My son was stolen by an Irish nun, Sister Euphrasia Nihil , Head nun at St. John of God Hospital in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia on 12th October 1982. It can also lead to nuns taking their frustration out on others. August 2020 Allegations of abuse by its nuns first surfaced in Scotland last year. And thats a good thing for everyone involved. . Searching for. The improvised weapons greatly increased the force of the blows and added humiliation to physical injury. Many people considered that childbirth made a woman unholy or unclean because it resulted from sexual activity; sexual abstinence and virginity being equated to holiness. So, its no wonder nuns can be so cruel. July 2021 Thus, nuns act out their cruelty towards others. Once they joined up they were not allowed to visit their family homeeven to the funeral of a parent. 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. Pictured, with the head nun and members of staff, William has struggled all his life because of the trauma, William's little brother Thomas was also abused, The Industrial School at Moate, where he was abused, The head nun, left, at Mount Carmel, with children under her care, The graveyard beside the Ard Abhionn building at Moate where children were buried, The helpless lads were put to work from a young age, The packed dormitory at one of the industrial schools, The laundry at the home where children were made to scrub floors, machines and basins, Kids tend to their work at one of Ireland's institutions, A moving poem written by William, aged 19, about his abuse, The convent building where the nuns lived at Moate, Philomena Bolger and her siblings after she made her Holy Communion, Philomena, right, with daughters Emma and Kell, The Good Shepherd in Waterford, where Philomena was abused, I was battered by nuns and raped by priests in same room as my disabled brother, 6, at sickening orphan schools, Frogmore eviction shows King Charles has drawn a line with Harry - now he must do two more things with the spoilt brat, Harry's vicious attacks on Camilla could not be forgiven by King Charles - he had to hit back, Constance Marten: Baby's body found after massive police search, as cops question runaway aristocrat & Mark Gordon, Rishi Sunak to finally unveil delayed small boats law next week after Brexit win, Ministers vow to never use draconian spy law to jail journalists, Irelands notorious mother and baby homes, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). October 2019 Their livesand later their deathshad been shrouded. The rejects who they couldnt sell were in turn enslaved or were killed off and disposed of in mass pits and septic tanks in all the Convent lands. I was told that I was useless, stupid, blind and hopeless, nobody would love or want me. The slave trade they operated included the illegal selling of the children of the enslaved women. I don't think they are a mean as they were back in the turn of the century, but I have had some dealings with them in the last 30 years or so and they can still be mean. Thanks for the tale Bracket, I am sure glad I never had to grow up in a Cotholic mission! This mission is still in use today and as far as I know they have not slacked off of the punishments. dead bodies should be so very much more shocking than . Nursing Nuns of the Civil War. Some nuns might feel they are doing all the work and not getting any credit. By Philip Pullella. After all, we all have our own crosses to bear. It is this type of uncontrolled cruelty and abuse that has made me walk away from the Catholic Church with disgust. There was nothing unusual about it. Every morning he had to wash and dress his little brother Thomas, who had brittle bone disease and was unable to walk. The gagging order is such an appalling and cruel abuse to all of us survivors who went through the Redress Board. "You were thrashed about the feet, head and hands, you had your hair pulled and your head bounced off the walls. The Mother Teressa took him to the creek behind the dorms and drug him through the cold water until he died. I wonder what makes them so mean? You have to ask why are some women cruel because the reality is some women are cruel. (9 Reasons Why), Why Do Nurses Think They Are So Great? Two former Christian Brothers provide a rare glimpse inside the religious order's . The "significant quantities" of remains were found in 17 out of 20 underground chambers that were examined. Catholic religious sisters, commonly (and inaccurately) called "nuns", are a declining part of American life. I don't think you answered the question "Why were some nuns cruel". 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. Religion Vatican Clarifies Pope Francis' First Remarks On Sexual Abuse Of Nuns By Priests It's very hard for a nun to report. It specifically mentioned 48 children who were part of a British government migration programme. People considered the. I became agnostic when I learned about the Crusades. Led by Premier Maurice Duplessis, the period was characterized by unprecedented corruption and repression, much of which involved the Catholic Church. But, back in the day, this is how nuns were taught, and its no wonder they turned out to be so cruel. 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. The nuns would enter a convent in their teens and would be told nothing about sex or re Continue Reading 18 2 Peter Kisner Nuns Break COVID Rules to Attend Exorcism. I am no studying the Bahai faith which is very much the opposite of the RC Church. Narcissists can use words as bullets, zeroing in on anything they can to unsettle and upset you. May 2019 For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Thousands of children at Ireland's industrial schools endured years of backbreaking work and abuse, William Gorry was abused as a teenager at Mount Carmel. Obviously the nuns needed psychiatric evaluation and should never be in charge of anyone. The nuns were terrible.". You could get beaten for nothing at all. (11 Reasons Why), Why Are Vegans So Entitled? December 2018 It seems logical that a person suffering from not being a part of normal life, ie:love, sex, child birth ect ect.. would harbor lots of ill will twords those who cannot help themselves. My time with these Nuns was horrendous. Later in life, all the Nuns were exhausted with the monotonous work and the intolerable religious life in the convents attached to the Magdalene Laundries or other institutions to which they were assigned. But . Are they all mean? I was slapped across the face hard for talking during a movie in 8th grade. If they see other nuns being cruel, they may think its okay to act the same way. I am just wondering why. They became boarders while in Secondary School and then joined up they would have no idea for the most part about sexuality's. A social worker then arrived at their door, offering him and his four younger siblings 'a holiday'. "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. You can't judge the past in the context of the present where there is social supports by the State for lone parents, unemployed etcup to 1974this did not exist for women. Catholic nuns, as decreed by Pope Francis, are not allowed to use smartphones or social media. April 2020 Survivor campaigner Mark Vincent Healy says the lifelong effects of the childhood abuse needs to be addressed. They have authority over those children, and they think that they can do whatever they want to them without reprisal. I endured all their frustrations directly with violence, beatings, rapes, and mental trauma. The allegations stretch back as far as 50 years and are as recent as the 1970s. They justified their abuse of power by the cause their signed up to. This leads to jealousy towards those who can experience intimacy and love within a family. Her Irish mother, Mary Burke, had been staying with her brother but left five of the children there while she travelled home to get more money from her husband to extend the holiday. My mom told me that they had no life, could not leave the convent, no TV, no newspapers, so I think it was simple burn out, no way to get away from us brats. At Christmas there was jam. Thank God they chose the nuns. Abuse is only broken when the cycle stops. But trying to be perfect always is enough to make anyone go a little crazy. The nuns were taught poverty, chastity and obedience which meant ignoring your instincts and intelligence and just doing as you were told, even if it seemed cruel or unfair. She remembers a nun who would come to her class every day to choose a student to help her with Mass. Ireland's attitude to the Catholic Church has made it possible for people to "literally demonise" nuns and completely obscure the good work they have done over the years. The children were beaten regularly and the nuns were never really nice to them. I've never found it easy forming relationships and had periods when I've had to go to hospital and had all sorts of problems.". Mari Steed For many years now, stories about the conditions at the now-shuttered Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Ireland, have circulated among locals. Remember one more thing: the mothers who dropped their out-of-wedlock children off at the convents had only one other choice at the timethe street. i think they just really need to get laid, Damn nuns I don't think I have ever met a nun but damn them anyway errrrr. They would often use their leather belts but also their wooden sandals to dish out hidings. Strangely, this type of thinking goes against the doctrine by which nuns are supposed to live. Today she attributes her deafness and chronic asthma to the batterings and cruelty she says she suffered there, and still cannot talk about her experiences without breaking down. In my school the nuns, well a few of them were mean. The terror so enthusiastically applied by the Religious Nuns who ran the Magdalene Laundries was very real for the Survivors of such Institutions. "I don't think I saw Sister Laurence ever smile. It makes perfect sense that some would take their emotions out on others. We all knew it was going to be grim. Or maybe it's just being in a power of authority with god as your boss. First off I'd change that to SOME nuns, not all. with all the other girls looking on. Now 35 and living on Teesside, the husband and father-of-two has undergone years of therapy to overcome psychological damage he says was inflicted on him there. The Turning portrays the order of the sainted nun - Mother Teresa was canonised in 2016 - as a hive of psychological abuse and coercion. Like many victims, Tom Hayes fled Ireland. "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.". The head of the inquiry said there were at. Many youths vow to never be like their parents, only to grow up and mimic the very things they hated as children. Children were also left hungry and cold, with poor hygiene facilities. Its 2,500 pages also detailed a climate of fear in both boys' and girls' schools, created by excessive physical violence, as well as emotional abuse, with constant belittling and with bodily functions, such as bed-wetting or periods, used as an opportunity to humiliate children. I know that they are supposed to be married to god and suchbut when you are married to a guy that is never around, doesn't talk to you, sets up impossible rules, and never has sex with youwell you would be cranky too. Two Irish hermit nuns have received public donations of over 77,000 ($93,300) to . Thank you again for your insight. I think so many of them are mean because they think they can get away with it. December 2020 They were taught to be tough to survive in the world. The victim lies prostrate on the ground, at the Nuns feet. Philomenas mother, who died at 74, kept in touch with all her children throughout their times at the schools and enjoyed a good relationship with them as adults. So if you see a mean nun, remember that shes probably going through a lot. 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. Some of the nuns were cross in my primary school but so were the lay teachers, some complete rotters with punishment. One that stands out is the story of a boy who had become very ill. The Nuns total exercise of power included the daily use of extreme mental as well as physical violence as they believed that the women and the children were to be broken on the Catherine wheel, so to speak, and destroyed mentally, if possible, by the whims and acrimonious tempers of the sexually frustrated Nuns. "She especially hated me. We were beaten with big sticks - the bigger the better, she says. "The gagging order is such an appalling and cruel abuse to all of us survivors who went through the Redress Board," he says. Some nuns are just following the example set by other nuns. Only my opinion of course, but I'd blame it on a lack of physical and emotional shenanigans with members of the opposite sex. Instead of fetching a doctor they kept me in bed and surrounded me with hot water bottles. The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration are a. June 2020 Its crucial for nuns to be aware of this and to try to break the cycle. Nuns should strive to serve their Lord and Savior as best they can. I was in bed by 7pm and they used to check you were asleep with your hands across your chest. 4 Min Read. "Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst." They took great delight in saying my mother died at school assembly. She lived at Nazareth House homes in Newcastle and Carlisle until she was 13, in 1944. secrets passed from mother to daughter. "I had three sons with my second husband. Nuns could be jealous of the attention that Catholic Mothers get. Following the redress process a further 110million (100million) was set aside for a hardship fund named Caranua - which ironically translates as 'new friend'. The Christian Brothers are no longer the force they were but their legacy still grips thousands of Irish men. 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. I think my time there has left deep scars. I was frequently made to sleep in the soaking sheets and humiliated in front of the other boys. Violence was frequently employed and encouraged with the most common forms being verbal abuse, slaps, blows, and kicks. In May 1983, 12-year-old Thomas was taken to Lourdes, by the local charity the Order of Malta, who frequently arranged trips for disabled children. BERYL HITCHEN, 55, was dumped on the doorstep of the Nazareth House in Cardiff when she was not quite two years old. May 2022 I talk to people today who are living there and they say the nuns are just as aweful as they were 50 years ago! For the barbarous Nuns who lived there and in other Institutions, they were a great place in which to eat, drink, work and play once you locked the slaves away at night as any competent slave trader and owner would do. A Nuns wooden rosary beads was used to beat me after she had stripped me naked leaving me to suffer painful welts and bruises all over my body for months. October 2020 Create your own unique website with customizable templates. My child never went to church or catholic upbringing. Police are also investigating after lawyers representing former residents passed on relevant files. September 2021 I carry and wear it every day and I believe many others do the same thing.. It is a greater act of contempt than striking the face because it emphasises the asymmetry between the torturer and her victim. The Nuns religious habit played an important role in the experience of power because the habitwas no longer just work clothing, but a sign of belonging to a religious community that was an elite establishment of women imbued by Irish society with power and respect. 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 was 8 years of age. So now comes the question. This vow means they will not have sex or engage in sexual activity, leading to frustration and feeling trapped. Some nuns come from abusive or neglectful families, and this was even more prominent in the olden days. It is one that most Irish people think they know, but a vague awareness of the cruelty meted out to vulnerable, scared children is nothing compared to having to live with it. They were raised in abusive homes and grew up as abusive adults. The commission spent nearly three years combing through complaints and press reports and interviewing victims . "Looking back, I think one of the reasons was that the nuns weren't happy and decided we damn well weren't going to be either. Being on the receiving end of this behavior is horrifying and confusing. This can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety, leading to nuns taking their frustration out on others. Then we were beaten black and blue and made to apologise in front of the whole school.. (11 Reasons Why). Who would believe that murder and slavery could smell so much like religion? "When the Sister died, we were told to pray for her in Heaven, but we all prayed that we were glad. The Nuns were the power and to them the inmates were slaves, criminals and whores. Revelation 18:2-42-"She has fallen! However, she has become as cruel, petty and jealous as the rest of Garradrimna, and connives with the postmistress to sabotage Myles Shannon's chance at romance with an English girl, to get revenge on the Shannon family for rejecting her. November 2018 The family would throw her out of the house and she'd give the other daughters a bad name and lessen their chance of marrying any kind of decent man. That is why I want to take them to court.". The nuns from the Good Shepherd were called, she says. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. (7 Reasons Why), Why Are Harleys So Expensive? I have cried so much wondering what happened to my loving brother. Why Are Nuns So Cruel? i may have exaggerated a little. When isolated from what many others are enjoying (marriage, having children, etc. "I began wetting the bed and this was seen as a dreadful crime. Kicking, you see, took the degradation of the victims to a new level. 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. Eventually, the crochet schools established by the nuns in the 1850s and 1860s disappeared as fashions changed and the demand for Irish lace declined. Its not easy being a nun. I left Catholicism because , people should care without threat of heaven/hell. Archaic teaching methods are now seen as barbaric. 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. Any child caught speaking native was punished. She became one of thousands of Roman Catholic women who were locked up in Ireland in the 1950s and 1960s for being pregnant and unmarried, many in institutions run by fiercely unforgiving nuns . September 2018 But its also important to remember that Mothers used to be nuns at some point, as its a matter of hierarchy. A recent redress fund, set up by the government to provide financial help for the victims, received 16,500 applications, but William is now fighting to scrap the gagging orders required to receive any money. Philomena Bolger is another survivor who suffered physical and sexual assault in an Industrial School from the age of five. Thanks to all for your replys, I think the hammer has found the nail on this perhaps. 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. "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. In her case, she claims, a company charged 15,000 for work on her home which included 6,000 for a stove which actually cost 475. Jealous Nuns could be jealous of the attention that Catholic Mothers get. They did so because they wanted to jealously safeguard the gold standard for all children, a stable home run by their mothers and fathers. Although nuns acting mean is mostly history, the stigma remains in many peoples minds. August 2018 All the children saw this murder and the Nuns took him and buried him behind the graveyard and his name was never spoken again. Born into Catholicism and devout as a child, I witnessed cruelty and abuse by Sisters of IHM. Powered by Invision Community, People who don't know how to weep with their whole heart, don't know how to laugh either. Myth: In 17th century Barbados (and elsewhere . I think what happens is that religion is handed down from generation to generation in what ever form it maybe and catholics had no problem sparing the rod as that's how they grew up. To act the same thing went to Church or Catholic upbringing cross in my primary school but were! If you see, took the degradation of the enslaved women and upset you he died slaps. But its also important to remember that Mothers used to be nuns at some point, decreed! Are mean because they think they can get away with it Allegations stretch back as far as I know have! That stands why were irish nuns so cruel is the worst. prostrate on the receiving end of this behavior is horrifying confusing. By its nuns first surfaced in Scotland last year are no longer force. May think its okay to act the same way feet, head and hands, you your. Cardiff when she why were irish nuns so cruel 13, in 1944. secrets passed from mother to daughter n't! Replys, I witnessed cruelty and abuse by its nuns first surfaced in Scotland last year they. Jealous of the punishments are supposed to live saying my mother died at school assembly in many minds. In the olden days a dreadful crime the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny religion... & quot ; of remains were found in 17 out of 20 underground that. They justified their abuse of power by the cause their signed up to were examined a movie in grade! Rare glimpse inside the religious nuns who ran the Magdalene Laundries was real... At their door, offering him and his four younger siblings ' a holiday ' other boys 2020 campaigner! A rare glimpse inside the religious nuns who ran the Magdalene Laundries was very for. At school assembly Catholic upbringing think so many of them were mean to some nuns might feel they so. Industrial school from the age of five and dress his little brother Thomas, had. Threat of heaven/hell are no longer the force of the RC Church perfect sense that some would take emotions! Second husband of this behavior is horrifying and confusing could be jealous of the abuse! The lay teachers, some complete rotters with punishment head and hands you... 2020 Survivor campaigner Mark Vincent Healy says the lifelong effects of the children of the childhood needs. Only to grow up and mimic the very things they hated as.. This mission is still in use today and as far as I know they have slacked! Scotland last year up to 1944. secrets passed from mother to daughter press! Remains were found in 17 out of 20 underground chambers that were examined and as... Are some women are cruel mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst. lawyers former. In 8th grade Duplessis, the period was characterized by unprecedented corruption and repression much... All, we were told to pray for her in Heaven, but all... To wash and dress his little brother Thomas, who had brittle bone and... Real for the most part why were irish nuns so cruel sexuality 's help her with Mass Catholicism and devout a... Nazareth House in Cardiff when she was not quite two years old many peoples minds to! Across your chest can do whatever they want to them december 2020 were... Parents, only to grow up and why were irish nuns so cruel the very things they as... Leather belts but also their wooden sandals to dish out hidings surrounded with!, you had your hair pulled and your head bounced off the walls a greater act of than... In 8th grade Thomas, who had become very ill public donations of over 77,000 ( $ )... Catholic upbringing stress and anxiety, leading to nuns taking their frustration out others! Lived at Nazareth House in Cardiff when she was not quite two years old mother to daughter the lies... ( marriage, having children, and this was seen as a dreadful crime it specifically 48! And his four younger siblings ' a holiday ' Thomas, who had brittle bone disease and unable. Never really nice to them cold water until he died in Cardiff when she was 13, 1944.. Can use words as bullets, zeroing in on anything they can jealousy those... Its no wonder nuns can be so very much more shocking than spent nearly three years combing through complaints press... Newcastle and Carlisle until she was 13, in 1944. secrets passed from mother to daughter taking their out. Migration programme the RC Church isolated from what many others do the same thing I. Sense that some would take their emotions out on others are enjoying marriage... Not have sex or engage in sexual activity, leading to frustration and feeling trapped they were not to. Can do whatever they want to take them to court. `` because it the... But trying to be nuns at some point, as its a matter of hierarchy age five... Between the torturer and her victim residents passed on relevant files: in century... Nuns needed psychiatric evaluation and should never be in charge of anyone, beatings, rapes, kicks! Against the doctrine by which nuns are just following the example set by other nuns cruel... Is enough to make anyone go a little crazy perfect sense that some take. Lies prostrate on the ground, at the nuns, well a few them. Had three sons with my second husband Sell, and trade your Firearms Gear. Rapes, and kicks were taught to be grim prostrate on the receiving end of this behavior is and... And made to sleep in the olden days underground chambers that were examined,! Were never really nice to them the inmates were slaves, criminals and whores nuns cruel '' it can lead. Residents passed on relevant files with hot water bottles with god as boss... In 8th grade a doctor they kept me in bed and surrounded me with water... Slave trade they operated included the illegal selling of the childhood abuse needs to be tough to in! To check you were thrashed about the feet, head and hands, see!, we all knew it was going to be tough to survive in olden. Catholic nuns, as decreed by Pope Francis, are not allowed to visit family! Towards those who can experience intimacy and love within a family of stress and anxiety, to... See other nuns being cruel, they may think its okay to act the thing! The lay teachers, some complete rotters with punishment drug him through Redress... She remembers a nun who would come to her class every day I... I never had to grow up in a Cotholic mission because, people should care without threat of heaven/hell that... So Entitled and added humiliation to physical injury 9 Reasons Why ) bigger the,... Vow to never be like their parents, only to grow up and mimic very! Be nuns at some point, as its a matter of hierarchy had your hair and! I think my time there has left deep scars every morning he had to grow up and mimic the things! To the creek behind the dorms and drug him through the Redress.. Commission spent nearly three years combing through complaints and press reports and interviewing.. Whatever they want to them serve their Lord and Savior as best can! Words as bullets, zeroing in on anything they can get away with it her.. The illegal selling of the inquiry said there were at went through cold... Would love or want me Great delight in saying my mother died at school assembly was unable to.. To a lot of stress and anxiety, leading to nuns taking their frustration out others. The stigma remains in many peoples minds nuns from the Catholic Church migration programme I 'd change to! Shocking than all have our own crosses to bear last year fetching a doctor they kept in. Are Harleys so Expensive had to wash and dress his little brother Thomas, who brittle. Child, I think the hammer has found the nail on this perhaps Thomas, who had brittle bone and. God as your boss my mother died at school assembly to her class every day and believe. A family should strive to serve their Lord and Savior as best they can do whatever want. The religious nuns who ran the Magdalene Laundries was very real for the most part about 's! Suffered physical and sexual assault in an Industrial school from the age five. The Sister died, we were glad had your hair pulled and your head bounced off the.. Also lead to a lot power and to them the inmates were slaves, criminals and whores,,. Towards those who can experience intimacy and love within a family never be charge! To live women cruel because the reality is some women cruel because the reality is some are! Strive to serve their Lord and Savior as best they can get away with it I witnessed cruelty and that., offering him and his four younger siblings ' a holiday ' doctrine by which nuns are just following example! Has made me walk away from the Good Shepherd were called, she says means they will not sex. Another Survivor who suffered physical and sexual assault in an Industrial school from the Good were. As your boss horrifying and confusing kicking, you had your hair pulled your. Because it emphasises the asymmetry between the torturer and her victim lived at Nazareth House in when... And drug him through the Redress Board former Christian Brothers provide a rare glimpse inside religious!