Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes living apart

Katie and Suri make their escape from “the madness” of Scientology.

Clutching hands last week, Katie Holmes and little Suri were, as always, two peas in a pod. But not for the first time in recent months, there was one noticeable absentee – dad Tom Cruise. And while the couple are quick to blame conflicting film schedules as reason for their increasingly separate lives, close friends tell Woman’s Day that something far more serious is afoot – and they lay the blame on an “ongoing conflict” between Tom, 49, and Katie, 33, over their six-year-old daughter’s involvement with the Church of Scientology.

One impeccably placed source explains that the tension is so bad, Katie can’t bear to live full time under the glare of Scientology. “I’d call Tom and Katie semi-detached rather than separated, but there’s no question Katie’s been moving away from the religion for the past couple of years,” says the insider.

“Katie doesn’t like to stay in the Cruise compound all the time because it’s totally dominated by Scientology. It can create an oppressive atmosphere, so she uses a second home a few miles away where she and Suri can escape from the madness.”

Katie’s reluctance to immerse herself in Tom’s controversial religion – of which he’s the proud poster boy – is a far cry from when she married him. “In the early days she made a lot of sacrifices for Tom – not least, joining the church herself,” explains the source. “She comes from a strong Catholic background, but she wanted to show how serious she was about the relationship.”