"I think that in the [Catholic] Church as a whole, the voice of women is neither respected nor listened to," says Lucetta Scaraffia. "There are so many movements, groups. Women have clearly reached a level of 'zero tolerance'."
Scaraffia is the founder and now ex-editor of the Vatican's magazine Women Church World. Together with the whole all-female newsroom, she has resigned, citing what she calls a difficult work environment and attempts to undermine her magazine's voice on sensitive issues, including reporting sexual abuse of nuns.
The magazine is a monthly supplement of the Vatican's official newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. According to her, the L'Osservatore paper regularly published pieces that contradicted the Women Church World's editorial line.
She also recounts an attempt to put the L'Osservatore Romano's Editor-in-Chief, Andrea Monda, in charge of the magazine.
"Look, we were supported by the [Vatican] Secretariat of State and by Pope Francis, but in the rest of the Church our presence was barely tolerated because of the autonomy that we represented," she tells SBS Italian.
According to Scaraffia, the magazine's reports of nuns being sexually abused were the straw that broke the camel's back, but there were other stories that caused hostile reactions.
"We explained that many nuns, especially from the third world, were 'given' as maids, cooks, cleaning ladies to cardinals and they would live in these high prelates' houses where they are not even admitted to their table. They indeed live like servants," she says.
Asked if there is still the possibility for her of interacting and collaborating with the Vatican's publisher or within the church, she said that the latest developments are likely a point of no return.
"It seems very difficult to me. It seems very, very difficult ... But I don't think so, I don't know".
Scaraffia will however continue contributing to the network of women that has developed within the Church.
"We will keep working with the religious [nuns], with the women inside the Church ... We have built an important network of relationships."
It is a network that, according to Scaraffia, is growing into a movement, inspired by what she calls "a strong rebellion".
"I have seen nuns who always lived all their lives inside monasteries who came out to say 'we can't stand this anymore'."
"There is a really strong level of rebellion now that is emerging, the battle has already begun with these nuns denouncing sexual abuse. Abuses had been happening for a long time but they didn't dare to report them before. This is a very clear signal."
But is this movement similar to other movements giving voice to women in the mainstream society and in the past?
"Yes, similar, of course with differences because it is the church we are talking about and because we – at the core of everything – have the gospel which is the most feminist book in history."
SBS Italian contacted L'Osservatore Romano's offices in Vatican City for comment on Lucetta Scaraffia's statements. In a written response, a spokesperson referred SBS Italian to a written statement by the Editor-in-Chief of L'Osservatore Romano, Andrea Monda released by the Holy See Press Office.
What follows is an extract of Andrea Monda's statement, denying any impropriety or attempts to influence Women Church World's editorial direction.
"In these few months since my appointment as Editor-in-Chief, I have guaranteed Prof. Scaraffia and the group women on the editorial staff the same complete autonomy and the same total freedom that have characterized the monthly insert since its inception, by refraining from interfering in any way in the printing of the daily newspaper's monthly supplement, and limiting my contribution (to suggesting topics and persons to engage) to be freely evaluated by Prof. Scaraffia and the editorial staff.
In no way did my efforts undermine the scope of the Donna Chiesa Mondo monthly. Indeed, its budget was entirely confirmed and its translation and circulation in other countries always guaranteed, notwithstanding the Curia's general need for cost-containment".
