Religious and their colleagues gathered in Sydney to explore the dynamics of harm and the need for safety within communities of Catholic Religious women in a two-day workshop. Source: Catholic Religious Australia.
The workshop, held last month, was a joint project of the University of Newcastle, the University of Regensburg in Germany, Catholic Religious Australia and the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.
Leading the workshop were five international experts: German researchers Ute Leimgruber and Magdalena Huerten; Peruvian theologian Rocio Figueroa, and; Australian researchers Kathleen McPhillips and Tracy McEwan.
They presented their theological and social research on: the characteristics of sexual and spiritual harm; historical evidence supporting a long history of sexual abuse of Catholic nuns; successful educational work with African women Religious communities, and; findings from the 2023 International Survey of Catholic Women that support global evidence of abuse.
CRA national executive director Anne Walker commented on the groundbreaking nature of the workshop.
“Gendered harm committed against women religious is a painful subject for the Catholic community and can all too easily be swept under the carpet,” Ms Walker said.
“Research and dialogue in such a constructive forum as this workshop is a healthy step forward for Church and society.”
Professor Leimgruber said: “Findings of abuse highlight an urgent need to understand why women Religious report high levels of violence in parish and work settings, especially given the understanding and extent of child sexual abuse in Catholic institutions globally.”
Dr McPhillips said: “In Australia, there is little research or discussion of gendered harm among female Religious communities and in the Catholic Church more broadly.
“There is a need to open up conversations on what gendered harm looks like, how it can be prevented and how appropriate processes of safeguarding and safety across Catholic communities can be prioritised,” she said.
FULL STORY
Workshop raises awareness of sexual and spiritual abuse of Catholic Religious women (CRA)
