abortion, stating that despite knowing that priests have forced abortions on women, the Church continues to treat abortion as a female issue without acknowledging the role of priests.
The Vatican’s press office did not respond to a request for comment on this matter. Reisinger proposes that Church law be changed to compel nun orders to allocate funds to support sisters who decide to leave, and suggests that the pope establish a central Church fund for this purpose if they fail to do so.
Moreover, Reisinger called for the creation of a fund by Pope Francis to support children fathered by priests, aiming to prevent them from a “life of poverty and shame”. She also urged for the mandatory defrocking of priests who force abortions on women they impregnate.
Reisinger highlighted the challenges faced by nuns who leave religious life, explaining that they often lack professional training and struggle to integrate back into society after years or decades of being isolated from friends and family. According to her, these nuns find it “literally impossible to go out there on your own.”
Reisinger mentioned that it is difficult to determine the exact number of nuns who have been subjected to sexual abuse. She referred to a 1998 survey by Saint Louis University in the United States, which found that 12.5% of the surveyed nuns reported being victims of sexual exploitation. Additionally, just under 5% experienced “genital sexual contact” and over 6% reported physical harassment such as kissing and inappropriate touching.
At the conclusion of her press conference, Reisinger reiterated the urgency of addressing these issues within the Catholic Church, calling for immediate action from Pope Francis to support nuns who have experienced abuse and coercion within their religious communities. (Editing by Angus MacSwan)
