Living the #ConventLife

Before she entered the Community of St. John Baptist in 2012, Claudette Monica Powell performed in an acoustic rock duo and an improv comedy troupe in Los Angeles. Now she goes by Sister Monica Clare, sings in a church choir in Mendham Township, N.J., and posts matter-of-fact videos about convent life on TikTok. "Most people have no idea that there are Episcopal nuns," she said. On @nunsenseforthepeople, she answers questions about religious rituals ("What’s up with the ashes?"), posts animal videos and teaches her sizable audience about Episcopalian values like gender equality and inclusion. (Offline, she has marched in Black Lives Matter protests and showed her support for women’s rights.)