A nun becomes a star; a star becomes a nun

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Jun 12, 2014

For the past month or so we’ve been hearing a great deal about an Italian nun who made herself a pop star. Here’s an opposite case: a young Spanish woman who is a star, but has decided to become a nun.

As I’ve said before, I wish Sister Cristina Scuccia every success. If she can parlay her fame into effective evangelization, more power to her. But it’s not clear to me how singing popular music brings people closer to Christ. And as my colleague Jeff Mirus has observed, there are perils on the path of popularity—especially for a woman religious.

By contrast, the story of a young woman who is turning away from fame— a beautiful model who has decided to shun the cameras—sparks admiration without any attendant worries. Here, in a vivid image, is the story of every religious vocation: the decision to leave the world behind.