Posted on 09/08/2010 6:20:23 AM PDT by marshmallow
The visible religious community known as the Home of the Mother will be leaving Ave Maria University's campus this week after allegations surfaced that the nun supervising the school's program to help women discern a religious vocation "was responsible for immoral conduct" last year, the university announced Tuesday.
The religious group, which is based in Spain and known also by its Spanish name Hogar de la Madre, recalled the nun, Sister Maria Elena, last year after learning of accusations that she had an inappropriate relationship with a female student in the program, but the group did not report the incident to the university. Nor, according to the university, did superiors at the Home of the Mother follow Vatican-prescribed procedures for reporting such incidents.
The student, who has not been identified, was not a minor at the time, the university said.
University President Nick Healy said in an email to students, faculty and staff that the university was terminating its relationship with the Home of the Mother effective immediately.
"It was with sadness and concern that we learned that the former superior of the Hogar religious sisters on campus was responsible for immoral conduct," Healy said in the campus-wide email. He said that the nun was "recalled to Spain in March of this year without explanation to the University or the Diocese of Venice."
Healy said that the matter was brought to the attention of Bishop Frank Dewane of the Diocese of Venice in August, and Bishop Dewane met with him and University Chancellor Tom Monaghan last week "to inform us of what had happened, and to provide guidance as to how to determine if there are other victims and help any student who might have been harmed." He said that the decision to terminate the relationship with the group was........
(Excerpt) Read more at naplesnews.com ...
Not sure why the word "victim" is being used here. Probably habit when reporting Catholic issues. The other party was not a minor and the article uses the term "relationship" which implies a consensual arrangement. The term "victim" would imply some type of harassment or unwanted attention.
Confusing.
Hanky panky is generally prohibited in these circumstances.
The nun in question represented no authority at the university. She was in no way part of the authority structure of the university and the student was not a member of the religious group.
The young girl can still be called a victim I suppose, but the nun was not an authority in the university.
Did you read the article?
“......... the nun supervising the school’s program to help women discern a religious vocation........”
Absolutely.
There is no question whatsoever that this is unethical.
Might the student have felt put upon or under some duress to please the "authority" figure? Quite possibly.
However, if both are legally adults and are engaged in a "relationship" then the term "victim" is open to question.
**last year after learning of accusations that she had an inappropriate relationship with a female student in the program, but the group did not report the incident to the university. Nor, according to the university, did superiors at the Home of the Mother follow Vatican-prescribed procedures for reporting such incidents.**
Even though not reported appropriately.....it all caught up with them.
Kudos to Ave Maria University!
The fact she was a nun puts her in a position of authority. It’s like a psychiatrist having “consensual” sex with a vulnerable patient.
Nuns are not confessors, absolvers, ordainers, nor do they have any other sacramental or juridical authority in the way that priests, even those who are not pastors, have. So in what way is a nun like a psychiatrist or a priest?
Have you heard about this?
Because of the authority the student would ascribe to them. A young impressionable student is not doing an ecclesiatical study, they would naturally defer to and respect a nun. My wife still speaks in reverential tones of the nuns who taught her. Other than her parents they clearly made the greatest impression on her and had the greatest influence on her as a young woman.
Sure they *respect* a nun. But a patient in counseling suspends their own will and judgment to allow for correction and uncomfortable introspection, saying, “this doesn’t feel right, but I need help,” while at the same time yielding an intimacy and vulnerability emotionally associated otherwise with sexuality. I suppose somewhat similar circumstances may apply to one’s confessor... but a nun? Nah, not buying it.
Assuming the student/victim was, indeed a student at the university, she would be no more than 21-22 and very well sheltered at that (or she wouldn’t be at that particular school). The nun from the Spanish group would have been an older adult, well beyond any student’s age, and likely infinitely more worldly.
Even if the student did consent, or even was the aggressor in the relationship, there was a huge gap of age and maturity between them, and the older woman should have exercised better judgment than to become involved with so young a student. Or to have become involved with anyone, if her vows meant anything to her.
No, but I’ll ask my daughter about it. She’s not there this semester; she’s at home, taking a class at a local college while she’s working part-time. She’ll be going back for the Spring semester, for the last few classes she needs.
I asked my daughter about it, and she only learned of it today. Apparently it was the Diocese of Venice, FL that learned about what had happened, and informed the school administration. The school sent out an e-mail to its students today.
Well, I disagree and apparently so did the school.
Oh, don’t get me wrong... It’s still unprofessional, inappropriate, and gravely sinful! They did well to fire her.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.