Episodes of The Turning: The Sisters Who Left Uncover Never-Before-Told Stories of Forbidden Love and Deep Sacrifice, Beginning May 18

BOSTON, MA –  May 11, 2021 – Thousands of women gave up everything to follow Mother Teresa, joining her storied Catholic order, the Missionaries of Charity. But some found that life inside was not what they’d imagined. Former sisters who worked closely with Mother Teresa describe her bold vision and devotion to charity and prayer. But many – for the first time – also share stories of suffering, forbidden love, abuse, and betrayal.

Now in a new podcast from Rococo Punch and iHeartMedia, THE TURNING: The Sisters Who Left, we learn the stories of the women who made the ultimate sacrifice to join Mother Teresa’s religious congregation, The Missionaries of Charity. Hosted by Erika Lantz, the 10-episode iHeartRadio Original podcast series takes listeners behind the walls of the fiercely private order where sisters took vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and ‘wholehearted and free service to the poorest of the poor.’  This is where friendships were forbidden and sisters were asked to separate themselves from their families, their past, and the outside world. We hear from one sister who spent significant time alongside “Mother,” and we have a front row seat to her painful decision to break her lifelong vows, ‘disappointing the most admired woman in the world.’ If you make a lifelong vow, what does it mean to break it? Can you truly give yourself to God or will your humanity get to you first? What is the line between devotion and cult? 

Produced by Rococo Punch and iHeartMedia, THE TURNING: The Sisters Who Left will launch on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 with new episodes available weekly on iHeartRadio and all major podcast listening platforms. 

THE TURNING: The Sisters Who Left is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.  

About the Host 

Erika Lantz is the host and senior producer of The Turning. Previously, she worked at PRX, WBUR, APM, and Snap Judgment. She co-produced We Share the Same Sky, a narrative series about the Holocaust that HuffPost called one of the top 9 podcasts of 2019. Her work has aired on All Things Considered, Here & Now, and the CBC, among others. Erika taught audio production at the Transom Story Workshop and once led a podcast workshop in Armenia. She aims for musicality and emotional depth in her work, and her reporting has won national awards, including a National Edward R. Murrow Award and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Sigma Delta Chi Award for feature reporting.

About Rococo Punch

Rococo Punch is an independent podcast production company specializing in exquisite sound design and thoughtful content. Current projects range from investigative journalism to children's programming to interview shows. The team developed some of the most listened-to podcasts, reaching millions of people around the world. Among the shows they helped create include the Modern Love: The Podcast, Last Seen and Servant of Pod. Follow @RococoPunch on Twitter and visit www.rococopunch.com for more information.