Redefining Catholic Sisterhood: Intersections of Autonomy and Religion in Sacrilege and Nunsense

Abstract

Feminist Catholic sisters epitomize progressive and autonomous women who defy the stereotyped sisterhood, confronting the gender hierarchy within the patriarchal Catholic Church. The religious reforms post-Vatican II and the desideratum of inclusivity for avowed women in decision-making roles have contributed to the emergence of a feminist theological movement that thwarts the erasure of women from religious histories. Delving deep into the feminist theological tenets mirrored in Diane Shaffer’s Sacrilege: A Drama in Two Acts and Dan Goggin’s Nunsense: A Musical Comedy, the present study aims to examine the thespian representation of religious reforms post-Vatican II, exploring the strategies Catholic sisters adopt in their struggle for autonomy. The study contends that the representations of the radical and feminist sisters in the plays potentially challenge the rigid ecclesiastical hierarchy and uphold the deconstruction of sisterhood.