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Reverted 2 edits by 2601:146:300:A951:7852:9C5E:39A:3439 (talk): Restore original wording (TW)
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| url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/17/teresa-forcades-nun-on-mission
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/17/teresa-forcades-nun-on-mission
| accessdate = 20 May 2013
| accessdate = 20 May 2013
}}</ref> focusing on [[public health]]. She has gained an international reputation for her criticisms of the [[pharmaceutical]] industry. She is also a controversial writer on [[pseudoscientific]] remedies, [[Christian feminism]], and [[Catalan independence]].
}}</ref> focusing on [[public health]].


==Education==
==Education==
Born in [[Barcelona]] in 1966, Forcades grew up in a home where her parents rejected religion. She was sent, however, to the private [[Sacred Heart]] school, where she discovered religious faith through the study of the [[Bible]] given by the [[religious sister]]s who ran the school.<ref name=BC>{{cite web|url=http://www.benedictinescat.com/Montserrat/Teresacas.html|work=Benedictinos de Catalunya|title=Charlas con Teresa|language=es}}</ref> She went on to study medicine at the [[University of Barcelona]]. In 1992 she moved to the United States, where in 1995 she completed a residency at the [[University at Buffalo, The State University of New York|University of Buffalo]] School of Medicine, specialising in [[internal medicine]]. After obtaining a scholarship, she moved to [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], where she gained the degree of [[Master of Divinity]] from [[Harvard Divinity School]] in 1997.
Born in [[Barcelona]] in 1966, Forcades grew up in a home where her parents rejected religion. She was sent, however, to the private [[Sacred Heart]] school, where she discovered religious faith through the study of the [[Bible]] given by the [[religious sister]]s who ran the school.<ref name=BC>{{cite web|url=http://www.benedictinescat.com/Montserrat/Teresacas.html|work=Benedictinos de Catalunya|title=Charlas con Teresa|language=es}}</ref> She went on to study medicine at the [[University of Barcelona]]. In 1992 she moved to the United States, where in 1995 she completed a residency at the [[University at Buffalo, The State University of New York|University of Buffalo]] School of Medicine, specialising in [[internal medicine]]. After obtaining a scholarship, she moved to [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], where she gained the degree of [[Master of Divinity]] from [[Harvard Divinity School]] in 1997.


As the result of a stay in order to prepare for some examinations which Forcades made at the [[Monastery]] of [[St. Benedict]] in [[Monistrol de Montserrat|Montserrat]], Spain, founded in 1952,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benedictinescat.com/Montserrat/indexceramang.html|work=Monastir de Sant Benet|title=Monastir}}</ref> and neighboring to the famed [[Abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat]], she felt a call to monastic life.<ref name=BC /> In September 1997, she entered the monastery, where she follows the Benedictine pattern of life, while still working in the fields of [[religious study]], [[theology]] and medicine. In 2004 she obtained a [[doctorate]] in [[public health]] from the [[University of Barcelona]]. In 2005 she obtained a degree in theology. After four years, in 2009 she received a doctorate from the School of Theology of Catalonia.
As the result of a stay in order to prepare for some examinations which Forcades made at the [[Monastery]] of [[St. Benedict]] in [[Monistrol de Montserrat|Montserrat]], Spain, founded in 1952,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benedictinescat.com/Montserrat/indexceramang.html|work=Monastir de Sant Benet|title=Monastir}}</ref> and connected to the famed [[Abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat]], she felt a call to monastic life.<ref name=BC /> In September 1997, she entered the monastery, where she follows the Benedictine pattern of life, while still working in the fields of [[religious study]], [[theology]] and medicine. In 2004 she obtained a [[doctorate]] in [[public health]] from the [[University of Barcelona]]. In 2005 she obtained a degree in theology. After four years, in 2009 she received a doctorate from the School of Theology of Catalonia.


==Positions==
==Positions==
Teresa Forcades understands [[feminism]] as a form of [[liberation theology]]. She believes, in accordance with the Catholic Church's position, that a [[Fetal rights|fetus has a right to life]], but she also believes, that a pregnant woman has a right to [[self-determination]] that is equally absolute.
Teresa Forcades understands [[feminism]] as a form of [[liberation theology]]. She believes, in accordance with the Catholic Church's position, that a [[Fetal rights|fetus has a right to life]], but she also believes, contradicting the Catholic Church's position, that a pregnant woman has a right to [[self-determination]] that is equally absolute. In that sense, she has supported abortion and the distribution of the [[morning-after pill]].


The [[Holy See|Vatican]] has asked for clarification regarding her views and in 2009, [[cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]] [[Franc Rodé]], [[prefect#Ecclesiastical|Prefect]] of the [[Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life]], requested Forcades' [[abbess]] to clarify and explain her views.
The [[Holy See|Vatican]] has criticised her activism and in 2009, [[cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]] [[Franc Rodé]], [[prefect#Ecclesiastical|Prefect]] of the [[Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life]], requested Forcades' [[abbess]] to order Forcades to make a public commitment to the official teachings of the Catholic Church.


Forcades has openly criticised the Catholic church as "[[misogynist]] and [[patriarchal]] in its structure".<ref name="guardian2013" /> She has developed her thoughts on this in the light of [[liberation theology]].
Forcades has openly criticised the Catholic church as "[[misogynist]] and [[patriarchal]] in its structure".<ref name="guardian2013" /> She has developed her thoughts on this in the light of [[liberation theology]].

She has been fiercely criticised for her positions, specifically her support of [[miracle mineral supplement]], a version of industrial strength bleach, which she says can cure a wide range of illnesses, including [[cancer]], [[malaria]], [[HIV]], [[acne]], and [[hepatitis]].

An article in ''[[El País]]'' labelling her as a "paranoid conspiracist" and "hoaxer-nun"<ref>{{cite news
| title = Desmontando a la monja-bulo
| author = MARÍA R. SAHUQUILLO / EMILIO DE BENITO
| language = Galician
| newspaper = [[El País]]
| date = 1 November 2009
| url = http://elpais.com/diario/2009/11/01/sociedad/1257030001_850215.html
| accessdate = 20 May 2013
}}</ref> produced a stream of complaints from readers and had later its objectivity and quality put into question by the newspaper's [[public editor]].<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.elpais.com/articulo/opinion/monja/teorias/conspiracion/elpepuopi/20091108elpepiopi_5/Tes
| title = La monja y las teorías de la conspiración
| accessdate = 14 July 2013
| author = Milagros Pérez Oliva
| newspaper = [[El País]]
| date = 8 November 2009}}</ref>


In 2013, Forcades co-authored the ''Manifesto for the Convening of a Constituent Process in Catalonia'' with economist {{ill|Arcadi Oliveres|es}}. In it they proposed achieving [[Catalan independence|independence for Catalonia]] through new political and social model based on [[self-organisation]] and [[social mobilisation]].<ref>{{cite news
In 2013, Forcades co-authored the ''Manifesto for the Convening of a Constituent Process in Catalonia'' with economist {{ill|Arcadi Oliveres|es}}. In it they proposed achieving [[Catalan independence|independence for Catalonia]] through new political and social model based on [[self-organisation]] and [[social mobilisation]].<ref>{{cite news
Line 47: Line 65:


In 2015, as another major vote for Catalan independence approached, Forcades received permission from her superior and the [[Holy See]] to set aside her habit and don secular attire, entering the political arena to lead the [[leftist]] [[Procés Constituent]] movement. She remarked, "Criticisms are to be expected. I follow somebody called Jesus and he had a lot of that."<ref>{{cite news| work = El Diario | language = es | url=http://www.eldiario.es/politica/Teresa-Forcades-convento-asamblea-estelada_0_406309949.html|title=Teresa Forcades, del convento a la asamblea, y del hábito a la "estelada"}}</ref><ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|url =https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/07/homily-to-catalonia-nun-entering-spains-regional-politics|title=Homily to Catalonia: the nun entering Spain's regional politics|first=Ashifa|last=Kassam|date=7 June 2015|newspaper= The Guardian}}</ref>
In 2015, as another major vote for Catalan independence approached, Forcades received permission from her superior and the [[Holy See]] to set aside her habit and don secular attire, entering the political arena to lead the [[leftist]] [[Procés Constituent]] movement. She remarked, "Criticisms are to be expected. I follow somebody called Jesus and he had a lot of that."<ref>{{cite news| work = El Diario | language = es | url=http://www.eldiario.es/politica/Teresa-Forcades-convento-asamblea-estelada_0_406309949.html|title=Teresa Forcades, del convento a la asamblea, y del hábito a la "estelada"}}</ref><ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|url =https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/07/homily-to-catalonia-nun-entering-spains-regional-politics|title=Homily to Catalonia: the nun entering Spain's regional politics|first=Ashifa|last=Kassam|date=7 June 2015|newspaper= The Guardian}}</ref>

In 2018, she returned to the monastery of Sant Benet in Montserrat to resume her life as a contemplative nun.


==Writings==
==Writings==

Revision as of 12:11, 29 October 2019

Teresa Forcades
OSB
Teresa Forcades i Vila
Forcades in 2015
Born
Teresa Forcades i Vila

1966 (age 57–58)
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Alma mater
OccupationBenedictine nun
Known for

Teresa Forcades i Vila[a] OSB (born 1966) is a Spanish physician and Benedictine nun. She is a social activist,[1] focusing on public health. She has gained an international reputation for her criticisms of the pharmaceutical industry. She is also a controversial writer on pseudoscientific remedies, Christian feminism, and Catalan independence.

Education

Born in Barcelona in 1966, Forcades grew up in a home where her parents rejected religion. She was sent, however, to the private Sacred Heart school, where she discovered religious faith through the study of the Bible given by the religious sisters who ran the school.[2] She went on to study medicine at the University of Barcelona. In 1992 she moved to the United States, where in 1995 she completed a residency at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine, specialising in internal medicine. After obtaining a scholarship, she moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she gained the degree of Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School in 1997.

As the result of a stay in order to prepare for some examinations which Forcades made at the Monastery of St. Benedict in Montserrat, Spain, founded in 1952,[3] and connected to the famed Abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat, she felt a call to monastic life.[2] In September 1997, she entered the monastery, where she follows the Benedictine pattern of life, while still working in the fields of religious study, theology and medicine. In 2004 she obtained a doctorate in public health from the University of Barcelona. In 2005 she obtained a degree in theology. After four years, in 2009 she received a doctorate from the School of Theology of Catalonia.

Positions

Teresa Forcades understands feminism as a form of liberation theology. She believes, in accordance with the Catholic Church's position, that a fetus has a right to life, but she also believes, contradicting the Catholic Church's position, that a pregnant woman has a right to self-determination that is equally absolute. In that sense, she has supported abortion and the distribution of the morning-after pill.

The Vatican has criticised her activism and in 2009, Cardinal Franc Rodé, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, requested Forcades' abbess to order Forcades to make a public commitment to the official teachings of the Catholic Church.

Forcades has openly criticised the Catholic church as "misogynist and patriarchal in its structure".[1] She has developed her thoughts on this in the light of liberation theology.

She has been fiercely criticised for her positions, specifically her support of miracle mineral supplement, a version of industrial strength bleach, which she says can cure a wide range of illnesses, including cancer, malaria, HIV, acne, and hepatitis.

An article in El País labelling her as a "paranoid conspiracist" and "hoaxer-nun"[4] produced a stream of complaints from readers and had later its objectivity and quality put into question by the newspaper's public editor.[5]

In 2013, Forcades co-authored the Manifesto for the Convening of a Constituent Process in Catalonia with economist Arcadi Oliveres. In it they proposed achieving independence for Catalonia through new political and social model based on self-organisation and social mobilisation.[6] Her political activism resulted in The Guardian labelling her as "one of the most outspoken ... leaders of southern Europe's far left".[1]

In 2015, as another major vote for Catalan independence approached, Forcades received permission from her superior and the Holy See to set aside her habit and don secular attire, entering the political arena to lead the leftist Procés Constituent movement. She remarked, "Criticisms are to be expected. I follow somebody called Jesus and he had a lot of that."[7][8]

Writings

Forcades has written three books:

  • La Trinitat avui (The Trinity Today) (Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, 2005)
  • Els crims de les grans companies farmacèutiques (The Crimes of big Pharmaceutical Companies) (Cristianisme i Justícia, 2006)
  • La teologia feminista en la història (Feminist Theology in History) (Fragmenta Editorial, 2007)

Notes

  1. ^ Catalan pronunciation: [t(ə)ˈɾɛzə fuɾˈkaðəs].

References

  1. ^ a b c "Keeping up with Teresa Forcades, a nun on a mission". The Guardian. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Charlas con Teresa". Benedictinos de Catalunya (in Spanish).
  3. ^ "Monastir". Monastir de Sant Benet.
  4. ^ MARÍA R. SAHUQUILLO / EMILIO DE BENITO (1 November 2009). "Desmontando a la monja-bulo". El País (in Galician). Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  5. ^ Milagros Pérez Oliva (8 November 2009). "La monja y las teorías de la conspiración". El País. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Teresa Forcades i Arcadi Oliveres promouen un manifest 'per un procés constituent a Catalunya'". VilaWeb.cat. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  7. ^ "Teresa Forcades, del convento a la asamblea, y del hábito a la "estelada"". El Diario (in Spanish).
  8. ^ Kassam, Ashifa (7 June 2015). "Homily to Catalonia: the nun entering Spain's regional politics". The Guardian.
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