Vatican sends letter to French embassy over tribunal decision in nun’s dismissal case

[Michie]

The Holy See on Saturday confirmed that it had sent a diplomatic letter to the French embassy over a French court ruling involving a Canadian cardinal’s alleged wrongful dismissal of a nun.

A French court in Lorient, in Brittany, earlier this month had fined Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, along with several other parties, for the October 2020 wrongful dismissal of Sabine Baudin de la Valette, whose religious name was Mother Marie Ferréol.

Baudin de la Valette, 57, had reportedly lived in the French monastery since 1987 without any significant incidents, but in 2011 she denounced “serious abuses and facts” happening in the community.

She was dismissed from the community after a visit from Ouellet. It was never made public what exactly the Vatican accused her of, though the former sister reportedly said the dismissal decree “accused her of having an evil spirit but gave no concrete reasons.”

Continued below.

Vatican sends letter to French embassy over tribunal decision in nun’s dismissal case

Holy See Press Office director Matteo Bruni confirmed to reporters the Vatican’s transmission of a “Note Verbal,” or a diplomatic message, to the French embassy at the Vatican.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

 

[Hazelelponi]

This actually raises quite significant issues surrounding "free association of persons" as well as freedom of religion.

The fact that quote: "The Lorient court found the nun's expulsion was without merit" and fined the Vatican representatives, who aren't even French, the equivalent of a couple hundred thousand dollars for the nuns expulsion from the order.

But there's so much legal entanglement here that I'm actually beyond shocked the French courts have found in favor of the nun.

From what I'm reading and understanding, she took a turn towards speaking against people in the order which was found officially to be without cause and it seems she was basically ruled disruptive to the peace and sanctity of the order and therefore the order decided to part ways with her.

It sounds legitimate to me... Even if she was right in her accusations clearly it was time for her to part ways... All things have their end.

If my church parted ways with one of our members I would find it utterly shocking to be sued for it, and while nuns do live in the communal living settings when it's time to part ways no one should get paid for it.

I do understand this is France but it seems to me to be a huge attack on the Christian faith...

And not only that but don't some nuns order hop? I met and spoke with a very nice nun once and she made it seem like if your interests changed or whatever many nuns change orders. She spoke about having recently changed orders herself at the time.

She was actually cool. I add this part because the nun in question could likely just join a different order, one more suitable yes?

 

[Michie]

This actually raises quite significant issues surrounding "free association of persons" as well as freedom of religion.

The fact that quote: "The Lorient court found the nun's expulsion was without merit" and fined the Vatican representatives, who aren't even French, the equivalent of a couple hundred thousand dollars for the nuns expulsion from the order.

But there's so much legal entanglement here that I'm actually beyond shocked the French courts have found in favor of the nun.

From what I'm reading and understanding, she took a turn towards speaking against people in the order which was found officially to be without cause and it seems she was basically ruled disruptive to the peace and sanctity of the order and therefore the order decided to part ways with her.

It sounds legitimate to me... Even if she was right in her accusations clearly it was time for her to part ways... All things have their end.

If my church parted ways with one of our members I would find it utterly shocking to be sued for it, and while nuns do live in the communal living settings when it's time to part ways no one should get paid for it.

I do understand this is France but it seems to me to be a huge attack on the Christian faith...

And not only that but don't some nuns order hop? I met and spoke with a very nice nun once and she made it seem like if your interests changed or whatever many nuns change orders. She spoke about having recently changed orders herself at the time.

She was actually cool. I add this part because the nun in question could likely just join a different order, one more suitable yes?

It’s hard to tell what exactly the issue was. I wish the Church would be more transparent in these issues. I often feel that the secrecy feeds into falsehoods. Although I have not heard any rumors concerning this situation as of yet, it would not surprise me to run into something in the future.

 

[Hazelelponi]

It’s hard to tell what exactly the issue was. I wish the Church would be more transparent in these issues. I often feel that the secrecy feeds into falsehoods. Although I have not heard any rumors concerning this situation as of yet, it would not surprise me to run into something in the future.

I do agree that perhaps additional transparency would be helpful for issues like that, but that's a public reputation of the Catholic Church issue yes?

One that may not really be as important as all that.

I've read 3 articles about this and kinda tried putting it together in my head and it just seemed across the board to be a good bit of backbiting going on but nothing written by anyone that seemed to me to be terribly serious such that a lack of complete transparency would affect much.

Though perhaps the nuns reputation itself is tainted by this.

Just the audacity to go against Scripture and take something like this to a secular and public court damages her reputation in my eyes. That's not how Christians of any brand deal with internal issues.

Although non believers might hold a different view, lately I'm just thinking we shouldn't be caring what people think just about what God thinks.

 

[WarriorAngel]

I'm guessing with the threat of court nobody can talk as of yet.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I'm guessing with the threat of court nobody can talk as of yet.

Court has already ruled. It will now be appealed.