VATICAN CITY — As the Catholic Church continues grappling with the fallout of clerical sexual abuse scandals, the sexual exploitation of nuns by members of the clergy remains one of its most sensitive and unresolved issues. With increasing reports of such abuse, the issue is becoming harder to ignore—especially for the next pope.
Following the 2019 Vatican summit on clerical sexual violence, several landmark steps were taken. These included the lifting of the pontifical secret in abuse cases and instituting a formal obligation to report allegations to religious superiors. Yet, many believe these actions, while significant, are just the beginning.
“For a long time, nuns suffered in silence,” said Sister Cristina Schorck of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Rome. “Pope Francis opened a first door for women to begin speaking out.”
Sister Veronique Margron, President of the Conference of Religious of France, noted that while the issue remains taboo, it is receiving more attention than ever before. “It’s both still a taboo and something that has progressed,” she told AFP.
High-profile cases such as that of Father Marko Rupnik—accused of sexual and psychological abuse of nuns in the 1990s—have highlighted the Church’s slow but visible shift. Under public pressure, Pope Francis waived the statute of limitations in 2023 to allow proceedings against Rupnik to go forward.
Italian attorney Laura Sgro, representing five of Rupnik’s accusers, emphasized the urgent need for greater protection of nuns under both civil and canon law, including an extension of the statute of limitations. “The next pope must act immediately,” she said.
Despite some reforms, victims’ advocates argue that the Vatican has yet to take more decisive steps, particularly regarding the continued enforcement of confessional secrecy.
“Things are moving forward step by step,” a senior Church official told AFP anonymously, acknowledging that Pope Francis has denounced all forms of abuse.
Across St. Peter’s Square, where nuns from across the globe gather for study, ministry, and pilgrimage, voices continue to call for more institutional accountability.
Sister Marthe, a Cameroonian nun in her 40s, expressed the need for a more comprehensive Church response to all forms of abuse—sexual and spiritual. Others, like Sister Eugenia, 67, believe that dismantling clericalism—the perception of clergy as an untouchable elite—is key to addressing abuse.
In January, Pope Francis appointed a woman to head a Vatican department for the first time in the Church’s history, a move hailed by many but seen as only a beginning. Despite making up the vast majority of religious personnel—559,228 women compared to 128,559 priests globally—women continue to have limited authority in the Church.
Marta Gadaleta, Secretary General of the Augustinian Servants of Jesus and Mary, attributed the imbalance to a “pyramidal” and “macho” ecclesiastical culture.
Pope Francis himself has urged the Church to overcome this entrenched “macho mentality,” stressing that nuns should never be treated “like servants.”
The International Union of Superiors General (UISG), representing some 600,000 nuns worldwide, has taken significant steps to address the issue. Since 2016, it has encouraged members to report abuse and now offers regular training to promote awareness and protection.
In partnership with the Union of Superiors General (USG), which represents male religious leadership, a commission was formed in 2020 to instill a culture of care and accountability within religious communities.
Yet, according to Sister Margron, lasting change must also come from within local congregations. “We mustn’t expect everything from the Vatican,” she said. “Otherwise, we risk falling back into the old pattern of waiting for men to speak.”
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