A reverend sister recently dismissed from her Catholic congregation has taken to social media to cry out for help, expressing fear for her safety.
Days after publicly announcing her dismissal, the Nigerian nun, identified as Annastasia, shared a worrying post on Facebook where she claimed she had been harassed by Catholic priests and a layman at a Catholic university.
In her post, Annastasia raised alarm over her well-being, insisting that if she suddenly went silent or if anything happened to her, people should know that “the truth is documented.”
“If anything ever happens to me or I suddenly go silent, know that the truth is documented. Justice should take its course. I was harassed by Catholic priests and a layman at a Catholic university. Please, help me get justice, not when I am no more. This is my last post for now. Prayer without good works is what? Please help me share this post and tag those who can help,” she wrote.
Her remarks have sparked concern among social media users.
Ede Ejike Festus commented:
“Many will not understand what she is going through. Rustication was never the best step. This is one of the reasons many in religious life fall into depression or even commit suicide. Annastasia, please don’t give up, fight till the end.”
Another user, Reuben Daniel, wrote:
“I have never commented on this issue before, but there are many ways to channel our problems or challenges, not only on social media.”
In a follow-up post, Annastasia also shared a video of her car breaking down on a journey. She said some men helped her check the vehicle and, thankfully, the fault was not severe. She expressed gratitude to God for arriving at her destination safely, but admitted she was shaken by the incident.
Reflecting on her dismissal, she narrated how she absent-mindedly asked her cousin to help iron her white religious habit, before suddenly remembering she had been expelled from her congregation.