The New York-based Sisters of Life reported to the Vatican that priests groomed and manipulated sisters while providing spiritual guidance to members of the community.
Priest, Fr. David Nikolsky has previously been accused of spiritual misconduct and sexual assault of a religious sister. His own religious order, the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, refuses to reveal his priestly status.
—
The Sisters of Life submitted a report on Nigorski to the Vatican earlier this year, according to a source familiar with the case. pillar Priests reported grooming sisters from another religious community during spiritual direction, leading in one case to allegations of sexual assault.
Officials say Mr. Nigorski is accused of inappropriate behavior toward members of the Sisters of Life while receiving spiritual guidance in the 2000s, and in one case, the Sisters of Life under his guidance. It is said that he was seriously sexually manipulating her.
A Vatican investigation could ultimately result in dismissal of the clergy and other serious canon law sanctions.
The Sisters of Life’s report sent to the Vatican’s Pontifical Congregation warns authorities that confessors “incite a penitent to confess sins,” a major canon law offense, including incitement. , which could prompt an investigation into several possible canon law offenses related to the abuse. “Sin against the Sixth Commandment” – and that could lead to Nikolsky becoming religious.
The allegations from the Sisters of Life may appear to support those brought forward by three former members of the Daughters of St. Paul. They allege that Nigorsky groomed them with excessive and inappropriate sexual conversations in a spiritual direction, manipulated their trust in his spiritual authority, and contacted them. They acted inappropriately and in one case committed sexual assault.
The women reported these allegations to their superiors in 2017, and the priest was ultimately banned from “ministry of spiritual direction for a period of five years” in a decision by the Vatican’s Institute for Consecrated Life.
The women argue that a fine is not enough, but the Foreign Secretary said in a 2020 letter that despite the consistency of several women’s accounts, there was a lack of evidence. He explained that it was “extremely impossible to reach a decision in this matter” as it was recognized that .
The Sisters of Life’s new claims seem to detail a similar pattern of behavior on Nikolsky’s part, raising the possibility of deliberate Vatican action in this case. There is.
But the report may also raise questions about how the accusations against Nigorski were initially handled within the Sisters of Life community. At least one sister reported serious misconduct to her religious superiors in 2007 or 2008, according to people close to the case.
Mr. Nikolsky was reportedly barred from continuing his ministry with the Sisters of Life, but whether his own religious superiors or New York Archdiocese officials were actually informed of the charges against him? It is not clear whether
The Sisters of Life declined questions about the report. Pillar.
“mother [Mary Concepta] “We are unable to comment at this time as we are focused on supporting and responding to the needs of our Sisters and the community,” a spokesperson said. Pillar.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to all those hurt by abuse in a spiritual direction.”
—
Mr. Nigorski was elected U.S. Provincial of the Oblates of Our Lady in 2009 and became the order’s senior general in 2015. He continued to face allegations of grooming, manipulation, and coercion from St. Paul’s Daughters from 2009 to 2017.
In his role as religious superior, Nigorski would have been responsible for addressing other allegations of abuse within the religious community.
Mr. Nikolsky’s priesthood was revoked by the Archdiocese of Boston in 2017 in light of the Daughters of St. Paul’s allegations, but he was appointed priest the following year at the Archdiocese’s Oblate-run Adoration of St. Francis at Boston’s Prudential Center. It is said that he heard confessions in the hall. .
Despite the growing suspicions against him, the Virgin Mary Oblate has not responded to questions about Nigorsky’s current status in the religious order.
However, other complaints about Nikolsky may also have been filed with the Vatican.
pillar Regarding Nigorski, it reviewed a letter dated January 20, 2020, from the Vatican’s Institute of Consecrated Life, addressed to the superior of the Daughters of St. Paul, the religious order that made the accusations against Nigorski in 2017.
The letter contains a protocol number dating back to 2015, suggesting that Vatican authorities had already opened a file on Nigorski at the time the sisters filed their complaint.
There is little data on the prevalence of sexual harassment, abuse, and coercion against religious sisters and nuns. But advocates of church reform have said in recent years that spiritual, psychological and sexual abuse of adults is an often underestimated problem within the church. A series of recent amendments to the church’s criminal law may make it easier to formally prosecute such cases in the future.
Neither the Vatican Press Office nor the Bishop’s Office for the Institute of Consecrated Life responded to questions from the Vatican. pillar.
