One of Britain’s most senior-ranking Catholic nuns has been reported to the Vatican for actively discouraging other holy sisters from being vaccinated.

According to the Times, Mother General Marilla who is responsible for the Tyburn Convent in West London, distributed various letters highlighting her opposition to the vaccine, including one addressed to the Right Rev John Sherrington, a bishop responsible for life issues for the Catholic church in England.

Marilla wrote “Since January 2021, we have been asked to pray for 84 people who have died from the Covid injections including babies and family members of the sisters”.

Sherrington, who has regularly highlighted the importance of Covid vaccinations, said that “people were very concerned about her views”.

Marilla, who is originally from Sydney, Australia, has been serving as Mother Superior at Tyburn Convent since August 2016, where there are thought to be about 20 other nuns in residence, including some quite elderly sisters.

A Westminster diocese spokeswoman told the Times: “The Catholic church’s position is clear that take-up of the Covid vaccine is to be encouraged for the good of all. This has been clearly stated on a number of occasions in correspondence from Bishop Sherrington to Mother Marilla…The cardinal’s support for the Covid vaccine has been very clearly articulated in statements, video messages and social media posts, in which he encourages everyone to take up the vaccine as a way of protecting ourselves and others, and as an act of love for others.”

Speaking to the Times, the Roman Catholic diocese of Westminster confirmed that it had received multiple complaints about Marilla and said: “The matter has now been referred to the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in the Vatican.”