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Nuns: Crime Fighters Edition
It’s like something out of a comic book — Nuns spy evil-wrongdoing in a quiet village and mobilize forces (“Wonder Twin powers ACTIVATE! Form of a holy vigilant!”) to swoop down from the heavens and accost said perpetrator to restore peace and tranquility to the land. “Hail, Sister Mary!!” shout the peasant people as the nuns drop the befuddled criminal at the doorstep of the jail.
I’m referring to the recent “quality” news reporting about two Catholic sisters who helped police catch a crook. Let me first say that I applaud and admire Sister Catarina da Silva, OSF, and Sister Connie Boulch, OSF, both Sisters of Saint Francis of the Holy Eucharist in Independence, Missouri. And yes, Mr. and Ms. Media Person, they have names. But don’t let a person’s name get in the way of reporting the facts of a nun running down a gun-toting madman.
Where was I? Oh yes, Sisters Catarina and Connie are awesome. They saw trouble and responded. My beef is not with them. Not at all. My beef is with those members of the media (not all!) who feel compelled to trivialize and belittle the lives of my Sisters so that they can link together as many ridiculous nun clichés as possible.
“Thou shalt not steal — especially within sight of a convent.” [Ironically the very next commandment is "Thou shalt not bear false witness against your neighbor."]
“You can call it an act of God, or divine intervention. But, whatever you call it, one thing is clear: you don’t mess with nuns from the Sisters of Saint Francis.” [You can add to your list a blogging nun who finds this kind of reporting ridiculous and offensive.]
Sister Connie soon realized the man was not on a mission from God…. Not a man of the cloth, but a gun toting, tool wielding suspect who police think is responsible for two other burglaries in the area.” [It's just wrong, so wrong.]
And it doesn’t stop there. Bloggers and other social media folks have picked up on the story and had their fun. One blogger commented on the story next to which he posted a photo of a woman in sexy nun attire. Degrading on so many levels.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not adverse to a little good-natured fun with nuns. But much of this kind of reporting/writing dehumanizes the women who are nuns … reduces them to a laughable caricature, an object with no name, no dignity, no human agency. It makes me very sad to see people treated that way.
Enough of that. Let me tell you the real story — which some reporters did well at communicating, though others had it so buried in clichés that it was difficult to take seriously.
“He could have harmed us and he didn’t. Instead he chose to run, that tells me something about this young man,” said Sister Connie. (Fox News)
We’re in the business of saving souls,” said Sister Connie of the Sisters of St. Francis. “We’re not in the business of stopping crime.” … Sister Connie admits that the story is unusual and a bit humorous, but she says it’s also serious because it involves a young man who she and the rest of the sisters pray turns his life around. (Fox News)
“I will pray that his life changes so that he doesn’t come to the point when he needs to steal or he needs to break into people’s houses,” Sister Connie said. (Kansas City Star)
That, my friends, is the heart of the story. Two courageous women named Sister Catarina da Silva and Sister Connie Boulch who step up to the plate and act to protect the local community and to reach out to a troubled teenager. Two women who humbly but confidently redirect the cameras from themselves to the well-being of a young man named Cory whose dignity they did not forget. Two women who have the strength to challenge wrong-doing and the grace to believe in redemption.
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My thanks to lourdesgirl101 for first bringing this to my attention and to Sister Gayle for her initial comments on the story which got me thinking.
Maybe because I am not a nun, I did not find anything offensive in the sentences you quote. If you read newspapers regularly, you will often find these kind of ledes in “human interest” stories. These are written to meet a deadline and to fill limited space. That is, they are throwaways. You are right: the real story is in the sisters’ concern and prayer for the robber, and I hope someone will take the time and write a more thoughtful story about their mission. In our newspaper, “The Boston Globe,” there is a special section, updated daily, including news and stories about local faith communities. You are doing such a great job of educating the internet community about the life of a nun, you might consider writing a freelance article for your newspaper about your nuns. Once accepted, these articles are kept on hand until there is space to print them.
Hi Annie, Thanks for writing in. The sentences themselves are not offensive per se, just examples of over-used, roll-your-eyes nun cliches. It’s how the whole piece is written. Some articles didn’t even name “the nuns” and the significance of the event was lost in the cliches. I understand having such ledes and have seen them well-used. And as a writer, I have to make use of clever writing at the top of an article in order to grab readers’ attention. But I think such ledes can be misleading (so to speak) especially if the whole article is devoted to being clever while undervaluing the people written about and important aspects of the story such as, as you noted, the sisters’ concern and prayer for the robber. That to me is good news (again, so to speak). I do agree with you and at the same time I think we can do better. Will think on your suggestion about writing freelance articles. It’s a good idea and one way to take a positive step in regard to media.
you are a good reporter. teasing out the real stoory…the sarcastic and belittling tone. thank you!
I did see an article on this a few days ago. I skimed it only-it seemed alright and mentioned the nuns names and seemed respectful towards the nuns. A local reporter rewrites those stories sometimes and w/her Italian name I suspect atleast catholic roots. This may be why I feel this type of reporting is usually respectful here.
That’s good to hear, Annette. I too find some do a good job … like the ones who gave the full name and congregation of both sisters and who quoted them about their concern for the young man.
Julie, you’ve obviously noticed the number of articles about sisters that do NOT mention the community (as if they are all interchangeable)–as well as those stories illustrated by generic cartoons of habited caricatures (even when the sisters being written about don’t wear a habit). It’s frustrating, and perpetuates the notion that sisters are somehow entirely homogeneous and without personality. Thanks for pointing this out here!
Sister Julie – I saw a news report on this in which the interviewer, beaming in what seemed to me an overwrought (and, as you say, cartoonish) way at Sisters Catarina and Connie, asked “Do believe you will be able to forgive him?” When the older of the two sisters said, “We do not feel there is anything to forgive” (after all, he did not harm them or intend to harm them), I found myself sighing in relief that Srs Catarina and Connie refused to be cornered into helping the media create a caricature of themselves.
A peaceful response, which is how I would summarize the sisters’ behavior in this situation, is not necessarily the same as “forgiving someone”, and I was glad the Sisters did not let themselves get trapped into a subtle and implicit statement that they had been wronged by this young man, thus laying the ground for a string of articles demonizing the fellow as a man so dastardly and depraved that he threatened two sweet and innocent virgin-nuns (thereby selling endless and profitable newspapers and magazines and television news hours). They did not let themselves be cast as “good” to his “bad”; they did not let themselves be cast as judge and jury, not even as lenient judge and jury; they did not let themseves be as sweet and gentle crocheting virgin-nuns who had to rise to the occasion because they have sacrificed the protection of men and, thus, they had to say a “Hail Mary” and defy death and the devil. They did not contribute to alarmist nonsense about youth in America or guns or or or or. They responded as peaceful and compassionate neighbors who understand that life and humans are complex. And I love that. Makes me want to be a nun. Jean
Your welcome, Sister Julie. I just happened to be on CNN’s website and saw it. I thought you might like it.
I think the one sister made a point. We should pray for the robbers(and others) so that they will stop. It might just help the world make a better place… even if it’s just a little bit.
I can understand your frustration with the media in general and this article in specific. However, nuns are hardly the only ones who have this kind of cliche filled, stereotype ridden media attention. It happens with other religious groups too. Try to find an article about Pagan or non-Abrahamic spiritualities without a reference to sacrifices or “strange” practices (like praying or gathering in a community). It’s not that they are nuns… it’s that media plays to the lowest common denominator and, unfortunately, that means plenty of ignorance and half-filled truths…