A disturbing outcry has emerged from within the Catholic Church as Rev’d Sr. Kinse Anastasia of Veritas University, Abuja, went public on social media with allegations of abuse, harassment, and exploitation faced by many Reverend Sisters in silence.
According to Sr. Anastasia, some Catholic priests and authorities treat Sisters as if their primary role is to provide comfort to men of the cloth rather than serve God and humanity. She lamented that Sisters are often reduced to “ornaments in Habits”, only seen but not respected, and in many cases, used as objects for priests’ pleasure.
She revealed that some priests shamelessly tell Sisters: “You are meant to be our wives” and act on that belief, disregarding the vows of chastity and dignity of consecrated life. Even worse, when Sisters resist or speak out, many are silenced by higher authorities who prefer to protect the image of the Church rather than address the rot within.
Sr. Anastasia also criticized the misuse of authority by some superiors, who turn a blind eye to abuses or even enable them, making Sisters more vulnerable. At the same time, she cautioned that not all Sisters are innocent—some, by compromising their vows, contribute to the erosion of consecrated dignity.
In her words:
“Religious Sisters are not priests’ wives. We are not bedmates. We are women of God. The Church must do better because God is watching.”
Her revelations have sparked mixed reactions across Catholic and non-Catholic circles. Many have called for safe reporting channels, independent from Church hierarchy, where Sisters can lodge complaints without fear of victimization.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time such allegations have surfaced.
In 2018, the Vatican itself admitted that cases of priests exploiting nuns had been reported in several countries, from Africa to India and even Europe.
In India, a Bishop was arrested after a nun accused him of repe.