Review: Young Nuns

It was with great anticipation that I sat down with my cuppa to watch Young Nuns, the documentary following two young woman who were looking into joining convents. More so because I know Catherine, she lived at Newman House when I was there, I wondered how this would colour my view when viewing the programme knowing her before the show, and as she was going through it. We'd had cameras in the halls and corridors of Newman House and at Mass filming her, though this footage didn't appear in the episode.

It was refreshing to see a documentary willing to step back and let the story tell itself. It didn't feel as if there were those clunky stereotypes driving the programme as so often befalls views on religious life. Instead we were treated to following Clara and Catherine on their journeys.

Clara was committed from the state, a nice girl but who in the end just couldn't leave her family behind the homesickness being just too much. It was amazing that she felt so much the draw to be with them, that this clashed with her choice of  religious life - she picked an enclosed order.

It really highlighted how a decision that seemed on the surface to be for one, and them alone, was really something that was a decision taken by the whole family. Clara's choice would impact them as much as her. If Clara stayed with the order her parents could only see her twice a year through a grille. The conflict they all suffered was interesting to watch. The words of the mother, the love they had for each was obvious. For such a Catholic family it must have been hard, saying you don't resent God taking away your little girl is one thing, seeing and feeling it is another as was seen when she cried at the very thought.

I was glad that the two girls got to share their views and the producer let them lead the narrative, resisting the urge to force them into clichés and stereotypes, instead letting them blossom, falter and show themselves.

The question that hung over the show was could these young women give everything up for God, to become a nun? The answer sadly appeared no. Not through their own choice, but by circumstances. Clara the love of her family proved too strong. Catherine, was told to reapply in six months giving her more time to decide if this was for her. She had said she was also drawn to family and the idea of marriage, as I said having known her I felt this was best, but that didn't make it any easier to watch her obvious disappointment as she was told 'not now'.

The answer for me was to a question the show did not ask. Perhaps modernity is not in the way of more women entering the life of a nun, but the expectations of us. Even those strong in the faith face the same decisions that woman have faced for years, leaving loved ones behind, whether God is really calling us. Can a programme reveal why some are called and others not. No, but Young Nuns gave an insight into why some end up trying.

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