By Parrot Newspaper 
Sexual Abuse of Nuns: The Catholic Church’s Last Taboo and a Scandal the Next Pope Cannot Ignore
By Parrot Newspaper
Vatican City | May 4, 2025
A Silent Suffering No More
Nuns clad in habits of black, grey, and beige move quietly through St. Peter’s Square, their presence a stark contrast to the clamor of Vatican politics. For centuries, their voices were stifled, their suffering shrouded in secrecy. “In the past, nuns suffered a lot and couldn’t talk to anyone; it was like a secret,” shares Sister Cristina Schorck, a 41-year-old Brazilian nun. But today, the dam is breaking.
The sexual abuse of nuns by clergy—one of the Catholic Church’s most entrenched taboos—is finally forcing its way into the light. With Pope Francis’s death last month, the next pontiff inherits a crisis that can no longer be sidelined.
From Shadows to Scandal
The case of Marko Rupnik, a Slovenian priest accused of sexual and psychological abuse by nuns in the 1990s, epitomizes the Church’s glacial progress. Only after intense pressure did Francis waive the statute of limitations in 2023 to allow investigations. “Nuns need better protection under canon law,” insists Laura Sgro, lawyer for five Rupnik accusers. She urges the next pope to act “immediately”—extending legal deadlines for reporting abuse and dismantling systemic barriers.
While Francis’s 2019 summit on clerical abuse led to reforms—like lifting the “pontifical secret” on abuse cases—victims’ groups argue the Vatican’s refusal to abolish confessional secrecy perpetuates impunity. “Things are moving step by step,” admits a senior Vatican official anonymously, yet nuns remain vulnerable in a hierarchy steeped in “macho mentality.”
The Power Imbalance
The Church’s structural inequities are glaring:
559,228 nuns globally outnumber priests (128,559), yet women hold minimal decision-making power.
Francis’s historic 2025 appointment of a woman to lead a Vatican ministry was a milestone, but critics demand more. “The pyramid is patriarchal,” says Marta Gadaleta of the Augustinian Servants of Jesus and Mary.
Sister Veronique Margron, a French nun, notes progress: “It’s never been talked about as much as today.” But she warns against relying solely on the Vatican: “We mustn’t wait for men to speak.”
Grassroots Change vs. Institutional Inertia
The International Union of Superiors General (UISG), representing 600,000 nuns, has spearheaded reforms:
2016: Urged members to report abuse.
2020: Launched a joint commission with male orders to foster a “culture of care.”
Training programs now teach nuns to identify and combat abuse.
Yet, Sister Margron stresses local communities must act: “Awareness must trickle down to every convent.”
A Test for the Next Pope
As cardinals gather to elect a new leader, nuns like Cameroon’s Sister Marthe voice cautious hope: “The Church must learn to respond to abuse—sexual or power-driven.” The next pope faces a pivotal choice: perpetuate silence or confront the “clericalism” that enables abuse.
Francis’s plea to treat nuns not as “servants” but equals was a start. But true change requires dismantling the “pyramidal” power structures that have shielded predators for too long.
Conclusion: Breaking the Taboo
The abuse of nuns is no longer a whispered sin but a global scandal. For the Catholic Church, survival hinges on transparency, accountability, and—above all—centering the voices of women. As Sister Eugenia, a 67-year-old nun in Rome, asserts: “Fighting clericalism is fighting all abuse.”
The next pope’s legacy may well be defined by whether he listens.