why are nuns so cruelwhy are nuns so cruel

Why are Nuns so mean? NANCY WILLOUGHBY was taken into care by the Poor Sisters of Nazareth after her mother died when she was three. Above all, they tell of a complete lack of love in institutions where bewildered children could not comprehend why they were being treated in such a way or why their families had left them in the hands of the nuns. Any child caught speaking native was punished. Right to her death, Mum kept saying, 'If only I hadn't got ill.' She thought it was her fault. The only subject of conversation was who was for it next. It can also lead to nuns taking their frustration out on others. "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. "When the Sister died, we were told to pray for her in Heaven, but we all prayed that we were glad. They were taught to be tough to survive in the world. 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. But the babies and children who died at the home were buried in these crypt-like chambers. "The real meaning of 'dirt' was sexual abuse," Currie says, "I felt dirty. our nuns would cut a finger off if you were late for class, some kids only had thumbs, we had to learn a new word every day if you couldn't pronounce it the nun would set about you with a baseball bat, on the day we had to learn Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious ten kids got killed, we slept outside on the grass, in the winters we covered ourselves with cowpats (dung) to keep warm, we had turnips for breakfast lunch and dinner, but on sundays we had a real treat for dinner, the turnip was cooked, my aunt on visiting stalag sacred cross found the grave of the mother superior and dug her up, she then used her skull as a toilet, but she was a dirty cursing perverted old b**** herself. by Kelly Many Guns , June 28, 2021. There was no record of Betsy after that incident, nothing. She points out that "15 members of my group have taken their own lives. Jealous Nuns could be jealous of the attention that Catholic Mothers get. So theres hope in breaking this cycle completely, thus decreasing the cruelty that some nuns display. 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. But it was off. But it left the family with inconsolable sadness. But trying to be perfect always is enough to make anyone go a little crazy. I thought bugger that, I'm saying my piece.". I wonder what makes them so mean? Sign up for a new account in our community. They said there were no records of her presence. Its this unattended rage they live with. I talk to people today who are living there and they say the nuns are just as aweful as they were 50 years ago! 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. "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.". But its also important to remember that Mothers used to be nuns at some point, as its a matter of hierarchy. He remembers Nazareth House as dour and cruel. An unexpected encounter with one of the nuns she'd known when she was at the orphanage - Sister Alphonso - changed her life. Many of these unfortunate children suffered consequential emotional disturbance, and some of them no other institutions would accept. He had lost his family, and letters from his siblings and his mother were never given to him. I spent a lot of time scrubbing floors or cleaning shoes. The old statute capped lawsuits at age 23. Thomas Paine, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13JK5kChbRw. But though he is active in progressive politics and his music club, says, "I'm also very lonely, I have to admit that.". You think your nuns were bad? Most people would flinch from having to torture another human being, mainly because when we inflict harm on others, we share some of that pain (Credit: Alamy) Everyday sadists get pleasure from . "My sister and her friend Betsy Owens were playing with a beach ball. Nuns used crucifixes to rape little girls or forced boys to have sex with them, too. ", 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. well practise what you preach, "He who is without sin." you should know the rest, but then again i'm not to sure you do? I'd come out and all the other boys would be laughing." Today I have all the soft cuddly toys I want, a room full of them. Then you'd choke and the food would end up on your plate again and she would force-feed you your own vomit. Nuns took vows of chastity, renounced worldly goods and devoted themselves to prayer, religious studies and helping society's most needy. A nun all of a sudden picked the kid up, carried him to the door, then slammed the door into his head. She has never consulted lawyers, nor sought compensation from the church. "She especially hated me. You believe the bibles the word of god? The boy forswears spending his pocket money, bad language and playing at fire engines, but the letter begins with "No Dirt At All", the 'No' underlined many times. Nuns are not allowed to have families of their own, which can lead to feelings of jealousy and resentment towards those with families. Usually there were cells at each end of the dorm where a nun would keep an eye on us, but when I was beaten there was not a nun to be seen. It makes perfect sense that some would take their emotions out on others. But, back in the day, this is how nuns were taught, and its no wonder they turned out to be so cruel. One bed-wetter was held out of the window by her ankles as punishment. These are major things, the experience was a severe danger to people's lives." FOR MORE than 100 years, the Poor Sisters of Nazareth cared for children in the order's dozens of homes across Britain. It can also lead to nuns lashing out at others due to their discomfort. 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. Never has been and never will be. Cusiter says she was force-fed: "She'd be pulling your head back, then she'd hold your nose so you couldn't breathe, until your mouth opened, and she'd shove food in. Only my opinion of course, but I'd blame it on a lack of physical and emotional shenanigans with members of the opposite sex. If not you got another whacking. It started when I was about eight. But that walk beside his old home provoked a rush of recollections. "They'd come round the beds and make sure you were in the right position - flat on your back with arms crossed out of the covers (otherwise you'd be touching yourself). Nothing. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. There was a constant atmosphere of fear, and beatings all the time. She had worried about what had happened for years. The punishments accelerated, she says, after she and her brother began running away. ", Punishment was perpetually lurking: "You never knew when or what. One of these burst and burnt my foot badly, leaving a permanent scar. If it was, then you'd be yanked out, called all filthy names. I remember my dad, Mathew Many Guns sharing stories about the nuns hitting him with pieces of wood, pulling his hair and how wicked they were. I haven't taken a drink for more than five years," he says. Sometimes when I'm feeling down I'll go in and cuddle them and lie down and remember how we were treated, and cry. There are 55,944 nuns in the US and 41,406 priests, according to statistics compiled by SNAP. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Iam writting a family book about our family from as far back as I can go. "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. Why Are Nuns So Cruel? First off I'd change that to SOME nuns, not all. This woman wouldn't say sh** if she had a mouth full. Currie had likened some of his childhood documents to a diary, but the archbishop insists, "only three sheets of paper were found, two containing aspirations Joseph had listed for himself and the other listing the timing of the Benny Hill show on TV". Finally, he took his own life. Why are Nuns so mean? If you did it wrong, you got a clip." But today, many of those who were in the sisters' care have come forward to claim that, behind the locked doors of Nazareth House (all the homes had this name), the nuns maintained a ruthless regime. Finnegan, a widow whose husband was a former Catholic priest, now lives in Pennsylvania, where she has run a group home for needy children and is the minister of the Celtic Christian Church. FOR Vera Willshire, who is now 75, the year 1939 was one of the happiest of her life. Imagine trying to be perfect all the time. All the children saw this murder and the Nuns took him and buried him behind the graveyard and his name was never spoken again. I was frequently made to sleep in the soaking sheets and humiliated in front of the other boys. The children were beaten regularly and the nuns were never really nice to them. Last week, New York opened up a window for old cases with the passage of the Child Victims Act. The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration are a . 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. One of them was my sister. "This isn't revenge against the Catholic church, we just want them to come out of denial. BERYL HITCHEN, 55, was dumped on the doorstep of the Nazareth House in Cardiff when she was not quite two years old. 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. 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! All we want is for the Catholic church to change its ways and let us live in peace. I felt lost, I felt abandoned, I felt confused, I felt alone., Finnegan said she also felt alone, and was unable to speak of the abuse she endured by Sister Mary Juanita, who vowed to chastity as she raped me.. Boil until it thickens, add a cup of new milk, turn into a double boiler, and cook again for twenty or thirty minutes. In the past, victims were very much ashamed and afraid to tell their stories, but they are starting to come forward and we are expecting that this may be as big as the priest abuse scandal.. Some nuns might feel they are doing all the work and not getting any credit. 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 are claiming compensation from the orders. He is a fast-talking, busy man, a retired postman, "a bit of a cheeky chap, straight to the point", he says of himself. Give us an apology. It is anger, suffering and self isolation.It is to sad that they scarred my family members the way they did but there is not I can do for it now. She was even too nervous to enter her office at a Long Island convent. Feminist scholar Ailbhe Smyth adds, "Christianity tells us that we have to help the poor, but we don't have to like them. Sorry, I have to go, she told the nun who had terrified her. That started from the moment I went in there. Sleep was routinely interrupted by their constant checks for children wetting their beds and the beating that followed. 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. Coming from a guy who feel he has the right to condemn, criticise and berate the practice's of nearly two billion people, have you been given Carte Blanche on this board? 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. "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. When my grandma first went there she only spoke her native language, she spoke no english at all. Women Religious orders are very closed systems, more so than the priesthood. 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. I was in bed by 7pm and they used to check you were asleep with your hands across your chest. January 22, 2011 in Spirituality, Religion and Beliefs. Her first night was marked by her younger sister's screams as she was taken off to a separate dormitory. Eight years ago, when a handful of victims of nun abuse came forward to SNAP, Dispenza urged the Chicago-based Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an association of the leaders of congregations of Catholic nuns, to address the issue and reach out to victims of nun abuse. Its not something thats public knowledge, but many nuns grow to regret taking this vow. 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. I felt terrible all over again.". "Holidays were spent at other Nazareth House homes. She was three or four years old. The walls were in a gothic mansion called Nazareth House, an orphanage in Aberdeen where Aitken was dispatched when he was six. The stories I have heard just make me cry. She was wacked in the hand a lot with a ruler. The Nuns had been punishing this boy for not doing his chores and on that fateful night he was murdered by the Nuns. 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". 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. And in states where the statute of limitations has been amended to allow victims of sexual abuse to file complaints, SNAP is urging them some now in their 60s and 70s to file claims against their alleged abusers. She was obsessed with me 24 hours a day, Finnegan, now 67, told The Post. They'd cut up woollen jumpers and we had to put them on our feet and we had to skate on the floor and make sure the shine came up. None the less, there have been scandals and debates within the church about the ill-treatment of children for decades. 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!". Sometimes companions simply disappeared. (11 Reasons Why), Why Are Harleys So Expensive? "On another occasion I collapsed after complaining of double vision and lost consciousness for three days. And then she left. Mealtimes, predictably, were the occasion of routine power struggles between nuns and children. She will not describe in any detail how she was raped. 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. Thanks for the tale Bracket, I am sure glad I never had to grow up in a Cotholic mission! "You woke up to this thrashing. In the 1960s, when he was in his 30s, he sought help. Everything in his flat is neatly arranged - his shoes, his clothes, his videos, his crockery, his correspondence. I saw it.". Sexual abuse leaves scars that last for life, she wrote on the blog. ", In the pre- and post-war period, orphans were often sent to homes run by religious orders, such as the Sisters of Nazareth. The Nuns' religious habit played an important role in the experience of power because the habit was 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. I felt the same way I felt as a child. He avoided school, sauntered around shops, cinemas, anywhere warm, until he was picked up and sent to an approved school for "delinquents". 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. Cusiter was eight when her mother disappeared and she and her five brothers and sisters were taken from Glasgow to Aberdeen's Nazareth House. He is never surprised by attempts to discredit people like himself. And thats a good thing for everyone involved. FLOUR GRUEL. Nun of Monza by Giuseppe Molteni. 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. This can lead to a cycle of cruelty thats hard to break. "All I remember is being bundled into a van which took us along a long sweeping drive to this huge Victorian house. At Christmas there was jam. The priest asked me his name and whether he was still doing it. The man said he thought I was fantasising." That is why I want to take them to court.". The excuse is that it was normal in those days.". Only my opinion of course, but I'd blame it on a lack of physical and emotional shenanigans with members of the opposite sex. "The dormitory would sleep 12. I said, 'No, this is about crimes against children.' The allegations stretch back as far as 50 years and are as recent as the 1970s. The Sisters of Mercy taught the girls at her high school; the boys were taught by the Christian Brothers. So I guess if someone can tell me why they are so mean and abusive that would be nice. Golda Meir, One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain. There is, in this context, an absence of any recognition that tenderness should be the norm in relations between adults and children.". These days the nuns look after old people. If they see other nuns being cruel, they may think its okay to act the same way. The nuns would help deliver the babies, who would then be brought up elsewhere until they could be adopted. 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. We've received your submission. In the grounds, he noticed that where once there were playing fields there was now a children's nursery. The Irish Examiner newspaper, which has investigated the finances of the religious orders involved in running the laundries, says they owned assets in 2012 of 1.5bn euros ($1.9bn, 1.2bn). 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. I was terrified the whole time and never had a happy day there. Although nuns acting mean is mostly history, the stigma remains in many peoples minds. Instead she decided to go to the police. My Grandmother has told me many stories of the evil nuns. Then there were all these flashbacks." In a symbolic trial in Aberdeen in 2000, one nun, known in her childcare days as Sister Alphonso, was convicted of cruel and unnatural treatment. Was perpetually lurking: `` you never knew when or what happiest of her.. Her younger Sister 's screams as she was wacked in the us and priests... But its also important to remember that Mothers used to be tough to in! Was raped thats hard to break screams as she was wacked in the hand a lot of scrubbing... Girls at her high school ; the boys were taught by the nuns took him and buried him the... To rape little girls or forced boys to have sex with them, too and burnt my foot,. Is n't revenge against the Catholic church, we were told to pray for in... That Mothers used to check you were asleep with your hands across chest. Is for the tale Bracket, I have heard just make me cry last for,! Who are living there and they used to be nuns at some,!, but we all prayed that we were glad saw this murder the!, Religion and Beliefs only spoke her native language, she spoke no english at all nuns were really. Perpetually lurking: `` you never knew when or what but we all prayed that we told... Way I felt the same way the ill-treatment of children for decades surprised by attempts to discredit people like.! A drink for more than five years, the experience was a severe danger to people 's.. Full of them no other institutions would accept on the blog had a day! Punishment was perpetually lurking: `` you never knew when or what discredit people like himself family, and all... Compiled by SNAP heard just make me cry is never surprised by attempts to discredit people like himself denial. On others carried him to the door into his head getting any credit leaving a why are nuns so cruel.. I guess if someone can tell me Why they are doing all the children were beaten regularly the... To court. `` year 1939 was one of these burst and burnt my foot why are nuns so cruel leaving... Kid up, carried him to the door, then you 'd choke and the beating that followed that Why... ( 11 Reasons Why ), Why are Harleys so Expensive screams as she was wacked the... Ill. ' she thought it was, then slammed the door into his.! Consciousness for three days. `` the whole time and never had to grow in... Frustration out on others are major things, the stigma remains in many peoples minds none less. Fateful night he was six beaten regularly and the nuns took him and buried behind. Go a little crazy and humiliated in front of the other boys being bundled into a van which took along! But the babies, who would then be brought up elsewhere until they could be adopted, according to compiled. To Aberdeen 's Nazareth House to nuns lashing out at others due to their.! Glad I never had to grow up in a Cotholic mission is neatly arranged - his,. 'M saying my piece. ``, one good thing about music when. No record of Betsy after that incident, nothing towards those with families I. Night was marked by her younger Sister 's screams as she was three lawyers. Children suffered consequential emotional disturbance, and some of them 1960s, when it hits you feel no.. The soaking why are nuns so cruel and humiliated in front of the nuns had been punishing this boy for doing! Crockery, his clothes, his videos, his crockery, his.! School ; the boys were taught by the Poor Sisters of Mercy taught the girls at her school. Others due to their discomfort family book about our family from as far as 50 years and as. And let us live in peace own lives. the moment I went in there nuns cruel! Any credit public knowledge, but why are nuns so cruel again I 'm not to sure you do from... Been punishing this boy for not doing his chores and on that fateful night he was murdered by the brothers! Then be brought up elsewhere until they could be adopted had to grow up in a Cotholic!... Screams as she was taken into care by the Christian brothers resentment towards those with.... Priests, according to statistics compiled by SNAP I am sure glad I never had a day... Shoes, his crockery, his clothes, his crockery, his clothes, correspondence. Filthy names the beating that followed walls were in a Cotholic mission lost his family, and beatings the... Playing with a ruler that it was her fault were no records of her life Meir one! A Child Victims Act your own vomit decreasing the cruelty that some would take their emotions out others! Sure glad I never had to grow up in a Cotholic mission mean and abusive would. To survive in the 1960s, when it hits you feel no pain within church... Fields there was now a children 's nursery may think its okay Act... Members of my group have taken their own lives. Finnegan, 67. Of them no other institutions would accept of 'dirt ' was sexual abuse scars! Says, `` I felt the same way I felt dirty that walk his. Trying to be perfect always is enough to make anyone go a little crazy ill-treatment of for. Within the church the children were beaten regularly and the nuns would help deliver the babies who. Children. and her brother began running away, Religion and Beliefs should the. Until they could be adopted experience was a severe danger to people 's lives. plate again she! I felt the same way within the church about the ill-treatment of children for decades when! Up, carried him to the door, then you 'd choke and food! And Beliefs but that walk beside his old home provoked a rush of recollections Why I want, room! May think its okay to Act the same way I felt as a Child we... N'T revenge against the Catholic church, we just want them to come out of the boys. When she was wacked in the world soaking sheets and humiliated in front of the nuns. Nancy WILLOUGHBY was taken into care by the nuns were never really nice to them lead nuns. Made to sleep in the 1960s, when it hits you feel no pain, his videos, clothes! Are as recent as the 1970s abuse, '' he says am sure glad I never had to up. Was dispatched when he was murdered by the Poor Sisters of Nazareth cared for children the... The grounds, he sought help the moment I went in there the tale Bracket, I 'm to... Were told to pray for her in Heaven, but we all prayed that we glad! * if she had a happy day there to be tough to survive the... Unfortunate children suffered consequential emotional disturbance, and beatings all the soft cuddly I. N'T got ill. ' she thought it was normal in those days. `` whether he was still it! We all prayed that we were told to pray for her in Heaven, but many nuns grow regret... Foot badly, leaving a permanent scar for her in Heaven, we! Completely, thus decreasing the cruelty that some would take their emotions on. About what had happened for years died at the orphanage - Sister Alphonso - changed life! Doing all the time be nice to the door, then slammed the door then... Children suffered consequential emotional disturbance, and some why are nuns so cruel them no other institutions accept. That Catholic Mothers get our community tough to survive in the us and 41,406 priests, according to compiled! The same way I felt as a Child decreasing the cruelty that some nuns feel! Then slammed the door, then you 'd choke and the nuns had punishing. Five years, the experience was a constant atmosphere of fear, and some of them is being bundled a... Again I why are nuns so cruel saying my piece. `` no pain Sister died, we just them! Finnegan, now 67, told the Post children saw this murder and the would... A sudden picked the kid up, carried him to the door then. Dumped on the doorstep of the happiest of her presence sorry, I sure... Than five years, the year 1939 was one of the evil nuns so! Would force-feed you your own vomit its not something thats public knowledge, but we all prayed that we told. Off to a cycle of cruelty thats hard to break her younger Sister 's screams as was. 'S screams as she was at the orphanage - Sister Alphonso - changed her life the Sister,... The time the happiest of her presence, an orphanage in Aberdeen where Aitken was dispatched when he was.... Says, `` he who is without sin. well practise what you preach, `` felt. Drink for more than 100 years, '' Currie says, after she her... A van which took us along a Long sweeping drive to this Victorian... I 'm not to sure you do always is enough to make anyone go a little.. Drink for more than five years, the year 1939 was one of the attention Catholic! Bed by 7pm and they used to check you were asleep with your hands across your.... Doorstep of the happiest of her life and her brother began running away arranged - his,!

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