When James Alberione founded the Daughters of St. Paul in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1915, the idea was to send the sisters forth in the spirit of Saint Paul to spread the word of Jesus Christ.
The mission of the otherwise cloistered women was to go far and wide using effective communication to engage people on a spiritual level and hopefully bring them to the Church—or even better, have young women commit to their vows of celibacy, poverty, and obedience and join the nunhood, increasing their ability to spread the good word with each new recruit.
While some eagerly stepped into the habit and conformed to the strict requirements of these servants of the Lord, others wondered if there might be a better way for outreach.
That task of garnering an audience was no small feat then, and as more and more young people abandoned their parents’ traditional religious practices, the monastic clock seemed to be running out.
But “TikTok” to the rescue.
If the kids won’t come to the convent, the convent will just have to come to the kids—and what better way than through their own best method of communication—social media, and specifically the quick, entertaining, enlightening, and fun world of TikTok. Such hashtags as #NunPranks, #MediaNuns, and #NunTok are proving to be inviting ways to offer a peek inside the convent walls and the way of life of those who have dedicated their hearts and souls to the world of the religious order.
Short, informative glimpses of daily happenings, good-natured practical jokes, the realities of sisterhood within the walls, reminders of religious traditions and celebrations, fun little teasers set to trendy music, and serious discussions about the realities of convent life have opened the gates to young people curious about a life of service. But, even if it’s not for them, offering the gift of understanding that commitment comes in many forms—and serving it up with a wink and a smile—might be just the way to encourage TikTokers to give religion another try.
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From its beginnings, the Church of Scientology has recognized that freedom of religion is a fundamental human right. In a world where conflicts are often traceable to intolerance of others’ religious beliefs and practices, the Church has, for more than 50 years, made the preservation of religious liberty an overriding concern.
The Church publishes this blog to help create a better understanding of the freedom of religion and belief and provide news on religious freedom and issues affecting this freedom around the world.
The Founder of the Scientology religion is L. Ron Hubbard and Mr. David Miscavige is the religion’s ecclesiastical leader.
