Church magazine editorial says even basic facilities like sanitary pads denied to nuns
The editorial, written by Dr Suresh Mathew in 'Indian Currents', an English weekly published from Delhi by a society under the patronage of the Capuchins of Krist Jyoti Province of North India, talks at length about the violation of basic rights of nuns whose contributions to the Church are not small.
The article published on Monday comes in the backdrop of several sexual assault allegations against bishops and priests of various Christian congregations in the country.
A stinging editorial in a magazine, that comes out of the stable of the Catholic Church in India, throws sharp focus on the exploitation and harassment of nuns inside convents. The editorial, written by Dr Suresh Mathew in ‘Indian Currents’, an English weekly published from Delhi by a society under the patronage of the Capuchins of Krist Jyoti Province of North India, talks at length about the violation of basic rights of nuns whose contributions to the Church are not small.
“In India, nuns in many congregations are not allowed to use mobile phones or personal e-mail to be in touch with their near and dear ones. There are allegations of discrimination between earning and non-earning members within the same congregation,” the editorial reads.
It goes further to say, “There are also instances of denial of basic facilities in many convents. It may sound primitive, but it is a fact that in many cases, nuns and novices continue with the unhygienic practice of using clothes during their menstruation period as sanitary pads are a strict ‘no’.”
Cover Page of the ‘Indian Currents’, an English weekly published from Delhi.The article published on Monday comes in the backdrop of several sexual assault allegations against bishops and priests of various Christian congregations in the country. A nun belonging to the Missionaries of Charity order has filed a police complaint against Franco Mulakkal, the Jalandhar bishop of the Catholic Church. Additionally, a woman in Kerala has complained of systematic sexual harassment and blackmail at the hands of four Christian priests belonging to different dioceses of the Orthodox Syrian Church.
The Indian Currents article says there have been cases where attempts have been made to tarnish the image of a sexual assault victim, as seen in the case of Franco Mulakkal, and superiors not willing to stand up for the victim in fear of displeasing priests or bishops.
“In many cases, when nuns suffer at the hands of church hierarchy, their superiors do not stand up with the suffering souls because they do not want to displease priests or bishops. Hence, the victims are not willing to come out in the open to report the abuse. Moreover, they are apprehensive that they won’t be believed if they complain against their own superiors, priests or bishops as they are well aware of the power of the authority to ‘strangulate truth’. The fears of the nuns have been proved right to some extent in the ongoing Jalandhar episode wherein efforts are on at various levels to paint the ‘victims’ black,” the editorial reads.
While stating that it does not think of ‘pointing an accusing finger at anyone’, the magazine questioned the studied silence on the part of church forums and committees.
“…one thing perplexes us: The studied silence on the part of the official Church Forums, Commissions, Committees and Organisations. Action, not inaction, justifies the relevance of existence, especially in times of crisis. Sooner the action, the better,” it says.
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