Katie Holmes was granted full custody of her and Tom Cruise‘s daughter Suri when they divorced in 2012. And that seemed to have a huge impact on how she was raised – especially because she was kept away from the Scientology religion.
When the news of their shock split was announced, the pair said via statement: “We are committed to working together as parents to accomplish what is in our daughter Suri’s best interests. We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other’s commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other’s roles as parents.” So what are some of the strict rules that were implemented for Suri?
Divorce Rules State That Suri Should Not Be Exposed To Scientology
Suri, who is now 18 years old and has followed in the same path as some of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's children and dropped her father's last name, is reportedly estranged from the Mission: Impossible actor, and hasn't seen him for 11 years.
This was confirmed when he was nowhere to be seen at her 18th birthday party back in April, or at her high school prom. And if we are to believe some of the reports about their relationship, their estrangement is largely due to Cruise's Scientology religion.
According to previous reports from TMZ, Katie and Tom's divorce agreement allegedly claimed that Suri couldn't be exposed to anything Scientology related. And because of this, the Top Gun: Maverick actor isn't actually allowed to spend too much time with her, as per the rules of the religion.
Tom Cruise Reportedly 'Cannot Connect With His Own Daughter' Due To Scientology 'Priorities'
"By strict doctrines, Tom cannot engage or connect with his own daughter," former leading Scientologist Karen De La Carriere, who left the religion in 2010 after 35 years, previously told the Daily Mail. "Scientology has no scruples or ethics on loyalty to family and wants only to break up families," she continued, adding: "In Scientology, it is Scientology first; family priorities come low down in the order."
This echoes what former Scientologist Samantha Domingo previously told Us Weekly, who explained that the Jack Reacher: Never Go Back actor was "not allowed" to have a relationship with his daughter as she was not a Scientologist. She referenced how the religion believes that Suri is not viewed as Tom's daughter, but as a "spiritual being in Tom's daughter's body."
The American Made actor did actually deny that religion was to blame for him and his daughter not spending time together. He previously claimed it was due to his busy work schedule, as well as the literal distance between them. Katie and Suri currently live in New York, and Tom is in London filming Mission: Impossible 8.
