*'The Church has branded me a prostitute'* **2009-07-09 13:32:18 Last Updated: 2009-07-10 20:28:54
[image: jesme]By Salil Jose *Sister Jesme had been a member of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel for 33 years. Jesme, who was the principal of the congregation-run St Mary's College in Thrissur, opposed a few undesirable actions of the management. Appalled by her liberal views, her superiors branded her insane and forced her to undergo medication. The ill-treatment meted out by her superiors forced her to leave the congregation in August 2008.* However, she was bent on exposing the corruption in the House of God and and she scandalised the Catholic Church in Kerala through her autobiography, 'Amen: The Autobiography of a Nun'.<http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?a=jhddqGbhdfc&title=Revelations_of_a_sister_who_stormed_out_of_a_nunnery>The book, which was first published in Malayalam, highlights the sexual relationship between priests and nuns, the prevalent lesbianism in convents and many other evils. The book has been called a 'shocking account of the life within the enclosure'. The English version of the taboo-breaking book was published recently. In an exclusive interview to Sify.com, she says the Church is trying to tarnish her name by branding her a prostitute. Excerpts: Why did it take 33 years for you to leave the congregation even though you had been suffering ill-treatment all the while? Often people ask me two questions: Why it took 33 years for me to come out, and second why I came out. In fact, I never wanted to come out. Years ago, when I opposed certain evils in the congregation, my superiors and others branded me insane. They forced me to take medication for insanity. I suffered that silently. I thought they would never do the same thing again to me. So I remained in the congregation even after that. I thought my suffering had ended. But they did the same thing again. As principal of St Mary's College, I opposed certain policies of the management. They could not brook my liberal views too. They tried to declare me insane once again and forced me to take medication. So I had no other option this time, but to escape. Why didn't you go to another convent? The mother general was against me. She was in fact one of the perpetrators of my suffering. So wherever I go under the same congregation, I could not escape from her. Then why didn't you try another congregation? Another congregation would not accept me since the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel is very powerful and traditional. Other congregations would always see me as a problem creator. Above all, I didn't want to join another congregation. Joining another congregation is like jumping from one prison to another. I hated being a part of any institution. One could feel some missing links in your autobiography. In certain places you just skipped without narrating the events that led to your suffering... I could not accept many of the actions and views of my superiors. So they wanted to silence me by declaring me insane. STREE: A weekly women's magazine on Sify.com <http://sify.com/news/women/> I know a 60-year-old nun who wrote in her diary what really happened in a convent. She was called mad and forced to take 12 pills daily. There are lots of such examples. The State Women's Commission chairperson once said that the commission got many letters from nuns narrating the suffering they underwent in convents. <http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?a=jhddqGbhdfc&title=Revelations_of_a_sister_who_stormed_out_of_a_nunnery> Many sisters want to come out, but they don't have financial independence. So they suffer and die in convents. The main reason I came out was that I knew I could could live on my pension. But money is not enough. You need support, at least after a few years... Come on, we are modern women. We can take care of ourselves. But, as you said, I would require support at a later stage. At that time, I will go to an old age home. I don't want to trouble my relatives. You wanted to reform the congregation and the Church. However, you left the congregation and highlighted the evils through a book. Was going public the only option left for you? Why didn't you try to get support from your peers while you were still a member of the congregation? You know the answer. Many sisters told me that my concerns were genuine. But they were not ready to protest. So I had no other way. I highlighted the corruption in the system which include greed for money, sexual relations between priests and nuns, lesbianism in convents and so on. But they tried to silence me by calling me insane. >From what my friends have told me and from my own experience, I can say that the Catholic Church wants to silence those who oppose it. The Church calls me a prostitute through its publications. There is a passing reference about your political leanings in the book. But it's not clear. Could you explain it? The Marxist government in Kerala opposes the educational policies of the Church. Marxists oppose the Church demanding capitation fee and amassing money. Educated people know that the Marxists' views are genuine. I also feel so. The Church doubts I am a Marxist. People ask me if I am an activist of the CPI or CPI-M. But I am not a member of any of the parties. Parties invite me to attend some cultural programmes and I attend. There is nothing more than that. In the book, you say your mission is to work for the 'lay-religious' after leaving the congregation. What kind of a work you are doing for the 'lay-religious'? It's a mission given to me by Jesus. Right now, I don't know what it exactly is. May be, Jesus wants me to give protection to women who are single and who need protection. I hope to provide shelter to women who want to live away from their families. I can take care of their accommodation and food. When I was in Delhi, there were lots of such women who wanted protection. But I moved to Kerala. Right now I stay in a place near Kozhikode where I support some Muslim women who could not continue their education. <http://sify.com/news/women/>How will you source money for your mission? A part of my pension is used to support them. Also, I get royalties for my books. The Calicut University invites me to conduct classes and seminars and I get some money in that way also. But this is not enough to find accommodation and food for many women. Asianet Radio broadcast a programme in Gulf about me. After listening to that programme, many NRIs have come forward to offer financial support for my mission. You consider it a mission given to you by Jesus. Does it mean that you will be teaching Christianity to the women whom you take care of? No. There is no imparting of religious education. I am a liberal-minded woman. I know there is good in all religions. And my mission is to give peace and joy to others. Book review: Revelations of a sister who stormed out of a nunnery<http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?a=jhddqGbhdfc&title=Revelations_of_a_sister_who_stormed_out_of_a_nunnery>
