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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Cruelty by Nuns

51 replies

user1457017537 · 07/06/2018 12:16

AIBU to wonder when and if all the perpetrators of child abuse and cruelty in the Catholic Church will be prosecuted and sentenced. I have just read of a nun who has been denying her crime since 2000 finally admitting her guilt. Another 400 allegations have been made. What are they waiting for. The Order is St Alphonse

OP posts:
Polarbearflavour · 07/06/2018 12:51

I went to a Catholic Covent school and one of the nuns used to slap us - this was the early 1990s! She was vile. She got “retired.” Most of the nuns were lovely though.

I’ve read so many things about the Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby homes. Such cruelty. The last institution closed in 1996! The poor women locked away in their for life, their crime to have a baby “out of wedlock.”

endofagain · 07/06/2018 12:58

Evil people will find their way into positions where they can abuse the vulnerable.
They can become scout leaders, ministers, teachers, carers, even MPs etc.
There should be much tighter controls, supervision and vetting.
I knew and worked with some absolutely lovely nuns.
I do think that institutions like the church need to be much more honest and clean up there own house.

endofagain · 07/06/2018 12:58

Their.

ShatnersWig · 07/06/2018 13:00

I can't find the existence of an Order of St Alphonse. Can you provide a link please, and where this nun has admitted her guilt?

Aprilshouldhavebeenmyname · 07/06/2018 13:06

An old lady I know of was badly beaten for writing with her left hand.
She had an awful childhood at the hands of nuns in the home she lived in.
Sad

CluedoAddict · 07/06/2018 13:09

We had nuns at our Catholic secondary school. One in particular was very cruel. She would lock naughty children in the stationery cupboard for hours.

A friend of my Nan's was in a children's home in Birmingham ran by nuns. She was only ever called by her surname. She was beaten daily and locked in a dark cellar. The children were made to clean the corridors with a toothbrush.

Chocrock · 07/06/2018 13:10

My father was beaten by nuns for writing and eating with his left hand Sad

Confusedbeetle · 07/06/2018 13:15

Ther has been some awful stories. I would like to throw a pebble in the pond. The Catholic church in Ireland has been responsible for guilt, cruelty and all sorts. Some of these nuns were the victims of this system. Some were indoctrinated with punishment for "Sins" Some of them were put in a convent as young girls to get rid of them. All their lives about sin and punishment. No wonder some of them ended up bitter and cruel

Astella22 · 07/06/2018 13:18

When I was a child I saw a nun catch a 4 year old girl by the hair, drag her to the sink and she proceeded to chop all her hair off Shock. This woman thought a class of four year olds ffs and she remained 'teaching' for some years afterwards. There are some truly evil people hiding behind religious organisations and the catholic church has a track record of protecting them.

They will never all be prosecuted because they only grudgingly admit they have done wrong when presented with irrefutable evidence which in the cases of abuse is practically impossible.

Tiggerzz · 07/06/2018 13:27

Shame on that judge. She's 57 for fuck's sake, not 97. Also why is the judge saying she doesn't deserve a custodial sentence because they happened a some years ago (not that long anyway, within 40 years if she became a nun at 18)???

Tiggerzz · 07/06/2018 13:28

Also she was a first time offender only because it's recently come to light... She committed many crimes.

Thehop · 07/06/2018 13:53

My dad and his brother told us awful stories of how they were treated by the “brothers” and their sisters at the hands of the nuns. Scarred them for life.horrible bitches.

Dhalandchips · 07/06/2018 13:56

I was beaten by nuns as a 4 year old in the early 70's. They were running a nursery. Sadistic fucking fuckers.

Myheartbelongsto · 07/06/2018 14:04

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Awwlookatmybabyspider · 07/06/2018 14:20

Never had any personal experience, thankfully.
You only have to watch the The Magdaline sisters to see what went on.

ForgivenessIsDivine · 07/06/2018 15:22

My mum was sent by a nun to see a priest who sexually abused her and sent her back to class with semen stains on her uniform. Not all nuns are evil but there is a special place in hell for some of them.

StirredShaken · 07/06/2018 15:36

People who want to do bad things will find positions to carry out their wishes.

People are socialised, trained and traumatised into doing bad things.

Most organisations run on some level of cult behaviour.

ForgivenessIsDivine · 07/06/2018 16:39

'People are socialised, trained and traumatised into doing bad things.'

Socialisation, training and trauma are no excuse... we all have a choice.

GraffitiArtistTV · 07/06/2018 16:44

One of the most evil people I've ever met was a nun. I was a child when she told me i would burn in hell for disclosing abuse.

Mammysin · 07/06/2018 16:44

I learned recently that my father had been sexually abused by a Christian Brother at his school. Fwiw, my dad was an intelligent, handsome man who drank himself to death. My aunt was a nun ( truly a very good woman) but left the nunnery many many years ago. So very sorry for everyone who has suffered

Eatalot · 07/06/2018 16:49

Mother Teresa is idolised. Yet there are numererous accounts that paint her as one of the evil women in existence. Trouble is these people believe they are appointed by god to punish sinners and can do whatever they like. Iv unfortunately met many churchgoers that are down right evil and look down on everyone else.

TheFaerieQueene · 07/06/2018 16:54

I went to a convent school. It was the mental cruelty I remember most. I loathed them and I’m pretty sure they knew I didn’t believe a word of their religion (or any other tbh). I can still remember the dread of seeing them steely eyed, striding down the corridor.

StirredShaken · 07/06/2018 17:01

...we all have a choice.
Indeed.

Trouble is these people believe they are appointed by god to punish sinners and can do whatever they like.

That sounds to me like they were not doing the work of God.

Iv unfortunately met many churchgoers that are down right evil and look down on everyone else.

I have noticed it's never the quiet people. I doubt many of the people you describe have any relationship with God, they are probably too busy worrying about their reputation on earth and judging others. It is very challenging to follow the example of Christ and the instructions we were given. I struggle every day.

Ifonlyfor1day · 07/06/2018 18:00

I do not know user. I am shamed and have decided to stop been Catholic. I read some of the stories of the industrial schools in Ireland and the Magdalen laundrys.

Young mothers having their babies taken for them to be sent to the industrial school to be sexually abused.

The Catholic church made a statement that they have reconsider their place in Ireland after the abortion referendum. How dare they. All the babies buried in a mass grave in Tuam by the nuns. The priests ran with an iron rod.