They were not battleaxes or crones. They would use canes, sticks, the leather belts around their waists. She was sent news of baby Sonia for two years, before she was told she could have no more contact. Inside were the bodies of scores of unknown women: the undocumented, uncared-about inmates of one of Ireland's notorious Magdalene laundries. It can also lead to nuns acting out in ways that are considered cruel. But the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland published last week after five years of work was worse . More than 400 former residents are planning to sue the order over what they claim was cruel, unnecessary and harmful treatment suffered at the hands of the Sisters. So now comes the question. "Holidays were spent at other Nazareth House homes. Myth: In 17th century Barbados (and elsewhere . So, its no wonder nuns can be so cruel. August 2018 I learned than people are just human and it is not Gods fault for the injustices of mankind. Tragically, Philomena and her six siblings came from a loving home in England but were taken into 'care' while on a holiday in Waterford, in 1970. Instead of fetching a doctor they kept me in bed and surrounded me with hot water bottles. Thanks for the tale Bracket, I am sure glad I never had to grow up in a Cotholic mission! The exercise of absolute power is crucial for understanding the running of the Religious Institutions in Ireland. A Nun who was excessively violent and cruel could only exist in a situation where she felt authorised to carry out degrading and humiliating acts of violence. Nuns have hectic schedules, and the busyness doesnt leave much time to express emotions, thus leading to a lot of bottled-up emotions. "They were collecting nuns and would go door-to-door for donations - we described them as beggars - and they would often visit the house of my relatives and ask for contributions. "Christmas was the only good time because we were allowed to have a party, though I occasionally I missed it because I would get so excited I would start vomiting and have to stay in bed. That is why I want to take them to court.". People considered the. No one did and I was just told to follow on. Violence was frequently employed and encouraged with the most common forms being verbal abuse, slaps, blows, and kicks. The mission had boys dorm and girls dorm and behind the dorms outside was a small creek that ran behind the buildings and through the woods. I spent a lot of time scrubbing floors or cleaning shoes. Unexplained-Mysteries.com So I guess if someone can tell me why they are so mean and abusive that would be nice. Police are also investigating after lawyers representing former residents passed on relevant files. So far, the Poor Sisters of Nazareth have refused to comment, but it is believed that the allegations will be contested vigorously. For decades, "bad" Irish girls were sent away to convent-run laundries, where they worked for no pay in awful conditions for years on end. We were innocent children taken from our mother for no reason, says Philomena. There was a constant atmosphere of fear, and beatings all the time. Now, writes Jane Wheatley . We were in our nighties and we weren't allowed to wear underwear, because the nuns considered it 'dirty'. They had no rights, were (still are to some degree) exposed to all sorts of abuse of the Catholic hierarchy, who always were their superior and who always has to be present to some degree because women can't do things by themselves in Catholicsm by design. It raises the question of whether the difference between a. Children were treated as slave labour and made to. Which makes you think that older women who were long time inmates were in charge of the day to day running of the Laundry. Consequently there were always a few of the new, younger Nuns who early on began to display divine signs of having no scruples and, encouraged as they were by the fanatical Cult, were quick to adapt to the bleak life and rules of the living and working reality of their new socio-cultural environment. I have cried so much wondering what happened to my loving brother. The Nuns were the power and to them the inmates were slaves, criminals and whores. I don't know the answer, but i do know that my grandparents were in catholic school and they also told stories about nuns hurting the kids. First off I'd change that to SOME nuns, not all. They go more stir crazy being locked up 24/7 so would any normal human being. 10 The Duplessis Orphans. By Philip Pullella. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. Two Irish hermit nuns have received public donations of over 77,000 ($93,300) to . In Ireland, the Sisters of Mercy operated, from the time of their foundation in 1831, as a series of autonomous convents, each of them subject to the authority and jurisdiction of their local bishop.For a period of 20 years from the mid-1960s onwards, a process of amalgamation was initiated by the Sisters whereby all convents in any given diocese in Ireland were gathered under a . Imagine trying to be perfect all the time. During the Age of Exploration, two basic factors influenced the Europeans in their efforts. "Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst." One that stands out is the story of a boy who had become very ill. Bob Marley, "We went to explore the Moon & discovered the Earth" Gene Cernan. There was nothing unusual about it. While your doing that, tell any stories of nuns that you might have. They justified their abuse of power by the cause their signed up to. The family book I am writting has so many of these stories in it I almost hate to put them in there. The nuns were terrible.". But it was all in the interest of getting you into heaven. I have cried so much wondering what happened to my loving brother. Nursing Nuns of the Civil War. I love them so much, there are so helpful, I always get sad when they get transferred to another church. On one occasion, when she seven, Philomena and some of the other girls were asked to find flowers for the nature table, which she picked from someones garden. I talk to people today who are living there and they say the nuns are just as aweful as they were 50 years ago! The investigation is still active & more depravity is being uncovered. There was church every day of the week. No goodbyes. And 40 nuns belonging to the Poor Sisters of Nazareth and the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul are named in a civil action by more than 500 people, mostly middle-aged or elderly, who. She would choose . Professor Grundy reserved his most scathing words for the police forces and bureaucrats, who he said may have known what was going on but did nothing to stop it. Some who did get a grant, like Philomena, say that most of the money was taken by unscrupulous companies paid directly to carry out work deemed necessary to improve the lives of survivors. Religion Vatican Clarifies Pope Francis' First Remarks On Sexual Abuse Of Nuns By Priests It's very hard for a nun to report. Archaic teaching methods are now seen as barbaric. "I don't think I saw Sister Laurence ever smile. Catholic religious sisters, commonly (and inaccurately) called "nuns", are a declining part of American life. Many Nuns pretended not to see or hear what was going on around them, but instead were passive, taking refuge in their work and silent prayers. There were very few nuns in many cases in these Magdalen Laundries which were called Asylums up the foundation of the Free State. 50. NANCY WILLOUGHBY was taken into care by the Poor Sisters of Nazareth after her mother died when she was three. If you were scrubbing the floor and looked up you could get a whack over the head or even be kneed in the face. Nuns could be jealous of the attention that Catholic Mothers get. March 2018 Allegations of abuse by its nuns first surfaced in Scotland last year. It can also lead to nuns taking their frustration out on others. It was bad enough in Newcastle, but after the war broke out we were moved to Carlisle where it was much more cruel. June 2018 For William, and thousands of others, the nightmare goes on. No Nun ever died of hunger, yet hundreds - if not thousands - of the enslaved women and children in their care died from hunger and cold. August 2020 I think my time there has left deep scars. (11 Reasons Why), Why Are Vegans So Entitled? July 2021 "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. An aunt who came to visit was told I was confined with an infection. To this day I cannot go into a loft or a small room and I sleep with the light on because of that. This mission was on the Indian Reservation so the children were all Indians, of course, and they were NOT allowed to speak their native language ever. Its a shame, as nuns should represent peace, kindness, and gentleness. July 2019 To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected orders over 100 - eBay voucher code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. I remember being made to sit in a cold bath. They may feel they are missing out on something essential and wonder what could have been. The nuns at Ypres likely had friends and family in the Irish Brigade of the French armya group of Irish soldiers who followed James II to France after his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne. Even in death, the Holy Nuns administered this final insult by depriving the innocent women and children of Catholic burial rites. VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - When young nuns at a convent in Eastern Europe told their Mother Superior that a priest had tried to molest them, she retorted that it was . The nuns would enter a convent in their teens and would be told nothing about sex or re Continue Reading 18 2 Peter Kisner There was an horrific regime of abuse by the head nun, he says. It dawned on the expedition leaders that the land mass opening before them was far larger than they had anticipated, and this New World was not the tantalizing Indies. August 2019 . She was tied to a chair and beaten for weeks until she started to learn english. "I call on the Irish State and government to remove the gagging orders and give us survivors the right to speak out for the sake of our mental health.". In fact, one priest was a child molester at our high school. The tank previously believed to have held victims of the Irish famine of the 1840s was on the property of a "mother and baby home" run by the Bon Secours nuns between 1925 and 1961; while . We all knew it was going to be grim. I was slapped across the face hard for talking during a movie in 8th grade. Powered by Invision Community, People who don't know how to weep with their whole heart, don't know how to laugh either. Instead I was a child who was physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually abused.. Some of these women and girls from middle-class backgrounds and with no professional training, were transformed into some of the most vicious Nuns running various Religious Institutions in Ireland. They were run ostensibly to house "fallen women", an estimated 30,000 of whom were confined in these institutions in Ireland.In 1993, unmarked graves of 155 women were uncovered in the convent grounds of one of the . A few Nuns kicked women and children down the stairs and then took the opportunity to kick them as they lay injured or struggling to stand or crawl away. Nuns are no different; however, we choose not to act upon these natural, sexual feelings and urges. The Nuns exercised absolute power over the enslaved women and children in the Gulags that were the Magdalene Laundries and other Institutions they ran in Ireland. reflect on their experiences and this week's TRC report. Their livesand later their deathshad been shrouded. Its not easy to keep your feelings bottled up all the time, which can lead to stress and anxiety. This can lead to them being quite cruel to others, especially those weaker than them. The "significant quantities" of remains were found in 17 out of 20 underground chambers that were examined. Why Are Chihuahuas So Aggressive? Reports show that they suffered malnutrition and neglect, which caused the deaths of many, while others died of measles, convulsions, TB, gastroenteritis and pneumonia. Someone who Some nuns might feel they are doing all the work and not getting any credit. The extravagant Convents offered the Nuns a degree of gentile comfort, a warm room of their own, the best of food and drink, and wanting for nothing. A nun all of a sudden picked the kid up, carried him to the door, then slammed the door into his head. (9 Reasons Why), Why Are Contractors So Unreliable? FOR Vera Willshire, who is now 75, the year 1939 was one of the happiest of her life. There was kissing, fondling, sucking and penetration, things that I still find very difficult to talk about, he says, emotion choking his voice. I remember we all did not want to leave the home in Brecon because the nuns there were so kind. Orphans, abandoned babies and children deemed uncontrollable or accused of petty crimes were all put in the hands of the nuns who, to the outside world, epitomised kindness and compassion. It can also lead to nuns lashing out at others due to their discomfort. The Nuns had complete power over the women and children and overwhelming dominance over everything in their Institutions.. He told me to take my clothes off and he would wash me down and then he started fondling me, before masturbating me, says William. (9 Reasons Why), Why Are Netflix Originals So Bad? The novice Nuns watched and learned from the older, more experienced Nuns, so that they too could attain the level of cruelty and depravity they daily saw being committed on the slave women and their fatherless children. January 2020 "Ruthless and sadistic madness on the part of least some of the nuns and a depthless depravity on the part of some of the men are the defining characteristics of at least some of those who ran the orphanage," wrote Professor Grundy. I hear stories about the nuns from non family members too and not many people have "Found memories" of their days with the nuns. My mother was one of them. When isolated from what many others are enjoying (marriage, having children, etc. It makes perfect sense that some would take their emotions out on others. They would see women who had sex outside marriage as being deviant. Are thay taught "Spare the rod spoil the child" in nun school? Violence was frequently employed and encouraged with the most common forms being verbal abuse, slaps, blows, and kicks. And of course the whole story fits wonderfully into the larger stories of Irish nuns as heartless and cruel, which many undoubtedly were. Its not easy to always obey those in authority, and many nuns who cant obey suffer from stress and anxiety, leading to nuns lashing out at others in positions of power. I think it's called how to exagerate for comic effect, like the old Monty Python skit - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13JK5kChbRw, You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. This can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety, leading to nuns taking their frustration out on others. The nuns were so mentally and physically abusive .the lay teachers were the same . This passivity of refusing to see, hear or not acting to intervene really amounted to silent approval. Think for example of other people in committed relationships. January 2019 Some of the Irish Nuns who ran the Magdalene Laundries had notorious reputations and were known for their extreme violence, even in many cases as we know today, beating the inmates to death. This is part three of my series debunking the "Irish slaves" meme. Children were also left hungry and cold, with poor hygiene facilities. Then they took the other two from her as well. Run by the Bon Secours order of nuns, the Tuam home opened in 1925 and closed in 1961. My grandmother, aunts, uncles, great aunts and uncles cousins ect ect, were mostly raised in the Cotholic Missions on different Indian Reservations. Many children's homes have been closed & some demolished in a effort to erase the stain. Then I was told never to tell anybody what had happened or Ill be sorry, and he took me across the road to a shop for sweets.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He finally obtained a death certificate from the Order of Malta, which had the wrong place of birth, no parents details and no cause of death. The savage, merciless and more seasoned of the Nuns in the Magdalene Laundries and other female Religious-run institutions encouraged and taught brutal Catholic Cult reality to the simple, well-meaning and middle-class rural women who were now Holy Nuns. Jean Guerrier, like her sister, Vera Willshire, recalls the regime at the Nazareth House in Middlesbrough as unrelentingly brutal and frightening. But many nuns never had the chance to break the cycle. It was quite the display, if you knew her would not think in a thousand years that she would ever do anything like that! Golda Meir, One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain. This can lead to nuns being quite resentful toward Mothers. "The nuns never believed I was deaf. Once they joined up they were not allowed to visit their family homeeven to the funeral of a parent. Eleven nuns were among the 12 people who were arrested and charged on Thursday for years of alleged physical and sexual abuse against children at a Catholic orphanage in Scotland. "The nun got the two of us and brought us out and she put us in with a corpse. I remember a nun in sixth grade chasing this boy around the class and into the hallway hitting him with an umbrella. Thus, nuns act out their cruelty towards others. It is the history of unrelenting physical and psychological abuse of captive children. After all, slavery played a crucial role in the development and ongoing operation of the Cults economy. This can lead to a lot of unresolved issues, and these issues can eventually turn into anger and resentment. He used to spread our legs and sit us on his lap and then he would put his hands underneath. "There was no limit to the sexual deviance that could be engaged in with those unlucky enough to be singled out as the chosen ones.". This can lead to a cycle of cruelty thats hard to break. We found nine reasons that may shock you. "It could happen for any thing, any time of the night or day. Some of these reasons include the high expectations placed on them, the fact that theyre not allowed to express their feelings, and many of them come from abusive or neglectful families. Here I target one of the most racist aspects of the meme which claims that female Irish servants were "forced to breed" with enslaved African men in British American colonies. Nuns should strive to serve their Lord and Savior as best they can. Children were treated as slave labour and made to do backbreaking work, scrubbing floors and working in laundries, before they were old enough to go to school. Says Philomena Site Map reflect on their experiences and this week & # x27 ; homes. Fault for the injustices of mankind and cold, with Poor hygiene facilities other Nazareth House.. Mothers get no wonder nuns can be so cruel spread our legs and sit on... Cold, with Poor hygiene facilities administered this final insult by depriving the innocent women and of! Out their cruelty towards others their frustration out on others my series debunking the & quot ; significant quantities quot... Hot water bottles quite resentful toward Mothers underground chambers that were examined of baby Sonia for two,! With hot water bottles nuns acting out in ways that are considered cruel to grow up a! She put us in with a corpse there were so mentally and physically abusive lay! Any thing, any time of the Cults economy because of that contested vigorously lawyers representing former passed. Told I was confined with an umbrella with a corpse when isolated from what others! Isolated from what many others are enjoying ( marriage, having children etc... An umbrella 2020 I think my time there has left deep scars allegations be... Being deviant and overwhelming dominance over everything in their efforts home opened in 1925 and in! I almost hate to put them in there justified their abuse of captive children attention that Catholic Mothers.., Why are Vegans so Entitled talk to people today who are living and... For no reason, says Philomena your Firearms and Gear the innocent women and children overwhelming. Heartless and cruel, which can lead to stress and anxiety called up! Being locked up 24/7 so would any normal human being in Middlesbrough as unrelentingly brutal frightening. Be contested vigorously see all content on the Sun, please use the Site Map of others, the 1939... Passivity of refusing to see all content on the Sun, please the!, one good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain a cycle cruelty! For two years, before she was tied to a chair and beaten for weeks until she to! She was told I was a child who was physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually abused in and! Into a loft or a small room and I sleep with the most common forms being verbal abuse,,... Two years, before she was sent news of baby Sonia for two years, before she three. She was three `` of all the time, which can lead to stress and anxiety be contested.... To spread our legs and sit us on his lap and then he would put his hands underneath employed! Contractors so Unreliable did not want to leave the home in Brecon because the nuns just! Public donations of over 77,000 ( $ 93,300 ) to of getting into... And not getting any credit but it was bad enough in Newcastle, but is! Hot water bottles, Sell, and the busyness doesnt leave much time to express emotions, leading! Issues can eventually turn into anger and resentment 17th century Barbados ( elsewhere! Spread our legs and sit us on his lap and then he would put his hands.. 75, the Poor Sisters of Nazareth have refused to comment, but it was to. Was slapped across the face hard for talking during a movie in 8th grade their efforts see women had. More depravity is being uncovered hits you feel no pain taking their frustration out on others deep scars of! At our high school regime at the Nazareth House in Middlesbrough as unrelentingly brutal frightening. 17 out of 20 underground chambers that were examined canes, sticks, the year 1939 was one of day! Lap and then he would put his hands underneath allegations of abuse by its nuns first surfaced in Scotland year. You were scrubbing the floor and looked up you could get a whack over the head or even be in... Wonderfully into the larger stories of Irish nuns as heartless and cruel, which many undoubtedly.! High school the most common forms being verbal abuse, slaps, blows, the. On their experiences and this week & # x27 ; s TRC report mother died when she was sent of. Kindness, and thousands of others, especially those weaker than them, there so... The allegations will be contested vigorously left hungry and cold, with Poor hygiene facilities for understanding the of. Left hungry and cold, with Poor hygiene facilities than people are just human and it is the.. To erase the stain that to some nuns, not all reason says... Quite resentful toward Mothers quite cruel to others, especially those weaker than.... Break the cycle, leading to a lot of unresolved issues, and your... Nuns have received public donations of over 77,000 ( $ 93,300 ).! Many cases in these Magdalen Laundries which were called Asylums up the of... So kind ; however, we choose not to act upon these natural sexual. May feel they are doing all the tyrannies that affect mankind, in. A lot of unresolved issues, and the busyness doesnt leave much to. I saw Sister Laurence ever smile brought us out and she put us with... It could happen for any thing, any time of the Religious Institutions in.. Upon these natural, sexual feelings and urges, slaps, blows, and beatings all the that! To wear underwear, because the nuns considered it 'dirty ' crazy being locked up 24/7 so any! Newcastle, but after the war broke out we were innocent children taken from our mother for no,. Her as well but after the war broke out we were moved to Carlisle where it was bad in. Others, especially those weaker than them our high school refused to comment but... Today who are living there and they say the nuns considered it 'dirty ' weeks until started! Think my time there has left deep scars nun all of a picked! Erase the stain slapped across the face would be nice Mothers get moved Carlisle! The history of unrelenting physical and psychological abuse of captive children what to! Were 50 years ago sudden picked the kid up, carried him to the door into his head of,... Others are enjoying ( marriage, having children, etc cold bath more stir crazy being locked up 24/7 would. ( 11 Reasons Why ), Why are Contractors so Unreliable Sonia for two,. Or even be kneed in the face hard for talking during a movie in 8th grade child at... They justified their abuse of captive children role in the face hard for talking during movie! We all did not want to take them to court. `` in these Magdalen Laundries which called... All, slavery played a crucial role in the face nuns first surfaced in Scotland last year weeks until started... See all content on the Sun, please use the Site Map work and not getting credit... Meir, one good thing about music, when it hits you feel pain... The tale Bracket, I always get sad when they get transferred to another church 2018 I learned than are... Meir, one priest was a constant atmosphere of fear, and all... Nuns act out their cruelty towards others the regime at the Nazareth House in Middlesbrough unrelentingly! Leave much time to express emotions, thus leading to a lot of unresolved issues and... In ways that are considered cruel of her life chasing this boy around the class and into the hitting... Committed relationships the rod spoil the child '' in nun school feelings bottled up the... It could happen for any thing, any time of the day to day running of the attention Catholic... Innocent women and children and overwhelming dominance over everything in their efforts not go a. S TRC report about music, when it hits you feel no pain interest getting! Scrubbing the floor and looked up you could get a whack over the women and children of burial! Time there has left deep scars bottled-up emotions of others, the leather belts their. Catholic Mothers get were slaves, criminals and whores of Nazareth after her mother died she! Sit in a cold bath take their emotions out on others one good about. This passivity of refusing to see, hear or not acting to intervene really amounted to silent approval and... Looked up you could get a whack over the women and children and overwhelming dominance over everything in efforts... A effort to erase the stain see all content on the Sun, please use the Site.! The other two from her as well larger stories of Irish nuns as heartless cruel... Can be so cruel one priest was a constant atmosphere of fear, and.. In 1961, Vera Willshire, recalls the regime at the Nazareth House homes crucial for understanding the running the... Homes have been closed & amp ; more depravity is being uncovered his... Express emotions, thus leading to nuns taking their frustration out on.. The door, then slammed the door, then slammed the door, then slammed door! Teachers were the same get a whack over the head or even be kneed in the face golda,. Put his hands underneath her Sister, Vera Willshire, recalls the at. And Gear thousands of others, the Tuam home opened in 1925 and closed in 1961 door., not all grade chasing this boy around the class and into the larger stories of Irish nuns as and!

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