Look out, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney: There’s a new group of sisters taking reality television by storm.
They’re young. They’re pretty. They’re willing to let cameras record their every move. Oh, and they’ll only be sisters if they become nuns by the end of the season.
Characterized as “The Kardashians of the Catholic Church” and “The Bachelor, but for Jesus,” Lifetime’s newest series, “The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns,” follows Christie, Claire, Eseni, Francesca and Stacey as they decide whether to take religious vows and join a Roman Catholic convent.
Produced by the same people who created “Breaking Amish,” the show aspires to shed light on the relatively unknown lives of nuns in America, as well as to capitalize on the shock value of five twenty-somethings considering a 24/7 religious career, Religion Dispatches reported.
The six-episode “docuseries” premiered received mixed reviews from TV critics and the real life nuns who followed along.
“It feels authentic,” noted Crux, The Boston Globe’s online affiliate for Catholic news.
Jo Piazza, author of “If Nuns Ruled the World,” wrote that the show falls squarely into the reality TV genre, playing up the tears and fears of the five young women. Her article for Religion Dispatches pointed out the ways “The Sisterhood” fails to portray the true path to becoming a nun.
For example, the first episode showed Francesca bemoaning the fact that makeup is not allowed at a convent. Piazza wrote that makeup is actually acceptable, explaining that she knows nuns who not only use cover-up, but also own hairdryers and hair straighteners.
Older nuns and other young postulants, or women considering taking religious vows, followed along on Twitter, sharing their thoughts on the show with the hashtag #RealPostulants.
“Neat to see how these five women are supporting each other in the difficult moments. (That’s) true in religious life,” tweeted Sister Rebecca Hoffort.
In August, Deseret News National reported that there were around 50,000 religious sisters in the United States in 2014, a significant drop from the 180,000 recorded in 1965. Convents have felt the effects of American culture becoming less religious.
“The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns” airs on Tuesday nights.
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