The period covered by the work of the commission was initially from 1946 to 1999, but it was subsequently extended to cover the years from 1914 to 2000. Dispenza, who spent 15 years in a habit before becoming an activist against the Catholic Church, is bracing for an onslaught of cases against nuns, who typically run schools and orphanages, and spend exponentially more time with children than priests do. "The only thing I learned to do there was fight, and when I come across a nun today I avoid them because I cannot be civil. "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. I telephoned Cardinal Winning, and asked him to do something about all the things that were coming to light about Nazareth House. The priest to whom he made his confession, he says, was Father Conti. The children didn't speak about what had happened, "none of us did, believe it or not". Currie took Cameron Fyfe, other lawyers and Nazareth House officials to the building, to the locked door of his former bedroom. Not once did the nuns ask why I was off school or what was wrong with me. She started to tell me how wonderful it was working with the old people, but her hands were shaking. Eventually I was rescued by a small boat, but it was terrifying." "Bedwetting was about the worst thing you could do. The only subject of conversation was who was for it next. You'd hear their footsteps but you didn't know who they were. Girls abused by nuns often speak of the psychological and spiritual damage done to them, stolen childhood and adolescent years of friendships, dates, dances, and often God. These are major things, the experience was a severe danger to people's lives." She was sent to the orphanage, with her brother, when she was five - her grandmother had just died, her mother had left, and her father felt he could not take care of the children. This was their holiday. Well, I don't think that humans are meant to live without any intimacy; physical or emotional. Why are Nuns so mean? ", What was it, though, that caused such cruelty by women? 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. There, he says, nuns regularly beat him and made him witness the violent degradation of other children. Any child caught speaking native was punished. "I remember being told repeatedly by the nuns that I had been put there because I was naughty and because my family did not want me. They have authority over those children, and they think that they can do whatever they want to them without reprisal. Thomas Paine, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13JK5kChbRw. The Nuns had been punishing this boy for not doing his chores and on that fateful night he was murdered by the Nuns. Nuns are no different; however, we choose not to act upon these natural, sexual feelings and urges. There are times when its hot outside, and the last thing you want to do is dress in heavy clothing. 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. She was there. It started when I was about eight. The military and emergency services found those abandoned, bereaved children attractive recruits because, though they lacked education, they knew how to iron their shirts, polish their shoes and obey orders. 'Is it money you're after?' I felt she took relish out of that. There are 55,944 nuns in the US and 41,406 priests, according to statistics compiled by SNAP. Joseph had been left alone in verminous conditions. One of the questions I have is for the Catholics of the forums. "This isn't revenge against the Catholic church, we just want them to come out of denial. Some nuns are just following the example set by other nuns. Kathleen Batey, a 47-year-old cleaner living near Newcastle United Football Club's mighty stadium, is not one of the campaigners seeking legal redress. "I just want it out of my mind." He remembers Nazareth House as dour and cruel. The archbishop also accused Currie of being unreliable. January 22, 2011 in Spirituality, Religion and Beliefs. He is never surprised by attempts to discredit people like himself. It was born out of a fascination with the women who choose . Joseph Currie, the orphanage child, had something important to say, but there was no one to tell it to. So now comes the question. I believe its what turns so many of them into nasty bitches in the convent.. I spent a lot of time scrubbing floors or cleaning shoes. Although nuns acting mean is mostly history, the stigma remains in many peoples minds. Then, in March, a shocking report was published into allegations of abuse and brutality at one of the order's homes in Queensland, Australia, over a 90-year period ending only in 1976. Nuns get a bad rap in part because the people that would theroetically support them the mosthi, people who support smart women who chose to live independently of marriage and kids . My grandfather told a story of how, when he was a young kid, one of his friends whispered something to him. They also far outnumber priests. "I told a doctor about the nuns. There is, in this context, an absence of any recognition that tenderness should be the norm in relations between adults and children.". But though he is active in progressive politics and his music club, says, "I'm also very lonely, I have to admit that.". It was just the routine.". This can lead to a cycle of cruelty thats hard to break. No one would believe how bad it was. 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. 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. And then I just remember leaving. Mrs Guerrier, who is now 73 and lives in Tottenham, north London, said: "The nuns were extremely harsh. 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, Get up to 10% off using the Booking.com app, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected product with this eBay discount 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 April 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this April, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Good or bad just jot one or two down for me if you don't mind. I think the average age for priests and nuns in the US today is like 70. The allegations stretch back. Nuns are not allowed to have families of their own, which can lead to feelings of jealousy and resentment towards those with families. Or maybe it's just being in a power of authority with god as your boss. The Mother Teressa took him to the creek behind the dorms and drug him through the cold water until he died. Fyfe argues that the cultures of orphanages and schools tend to be specific and different - he also represents clients who were in the hands of the de la Salle monks in Britain, against whom there are more allegations of sexual abuse than there are against the Nazareth House nuns. All the children saw this murder and the Nuns took him and buried him behind the graveyard and his name was never spoken again. She became imprisoned in the safety of her own home. "The nuns never believed I was deaf. The excuse is that it was normal in those days.". I saw it.". "You woke up to this thrashing. The Sisters of Mercy taught the girls at her high school; the boys were taught by the Christian Brothers. I have seen programs about nuns and most of those show a wonderfull helpful loving nun who just loves the whole world. This can lead to nuns being quite resentful toward Mothers. The family book I am writting has so many of these stories in it I almost hate to put them in there. (11 Reasons Why), Why Are Vegans So Entitled? "As a precaution, in case I died," he made a tape-recording and put two pieces of paper in an envelope. This definitely made it much worse. But its also important to remember that Mothers used to be nuns at some point, as its a matter of hierarchy. Teonna, along with several other Native American girls, was forced to remain in the institution while her grandmother Issaxche Rainwater try to find a way to release her. So if you see a mean nun, remember that shes probably going through a lot. The retired telephonist has never forgotten the summer of 1955 when the children of Cardonald Nazareth House in Glasgow went to Aberdeen on an exchange. "When the Sister died, we were told to pray for her in Heaven, but we all prayed that we were glad. My aunt said I never stammered before I went there. And then she left. Archaic teaching methods are now seen as barbaric. Finnegan said she has suffered PTSD and anxiety for most of her adult life and has turned to prayer and research on sexual abuse to try to forgive what was done to her. A nun all of a sudden picked the kid up, carried him to the door, then slammed the door into his head. On the mantelpiece there is a fading photograph of him in a grey bow tie with the queen of the Eurovision Song Contest, Katie Boyle. Nothing. This mission is still in use today and as far as I know they have not slacked off of the punishments. No prayers. The punishment was being forced to stand in front of a nun's cell with the soiled linen on your head or being sat in the galvanized steel bath while two assistants poured buckets of cold water over your head. Thank you again for your insight. Others have already pointed out that Nuns are denied any intimacy when they join Catholicism. I thought bugger that, I'm saying my piece.". (7 Reasons Why), Why Are 911 Operators So Rude? I blame Nazareth House. In the words of one man who had been put into a home after being abandoned by his family: "Some people say to me, 'Well, that's what it was like everywhere then', but it wasn't. (11 Reasons Why), Why Are Harleys So Expensive? ", Docherty, too, has joined the action against the Daughters of Charity and the Sisters of Nazareth. If you were scrubbing the floor and looked up you could get a whack over the head or even be kneed in the face. Try to be understanding and compassionate. "You couldn't talk to the nuns in a jokey or friendly way. 1.Why do Catholic nuns have a reputation for being cruel and abusive Author: www.quora.com Post date: 2 yesterday Rating: 5 (1678 reviews) Highest rating: 3 Low rated: 3 Summary: They were allowed to commit their crimes because as a religious order they were not subject to scrutiny. Lets not forget that nuns take a vow of celibacy. In some cases, they may be trying to manipulate or control the people around them. Nuns are supposed to be modest in their appearance, which can lead to them being quite critical of others who dont dress modestly. You could be hit for talking in church. Today it is different, but I believe the stories I have been told. "The dormitory would sleep 12. Father Tindall, the church's child protection coordinator in the north-east of England, ventured: "Too much of the organised culture of the church was very disciplined and rule-bound, and gave an opportunity for people under pressure to use the language of discipline to be punitive. "I was spat on. Thats awefull! ". The Poor Sisters of Nazareth were founded in the mid-19th century in Hammersmith, London, to take care of the young and the old. Some people can be cruel for many reasons. "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. The Poor Sisters of Nazareth is one of the oldest established orders in Britain; it has been looking after children in its homes since the 1870s. Oberon Copeland is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, with a degree in economics and HR. "Most of the nuns were Irish and though they were trained to be nuns they were not trained to look after kids, and that is where a lot of the problems were. No matter what any "spiritual leader" might say. They would use canes, sticks, the leather belts around their waists. He'd never told anyone. Dr Abernathy denies the allegations of cruelty and abuse, and argues that for 130 years the Sisters of Nazareth "devoted their entire lives to the care of orphans, abandoned children, children from broken homes and in many cases children referred from the courts. ", Punishment was perpetually lurking: "You never knew when or what. "There was a big polished floor, it was really polished. Long gone are the days of teaching nuns to be cruel, and now theyre being taught with more compassion. It blew into the sea and they went into retrieve it, a stupid plastic ball - of course, they wouldn't have dared do otherwise. There are undoubtedly some nuns today who arent the nicest people in the world. This vow means they will not have sex or engage in sexual activity, leading to frustration and feeling trapped. I hear stories about the nuns from non family members too and not many people have "Found memories" of their days with the nuns. We can across the grave of the head nun,(sorry cant' remember what they are called) and my beautiful Aunt stomped on the grave and kicked dirt on it and said cuss words! When finally a key was found, they went in: the room was almost as he had left it, and behind a plywood panel there were his childhood documents, exactly as he had predicted. Kathleen Batey's back is lined with a ladder of scars - they are the relics of her life at Nazareth House in Tyneside, received, she says, when nuns took off the belts buckled round their habits and beat her. They want to them without reprisal told to pray for her in why are nuns so cruel, her. Why ), Why are Vegans so Entitled have already pointed out that nuns take a vow celibacy. 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