From Silence to Voice: African Sisters Confront the Abuse of Religious Vows

Abstract

The central theme of this work is the spiritual abuse of women religious in Africa. Its overarching aim is to analyse
whether the religious vows themselves carry an inherent potential for abuse. The chapter begins with a literature review of the
broader landscape of harm experienced by religious sisters in Africa, including sexual, psychological, and spiritual abuse. It then explores the concept of spiritual abuse and examines the significance of the vows in religious life and the teachings of the Church’s Magisterium. The chapter presents the results of interviews conducted with thirteen religious sisters from Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, and Tanzania, detailing their experiences of spiritual abuse and exploring its dynamics. Special attention is given to the vows of obedience and poverty, which emerged as the most frequently manipulated in abusive contexts. Finally, the chapter investigates how these vows—especially obedience and poverty—have been used as instruments of abuse, questioning whether
the problem lies in their misuse or in their very definition.