An autobiography of a nun, written by former nun Dr. Sister Jesme threatens to reveal the not-so-holy goings on in cloistered convents. The book could be a source of enormous embarrassment to the Catholic Church in Kerala, with its claims that harassment and sexual repression are a regular occurrence behind closed doors in convents. Sister Jesme, who was the principal of St. Mary's College in Thrissur till she quit the congregation last August alleging harassment from superiors writes: “I wanted an outlet for my trauma. It'll help me start my second life afresh. The society has the right to know what's happening to the sisters. Thirty-three years cannot be penned down in 180 pages but there are points I want to make about the capitation fee, the quarrels that happen within the church, about the homo-sexuality, the hetero-sexuality.” The book comes soon after the Central Bureau of Investigation booked two priests and a nun in the high-profile sister Abhaya murder case. The state women's commission now says it will take up Jesme's case very seriously. “We are studying the matter and will take it up seriously. I cannot tell you anything more on this issue,” says State Women Commission Chairperson, Justice Sree Devi. The Catholic Church in Kerala has labelled her “mentally sick” and is silent on the book.
