(gospel music playing)
(narrator) The Convent of the Sacred Heart.
Home to a devout sisterhood of Catholic nuns.
We pray for four to five hours a day.
(narrator) They're dedicated to the salvation of others.
I want to be a saint, that's my goal.
(narrator) With one eye on the modern world...
Personally, I've never taken a selfie.
(narrator) They're now opening their doors for the first time ever.
‐Oh, my goodness. ‐(Sister Michaela) Wow.
(narrator) To five very modern young women.
To transform the world legless is really not a good idea.
(narrator) Hard partying, selfie obsessed,
they represent a generation in danger of losing their way.
But are they happy?
Tyla, what are you doing? Like what are you actually doing?
(Gabbi) I feel like my self‐worth comes from Instagram.
I was like daddy's little girl. Yeah, I'd love it to be how it used to be.
But they're looking for happiness, aren't they?
(narrator) Over the next month, they'll confront their lifestyles.
(Paige) Oh, my God.
(narrator) In the one place they never thought they'd find themselves.
A convent.
Are you actually going to turn me into a nun?
I'm in a convent.
This is hell.
(gospel music playing)
(narrator) It's early morning in the Sacred Heart Convent in Norfolk...
(bell ringing)
...and the second week of the girls' spiritual mission.
If God had to tell us something and send us a message,
it would be stop going out and to spend more time with your parents, I think.
(narrator) In the first week, there were moments of struggle.
(Rebecca) The last time I got up this early was for school.
(narrator) With a wakeup call at 6:30, mass at 7,
a day of chores and prayer, then in bed by 10.
They're late for most things, or they haven't turned up on time.
(narrator) They've finally got to grips with the daily grind.
Monday morning, who gets up and cleans? It's ridiculous.
(narrator) Then the sisters strip them of the trappings of 21st century living.
‐(Tyla) Bye! ‐(girls) Bye, see you later!
(narrator) But some habits die hard.
I got a bottle of vodka from the shop today.
But we trusted you.
(narrator) And they're finding that self‐discovery can be painful.
I would like to apologize to you about yesterday.
Everything that I've done is to kind of punish my parents.
I've done so many bad things.
(tranquil music playing)
(narrator) It's Valentine's Day and love is in the air.
I did not think that this would be my 2017 Valentine's Day
but we just go with it.
(narrator) Over in the girls' dorm, the nun's life of celibacy is playing on the girls' minds.
This is the longest I've gone without sex to be honest, I'm not going to lie. God...
Missing it like, just find it like really strange that the sisters
haven't had sex like at all.
Sex is wicked. If they need, totally I will teach them a few things.
I just don't like why their rules kind of say that they're not allowed,
‐so like I don't get it. ‐Like I'm not being funny, I'm sure Adam and Eve had sex.
That's what I mean, how are you supposed to make new babies?
‐Did they have sex? ‐How are you supposed to recreate?
(Tyla) It's like God wants them to be grumpy.
(narrator) It's 8 a. m., breakfast time.
‐(Tyla) Morning. ‐(Sister Linda) Morning, dear.
Praise for Jesus Christ, good morning.
Good morning.
Holy Spirit.
(girls) Amen.
(Sarah) I don't know what I fancy today.
(Tyla) If for any reason at all I became a sister,
I'd be rocking the red lace under my habit,
I'd be rocking some kinky little underwear.
I'd be walking round like, "Oh, God, want do you think now?"
(narrator) Sister Anna and Sister Michaela are determined
to make the girls do their chores.
We're prepared, we've got shopping bags and everything.
(narrator) And have drafted Tyla and Paige to help them with the weekly shop.
As they leave for the supermarket,
the girls spot an opportunity to ask the sisters all about love.
(Paige) You ever get sad that you won't be having a boyfriend
to like hold their hand and stuff?
(Sister Michaela) When you become a sister, you're still a woman,
so you still have that desire and I think all...
I would like to have a child and experience the joy of being a mother.
(Sister Anna) A mother, yes.
(Sister Michaela) Yes, I like male company.
I've got many male friends even though we are consecrated women
so we don't have romantic relationships with them
but we still have relationships of friendship with men.
‐Yeah. ‐And house and little dogs around.
And garden.
(Tyla) Oh, that's good.
I think the girls initially they were shocked and surprised that
at our age we're still virgins...
or why before becoming a sister why didn't we bother to try it out before.
But what is gone is gone. You cannot change the past.
(serene music playing)
(narrator) To mark the Catholic feast of St Valentine,
Mother Superior has arranged a very special evening for the girls.
Well we thought we'd try and give them a little convent joy
and as it was Valentine's Day, this is a time for love.
We want them to learn to love as well.
(narrator) And to mark the celebration, they've raided the cellar.
(Sister Thomas More) We do have a wine called Lambrusco,
so we thought it won't hurt them because it's very weak
but just for a little surprise we're going to give them
a little drink of wine tonight for Valentine's.
I'm sure they'll notice the difference between what they're used to but that doesn't matter.
Everybody at places.
Ah, this is lovely.
(Rebecca) Oh, this is so cute.
‐Oh, so cute. ‐(Sarah) Oh, we've all got little roses.
(bell ringing)
In the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.
(Sister Thomas More) Happy Sit Valentine's Day to everybody.
(narrator) But it's important to the sisters that all should be in moderation.
Who wants a drink then?
Oh, my God, it's been so long.
(Sister Thomas More) I went to dances, I wore a bit of make‐up.
Sundresses in those days were not as revealing as they are today.
I'm fine with a small one.
I wasn't adverse to having a drink when we went to a dance.
I enjoyed my... my years.
I mean, I wanted to be a sister so I wasn't exactly wild.
‐Now chin‐chin, Sister Francis. ‐I like this.
‐Oh, yeah, cheers. ‐(Sarah) Chin‐chin.
‐What's chin‐chin? ‐(Tyla) Chin‐chin, it means cheers.
‐(Rebecca) Yeah, just like a cheers. ‐What?
(Tyla) Cheers, yeah.
(narrator) Paige is already after a top up.
(Sister Linda) What about the other ones? Always waiting.
(Sarah) It's nice to have a drink but it's basically like having lemonade.
(narrator) And rebellion is also brewing in the kitchen.
I need something exciting in my life.
I'm bored of waking up doing prayers, doing breakfast, cleaning up.
I'm just bored of it. I need something exciting.
What we're going to do is we're going to go out and then run down,
have a quick drink and then come back. No one's going to know.
‐Bob's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt. ‐Mm‐hm.
(narrator) We're half way through week two of convent life.
The lack of alcohol and being cooped up in the convent
have united the girls in frustration
but lessons have been learned from last week's vodka smuggling attempt.
(upbeat music playing)
To be fair, it doesn't say anything about being not allowed to go to the pub,
so we're going to go.
(narrator) With a cunning plan to negotiate some leniency...
Hello.
(narrator) ...Sarah's asked Sister Francis for a meeting.
(Sarah) Well, I was having a look through on here.
So I went, when you've put here that you would like us to
resist the temptation to leave the premises,
which is completely understandable, for a more exciting lifestyle.
Well, we know it is a more exciting lifestyle, don't we?
We just basically want to have kind of an afternoon or evening off,
just to go kind of to the pubs.
Not to go out and get absolutely bladdered,
just have one drink just us as girls have a little bit of a bond.
I am just... worried about your discipline, your self‐discipline.
Spirituality, it's quiet and reflection
and that has really got to be built into it, otherwise you have no time to grow.
And if you take all that away all we're producing is Butlins holiday camp.
If... if say for example, we went down the road and had one glass of wine,
from our conversation the other day I know honesty is now the best policy
and I feel like I want to openly speak about things, discuss it, have a chat.
You are actually saying openly "You can trust us."
(narrator) Sister Francis swiftly spots an opportunity
to turn the girls moaning into a test.
We haven't planned anything for this evening, had we?
‐(Sarah) No, no. ‐(Sister Francis) And it is...
And it is Friday.
But can I just remind you, this is a very small town...
so I'm afraid all eyes are always, you know...
Eyes and ears.
Swaffham is going to have a big shock I think.
So I think we just bargained with the nuns and we're allowed to go to the pub.
Obviously, we're going to have to respect that we don't want to come back drunk
but it's just... it's a miracle.
My concern is if they go to the pub and I really don't know how to deal with a drunk person.
I don't really know.
It was a bit of a challenge but I think it's probably a good idea
that they release some of the tension.
(narrator) And the prospect of a drink has had quite an affect on Rebecca.
I've been like revitalized. Like I've been, what's the word, reincarnated like Jesus.
Like I've been brought back to life.
I think it's all the Holy Water I've drank.
I've drank a lot of that Holy Water.
(calm music playing)
(narrator) And heeding Sister Francis' words that all eyes will be upon them,
they dress up for the night out.
I can relate to them in many ways. I myself wore a lot of make‐up.
I used it just to cover something that I didn't like about myself.
I was drinking when I was a teenager.
I just wanted to rebel.
I would like them to know that they can have fun without alcohol, without drinking.
(Sister Linda) Oh, my goodness.
I'm not really sure I want to see that.
Next time choose what you want to show me, I'm not interested.
(narrator) But Sister Francis is interested
and she's homing in on what they decide to wear.
‐Let's see what you look like. ‐(mouth words)
(narrator) It's all part of the test. Which at this point frankly isn't looking hopeful.
I hate to say but are you going to be cold?
(Rebecca) I'm from Newcastle, remember.
(narrator) But even a night out in Swaffham comes with rules.
Right so you'll be back here at half past 9
so that you're on the dot of half past 9 you will turn into...
‐(Sarah) A pumpkin. ‐(Paige) Cinderella. ‐(Sister Francis) A pumpkin
and do not make a fool of yourselves.
(girls) Never, never.
(narrator) And with a final word of warning the girls are temporarily let free.
I remember when I joined the convent.
I came in a mini‐skirt and I was introduced to the priest and he didn't look at my face.
He looked at my feet and he gradually brought his eyes up
and up and up most pointedly until he saw my face.
Because my skirt was about 10 inches above my knees
and I was coming to join the convent so he thought that was a bit strange.
(girls giggling)
(Paige) We are going to get mortal.
They're a temptation when they're with young men
because they are dressed provocatively and I think that is wrong.
(Sister Michaela) Wearing very revealing clothing is part of today's fashion I think.
Obviously, older generations don't see it as such
but there is this pressure from society for young girls to look in a certain way
otherwise they're not beautiful which means they are not valuable.
(Rebecca) Can I have one bottle of rosé please.
Can I have a bottle of rosé please.
(Tyla) What sort of shots do you do?
(Sarah) So we're all going to get a bottle of wine each
and there's some shots going, we'll get some shots. Thanks, honey.
Cheers.
(narrator) With not a second to waste, the girls happily fall off the wagon.
But down time at the convent is a more sober pursuit.
What's a mythical one‐horned animal, what's that?
‐Unicorn. ‐Thank you.
We're all different, aren't we? Like we all have fun in different ways.
We prefer to sort of watch...
Sit and just, we're just literally enjoying the wine.
Do you know, this was a brand new cardigan
‐and it's gone really thin. ‐I know.
Tyla's definitely necked one and had at least the rest of another bottle.
Concerned for humanity.
We should know that one, number six.
(giggling)
Promiscuity does seem to be the norm, doesn't it?
Rather than having that relationship of real love and trust.
No we need to get home quickly. We've got 10 minutes, 10 minutes.
It absolutely makes me really feel disgusted that people can't control themselves.
I mean, come on, we're not animals.
Where is love in all this?
‐Spank me. ‐Right, Tyla can handle herself.
I'm going to make sure you, guys, get home, okay.
(Rebecca) This way, girls.
If we mess this up now, we don't get any other...
any other... Yeah.
(narrator) Cutting it fine, they've just made the 9:30 curfew.
(Rebecca) Where is everyone?
(narrator) But some are a little worse for wear.
(Rebecca) Get off me, okay, I'm weeing, I swear.
(Tyla) It's 10 o'clock, she's coming.
(narrator) Pleased that they've stuck to the agreement,
Sister Francis comes to do lights out.
Come out, come out.
I'm coming out, sister, I'm coming out.
I think there's more than one to come out.
‐We're just getting changed, that's all, sister. ‐I'm naked, I'm naked.
‐Are you okay? ‐Yeah, now did you have a good time?
‐Yeah, had a really good time. ‐I'm naked, no, I'm naked.
Can you come out of the room please. Can you come out of the room?
Come on, sister, let's go and see the rest of the people.
Oh, there's something going on.
(Tyla) No, we're just getting changed.
(narrator) And she's right.
Rebecca has an emergency that has immediate attention.
‐Look. (gasps) ‐(Sister Francis) Oh, my goodness.
‐I can't, sister... ‐I'll make you a plastic one.
No, I need to go to a nail... is there a nail shop in Swaffham?
I can't have one nail missing, it look...
Let's just put this into the great proportion of life, okay.
There are people out there who haven't got anything to eat at all.
But I don't have a nail. That's more important I think, sister.
Just reflect on that as you go to bed.
Your nail is more important than people who have nothing to eat.
‐Look. ‐Okay, just think about that, Rebecca.
‐Okay. ‐(laughs)
Bed, bed, bed. Last one. Come on.
(Tyla) Night‐night, sister.
‐(Paige) Good night sister. ‐Bed. Bed. Bed.
(Sister Francis) 8:00 breakfast, nobody's to be a minute late.
I didn't hear them coming back then I heard the noise so I knew they were back.
I think they did make it on time.
We'll wait and see if they make it on time for tomorrow because that's the deal.
Breakfast at 8.
(gospel music playing)
(narrator) It's the morning after...
Hmm, it's awful.
(narrator) Any chance of the girls attending morning prayers
has dropped off the order of service.
But they've made it to breakfast on time.
‐We need egg and sausage. ‐And a bacon butty.
I feel a bit gippy me.
(bell ringing)
(Paige) That fucking bell.
(narrator) But not going to the service does not mean
they escape the convents daily chores.
This is what they do every day, they go out drinking
and this was maybe a way for them to do something rebellious in here
but I cannot condemn them.
Sugar.
Drink is not going to help you to sort any problem.
My mam would be loving this right now.
Me on my hands and knees cleaning, she'd love it.
(Sister Michaela) I used to go out and drink a lot with my friends.
I thought I was having fun but actually I felt more and more empty inside
and it didn't really help.
(Tyla) Oh, it's chilly.
(narrator) Having allowed the girls to relieve
some of their pent out frustration on their night out,
the sisters think a calmer outing could be of great benefit.
(Sister Linda) Slowly, slowly, take it easy please.
No need to rush.
(Sister Anna) Easy peasy.
(narrator) Sister Michaela and Sister Linda are taking them to the place they met
where Sister Michaela took her first step towards the sisterhood,
Norwich Catholic Cathedral.
Sister Michaela she was actually at that bench.
I thought she might approach me when she sees me
because I could see she wants to talk to me but she didn't.
She was so worried or scared. I didn't know what to say.
(Sister Michaela) And I was praying to God for a person to be sent to me
to help me on my journey.
I was hiding and I saw her like this with the corner of my eye
and I said, "If it's your will, Jesus, you'll do it,"
and she came over, I stood up and then I said, "Sister!"
And we became sisters forever.
(gospel music playing)
(Rebecca) I can't do this. I don't like it.
(narrator) And with a feeling of sisterhood,
the deacon Andrew Ebun helps the girls make their way that little closer to God.
(Sister Linda) Goodness me.
We're now on top of the roof
and we're now going to out and up into the tower.
(narrator) However, for Tyla and Rebecca,
this is way out of their comfort zone.
(Rebecca) I don't like it.
‐(Sister Linda) You want me to hold your hand? ‐(Rebecca) No, it's okay.
I'm getting really dizzy now.
‐Is it safe to walk on this, yeah? ‐Yes it is, here we go, look.
No, no, mm‐hm.
(Tyla) Come on. Is it safe to walk on this, yeah?
‐Oh, no, I can't. ‐Come on.
(Sister Linda) But when we got there,
Rebecca was getting really scared of height.
Tyla was telling her, "Can you stop it because you're making me worse."
Oh, bless you. Have you got a drink?
And Rebecca couldn't stop because she had this really high anxiety.
I love roller coasters and stuff like that, but this is totally different.
(narrator) And after a long trip up, time at the top is short lived
and the sisterly love is shattered when anxiety erupts into anger.
‐(Tyla) Shut your mouth, shut your mouth, Rebecca. ‐Shut your fucking mouth.
Your shut your fucking mouth, Tyla.
‐You're being, you're being... ‐So what, I have panic attacks as well.
Everyone else is scared. Stop being a little fucking drama queen.
‐Shut your mouth. ‐(Rebecca) I can't fucking help it.
Can you help it if you're having a panic attack and your panicking, no?
‐Exactly. ‐Other people are panicking as well,
‐it's not just about you, love. ‐Oh, dear.
So much for being fucking scared.
You can't fucking help it, can you?
(Sister Linda) So they had an argument because
they made each other even more nervous and then angry
not being able to control that anxiety.
And I don't want to swear in front of the deacon
and all the sisters and everything because it's disrespectful
but I cannot deal with a little brat talking to me like that.
If she was scared I would be like, "No, it's alright, you know, come on,"
instead she's going, "Oh, shut up, everyone's scared."
Well, yes, everyone's scared but people deal with it in different ways, so...
Yeah, highest point in Norwich and, yeah, a bit of drama.
(Sarah) We're on top of the cathedral bearing in mind I would just like to point out
and I'm going come on, come on, Jesus, step in.
Brilliant, absolute class.
(gospel music playing)
Morning, ladies...
(narrator) A new day may have dawned at the convent
but there's still an air of tension following yesterday's big fight
between Tyla and Rebecca.
Obviously, it's still unresolved so... yeah...
it's still unresolved so we're going to have to see what happens.
See what sort of attitude I get.
‐You're... ‐I'm not ready just yet.
‐(Sister Linda) Okay. ‐Going to be a tad late.
There's so many more important things to ponder on
than just silly arguments which I think it was anxiety talking for them.
...Holy Spirit, amen.
We give thee thanks almighty God for all thy benefits who livest and reignest world without end.
Amen.
(narrator) Seizing the moment, she takes Tyla to one side.
I was disrespectful because you know at the end of a day was on top of a cathedral
and the words that I were using were not words that you guys hear often
so I think it's just being able to actually "control" where,
in certain situations I should of like, pfft, and leave.
Like I've woke up this morning and I'm fine.
Like I've walked past her and I'm fine it's not, you know, there's no maliciousness...
towards her.
I'm very, very proud of you.
They felt like I could see embarrassed or they felt like
they really want to make some sort of movement, move to talk to each other.
(narrator) But then Rebecca and Tyla get to reflect on the events at the cathedral.
I bet at home if it happened when we were out on a night it would be fucking, ra ra ra.
‐Exactly. ‐Yeah, but like I think being here like has kind of taught us
like life's too short and like we're not kids any more,
we're not in school, it's not like bickering, like.
(narrator) The tranquility of the convent and Sister Linda's wise words to Tyla
have had the desired effect.
Being here I think we've all changed as people.
Like I know I've changed already quite a lot.
Like I feel I'm a better person in myself and I feel like so much better for talking about it
and sorting it out rather than being nasty and bitchy.
Being in this nunnery, it's just,
it's making me a bit more of like a understanding person maybe.
All the girls have learned a lot about forgiveness.
How important it is to forgive and let it go.
(upbeat music playing)
Do you want to make a cream and an ice cream?
(narrator) And on that happy note, the nuns show the girl it's not all chores and prayer.
Fun doesn't have to mean boys and booze.
Hey. We got you.
(girls laughing)
We can move those hips. We can move those hips. Here we go.
(narrator) Podium dancer Tyla gets things moving.
(all cheering)
1, 2, 3, 4...
(narrator) Quickly followed by Sister Linda who has a few moves of her own.
It's not about us reinforcing our believes on them
but just for them to see that there is another way of life.
You can have fun without alcohol.
You can have a good laugh.
1, 2, 3.
(indistinct chatter)
(tranquil music playing)
(narrator) Having survived without any contact
with their old lives via phone and social media,
Sister Anna wants to give the girls a lesson in self‐discipline
by allowing them limited access to their phones just like the nuns have.
In September last year, after I become a novice I'm not allowed to have my phone.
I get it once a week for the next two years.
It opened my eyes to see how, how silly I was
that this small little thing was my security, my refuge.
It goes everywhere I go, even to the toilet.
But before you see this box, for the past few days how have you been handling it?
‐Absolutely fine, I haven't even thought about it. ‐Absolutely fine, yeah.
(Sarah) I've been really good, I haven't kept feeling the need to just go into my pocket
and check for it because I've been kept so busy.
And I can't believe how easy it's been. It's such a shock.
It really is.
Well, it's such a shock to me that you guys are finding it easy.
‐Yeah, it's so strange. ‐Share me the secret. Give me the secret.
I'm going to give you your phone and share with us...
‐(Sarah) Keep calm. ‐(Sister Anna) Keep calm.
(Tyla) Okay.
(giggling)
(Tyla) Thank you.
How many messages?
(giggling)
Please don't, please don't judge me.
(Sister Linda) Oh, gosh.
They might not be as bad as you think.
Have a scroll. I'm giving it to you...
(Sister Linda) Bless you...
I feel that that isn't me
and I feel like that's what I'm expected to be.
You know, I feel that I've got so much else to give
other than be "sexy".
I feel like a lot of people think that that's all I have.
That's all I can do and that I'm sort of useless apart from that.
‐Yeah. ‐(Sister Linda) You're great.
(Gabbi) I think the hardest part for me was the fear of being judged,
telling them what my job is and some of the things I do.
How different that is to them.
That was a very, very scary for me.
(Sister Anna) You know why your pictures doesn't really means a lot to me because I know you.
You for who you are.
I don't need to see your pictures to know who you are.
(Gabbi) Thank you.
No, that means so much to me. No, it means a huge amount.
‐Really? ‐Yeah. Really.
We all need somebody, don't we?
We need somebody who we can trust, who we can talk to
and I think they haven't had much of that, any of them in the past.
So that's another learning curve which probably they haven't quite recognized yet.
(tranquil music playing)
(narrator) Sister Michaela's tactic is to find common ground with the girls.
(Sister Michaela) So now, let's try to learn a rhythm.
‐(Rebecca) All right, then. ‐(Sister Michaela) Yes.
(narrator) To help Rebecca rebuild her relationship with her parents,
she's employing the sound of music
but something's standing in her way.
‐When you get rid of your nails. ‐(Rebecca gasps)
If they are a little bit longer I can't play properly so that might be the case.
I'll have to cut them then.
(Sister Michaela) Yes, you will.
Rebecca told me that she's regarded as the black sheep in her family
because of her lifestyle...
which clashes with the Asian culture.
I understand how she feels because...
my family do not support me being a sister.
That hurt inside.
It's really deep because for Asian we'll raise up so we can make our parents proud of us.
I don't think any parents will purposely hurt their children.
I really hope she'll be able to open up more to her parents when she get back.
(Sister Michaela) Down, down, up, up, down, up.
What did your parents think about you dancing?
To be honest my mum and dad are the point now
where they've not gave up but kind of like just let you do what you want
because there's no point telling me what I can't do.
My dad doesn't really... like we don't speak.
He obviously doesn't like, I'm just guessing because obviously he's a dad
but I just think we need to get like that bond's just being broken.
‐It kind of needs to be rebuilt again. ‐(Sister Michaela) Definitely.
Every wound can be healed in relationships I think
because my relationship with my mum was very, very difficult.
I didn't know I could ever get over it.
The fact that I felt so abandoned and so not cared for.
Most of the time I didn't feel like she really loved me.
Oh, sister.
It was the last two or three years before her death that our relationship got better.
The last words I said to her were "I love you"
and her last words to me were "I love you, too."
‐Yeah. ‐So it was... we fixed our relationship.
So it would be a good idea just to sit down with your dad
and tell him how you feel.
(Rebecca) Like I'm scared to talk to my dad because me and my dad are both stubborn.
When I get back I'm going to be the one to make the first move
‐and stop being stubborn and just, you know... ‐(Sister Michaela) Well done.
I'm going to grab the bull by the horns so to speak.
I was just on this path, this destructive path,
to the point where I ruined my whole relationship with my dad
and just hope it's not too late when I get back.
I have hurt them so bad and I've just been a really shit daughter.
(Sister Michaela) 1, 2, 3 and 4.
(strumming)
(cheers)
‐Yay. High five. ‐Yes, that's it. ‐Did it.
(Sister Michaela) Are your ready to sacrifice your beautiful nails for this?
You know, Sister, I am.
It will be better for you to play guitar without them.
‐See, I'm a new woman. ‐Yeah. (laughs)
(tranquil music playing)
(narrator) The nuns are well aware that many of the girls are hiding
their inner anxieties behind their make‐up.
In a way it kind of does make me feel a little bit sad being in the convent
because I think like, it's started to make realize that there's more to life
thinking about how I'm looking and that sort of thing.
(Sister Francis) I think people have an inner beauty
and I think sometimes it is spoilt with make‐up, with a lot of make‐up.
And if you have to spend, you know, hours making yourself up
and spending a lot of money on it,
um, I think there are better things that they could be doing.
I used to not care whether I was really glam
or whether I was just completely natural.
I literally didn't care.
So it would be nice to sort of feel like that again like it didn't matter,
it didn't affect my day.
If you feel safe enough and comfortable to come down without make‐up
or less make‐up, it's up to you.
As long as you have that desire in you to change
then you're on the right path, but, listen, there's no pressure.
If one morning you did think "You know what, I want to go down with no make‐up on today,
I don't want to go down on my own" just come knock on my door and just say..."
‐(Gabbi) Let's do it. ‐I have the feeling today, I'm feeling good,
let's not wear any make‐up, we could nude faced together.
Yeah. No, that would help.
I hope you feel that we have accepted you for who you are
regardless of who you think you are.
(indistinct chatter)
Well done, Paige, I can't give you a hug, too far.
The easiest way to stop wearing make‐up is in a convent, isn't it,
where nobody wears make‐up and we still...
I would like to think
we still look good, not ugly.
(laughs)
(narrator) The sisters saying that the girls hide their inner beauty
has prompted some hard thinking.
(Gabbi) Just go in at the deep end, just do it and it's done.
It's my worst night... well, it's not my worst nightmare...
‐It's uncomfortable, yeah. ‐It's uncomfortable.
‐It's a nightmare. ‐Definitely.
Tomorrow then, no make‐up.
(tranquil music playing)
(narrator) And Rebecca's already making plans to repair her relationship with her parents.
I was joking saying, "I'm either going to come back a lesbian or a nun"
and I'm actually going to come back as a nun, I've put that.
(chuckles)
Me dad'll be like, "Is that a right address, like who is this girl?'
I was daddy's little girl like, when I was looking through pictures before I came here
of like me when I was little, there are more pictures of me and my dad like...
than with me and my mum.
(sniffles) Like I hope he knows that everything I write down I mean. Yeah.
Now I literally wish I could go back right now and just sort it out
because I think that's why I want to get this, not quickly written but written
and sent off as soon as possible just to let my dad know that like
that's how I'm feeling about the situation.
I do want to sort it out and that I love him.
(narrator) With the end of the second week in the convent in sight,
the sisters are guiding the girls along the path to self‐discovery.
Learning to love and respect themselves and work on relationships.
(narrator) Today Gabbi plans to spend the day make‐up free.
Have you got any highlighter, Gabbi?
(Gabbi) Yeah, I'll get you some. This is torture.
(Rebecca) I mean, it's just a bit shit for you
because obviously we've got make‐up on and you haven't.
‐But I'm sure... ‐(Gabbi) There's that nice one you used yesterday.
How are you feeling about it?
(Gabbi) Um, well, no make‐up, I'm feeling okay actually.
(Rebecca) Well, you look alright. You've got your hair done as well,
‐honestly, you'll be fine babes. ‐Thanks.
‐Yeah, you alright though? ‐(Gabbi) Yeah.
Yeah, good.
I look pale. My eyebrows are wonky
but I'm ready to take it on...
(narrator) And Paige is along side barefaced and ready for breakfast with the nuns.
‐You look gorgeous. ‐Thank you.
Honestly. Honest to God you do.
Thanks. I look my dad.
Hello.
Gabbi but I'm like 12 years old today.
You know the sisters and the girls don't need to bother...
trying to make me feel better but they are.
Good girl, well done.
‐You're a star. ‐You need a plate?
Yeah.
I do want people to see me differently...
I think I've kind of got a bit of a bad name for myself
but I want them to see that I'm not a bad person
and I don't want them to judge a book by its cover.
I want them to know me for me.
It was really sweet of Paige to get behind Gabbi to strip her make‐up.
When someone has support, they have more courage and more confidence.
I didn't think anything anyone said could make that much difference how I feel
but they've taught me not to care about what anybody else thinks of me
and they've taught me to be comfortable with myself
and that anything outside of that is somebody else's own issue
and not to let that affect me because I opened up to them and it's the most amazing feeling.
(tranquil music playing)
(narrator) To explore how to find an inner respect,
Sister Linda calls the girls to a meeting on modesty and men.
(Sister Linda) Friday night you went out.
What would you wear if you went to this.
I think it would be nice to be able to go out and actually dress up or even dress down
to a sense and to feel good about yourself to be able to do that.
Can you imagine how good we'd feel if we went out with no make‐up on
in like a simple outfit and we still got, we still got the attention
but you'd feel good in yourself because it's not like we're done up to the nines.
‐We're ourselves. ‐Exactly, but I used to be young once.
And... and all the guys would want to see your personality first
‐and then your body. ‐(Tyla) I wish.
(Sister Linda) They don't want to see that, don't show them.
Full stop, don't show them. They don't deserve you.
I would like you to think about who would you like to be appreciated by.
What kind of men do you want to be attracted to.
You are pretty girls.
One way or the other, you will find someone who you're going to be a princess to.
Because look how beautiful you look without your make‐up.
I mean, dressed like this you should, you know,
‐you're so beautiful dressed like this. ‐(Gabbi) Oh, Sarah.
(all laugh)
Oh, babes.
Are you okay, dear?
It's just, it's just you don't get told this on the regular
and it's just nice to know that we can actually be ourselves
and to actually be appreciated for who we actually are is just like,
it's bringing out all my emotions.
I'm never usually emotional so this is like... yeah.
You guys, this is what you're doing.
You're making us feel so comfortable in our skin like.
It's like a whole new emotions for us. I don't know.
We're covering up and stuff like just out of respect like just, you know.
Not just respect for you guys but I suppose like, yeah,
a little bit of like respect for ourselves.
(Gabbi) Hashtag love yourself.
(all laugh)
These girls they're just people who need some kind of guidance,
who need some kind of support to be who they are.
They have good heart. Well...
they are good because God made them.
(soft music playing)
(narrator) Rebecca is following through on her promise to Sister Michaela to visit a nail bar
and she's persuaded Gabbi and Sarah to join her for the make‐under.
(indistinct chatter)
Gabbi, are you ready to get your nails taken off, babes?
So ready.
I am, I am.
We're going for a clean, clean natural look.
Excited. Au natural for once.
(narrator) The girls settle down the least glamorous manicure they've ever experienced.
I feel like I'm losing my womanhood.
Like it's that only bit of womanliness apart from my hair that I've got left.
‐(Rebecca) Sarah, mine are off now. ‐Are they?
I'm happy though that they're off now,
I want to actually like do things and play the guitar too.
From someone who cried when she accidentally broke her nail
to someone who's willingly going to be taking off her nails
in such a short span of time, it's amazing.
She has come a very long way.
(Gabbi) They're nice and natural and healthy.
(Rebecca) They are quite healthy, to be honest.
Oh, could you like sort my, these bits out.
Are you joking?
(girls laugh)
‐Thank you. ‐(Gabbi) Thank you.
It's like being like a little girl again.
It feels like I've got my hands back from when I was at school.
(narrator) With the girls' changing attitudes apparent,
the sisters plan to take things one step further
by showing Tyla and Paige the importance of listening...
‐(Sister Anna) This way. ‐(Sister Linda) That way.
(narrator) ...and the power of love.
I think if they can go out from here they might learn
that there is another way of living...
and trusting because if you get married, you marry somebody you love.
(Paige) So is Nora like a friend of the sisters then?
(Sister Linda) It's one of the parishioner.
(narrator) Sisters Anna and Linda are taking Paige and Tyla for tea
with Nora whose husband Neville died six months ago.
(knocking on door)
‐Hello, girls. ‐Oh, hi ya.
‐Don't break the door down. ‐(Paige) Go on there, Sister Linda.
(Sister Linda) How are you, darling?
‐How long was you married? ‐50 years.
Yeah, Neville got lung cancer
and he didn't last long
and the nuns came every day to the hospital.
I miss him.
Life without him isn't much fun and it is very painful.
(sniffles)
I don't know what I'd do without these sisters.
(narrator) Touched by her devotion to Neville,
Paige and Tyla are keen to find out what type of man deserved this deep felt love.
‐What was he like? ‐Oh, he was lovely.
He was kind, loving, caring.
(Paige) How did you meet Neville?
Well, must have been dancing, I reckon we used to go up the pally dancing.
You know, London.
So if you ever meet a man try and find one like Neville.
‐One that's kind. ‐We'll look for a Neville.
Yeah, if you find a Neville marry a Neville.
(all laugh)
When you get into a relationship like that, you hold on to it.
That was a good relationship.
I've 100,000 memories of him. A 100,000 memories.
It's nice to kind of speak to someone who's not a sister
and kind of have that inspiration and stuff to...
like want to find love and grow old with someone.
You don't really hear about relationships like that nowadays from our generation.
Everyone's just scared of commitment
and you only have to go on the internet to find a date now.
But I would love to have like a nice interesting story about how I met my partner
but the way this generation's going it's going to be,
"Oh, yeah, he sent me a friend request on Facebook and then that was it."
It's pretty sad.
Change is a life long experience...
I think there've been some milestones for them,
like they really appreciate their mums a bit more.
They appreciate they have to be honest.
They have to own up to things.
They've got to... um, what's the word?
Uh, they've got to negotiate.
(Sister Thomas More) With a certain amount of peace in their hearts,
they might learn that there is another way of living.
(Gabbi) Bye, Sisters.
(narrator) Next time, the nuns set the girls loose
and out into the community to do good works.
Oh, I just saw something.
With three very different convents.
I'’’m trying to live a silent life.
No.
Next thing, you know, all of us just start twerking.
(narrator) And they'll learn what it's really like to give back to others.
Oh, they're so, so, so, so lovely.
I just feel sorry for them.
(theme music playing)