She Worked for Pope Francis, Left Religious Life, and Built a Life She Actually Loves

🎧 In this episode of The LIVing Room, Liv Harrison sits down with Marilis Piñeiro, former religious sister, Vatican insider, and the woman behind Ex Nun on the Run, for a conversation that covers convent life, conclave chaos, singleness, hot takes, and what it actually looks like to build a life you love on your own terms. Marillis tells the story of working alongside Pope Francis during his 2015 US visit, including the moment she accidentally told him to go to bed (he meant the next dinner course).

If you've ever wrestled with vocation, boundaries, singleness, or what it means to live with both courage and peace, this one's for you.

⭐️ Guest Bio

Marilis Piñeiro is a former religious sister who spent almost nine years in the convent and three years working for the Vatican, including during Pope Francis's 2015 apostolic visit to the United States. She's the voice behind Ex Nun on the Run, where she shares honest conversations about faith, singleness, boundaries, and navigating life after religious life. She currently lives in Italy and co-hosts a podcast on Catholic singleness with her friend Gabrielle.

👉 Links

✅ Connect with Marilis Piñeiro:

https://www.instagram.com/exnunontherun/

✅ Follow Liv Harrison:

https://instagram.com/@livharrison

🗒️ In This Episode

00:00 What "Normal" Looks Like After Rome Jubilee
01:25 Conclave 2025
05:52 Telling Pope Francis to Go to Bed
10:00 Hot Takes and Travel Stories
11:15 Catholic Social Teaching Doesn't Pick a Party
14:30 The Courage to Speak Up
16:10 Leaving the Convent: Almost Nine Years In
19:20 Rebuilding a Prayer Life After Hurt and Anger
22:10 Why She Started a Podcast About Being Single
24:50 "I'm Not Dying to Get Married"
28:30 Bare Minimum Men and Fulton Sheen
32:20 Vulnerability With Boundaries
36:10 How to Pray for Marilis