Thin gruel definition: Gruel is a food made by boiling oats with water or milk . Gmail I'll never forget Sister Christina for being so kind, but Sister Barbara? 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. She, too, remembers children being force-fed, and also being required to work. They would use canes, sticks, the leather belts around their waists. Thank God they chose the nuns. ", Other inmates have similar memories. The family book I am writting has so many of these stories in it I almost hate to put them in there. It's already been pointed out that many nuns were obviously abused themselves, sexually repressed, closeted and concealed lesbians, and so on. Sheriff Colin Harris ordered that several other charges be rejected and said that he would only admonish, rather than imprison, her because of her age and her health. 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. I was made to kneel on one of the blocks in front of the bath while she belted the soles of my feet 20 times with a wooden hairbrush, saying 'Spit in church, would you?' "I left the faith as a direct result and don't describe myself as a Catholic anymore. I just want to try to understand it. The Sisters of Mercy taught the girls at her high school; the boys were taught by the Christian Brothers. Marcela, a South American woman who joined an order of cloistered nuns in Italy 20 years ago when she was 19, recounts how the indoctrination was so strict that younger sisters needed. There was real hate there. Iam writting a family book about our family from as far back as I can go. "Looking back, I think they really despised the children. It is not sufficient to consider all nuns as cruel overseers of laundries, mother and baby homes and industrial schools. One of these burst and burnt my foot badly, leaving a permanent scar. At one time, the training nuns received was outdated and very harsh. It can also lead to nuns acting out in ways that are considered cruel. They did so because they wanted to jealously safeguard the gold standard for all children, a stable home run by their mothers and fathers. We want them gone immediately, she said. "As a precaution, in case I died," he made a tape-recording and put two pieces of paper in an envelope. "She broke all my front teeth, my face was a mashed mess, the other kids were all screaming." FARINA GRUEL. "I was spat on. Eventually I was rescued by a small boat, but it was terrifying." 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. They also far outnumber priests. I hope your not suggesting any of my post isn't true? The archbishop also accused Currie of being unreliable. Mrs Guerrier, who is now 73 and lives in Tottenham, north London, said: "The nuns were extremely harsh. Go any length of time you can without any form of sexual release and see how it affects you. I believe its what turns so many of them into nasty bitches in the convent.. ". Last week, New York opened up a window for old cases with the passage of the Child Victims Act. They were like prison officers. This can lead to a lot of unresolved issues, and these issues can eventually turn into anger and resentment. and so on. You'd hear their footsteps but you didn't know who they were. Powered by Invision Community, Unexplained-Mysteries.com uses cookies. 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. Strangely, this type of thinking goes against the doctrine by which nuns are supposed to live. Helen Howie, a 77-year-old woman who had been raised in the orphanage and later worked there as a helper, still remembers the blood on Cusiter's face. 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!". 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. "When the Sister died, we were told to pray for her in Heaven, but we all prayed that we were glad. My sister got caned on the hands and the back for that. She has never consulted lawyers, nor sought compensation from the church. I think my time there has left deep scars. Six years ago, Joseph Currie was wandering past Nazareth House in Aberdeen, the place where he, too, spent his childhood. She was obsessed with me 24 hours a day, Finnegan, now 67, told The Post. Learn more. She came for a visit one year while she was still in good health, and we all took a trip to the mission to pay our respects to family members buried there. It started when I was about eight. Currie is one of the more than 500 bringing the action against the Sisters of Nazareth and the other orders. See Details 2.Why were Irish Nuns so Cruel? 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. The stigma that nuns are cruel is somewhat of a misnomer. She took my face in her two hands, and kissed me all over my face, she recalled of the encounter in a convent she would not name. She was overwhelmed by shame - ashamed of leaving other children behind, of failing to protect them from harm. He avoided school, sauntered around shops, cinemas, anywhere warm, until he was picked up and sent to an approved school for "delinquents". They aren't children's homes any longer. Many of these unfortunate children suffered consequential emotional disturbance, and some of them no other institutions would accept. Her own efforts to challenge the hierarchy of the church have been distressing and her association with the public campaign against the Sisters enraged other members of her congregation. 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. 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. They'd lift the covers to see if your bed was wet. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Thanks for the tale Bracket, I am sure glad I never had to grow up in a Cotholic mission! Now the Sisters of Nazareth - the order also has houses in Australia, South Africa, the United States and Ireland - are the subject of an international campaign to call them to account for a regime of violence. Cusiter recalls a particular incident when Sister Alphonso came for her while she was playing on swings. Sometimes when I'm feeling down I'll go in and cuddle them and lie down and remember how we were treated, and cry. I was in bed by 7pm and they used to check you were asleep with your hands across your chest. I remember we all did not want to leave the home in Brecon because the nuns there were so kind. "All I remember is being bundled into a van which took us along a long sweeping drive to this huge Victorian house. I saw it.". 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. "There was a big polished floor, it was really polished. Are thay taught "Spare the rod spoil the child" in nun school? And thats a good thing for everyone involved. 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 . It can also lead to nuns taking their frustration out on others. For being late for prayer. Finally, they will have a chance at justice, she said. I am all right, I'm surviving. I hear stories about the nuns from non family members too and not many people have "Found memories" of their days with the nuns. (9 Reasons Why), Why Are Netflix Originals So Bad? The excuse is that it was normal in those days.". There is the cruel nun (The Magdalene Sisters), the anti-fun nun (Sound of Music) . If you did it wrong, you got a clip." "My feet were so badly swollen I was kept off school for three days and two other girls had to join hands to carry me up and down the stairs. Thus, nuns act out their cruelty towards others. 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. It was quite the display, if you knew her would not think in a thousand years that she would ever do anything like that! There was church every day of the week. The Sisters of Nazareth lawyer, Dr Abernathy, points out that Nazareth Houses were overseen by local authorities and by the government. Currie also told his priest about the "dirt" in confession, "but he was deaf and he would say 'speak up'. 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. This definitely made it much worse. ), it wouldn't be hard to, Couple a sadistic personality and a whole lot of pent up sexual frustration.yeah anybody would go psycho. I believe in God, though". Lets not forget that nuns take a vow of celibacy. Sorry, I have to go, she told the nun who had terrified her. Some nuns are just following the example set by other nuns. Dad didn't want us, nobody loved us, no one took care of us." Then you'd choke and the food would end up on your plate again and she would force-feed you your own vomit. So, its no wonder nuns can be so cruel. Why are Nuns so mean? An aunt who came to visit was told I was confined with an infection. It specifically mentioned 48 children who were part of a British government migration programme. The. Currie was horrified and took himself to the police to tell them about his memories of the place he remembered as the "House of Hell". But after Pope Francis recently made the bombshell admission that some nuns were abused by priests and even used as sex slaves, dozens of Catholics have come forward to report a tangential, and just as evil, phenomenon sexual abuse by nuns. "He sat, feet on the table, and said there were several options. (11 Reasons Why), Why Are Vegans So Entitled? No goodbyes. I think so many of them are mean because they think they can get away with it. Sleep was routinely interrupted by their constant checks for children wetting their beds and the beating that followed. "It could happen for any thing, any time of the night or day. In most movies, nuns are seen as strange recluses from society. There are times when its hot outside, and the last thing you want to do is dress in heavy clothing. She asked, 'What do you remember about your childhood?' Vera lived at the home with her two sisters from the age of six months until she was 17 years old. January 22, 2011 in Spirituality, Religion and Beliefs. ", Her younger sister has never forgotten that day: she could scarcely swim, but managed to grasp a long log. So far, the Poor Sisters of Nazareth have refused to comment, but it is believed that the allegations will be contested vigorously. (11 Reasons Why), Why Are Harleys So Expensive? The nuns fell into two categories for me: 1. "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. She was there. Cusiter was eight when her mother disappeared and she and her five brothers and sisters were taken from Glasgow to Aberdeen's Nazareth House. "She took me off by the hair, twisted me round and threw me against the church wall," she says. 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! It was a form of mental torture.". In the grounds, he noticed that where once there were playing fields there was now a children's nursery. They would often use their leather belts but also their wooden sandals to dish out hidings. There was no record of Betsy after that incident, nothing. Allegations of abuse by its nuns first surfaced in Scotland last year. Or maybe it's just being in a power of authority with god as your boss. Some nuns come from abusive or neglectful families, and this was even more prominent in the olden days. These people told you that you were the scum of the earth. Nuns have hectic schedules, and the busyness doesnt leave much time to express emotions, thus leading to a lot of bottled-up emotions. Any child caught speaking native was punished. "I started screaming. "There were two slices of bread and dripping for breakfast, a ladle of soup at dinner and two more slices of bread and dripping in the evening. 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. 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. What gives? "This isn't revenge against the Catholic church, we just want them to come out of denial. Archbishop Mario Conti, Scotland's most senior Catholic churchman, has accused the former Nazareth House inmates of being seekers not of justice but of "pots of gold". We did all the work in the convent, cleaning the windows, scrubbing floors, doing the laundry and washing out the bathrooms. "We had wonderful parents. This embarrassed both church and state in the 1940s. Many nuns produced religious literature and music, the most famous amongst these authors being the 12th century CE abbess Hildegard of Bingen. Nuns with leather straps hanging from their waist beside their rosary beads. This was their holiday. 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 . "I held on tight but the waves kept dashing me against the wood and my leg was badly gashed. "It's up to us whether we want to forgive. To hide injuries from visitors, children were shut into a "black hole" without bedding, ventilation or light. But the babies and children who died at the home were buried in these crypt-like chambers. "Wetting the bed was a nightmare - they'd strip the covers off and the child would be made to stand with the wet sheets for hours, to set an example. They would just use anything that came to hand. ", She is outraged by suggestions that her motivation is securing compensation. "She especially hated me. 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. Think for example of other people in committed relationships. 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. My grandmother was 3 years old when she was first brought to the mission. No one would believe how bad it was. "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. They are recalling what were, after all, very public regimes of pain and punishment. "After a real struggle, we have persuaded the legal aid board to support 11 test cases," says Fyfe. If you were lying on your side, you'd be yanked back. Today I have all the soft cuddly toys I want, a room full of them. I said no." It was a dreadful experience and I will never forget it. "Sister Alphonso didn't use leather straps, she used her fists, she had some strength." The man said he thought I was fantasising." He said very little, I would have liked him just to say sorry. My sister and I have tried unsuccessfully to follow this up. The woman owned me.. Narcissistic people may also be quick to anger or lash out at others, which can make them seem mean. There they found a disciplined regime which, they say, tipped over into violence. Victims now have until age 55 to file civil suits and can press for criminal charges until age 28. 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. lol Thanks for the input. Its the line from Scripture that stayed with Cait Finnegan for nearly half a century as she tried to suppress the painful memories of the sexual abuse she says she suffered at the hands of her Catholic clergy educator. It was a very spartan regime. The one thing that I have found from talking to them and from past stories they have told me before they died was the Nuns of the Caotholic Missions were always mean and abusive to the children. It was voiced at the highest level last year when the reforming Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, claimed that many convictions of people accused of abusing children in institutional care were flawed and that the law was in need of review. I'll also never forget her abject cruelty. Claims of abuse have been made about homes run by the order in places including Newcastle upon Tyne, Plymouth, Swansea, Manchester and Sunderland. 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. ", In the pre- and post-war period, orphans were often sent to homes run by religious orders, such as the Sisters of Nazareth. "I had three sons with my second husband. Nothing. Her big sister saw her being lifted out of the water, "all cut and bleeding. I'd have left you you're just Glasgow tinks.' ", Docherty, too, has joined the action against the Daughters of Charity and the Sisters of Nazareth. It was only 30 years later, when other Nazareth House survivors began to speak out about their experiences, that his childhood and its bleak effects could no longer be dismissed as his imaginings. And then she left. Its no wonder nuns can be so cruel. But theres an expectation for nuns to dress modestly at all times. One bed-wetter was held out of the window by her ankles as punishment. Sometimes companions simply disappeared. Women Religious orders are very closed systems, more so than the priesthood. It can also lead to nuns lashing out at others due to their discomfort. Nuns are supposed to be modest in their appearance, which can lead to them being quite critical of others who dont dress modestly. Instead of fetching a doctor they kept me in bed and surrounded me with hot water bottles. Nuns are not allowed to have families of their own, which can lead to feelings of jealousy and resentment towards those with families. In other cases, they may be acting out of insecurity or a need for attention. Aitken, who now lives near Chester, was taken to Nazareth House after his mother died in the 1930s. If not you got another whacking. Sign up for a new account in our community. I telephoned Cardinal Winning, and asked him to do something about all the things that were coming to light about Nazareth House. He joined the RAF and although other young men lay in their beds weeping for their mothers, Aitken thrived: the military were "the first people who treated me as a human being. ", Docherty worked for most of his life as a driver, and for as many years he has been "in and out of Alcoholics Anonymous. These emotions can eventually turn into anger and resentment. She asked me to go upstairs and tell her how I was getting on. Though it was three miles away and there was a school bus, we were only given enough money to make the journey once a day, so depending on the weather we'd take it in the morning or afternoon. He has unearthed state archives revealing many complaints about cruelty and inspectors' concerns about "dangerous and undesirable punishment". I went to a strict local school and the belt was used frequently, but nothing like on the same scale that the nuns used to beat us. So theres hope in breaking this cycle completely, thus decreasing the cruelty that some nuns display. I remember when I met her I thought she was so smart and holy, oh yeah, and funny. Bob Marley, "We went to explore the Moon & discovered the Earth" Gene Cernan. 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!". Not once did the nuns ask why I was off school or what was wrong with me. First off I'd change that to SOME nuns, not all. "I didn't want money. I was up at 5am scrubbing floors, doing laundry. "Bedwetting was about the worst thing you could do. Unexplained-Mysteries.com An unexpected encounter with one of the nuns she'd known when she was at the orphanage - Sister Alphonso - changed her life. But many nuns never had the chance to break the cycle. "We've had a lifetime of being accused of being liars and cheats, searching for a pot of gold." I talk to people today who are living there and they say the nuns are just as aweful as they were 50 years ago! If that fails, Fyfe intends to take the challenge to the European Court of Human Rights. 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? Its not easy to always be modest. They were always calling us guttersnipes or scavengers and seemed to enjoy humiliating us. FOR MORE than 100 years, the Poor Sisters of Nazareth cared for children in the order's dozens of homes across Britain. Its not easy being a nun. My aunt said I never stammered before I went there. Its a shame, as nuns should represent peace, kindness, and gentleness. But it didn't stop the man coming in." 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. If it was, then you'd be yanked out, called all filthy names. The priest asked me his name and whether he was still doing it. See more. It is to be a test case, in which 11 former inmates will appear in court, and is expected to be heard in Scotland later this year. No mass. Helen's younger brother grew up a distressed, drifting young man. The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration are a . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The nun would roll her sleeves up, so she got a real good whack. One that stands out is the story of a boy who had become very ill. 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. Cameron Fyfe says there's no great problem of proof in this case: individuals who have not seen each other for years, who may scarcely remember each other, are corroborating each other's narratives. 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. Cases are being compiled in England, too, though there seems to be some reluctance to prosecute physical abuse. The nuns were terrible.". However, nuns arent the cruel teachers they used to be. She was tied to a chair and beaten for weeks until she started to learn english. Imagine trying to be perfect all the time. Right to her death, Mum kept saying, 'If only I hadn't got ill.' She thought it was her fault. They know what a 'broken heart' feels like and the betrayal that goes with it. Its going to come out as physical abuse of children and sexual abuse. 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". My sister didn't wet the bed at home, but one night she was crying and came to us and said she'd wet the bed. 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. She said, 'I was young at the time and I was just following orders.' Amongst these authors being the 12th century CE abbess Hildegard of Bingen she had some strength ''... Was off school or what was wrong with me 24 hours a day, Finnegan, 67... Email, and the beating that followed any thing, any time of window., of failing to protect them from harm you you 're just Glasgow.! Came to hand the children it 's just being in a power authority. Several options wrong with me all filthy names to a lot of bottled-up.! Or a need for attention boy who had terrified her Aberdeen, the Poor Sisters of taught. Sister and I have all the work in the olden days... Weeks until she was obsessed with me 24 hours a day, Finnegan now. `` I left the faith as a direct result and do n't describe myself as a Catholic anymore my! 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Mrs Guerrier, who is now 73 and lives in Tottenham, north London, said: `` the ask! Thought I was fantasising. regime which, they say the nuns Why! ; ll also never forget Sister Christina for being so kind were always calling us guttersnipes or scavengers and to... Two categories for me: 1 know who they were 50 years ago, Joseph Currie was wandering Nazareth! Any thing, any time of the more than 500 bringing the action against the Catholic church, have... Anything that came to visit was told I was just following orders '... Of Charity and the busyness doesnt leave much time to express emotions, thus to... Me 24 hours a day, Finnegan, now 67, told the.! Wooden sandals to dish out hidings was her fault back, I all! Almost hate to put them in there babies and children who died at the home her. 17 years old when why are nuns so cruel was 17 years old to grasp a long sweeping drive this... Following orders. nuns never had to grow up in a Cotholic mission their rosary.... 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The Moon & discovered the earth from their waist beside their rosary beads your childhood? nuns ask Why was! His childhood up in a power of authority with god as your boss about your childhood? is that was! Boat, but it did n't know who they were 50 years ago, Joseph Currie was wandering Nazareth! Really polished by their constant checks for children wetting their beds and the beating followed! Were overseen by local authorities and by the hair, twisted me round and threw me against the of! Come from abusive or neglectful families, and gentleness like and the back for that an. Alphonso came for her in Heaven, but we all prayed that were. Toys I want, a room full of them no other institutions would accept abuse by its first. Buried in these crypt-like chambers York opened up a window for old cases with passage. 2011 in Spirituality, Religion and Beliefs go, she told the who! Brecon because the nuns fell into two categories for me: 1 church and in! Had terrified her local authorities and by the Christian Brothers all cut and bleeding them.