Singing Nun and 'The Voice' Winner Sister Scuccia Explains Giving Pope Francis a CD of Her Singing 'Like a Virgin'
The popular image of a singing nun used to be the sole territory of that Belgium-born Sister Luc-Gabrielle, whose 1961 big time hit single "Dominique” landed her a job strumming her guitar on the Ed Sullivan show. It was cute, and kind of campy, and in no way controversial.
These days, however, a 26-year-old Italian sister is making a name for herself outside of the convent by winning Italy’s version of "The Voice" and redoing Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” making the sexy standard sound more like “Toy Soldiers” by Martika.
Sister Scuccia’s got fans all over Italy and Pope Francis just might be a new one.
On Wednesday, Sister Scuccia got a chance to meet his holiness and used the opportunity to present him with a copy of her self-titled CD, The Associated Press reports. The CD has a mix of religious and secular songs, including “True Colors," “I Surrender”and of course, the formerly controversial pop song about feeling all shiny and new.
Scuccia, anticipating the backlash she would receive for going out into the world with her musical gift, is defiant.
"Traditionalists say I shouldn't be doing this," she told the The Guardian. "But I believe that if God gave me the ability to sing, there's a reason for it."
Scuccia feels as if she is doing the right thing at the right time.
"The Catholic church is going through a kind of makeover, and I am part of that," she explained. "This pope isn't removed or distant: he's right here among us, and that's what I'm aiming to be as well."
Sister Scuccia’s video for “Like a Virgin,” in which she gazes up toward the heavens and stretches her arms outs, was criticized as a "reckless and calculated commercial operation" in an editorial by the Servizio Informazione Religiosa, a news service which is closely connected to the Italian Bishops’ Conference.
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