Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1988-1998 · 10 years · show in timeline

Women religious 1988 to 1998: Confidential reports to the heads of religious orders in Rome document sexual exploitation and rape of sisters by priests and bishops in 23 countries

The Irish nun and doctor Maura O'Donohue, AIDS coordinator for the Catholic aid agencies CAFOD and Caritas, wrote a strictly confidential report in 1994. From 23 countries on five continents she reported priests and members of the hierarchy who sexually exploited nuns because they considered them "safe" because of AIDS: candidates had to provide sexual favours for certificates, pregnant sisters were dismissed while the priests stayed in office, priests pressed for abortions. When in one diocese 29 sisters became pregnant by priests and the superior complained, the archbishop removed her. In 1998 the nun Marie McDonald wrote that sexual harassment and even rape of sisters by priests and bishops was allegedly common; bishops considered it disloyal of sisters to send such reports outside their dioceses.

Period
1988-1998 (10 years)
Country
Brazil, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Colombia, MW, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, TZ, UG, United States, ZM, ZW
Institutions
Caritas Internationalis
CAFOD
Medical Missionaries of Mary
Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa
superiors general in Rome
Category
Sexual abuse, Cover-up
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

  1. According to the report nuns were regarded as "safe" targets for sexual activity; priests had exploited them because they feared HIV infection from prostitutes. In 1991 priests asked a superior to make sisters available to them for sexual favours. Several priests and members of the hierarchy abused their power; candidates for religious life had to provide sexual favours to priests to obtain certificates or recommendations. A convert was raped by her parish priest before he issued the certificates; the bishop sent the priest, who admitted it, on a two-week retreat.
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Vulnerability of Women Religious
    „Religious sisters constitute another group which has been identified as “safe” targets for sexual activity.“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Vulnerability of Women Religious. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Vulnerability of Women Religious
    „a superior of a community of sisters in one country was approached by priests requesting that sisters be made available to them for sexual favors (1991)“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Vulnerability of Women Religious. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Punkt 1
    „Some examples given were of candidates to religious life having to provide sexual favours to priests so as to acquire the necessary certificates and/or recommendations.“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Punkt 1. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Punkt 7
    „she was subjected to rape by the priest before being given the certificates“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Punkt 7. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Punkt 7
    „The priest accepted the accusation as true and was told by the bishop to go on a two-week retreat.“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Punkt 7. Original

How were they charged and sentenced?

  1. As AIDS coordinator for CAFOD, the lead agency for AIDS programmes within Caritas Internationalis, Maura O'Donohue travelled for six years through countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe. Her report, marked strictly confidential, draws on confidences of many sisters and information from missionaries, priests and doctors; according to her, case records exist for several of the incidents. The examples come from 23 countries, including Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Ireland, Italy, the United States, Brazil and the Philippines.
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, General Background
    „These visits were undertaken as part of my role as AIDS Coordinator for the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD)“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), General Background. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Particularly disturbing issues
    „I have been assured that case records exist for several of the incidents described below and that the information is not just based on hearsay.“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Particularly disturbing issues. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Particularly disturbing issues
    „relate to incidents in some 23 countries in five continents“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Particularly disturbing issues. Original

What happened to those affected?

  1. Four years later the nun Marie McDonald of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa presented a confidential paper to the council of superiors general in Rome: sexual harassment and even rape of sisters by priests and bishops was allegedly common, and despite many attempts the problem seemed to be getting worse rather than better. Pregnant sisters were usually dismissed, the priest often only moved. When she raised the issue before the standing committee of the African bishops' conferences, the bishops found it disloyal of the sisters to send such reports outside; the sisters said they had gone to their bishops time and again and had sometimes been blamed themselves.
    Evidence: Sr. Marie McDonald MSOLA; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, The problem
    „Sexual harassment and even rape of sisters by priests and bishops is allegedly common.“
    The Problem of the Sexual Abuse of African Religious in Africa and in Rome. Paper for the Council of "16", The problem. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Marie McDonald MSOLA; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Einleitung
    „it seems to be getting worse, instead of better“
    The Problem of the Sexual Abuse of African Religious in Africa and in Rome. Paper for the Council of "16", Einleitung. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Marie McDonald MSOLA; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, The problem
    „The sister is usually dismissed from her congregation while the priest is often only moved to another parish -- or sent for studies.“
    The Problem of the Sexual Abuse of African Religious in Africa and in Rome. Paper for the Council of "16", The problem. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Marie McDonald MSOLA; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Silence
    „The Bishops present felt that it was disloyal of the sisters to have sent such reports outside their own dioceses.“
    The Problem of the Sexual Abuse of African Religious in Africa and in Rome. Paper for the Council of "16", Silence. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Marie McDonald MSOLA; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Silence
    „In some instances they are blamed for what has happened.“
    The Problem of the Sexual Abuse of African Religious in Africa and in Rome. Paper for the Council of "16", Silence. Original

Background

Response of the Church

  1. According to the report, if a sister became pregnant she had to leave the order while the priest could continue his ministry; one congregation had to dismiss over 20 sisters because of pregnancy, in many cases by priests. Priests recommended contraceptives with the false claim that they protected against HIV, or pressed for abortions, including in Catholic hospitals. When in one diocese 29 sisters of a diocesan congregation had become pregnant by priests and the superior general complained to the archbishop, he publicly dismissed her and her council; higher church authorities did not respond.
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Punkt 2
    „when a sister becomes pregnant she must leave the congregation, while the priest involved with her can continue his ministry“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Punkt 2. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Punkt 3
    „Another diocesan congregation has had to dismiss over 20 sisters because of pregnancy again in many cases by priests.“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Punkt 3. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Punkt 4
    „Others have actually encouraged abortion for the sisters with whom they have been involved.“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Punkt 4. Original
    Evidence: Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org, Punkt 5
    „after 29 sisters of a diocesan congregation had become pregnant by priests in the diocese, the Superior General complained to the archbishop. Shortly afterwards she and her councillors were dismissed at a public function by the archbishop“
    Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), Punkt 5. Original

Original documents to read

  1. Church document
    Sr. Maura O'Donohue MMM, AIDS-Koordinatorin von CAFOD/Caritas Internationalis; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org: Urgent Concerns for the Church in the Context of HIV/AIDS (Strictly Confidential), 1 January 1994. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
  2. Church document
    Sr. Marie McDonald MSOLA; veröffentlicht vom National Catholic Reporter, Kopie bei BishopAccountability.org: The Problem of the Sexual Abuse of African Religious in Africa and in Rome. Paper for the Council of "16", 20 November 1998. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
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