145;Harassed146; nun quits order

A seniro Roman Catholic nun, who has been serving as the principal of St Mary8217;s College, has quit her order...

A seniro Roman Catholic nun, who has been serving as the principal of St Mary8217;s College, has quit her order, allegedly unable to withstand the harassment from Congregation of Mother Carmelite CMC.

Sister Jesmy8217;s decision to leave the Congregation and continue a nun8217;s life is likely to emerge as a debate in the Catholic Church. Though several priests and nuns had abandoned the God8217;s path, this is the first time that a nun had come forward to give vent to the pent-up.

Sister Jesmy 51, who had served as an English faculty in colleges under the Congregation before becoming St Mary8217;s principal, has opted for VRS.

However, Sister Jesmy8217;s family in Thrissur has so far not welcomed back its daughter who had left the home around 30 years back to become a bride of the Church. Jesmy told The Indian Express that she has no plans for a family life and would stay with her friends until she finds a new assignment. 8220;No progressive nun can continue with CMC. I cannot be a naiuml;ve woman, who stands flummoxed at the murky affairs in the convent. Though I have left the Congregation, my faith in God is intact,8221; said the PhD holder. She said CMC authorities are trying to project her as a deranged woman. A nun for 27 years, Jesmy said she was asked to attend a retreat at the controversial Divine Retreat Centre near Thrissur. 8220;Had I gone there, the retreat authorities8230; would have subjected me to unnecessary medical treatment.8221;

She said she was being targeted for protesting against the college8217;s move to levy a hefty fee for self-financing courses. 8220;It was also not a healthy trend to parade college girls for all rallies being organised by the Church for various issues,8221; she said. 8220;Convents have become torture houses. Many nuns silently suffer harassment. If you remain silent, you would be in the good books of the authorities. As an educated nun, if I do not react, who else would stand up against the torture?8221; she said.

8220;They did not even permit me to stay at home on the day my father expired. As per the present guidelines, a nun can get only a day8217;s leave annually to spend with her family. I had taken up all the issues with Archbishop Andrews Thazathu who did not respond. Superior generals have become mere puppets in the hands of Bishops,8221; she said.

Congregation spokesperson Sr Chrisline said that the allegations were baseless. 8220;If the Congregation had any grudge towards Sr Jesmy, we would not have made her the principal of this prestigious college,8221; Sr Chrisline said, adding, 8220;She has the freedom to leave the convent and the Congregation respects her decision.8221;