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The Cult on the Cape

This is podcast about the Community of Jesus in Orleans, Massachusetts and its affiliated boarding school, Grenville Christian College. Join us as we talk to survivors who lived inside this system, survived it, escaped it, and are now telling the truth of what happened to them.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 39 A Disney Horror Movie Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

Author Heather King came to the Community of Jesus expecting a Benedictine retreat. Then she Googled “Community of Jesus Cult.”

Episode 38 Voices from The Stand Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

On Sunday, survivors, allies, and community members gathered on Cape Cod for Stand for Truth — a public show of support for those harmed by the Community of Jesus and those still inside.

In this special episode of The Cult on the Cape, we bring you the voices from that day.

You’ll hear from an ally and survivor of sexual abuse who fought for justice, saw her abuser sentenced to 42 years in prison, and spoke about what it means to find your voice — and to help others find theirs. You’ll also hear directly from two survivors of the Community of Jesus as they share their experiences and the lasting impact those experiences have had on their lives.

For decades, many survivors were taught to stay silent.

Now, they are speaking.

These are the voices of Stand for Truth.

Episode 37 We Were An Experiment Part 2 Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

After spending her entire life inside the Community of Jesus, Magdelene Leon—known to many as Katie Buddington—believed her future had already been decided.

In Part 2 of her story, she shares what it was like to take her vows as a novice and later as a permanently professed sister, despite a growing sense that something wasn't right. She describes the impossible choices faced by those raised in high-control groups, the fear of leaving everything they have ever known, and the quiet determination it took to begin imagining a different life.

She reflects on the moment she realized the outside world wasn't what she'd been taught to fear, why so many people try to leave "the right way," and what it has taken to rebuild her identity after decades of control.

This episode is an honest conversation about autonomy, faith, healing, and the extraordinary courage required to choose yourself when you've been taught your entire life not to.

Content Note: This episode contains discussions of religious coercion, emotional abuse, family separation, and trauma.

Episode 36 We Were An Experiment Part 1 Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Katie Buddington (Magdalene Leon) was the first child born into the Community of Jesus. In this episode, she shares what it was like to grow up inside a high-control religious community where family bonds were broken, fear became normal, and children learned that obedience came before everything else.

From public humiliation and harsh discipline to the lifelong effects of childhood trauma, Katie's story offers a powerful look at what it means to be born into a system you never had the chance to choose—and the courage it takes to reclaim your life.

Episode 35 When Faith becomes Control Part 2 Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

Visit Todd's website for robust resources for those escaping coercive control. Resource for Life - A place to find healing and support after leaving abuse and coercive control.

Episode 34 When Faith Becomes Control: Part 1 Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

In Part 1 of Todd Lynch's story, we hear what it was like to enter the Community of Jesus as a teenager after being raised in a loving family outside the group. What began as a search for spiritual guidance quickly became a life defined by separation, control, and impossible choices.

Todd shares the shock of being sent away to Grenville Christian College in Canada with almost no notice, the heartbreaking experience of being pressured to criticize his own mother, and the realization that the "community" he had been promised was anything but family.

Together, Todd and Bonnie explore the psychological concept of bounded choice—how people can appear to have freedom while, in reality, every option comes at an unbearable cost. They also discuss the manipulation of faith, the erosion of personal autonomy, and why asking, "Why didn't you just leave?" misses the reality of life inside a high-control group.

This episode offers an honest and deeply thoughtful look at coercive control, family separation, and the courage it takes to recognize when something claiming to be spiritual has become something very different.

Episode 33 The Boy who Built the Theater Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Before he became the plaintiff in a federal lawsuit, Oliver “Ollie” Ortolani was a child growing up inside the Community of Jesus.

In this episode of The Cult on the Cape, Bonnie Zampino speaks with Ollie’s former teacher, Nick Gascoigne, who knew him years before his allegations became public. Together, they explore the person behind the headlines: a bright, inquisitive young boy who loved technology, acting, and making people laugh, but who also spoke about long hours of work, separation from his parents, and a childhood that looked very different from that of his peers.

Through the eyes of someone who knew him as a student, listeners will hear a deeply personal perspective on Ollie’s early life, the challenges he faced, and the lasting questions raised by his story.

The episode concludes with an update on the ongoing federal lawsuit against the Community of Jesus, Arts Empowering Life, and the Performing Arts Building Foundation, as well as a discussion of “bounded choice” and the complex realities faced by families raised inside high-control environments.

This is not an episode about legal filings.

It is an episode about a child, a family, and the long journey of understanding what happened after leaving a world they once knew as home.

Episode 32 From Holland to Hell Part 2 Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

After 17 years as a sister in the Community of Jesus, Suzan shares the painful and courageous journey that led her to leave everything she knew behind.

In this powerful continuation of her story, Suzan describes daily life inside the community, including relentless work schedules, sleep deprivation, public humiliations, physical abuse, food restrictions, and years of control under community leadership.

She reflects on the slow realization that something was deeply wrong, the fear that kept her trapped, and the year-long process of preparing to escape. Suzan recounts the dramatic day she walked away with little more than a small bag, a passport, and the hope of finding freedom.

But this episode is not only about trauma—it is also about healing. Suzan shares how she rebuilt her life, reconnected with her family after years of separation, found love, and discovered that life beyond a high-control group was possible. Her story is one of resilience, recovery, and the enduring power of reclaiming your own voice.

Whether you are a survivor of coercive control, have loved ones in a high-control environment, or simply want to better understand the lasting impact of these experiences, Suzanne's journey offers both insight and hope.

"It's never too late to get free." – Suzann

Episode 31 From Holland to Hell Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

At 18, Suzan Ewton left Holland for what was supposed to be a three-month summer job at Rock Harbor Manor on Cape Cod.

It was 17 years before she left.

What began as an opportunity to work at a seaside inn quickly became something far darker. Drawn in by promises of purpose, belonging, and a "special calling from God," Suzan became one of the earliest members of what would grow into the Community of Jesus.

In Part One of her story, Suzan shares the childhood wounds that made her vulnerable, the manipulation that made her stay, and the disturbing realities she witnessed during the group's earliest years—from forced loyalty and public shaming to physical abuse and the creation of a culture where obedience was everything.

This is the story of how a young woman traveled from Holland to Cape Cod—and into a nightmare she never saw coming.

Episode 30 Why We Walk: The Walk for Truth Summer Series Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

In this special episode of The Cult on the Cape, Bonnie Zampino reflects on the first Community Walk for Truth and the powerful response from survivors, family members, supporters, and community members who gathered in Orleans to stand together in truth, healing, and hope.

Bonnie shares why the walk is returning on June 7 as part of the Walk for Truth Summer Series, what participants experienced at the first event, and why continuing to show up matters.

This episode explores the power of survivor voices, the importance of public support, and the message at the heart of every Walk for Truth:

You are not forgotten.
You are loved.
You are not alone.

Whether you're attending the walk, participating in a solidarity walk from another location, or simply learning more about the experiences of those affected by high-control religious environments, this episode is an invitation to listen, reflect, and join the conversation.

🕊️ Walk for Truth Summer Series
📍 Rock Harbor Parking Lot, Orleans, Massachusetts
📅 June 7, 2026
🕝 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

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