From Abusive Home to TikTok Stardom: Sister Monica Clares Incredible Journey
In the quiet rural setting of St. John Baptist convent in Mendham Township, New Jersey, Sister Monica Clare, the 59-year-old sister superior, has found a new life and a newfound fame on TikTok. With 215,000 followers and 2.7 million likes, she shares tales of life in a convent and tackles weighty topics like sin and celibacy.
Claudette Monica Powell discovered her calling at age 5 when she watched the 1959 Audrey Hepburn drama "The Nun's Story" on television. The film's vision of the "peace and order" of the convent was a stark contrast to her chaotic home life with an abusive father. Her Southern Baptist family in Rome, Georgia, was not particularly religious and laughed off her spiritual aspirations. So Powell spent decades trying to suppress her true nature, leading a life she felt others wanted her to live: graduating from college, working at an advertising firm, and marrying her longtime boyfriend.
But through it all, Powell felt like an imposter. It wasn't until decades later that she finally followed her heart and joined the Episcopal Church at age 46. She studied various denominations in a process she likens to choosing a college and settled on St. John the Baptist, a convent on an isolated, wooded campus in southern Morris County, about an hour outside New York.
When she initially arrived at St. John, Powell assumed she would lead a life of quiet anonymity. However, she joined social media during the pandemic to create humorous videos and stave off loneliness. Her growing cadre of followers began asking her about religious rituals and life as a nun, and many requested prayers. Her account soon blew up and posts started to go viral.
Many of Sister Monica's videos delve into religious questions, with titles such as "what's up with sin?" and "why would anyone choose to be celibate?" In others, she shows that sisters can be fun as well as holy, depicting them enjoying barbecues, making s'mores, and competing in a Jenga Olympics. Jennie, St. Joseph's rescue dog, and Sophie, the convent kitty, also figure prominently in her videos. A November 2023 TikTok about adopting "Sister Jennifer" drew over 800,000 views. The border collie attends all six daily chapel services at the convent, Powell boasted.
Powell said she was drawn to the Episcopal Church because its progressive views aligned with her own values. The church is pro-choice, appoints female bishops, preaches inclusivity, and promotes LGBTQ+ rights. Most importantly, it offered her a haven where she could be true to herself. "Many people mistakenly believe that being a nun is oppressive, but rather it's freed me of all the bad roles I've tried out my whole life," she said. "It's beautiful and very joyful."
Today, Sister Monica Clare dresses in a collared habit and lives in modest quarters with 11 other nuns in a rural setting, surrounded by trees and secluded from the rest of the world. They spend their days in prayer and in service to others. She works at food banks and volunteers on social justice projects. She enjoys the camaraderie of a close-knit community of supportive women and never has to worry about chasing the almighty dollar or trying to get a husband.
