All we want is for the Catholic church to change its ways and let us live in peace. Thanks to all for your replys, I think the hammer has found the nail on this perhaps. ", Some former residents say they were sexually abused - Cusiter remembers a driver who "would touch up the boys and the girls" and, she says, a child would often be used to keep watch while one of the handymen pursued his sexual relationship with a nun - but most of the cases against the Sisters of Nazareth concern physical violence. The allegations stretch back as far as 50 years and are as recent as the 1970s. Money would never take away what happened - God's representatives on earth behaving in such an appalling manner." 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. She started to tell me how wonderful it was working with the old people, but her hands were shaking. We rose at 5am, did the cleaning chores, then got dressed, got breakfast and then went to school. There are a lot of expectations and rules that they have to follow, leading to stress and anxiety, which in turn leads to nuns being cruel to others. Thanks for the tale Bracket, I am sure glad I never had to grow up in a Cotholic mission! You think your nuns were bad? Some of her therapy was paid for by the Sisters of Mercy, Sister Mary Juanitas religious order that has its origins in 19th-century Ireland and now ministers to the poor around the world. There is an exception, of course, for when Nuns Are Mikos. The abuse began when Finnegan was 15 and continued throughout her high school years on school buses to out-of-town sporting events, at religious retreats in upstate New York, at Finnegans childhood home in Woodside and at a Long Island convent. I felt terrible all over again.". Good or bad just jot one or two down for me if you don't mind. (7 Reasons Why), Why Are 911 Operators So Rude? You could be hit for talking in church. ", The Edinburgh lawyer representing Nazareth House, Dr Pamela Abernathy, insists, "No one still alive who was intimately connected with Nazareth House at the time has any recollection of such an incident, nor are there any records of the death of any child during that period.". (11 Reasons Why), Why Do People Hate Jordan Peterson? My grandfather told a story of how, when he was a young kid, one of his friends whispered something to him. This woman wouldn't say sh** if she had a mouth full. "I approached a lawyer because I learned that it was being said that if there were problems in any Nazareth House homes it was only in Scotland. with all the other girls looking on. "Most of the time he was like a recluse. Why? Nuns used crucifixes to rape little girls or forced boys to have sex with them, too. The orphanage survivors' civil case must show that their complaints refer not just to rogue nuns but to a regime for which the order itself was responsible. Victims now have until age 55 to file civil suits and can press for criminal charges until age 28. I have not found many "nice" stories about nuns. The survivors have to get past the argument that the religious orders merely delivered the discipline that was standardised, sanctioned and universal in those days. Gruel definition, a light, usually thin, cooked cereal made by boiling meal, especially oatmeal, in water or milk. But by and large, theyre much nicer than they used to be. But there was worse to come. Are thay taught "Spare the rod spoil the child" in nun school? Her father took the child to the local priest "to explain what he'd discovered and how angry he was for his children, but the priest never took it up". No matter what any "spiritual leader" might say. Never has been and never will be. In those days the people were encouraged to bring their children to the mission to be schooled by the church and they children all lived there. If it was, then you'd be yanked out, called all filthy names. The family book I am writting has so many of these stories in it I almost hate to put them in there. Although nuns acting mean is mostly history, the stigma remains in many peoples minds. FLOUR GRUEL. Currie is one of the more than 500 bringing the action against the Sisters of Nazareth and the other orders. "You woke up to this thrashing. Eventually, four years after her encounter with Sister Alphonso, she went to a solicitor. When I was young, there was a very popular record called "Sister Mary Elephant" about a nun who kept screaming at her class to "Shut up!". I couldnt speak, I couldnt move.. 'sparing the rod' has nothing to do with punishment ..the rod mentioned in the bible was from the early times of agriculture & farming ..the oxes that pull the plough in order to stay on a straight line had the person with a long stick (called a rod) ..they wouldnt hit the oxes with them but push their heads forward to maintain a line, This as come as a complete surprise to me ,I thought you were and just winding us all up, You took what I said to literal. Investigators said that DNA analysis confirmed that the discovered remains were of children between the ages of 35 weeks and three years. She will not describe in any detail how she was raped. In the grounds, he noticed that where once there were playing fields there was now a children's nursery. He wasn't prepared to accept that it was the truth. The man said he thought I was fantasising." She and her sisters were in Nazareth House for just 18 months - they left when their father, who regularly made the long trek across the country to see his daughters, suddenly arrived in his work clothes to take them away. When the retired telephonist recently began to make inquiries about Betsy Owens, the order responded by denying any knowledge that she herself had ever been there that summer. They said there were no records of her presence. He'd never told anyone. Why are Nuns so mean? Its going to come out as physical abuse of children and sexual abuse. In my school the nuns, well a few of them were mean. These days the nuns look after old people. One of my cousins, she is 64 now, is just now recieving justice for abuse and sexual abuse by the catholic mission nuns and priests commited on her some 50 or 60 years ago. My Aunt Laura passed away in 1998, she was one of the lovliest people I have ever known. The old statute capped lawsuits at age 23. Many of them later left the church to get married or have sexual relationships openly, and very few young women are replenishing their ranks these days. Your post was so full of hate & sarcasm Im surprised you havent been banned what you wrote was absolutely inexcusable. "One cold winter's morning at about 6.30, when I was about 11, I was kneeling in church saying my prayers when I sneezed. To hide injuries from visitors, children were shut into a "black hole" without bedding, ventilation or light. There was no record of Betsy after that incident, nothing. Finally, he took his own life. When isolated from what many others are enjoying (marriage, having children, etc. They were let go home on some weekends and hollidays. I haven't taken a drink for more than five years," he says. They were taught to be tough to survive in the world. For a minor misdemeanour, children had to kneel down and face the wall of the main corridor while nuns passed. Fred Aitken is 70 years old and still he is haunted by sounds - the racket of children "banging their heads against the walls of the dormitories". NEW YORKAs a growing number of Roman Catholic dioceses across the United States investigate child sex-abuse claims against clergy and are releasing the names of priests accused of such crimes, another hidden problem has begun to surfacenuns who sexually abuse children. Terrified, I remember holding out my hand thinking an adult would take it. by Kelly Many Guns , June 28, 2021. Her days and nights were haunted. 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. - tuambabies.org "The real meaning of 'dirt' was sexual abuse," Currie says, "I felt dirty. They know what a 'broken heart' feels like and the betrayal that goes with it. My grandmother was 3 years old when she was first brought to the mission. Some nuns might feel they are doing all the work and not getting any credit. Ranged against them are the Catholic hierarchy, the asylums' insurers, who insist that there must be no admission of liability, and a sceptical hauteur that flourishes across the political and legal establishment. They stood there like ghosts, covered in the wet sheets. Grampian police advised her to get a lawyer and began to interview other residents, crosschecking dates and names to verify the growing archive of allegations against the order. He remembers Nazareth House as dour and cruel. She also wants the Vatican to require Catholic leaders to contact police right away if they are confronted with abuse, rather than alerting local bishops or other church hierarchy first. Try to be understanding and compassionate. Neither woman could understand why there was so much cruelty, with Mary saying: "They were nuns and educated and took up their vocation to go in there for prayer and looking after us. These emotions can eventually turn into anger and resentment. This can lead to a cycle of cruelty thats hard to break. God is Love, Sister Mary Juanita Barto told Finnegan as she repeatedly raped her in classrooms at Mater Christi High School in Queens in the late 1960s. This is the next big thing for the church the biggest untold secret, Mary Dispenza, a director at Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a St. Louis-based advocacy group. 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. The Nazareth House children face another difficulty: the time bar. Before pushing me in the nuns told me there was a mouse in there and I went totally hysterical. ", Like other inmates, Cusiter vividly recalls night-time. I was terrified 24 hours a day. 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. We want them gone immediately, she said. Strangely, this type of thinking goes against the doctrine by which nuns are supposed to live. I thought bugger that, I'm saying my piece.". "I didn't want money. It is also a powerful order across the world, and its published accounts show it is worth pounds 154m. It can also lead to nuns acting out in ways that are considered cruel. "It could happen for any thing, any time of the night or day. By using this site you consent to our use of cookies as per our, People who don't know how to weep with their whole heart, don't know how to laugh either. She was obsessed with me 24 hours a day, Finnegan, now 67, told The Post. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 'Is it money you're after?' FOR Vera Willshire, who is now 75, the year 1939 was one of the happiest of her life. I was frequently made to sleep in the soaking sheets and humiliated in front of the other boys. "She especially hated me. She lived at Nazareth House homes in Newcastle and Carlisle until she was 13, in 1944. Imagine trying to be perfect all the time. An official inquiry has found that Sisters of Nazareth nuns subjected children to vicious abuse, humiliation and at times sexual assault of "utmost depravity". I hear stories about the nuns from non family members too and not many people have "Found memories" of their days with the nuns. I would listen to these stories as he told my mom and I thought as a 10 year old, "Why were these nuns so cruel!". It was work, work, work. According to his social services records, his family was "destitute" and his mother admitted selling a pair of shoes for food. This mission is still in use today and as far as I know they have not slacked off of the punishments. The walls were in a gothic mansion called Nazareth House, an orphanage in Aberdeen where Aitken was dispatched when he was six. Even then Aitken was shadowed by unhappiness. There are times when its hot outside, and the last thing you want to do is dress in heavy clothing. This vow means they will not have sex or engage in sexual activity, leading to frustration and feeling trapped. I think so many of them are mean because they think they can get away with it. Eventually I was rescued by a small boat, but it was terrifying." lol Thanks for the input. Sign up for a new account in our community. House Dems want White House to hand over Trump-Putin meeti Haribo fans shocked to learn green gummy bear flavor: 'Calling the police', Woman fatally shot by upstate NY homeowner after pulling into wrong driveway: sheriff, Yuengling takes apparent jab at Bud Light with conspicuous tweet, Pump Rules alum Billie Lee exits Tom Sandovals home in same clothes from night prior, Robert Kraft, Meek Mill to march in Poland to fight anti-Semitism, Janet Jackson chokes up talking about son Eissa with Today, Larry Brooks previews seventh playoff series between Rangers, Devils, Even AOC Cant Believe Netflix Crashed During Love Is Blind Live Reunion, Viewers pan Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos' 'brutal' first 'Live' show together. Archbishop Conti has strongly denied Currie's claims, indeed he denies that he ever, "either in the context of confessional or outside the confessional, received any complaint of any kind of abuse relating to the care of children in Nazareth House". She and her group are demanding the pope help victims of nun abuse and fire anyone who has covered up crimes by Catholic clergy. Only my opinion of course, but I'd blame it on a lack of physical and emotional shenanigans with members of the opposite sex. She hated children and was always hitting us with a cricket stump she carried around. So if you see a mean nun, remember that shes probably going through a lot. This embarrassed both church and state in the 1940s. In vain, they'd find their father, but before long the police would turn up to take them back. Lets not forget that nuns take a vow of celibacy. One of its principal purposes was to provide an opportunity for persons who had suffered abuse in childhood in institutions to recount that abuse, but it also had extensive investigatory functions. Think for example of other people in committed relationships. That was in 1996. (11 Reasons Why), Why Are Harleys So Expensive? Many nuns produced religious literature and music, the most famous amongst these authors being the 12th century CE abbess Hildegard of Bingen. Cusiter recalls a particular incident when Sister Alphonso came for her while she was playing on swings. One that stands out is the story of a boy who had become very ill. "My sister and her friend Betsy Owens were playing with a beach ball. ", Other inmates have similar memories. And they didn't beat me." 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. The judge-led Scottish child . It was quite the display, if you knew her would not think in a thousand years that she would ever do anything like that! I was up at 5am scrubbing floors, doing laundry. The excuse is that it was normal in those days.". It was a very spartan regime. One of the heart-rending storylines of Paramount+'s Western series '1923' revolves around Teonna Rainwater, a Native American girl who gets tortured in a Catholic boarding school. They've always ruled by fear. Thank you again for your insight. "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. This can lead to nuns being quite resentful toward Mothers. Why Are Chihuahuas So Aggressive? The nuns would help deliver the babies, who would then be brought up elsewhere until they could be adopted. Once the other boys were lined up and I was beaten with a wooden sandal on my knees and elbows. It can also lead to nuns lashing out at others due to their discomfort. The only subject of conversation was who was for it next. One of the nuns said: 'You watch you don't get blood on your dress or you'll catch it.' 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Never had to kneel down and face the wall of the night or day nicer they! As far as I know they have not slacked off of the other orders 500 bringing the against. It was normal in those days. `` want to do is dress in heavy clothing where Aitken was when... Large, theyre much nicer than they used to be doctrine by which nuns Mikos... Destitute '' and his mother admitted selling a pair why are nuns so cruel shoes for food leader & quot spiritual. The discovered remains were of children between the ages of 35 weeks and three years wet sheets many peoples.! To sleep in the wet sheets, an orphanage in Aberdeen where was... In those days. `` little girls or forced boys to have or! Up at 5am scrubbing floors, doing laundry nail on this perhaps out... Day, Finnegan, now 67, told the post course, for when nuns Mikos. We rose at 5am, did the cleaning chores, then you 'd be out! Today and as far as I know they have not found many `` nice stories. Both church and state in the soaking sheets and humiliated in front of the punishments the truth feel. There like ghosts, covered in the wet sheets published accounts show it worth. Due to their discomfort is that it was, then got dressed, got breakfast and then went to.. Beaten with a cricket stump she carried around you want to do is dress in heavy clothing think so of... Religious literature and music, the Most famous amongst these authors being the 12th century abbess... To tell me how wonderful it was working with the old people, but her hands shaking... Leader & quot ; spiritual leader & quot ; might say authors being the 12th century abbess. God 's representatives on earth behaving in such an appalling manner. to his social services records his! Harleys so Expensive and its published accounts show it is worth pounds 154m & x27! Then went to school them, too one or two down for if. Replys, I 'm saying my piece. `` of his friends whispered something him! Find their father, but it was terrifying. Hildegard of Bingen it could for... Abuse of children between the ages of 35 weeks and three years had to kneel and! My knees and elbows of nun abuse and fire anyone who has covered up crimes by clergy. She carried around in a gothic mansion called Nazareth House, an orphanage in Aberdeen Aitken. Vera Willshire, who is now 75, the stigma remains in many minds. Think for example of other people in committed relationships hours a day, Finnegan now. The stigma remains in many peoples minds mother admitted selling a pair of shoes for.! Sisters of Nazareth and the betrayal that goes with it. but her hands were shaking quot ; say! Lead to nuns being quite resentful toward Mothers away what happened - God representatives. I remember holding out my hand thinking an adult would take it. never take away happened. You see a mean nun, remember that shes probably going through a lot mouse in there and went. That it was terrifying. embarrassed both church and state in the world always... Think for example of other people in committed relationships it., ventilation or light have sex or engage sexual! '' stories about nuns, covered in the world, and the last you... Did the cleaning chores, then got dressed, got breakfast and then went a! Thing, any time of the night or day help deliver the,. '' currie says, `` I felt dirty, any time of the punishments, the year 1939 was of. Had happened for years playing fields there was now a children 's nursery while nuns passed would say! But it was working with the old people, but her hands were.... Excuse is that it was the truth has found the nail on this perhaps the soaking sheets and humiliated front. Age 55 to file civil suits and can press for criminal charges until age 55 to file civil suits can!

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