Call the midwife anti-catholic remark

[pepipop]

I love this show and had assumed the religious order was catholic. Anyhow a pt.time midwife arrived in this eve’s episode and said ‘After leaving school i said I never wanted to be around nuns again. An existing midwife asked ‘Did you go to a catholic school/convent’?’ ‘Yes’ she said. ’ Oh our nuns aren’t catholic, they’re really nice you’ll like them’ - or words to that effect. I checked back and yes, the order is an anglican order of nuns, but this is not the point it was the inference that catholic nuns were not ‘nice’.

How disappointing that the reference had to be made in such a derogatory fashion!

 

[MarcusAndreas]

Get over it. You can’t live your life being offended by every little thing someone says against the Church or you’ll be paralyzed.

 

[gam197]

I love this show and had assumed the religious order was catholic. Anyhow a pt.time midwife arrived in this eve’s episode and said ‘After leaving school i said I never wanted to be around nuns again. An existing midwife asked ‘Did you go to a catholic school/convent’?’ ‘Yes’ she said. ’ Oh our nuns aren’t catholic, they’re really nice you’ll like them’ - or words to that effect. I checked back and yes, the order is an anglican order of nuns, but this is not the point it was the inference that catholic nuns were not ‘nice’.

How disappointing that the reference had to be made in such a derogatory fashion!

I agree that it is disappointing and that is why many people watch very little TV these days.

I was thrilled when the show, Downtown Abbey, recently had an episode where Edith was to get an abortion and when she is in the doctor’s office, she changes her mind(It was a mistake.) and decides to keep her baby. You just never know.

 

[EmeraldOak]

I don’t enjoy it when shows I watch do this either. Seems so unnecessary.

 

[Railsplitter]

Get over it. You can’t live your life being offended by every little thing someone says against the Church or you’ll be paralyzed.

Exactly. They are English Protestants, it is what some of them do. And this character’s remark isn’t as bad as the Lord Grantham’s remark in Downton Abbey (set in the 20’s) - “There is something Johnny Foreigner about the Catholics.” On the other hand, forewarned makes a more informed viewer.

 

[pepipop]

Get over it. You can’t live your life being offended by every little thing someone says against the Church or you’ll be paralyzed.

It’s not a question of ‘get over it’, it’s the constant daily onslaught against the church, in the UK/Ireland, ATM. Currently there is another year long case, of abuse against a catholic orphanage run by nuns, in northern Ireland. It is reported daily on the news, radio and tv in the UK and Ireland, the hearing ends 2015. This is one of many stories reported weekly.

To see a popular TV series also ‘putting the boot in’, after not mentioning the denomination of the nuns for 4 years of the series - most likely indicates they didn’t want to lose viewers/ratings in case viewers thought (as I did) the nuns were catholic. There was no reason for the script to bad-mouth Catholic nuns, just so they could inform the viewer (after 4 yrs) that the nuns were Anglican.

 

[Celtic_Maiden]

Exactly. They are English Protestants, it is what some of them do. And this character’s remark isn’t as bad as the Lord Grantham’s remark in Downton Abbey (set in the 20’s) - “There is something Johnny Foreigner about the Catholics.” On the other hand, forewarned makes a more informed viewer.

They are forgetting there heritage before Henry V111 when all of England was Catholic, they obviously don’t know there own history, which is sad, the Anglican Church in England is tied up with being “British” its like the Anglican Church is British and when Britain Ruled the waves they brought this Anglican Religion with them as it was considered very British and very civilised to be a British Anglican. Jolly Dee and all that.

 

[gam197]

It’s not a question of ‘get over it’, it’s the constant daily onslaught against the church, in the UK/Ireland, ATM. Currently there is another year long case, of abuse against a catholic orphanage run by nuns, in northern Ireland. It is reported daily on the news, radio and tv in the UK and Ireland, the hearing ends 2015. This is one of many stories reported weekly.

To see a popular TV series also ‘putting the boot in’, after not mentioning the denomination of the nuns for 4 years of the series - most likely indicates they didn’t want to lose viewers/ratings in case viewers thought (as I did) the nuns were catholic. There was no reason for the script to bad-mouth Catholic nuns, just so they could inform the viewer (after 4 yrs) that the nuns were Anglican.

Every now and then they throw something in. Early on, the show showed a women over burdened(everyone felt a great deal of empathy) and then talked about the wonders of contraception.

I think Railsplitter is right. There is so little to watch that to me the UK shows seem mild but we do have to remember they are English Protestants.

 

[Celtic_Maiden]

Every now and then they throw something in. Early on, the show showed a women over burdened(everyone felt a great deal of empathy) and then talked about the wonders of contraception.

I think Railsplitter is right. There is so little to watch that to me the UK shows seem mild but we do have to remember they are English Protestants.

I always pray for the Conversion of England back to its Catholic Roots, if it can happen in Russia it can happen in England, what Henry did would bring tears to one’s eyes.

 

[liturgyluver]

First, it was made clear in one of the very early episodes that they were Anglican nuns. Everyone who I have spoken to about the series is aware of this.

Second it is based on a true story so perhaps the character had had that experience. After all there are plenty of great nuns, but I have also met some real horrors. That’s life.

Third, this was set in the late-1950s prior to pre-ecumenism promoted by Vatican 2, and before the Anglican-Catholic international Commision, and when there were probably greater barriers between domination. Though it was clear that this order were Anglo-Catholics. I have met one of them who worked there in the early 1960s. She came to give a talk to our church and a lovely lady she was too.

 

[pepipop]

First, it was made clear in one of the very early episodes that they were Anglican nuns. Everyone who I have spoken to about the series is aware of this.

Second it is based on a true story so perhaps the character had had that experience. After all there are plenty of great nuns, but I have also met some real horrors. That’s life.

Third, this was set in the late-1950s prior to pre-ecumenism promoted by Vatican 2, and before the Anglican-Catholic international Commision, and when there were probably greater barriers between domination. Though it was clear that this order were Anglo-Catholics. I have met one of them who worked there in the early 1960s. She came to give a talk to our church and a lovely lady she was too.

I have no doubt the nun you met was a lovely lady. I still do not think it’s right though, to inadvertently insult another religion, to ‘praise’ another. As can be said about most anti-catholic comments - I wonder if there were Muslim or Jewish nuns would the writers have been so blatant in disparaging these religions, nationwide, by making such a sweeping comment.

 

[liturgyluver]

I have no doubt the nun you met was a lovely lady. I still do not think it’s right though, to inadvertently insult another religion, to ‘praise’ another. As can be said about most anti-catholic comments - I wonder if there were Muslim or Jewish nuns would the writers have been so blatant in disparaging these religions, nationwide, by making such a sweeping comment.

The programme has already shown examples of anti-black prejudice. I don’t think simply by saying that one character had met some nasty nun that it it is disparaging our faith. You are reading way too much into this. Get over it.

 

[Railsplitter]

Perhaps the phrase get over it is too narrow a way to put the idea of setting the issue aside so as to further research the topic. We shouldn’t “get over it” in the sense that I believe there are very real attacks if not a widespread campaign against not only Catholicism but Christianity as a whole. In the last couple of decades especially it has become “cool” to be anti-Catholic and anti-Christian in general. The medium in this case being the small screen, pepipop has a point (with quite a few examples). However if one takes themes and statements by characters in any given programme in the context of whatever historical period being portrayed we might find that it is authenticity not offense the writers or directors had in mind. After all this little BBC drama isn’t the Bill Maher show or the last temptation of Christ movie. There are worse shows out there. Research, be an informed viewer and exercise the fast forward or channel buttons as needed.

 

[liturgyluver]

Perhaps the phrase get over it is too narrow a way to put the idea of setting the issue aside so as to further research the topic. We shouldn’t “get over it” in the sense that I believe there are very real attacks if not a widespread campaign against not only Catholicism but Christianity as a whole. In the last couple of decades especially it has become “cool” to be anti-Catholic and anti-Christian in general. The medium in this case being the small screen, pepipop has a point (with quite a few examples). However if one takes themes and statements by characters in any given programme in the context of whatever historical period being portrayed we might find that it is authenticity not offense the writers or directors had in mind. After all this little BBC drama isn’t the Bill Maher show or the last temptation of Chcrist movie. There are worse shows out there. Research, be an informed viewer and exercise the fast forward or channel buttons as needed.

I would agree with what you say and apologise - the phrase get over it was a bit strong. But in the wider view, the example cited needs to be seen in its historical context as you have suggested above.

 

[Railsplitter]

Historical context. Quite right. That’s what I meant with my long convoluted, bureaucratic sentence (just like some Catholic writers, right?).