The Silence We Keep: A Nun's View of the Catholic Priest Scandal

A Catholic nun speaks out about her life and vocation, women in the Church, the sexual scandal in the priesthood, why the Catholic hierarchy won’t fix it, and how Catholics will take back their Church.

Karol Jackowski joined the sisterhood forty years ago and remains a devout Catholic, but she is also an activist who now considers the reformation of the Church to be a part of her calling. In The Silence We Keep, she takes an honest look at the priesthood throughout history and reveals a culture of privilege and sexual permissiveness that is as old as the Church itself. She turns a critical eye on a spirituality that she describes as hypocritical in its condemnation of the sins of others, while far worse behavior is perpetrated by the condemners. She also discusses the sisterhood and its culture of submissiveness to the male clergy, a passivity that has prevented a system of checks and balances that could have stopped the abuse.

The Silence We Keep is hard-hitting in its frank discussion of the Church, but ultimately Sister Karol’s message is an uplifting and empowering call to action for all believers to seize upon this historic opportunity, break a centuries-old silence, and take back the Catholic Church.

KAROL JACKOWSKI has been a nun since 1964. She lives in New York City, where she is a member of the Sisters for Christian Community. She is the bestselling author of Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die and Sister Karol’s Book of Spells and Blessings.