Abuse 'endemic' at Catholic Institutions

[Cooper]

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8059826.stm

"An inquiry into child abuse at Catholic institutions in Ireland has found that sexual abuse was "endemic" in boys' institutions. It also found physical and emotional abuse and neglect were features of institutions."

Why would people in a religious order abuse children, humiliate them and attempt to "make them feel worthless?"

[Cooper]

www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8059826.stm

[LisaM22]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8059826.stm

"Its findings will not be used for criminal prosecutions - in part because the Christian Brothers successfully sued the commission in 2004 to keep the identities of all of its members, dead or alive, unnamed in the report."

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by LisaM22

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8059826.stm

"Its findings will not be used for criminal prosecutions - in part because the Christian Brothers successfully sued the commission in 2004 to keep the identities of all of its members, dead or alive, unnamed in the report."

Frightening.

[lunchlady]

Originally Posted by Cooper

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8059826.stm

"An inquiry into child abuse at Catholic institutions in Ireland has found that sexual abuse was "endemic" in boys' institutions. It also found physical and emotional abuse and neglect were features of institutions."

Why would people in a religious order abuse children, humiliate them and attempt to "make them feel worthless?"

That's a good question and I don't know the answer. It does seem connected somehow to the sexual abuse. Perhaps it has something to do with how nuns and priests are educated themselves. Emotional and physical abuse seem to be built in to the system, at least in the past, so perhaps its not surprising that sometimes sexual abuse occurs also.

I went briefly to a nun-staffed preschool and I got a very bad impression of the nuns. They were so cold and mean and were always looking for an opportunity to be harsh. One boy was interrupting during story time and the nun jerked his pants down and spanked his bare bottom in front of the rest of us. He looked crushed and remained very subdued and withdrawn as the weeks went by. We had to lie on thin blankets over concrete for quiet time, with the nuns walking between us to check for any open eyes. So relaxing. Towards the end of my time there each child was taken separately for a private meeting with 3 nuns, who told us about hell and the devil and burning forever. I was 4 years old. This failed to put the fear of hellfire into me, but it did turn me off on nuns. It also made me feel sorry for the kids who had to go to Catholic school later on. One friend told me the nun had it in her for and I couldn't believe it when she showed me the marks on her hands and arms. How could that be allowed, and why didn't her parents do anything about it? I guess all the adults involved thought she deserved it for being proud or defiant or whatever. My friend thought it was because she was pretty and the boys all liked her, even in fourth grade. Shame, shame, shame.

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by lunchlady

That's a good question and I don't know the answer. It does seem connected somehow to the sexual abuse. Perhaps it has something to do with how nuns and priests are educated themselves. Emotional and physical abuse seem to be built in to the system, at least in the past, so perhaps its not surprising that sometimes sexual abuse occurs also.

I went briefly to a nun-staffed preschool and I got a very bad impression of the nuns. They were so cold and mean and were always looking for an opportunity to be harsh. One boy was interrupting during story time and the nun jerked his pants down and spanked his bare bottom in front of the rest of us. He looked crushed and remained very subdued and withdrawn as the weeks went by. We had to lie on thin blankets over concrete for quiet time, with the nuns walking between us to check for any open eyes. So relaxing. Towards the end of my time there each child was taken separately for a private meeting with 3 nuns, who told us about hell and the devil and burning forever. I was 4 years old. This failed to put the fear of hellfire into me, but it did turn me off on nuns. It also made me feel sorry for the kids who had to go to Catholic school later on. One friend told me the nun had it in her for and I couldn't believe it when she showed me the marks on her hands and arms. How could that be allowed, and why didn't her parents do anything about it? I guess all the adults involved thought she deserved it for being proud or defiant or whatever. My friend thought it was because she was pretty and the boys all liked her, even in fourth grade. Shame, shame, shame.

Sick, sick, sick. I can't even imagine telling a 4 year old about "hell" much less abusing them physically or emotionally.

When my youngest son told me that Christian kids at school believed in "hell," I told him "there wasn't any hell." He said "well, they think there is."

I smiled and told him "if Christians want hell, I think we should let them have it."

I still feel the same way.