Poland's Nuns lifting the Veil
A former Catholic nun helps others in Poland who want to leave their religious communities
What happens when a Catholic nun in Poland chooses to leave her religious community? How does she re-enter society?
Nuns are rejecting their orders after experiencing what they now regard as abuse. Some say they’ve even been sexually abused by priests.
Izabela Moscicka recently made this journey. She stopped being a nun and is now living independently in Krakow. She knows how hard it can be, so she’s setting up an aid centre for nuns and former nuns, who are looking for assistance and refuge.
For the first time, Izabela shares her life story, the realities of the life of Polish nuns on a day to day basis, and the difficulties they have if they decide to leave the church. We also hear from one of the former nuns she’s trying to help. She recently left her religious community after she reported historical sexual abuse by a priest. She says her order did nothing and told her to leave.
The Catholic Church in Poland is aware of these accusations. Father Piotr Studnicki is the episcopal delegate for child sex abuse on the Polish Bishop’s conference. He’s set up an official Catholic church phone line for nuns who need help. But with a culture of silence in Polish society around nuns leaving their orders and the abuses they endure whilst in their communities, how can these women get the help they need to start new lives?
Orla O’Brien travels to Poland to find out.
