Know any great nuns?

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This…woman (I’m saying this through my teeth) posted this on Club Mom. Obviously she wants to write a nun-bashing article.

I suggest we all flood her box with great nun stories to show her how biased she really is.

Journalism at its finest. :roll:
Hi Moms!
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I’m an editor @ First for Women magazine, and I’m looking for a few moms to share their private/catholic school stories with me! Specifically, if you’re between the ages of 25 and 55 and are the parent of a child that attends either a private/catholic school or the like, we’re wondering if you’d be willing to participate in a story that I’m writing. Have you ever had to deal with a nun in a confrontational manner. Did she reprimand your son or daughter in a way that you disagreed? Did you have a verbal discussion about it? Ever had any negative experiences with a private school nun? We’d like to hear about it please! Please e-mail me ASAP @ frausch@bauerpublishing.com. Looking forward to hearing from you!
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We just emailed the following to that address.

Nuns, properly speaking, are religious vowed women who live in monasteries or a similar enclosure as a rule. They would not be involved in the types of ministry you have described. Did you perhaps wish to strive for accuracy and actually mean “sisters?”

If this is so, I have some wonderful stories about the Sisters of Saint Joseph who taught me in grade school, my cousin who is the local superior of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd (which cared historically for abandoned girls and young women in trouble) and of some sisters in the Adrian Dominican Community who babysat our children when they were younger. Are you soliciting these kinds of stories and striving for accuracy in that regard as well?
 
This is what I sent them:

My first experience with nuns were the Sisters of St. Joseph who were teachers. They were very intimidating to a 6 year old with their high coronets and huge rosaries. They were also the kindest women I ever met. I suffered severe separation anxiety in my first grade, and I clearly remember being allowed to tag along with one of the sisters as she delivered papers to each room. I never saw a child beaten or humiliated - no, that was suffered by my son at the hands of a secular teacher, who found it entertaining to dump my child’s desk out in front of all his classmates on a regular basis. You are looking for sadistic educators, look to the lay/public teachers. When I pulled my son out of the school that was destroying his self-worth, he entered our parish school, at which the principal was a gasp SISTER OF ST. JOSEPH!!! He blossomed in that school, and is currently a junior in one of the universities in our state, majoring in teaching. That nun saved my child.

If you are looking for sensationalism, I’m sorry, you will not find it from me. I think it’s very wrong for you to seek out only the bottom of the barrel. I was a loyal reader of your magazine, but if you publish an article of this nature bashing the Catholic sisterhood, your circulation will suffer greatly. Please reconsider this “assignment.”

I can put you in touch with a wonderful group of nuns from Nigeria who minister in the inner city of Detroit, a faithful order of Franciscan nuns in the slums of New Bedford Massachussetts, or beautiful Dominicans at Domino’s Farms in Ann Arbor MI.
 
My contribution:

My daughter is a recent graduate of Manhattan’s Convent of the Sacred Heart. Although there were only a few Sisters of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) on staff, the Sisters were outstanding teachers and wonderful guides to her. They are possessed of formidable academic credentials and an enthusiasm for teaching. They encouraged and fostered her natural gifts, built her up where she was weak, and sent her out into the world confidently armed for both professional and inter-personal success.
 
I went to a Catholic grade school in the 60s. Back then the majority of the teachers were nuns. Most of them were good and kind teachers, but I remember a couple who were mean and/or were bad teachers. My 3rd grade nun was so bad, the 4th grade lay teacher had to almost completely re-teach 3rd grade as well as fourth. Plus this particular nun would spank kids right in class and she let 1 kid wet his pants in class because she wouldn’t let him use the restroom. Bad!! She was replaced after 1 year. We another nun who would slap your face at the drop of a hat.
 
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mikew262:
Plus this particular nun would spank kids right in class and she let 1 kid wet his pants in class because she wouldn’t let him use the restroom. Bad!! She was replaced after 1 year. We another nun who would slap your face at the drop of a hat.
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I went to public school in after first grade in the 60s (economic hardship for my folks is why I left parochial school), and PADDLING was normal, accepted discipline. Also, if you talked too much the teacher would tape your mouth shut. I remember Richard R____. The teacher got so frustrated with him that she wrapped the tape around and around his head. 😦

Also, there was one girl who was not allowed to use the restroom who had a bowel movement in her pants. :mad:
 
I attended a Catholic grade school in the late 1950’s and early 60’s. My parents were very hard working, but we were poor by today’s standards.(in money, but not in faith) They sacrificed so much that all five of us could begin our educations there. I am so grateful for that.

The most important things is that we were very well catechised and had our little consciences formed in communion with Holy Mother Church from a young age.

We were also far ahead of the public school kids in terms of critical thinking, responsibility and especially in literature and writing. Our 7th and 8th grade teacher, Sister Corinne, was a Phd in Lit and we were doing work far above our grade level.

Discipline was an important part of our education, but it was not forceful or inapropriate. I am thankful for that as well. I see some children today with no respect and no dicipline and they are being short changed.

The sisters were wonderful women who were loving and giving and set beautiful examples for us in how to live the faith.
 
Yes, I know some great “nuns” and Religious Sisters!
In fact I used to be one!!!
I entered the community of Sisters of Charity of St. Paul, the Apostle, Selly Park Birmingham, England in 1969, at the age of 17. I met many wonderful and holy people who were excellent teachers, nurses, doctors, social-carers, etc., etc., Of course there were some who were not so wonderful - but then, they were human-beings, with all the failings one would expect, but most did their best to live the consecrated life in accordance with the “rule”.
Even though I left the convent after six years, and before I took final vows, I have great respect for the life. It took me many years to forgive myself for leaving, and there is much that I miss.
Some people have given the vocation a “bad press”, and some sisters have been less than perfect and have given scandal by abusing their “power”. I have witnessed something of this myself, and indeed in the 50’s and 60’s discipline within family-life, school and various institutions was much harsher and brutal than is acceptable today. There is never any excuse to abuse another human - being either physically, mentally or spiritually.
I believe that the Consecrated Religious is still very relevant today. We should pray for more vocations, and remember those who have fallen by the wayside and not lived-up to their vocation.
 
Hi Bobbie…

I have only ever had to confront one religious sister…and she was very wrong in what she said to me that provoked the confrontation.
Over and above that one incident, the nun who taught me in my teens (I am now 60yrs old) still impacts my life today. I also know a contemplative prioress who has become my best friend, mentor and time to time advisor (I have my own spiritual director) for near on 30 years it must be now.

I entered monastic life in my past and after only a short period I left but with absolute admiration for the sisters and novices in that community. Sure we were all human…but there was real love there of each other and of the life. I never regretted leaving as where God was calling me was very evident to me and to others, but only clarified to me after I entered and I found it most difficult to leave. I committed myself to this lifestyle some 25 years ago in the single state…and tho a very much a roller coaster ride, have never looked back with any sort of regret.
I have maintained close contact with my ex novice mistress, now prioress, of the monastic order I entered.
I have known and know many religious sisters and enclosed nuns in my time and was educated all my life by nuns…only once have I ever need to seek confrontation with one of them. I hold them in esteem as I do our priests…I am having difficulty with a priest at the moment, but as I said to someone the other day, I bet ten years down the line he has made a few journeys of his own within the overall journey and that he mellows. He is relatively new ordained. Twice in my life have I had to confront a priest over some matter…both times sorted out and happy relationships re established all round.
Though I do believe it existed and perhaps exists…in all my years (60!) a Catholic and in the Catholic education system under nuns for 12 years from 5 - 16yrs, I never experienced nor witnessed any sort of abuse of any kind…other than the strap in my primary school years sometimes administered and usually only to males and by the nuns who taught me in primary school. This was rather common with nuns and brothers, priests who taught back in those pre V2 days in the 50’s here in Australia it seems.
In my senior years the Dominican College I attended had no corporal punishment whatsoever.
I think wherever human beings gather in close community of any kind differences no matter vocation will arise that may ask they be confronted in some manner…nothing to get excited about - simply humanity.

Barb:)
 
My spouse attended Catholic 1thru 12th grade school taught exclusively by nuns. She still talks about them with gratitude for the person she has become. I myself went thru 8yrs. of Catholic school and I attribute their influence for the reason I have answered the call tot he diaconate. Thank God for the goodness and kindness of these sisters. Most of them have received their eternal reward already. It would be so good if my own children had the same opportunities but not enough women are responding to this great vocation. More reasons to pray!
 
stbruno: My spouse attended Catholic 1thru 12th grade school taught exclusively by nuns. She still talks about them with gratitude for the person she has become. I myself went thru 8yrs. of Catholic school and I attribute their influence for the reason I have answered the call tot he diaconate.

Thank God for the goodness and kindness of these sisters. Most of them have received their eternal reward already. It would be so good if my own children had the same opportunities but not enough women are responding to this great vocation. More reasons to pray!
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Hi StBruno…first congratulations on your call and thank you for following it.

Secondly…re the above in blue…well said!..and on all points to my mind and experiences. We only had to pay 25cents week IF IT COULD BE AFFORDED as our primary school regulation under Blessed Mary MacKillop’s (Australian and perhaps our first saint)daughers, The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Or ‘Joeys’ as we call them here…back in those days no person was denied a Catholic education and by nuns in primary and secondary school because of being poor. No student whose parents could not pay was publicly known, nor were they victimized or isolated in any way. But back then the nuns really did live in poverty…not symbolic poverty. Well I recall elderly nuns with patched and repatched habits. Once a nun passed on back then I have been told that if any of her habits (except for the one she was buried in) were re usable then they were re used. Now that is poverty!
Post V2 with my sons in a Dominican Boys’ College, when my ex husband and I separated (marriage annulled), Father Prior assured me that they would continue at the College for free if perchance I could not pay the fees. Happily my ex husband met the bill faithfully all their school lives and was in a position to do so.

The very strict contemplative order I entered (not Carmel) post V2 when Mother General came to visit…ordered the meals sent back stating “Monastic nuns do not eat like this!”…the poor kitchen staff had laboured long over the menu and meal with Mother Prioress to honor Mother General and the ingredients were donated - but beside the point thought MG…my heart leapt for joy! …and a case of nun confronting nun!
I was always ‘on the carpet’ for not eating…I’d never seen so much food in all my life in one meal!..tho it was pretty much the locals who kept us in ingredients for which we were forever grateful, if overfed!
Back in the ‘old days’ of monastic life, excess food was given to the poor/or charity for the poor…perhaps some orders still follow this ancient custom.

Barb:)
 
Hi, Barbara Therese, Forgive me for being nosey, but I would like to hear more of your “life story”! What are you doing with your life now? How has your past influenced your life (for good or bad?) I found it a long hard road to come to terms with leaving the convent, although it was my decision, the community did want me to return but…I then met the man who was to become my husband and 29 years later I still have the odd twinge of guilt and longing for the Religious Life! Have you read the works of Karen Armstrong? My friends have always told me to write a book - but she has already more or less told my story! I was amazed at the parralels to our lives! Bobbie 🙂
 
Hi, St. Bruno, Congratulations on your decision to join the Diaconite. I wish you well and will remember you in my prayers. Bobbie.
 
Thanks everyone for your prayers. I have never been more blessed or happier either! Let’s pray for each other!
 
How about Mother Angelica? I haven’t met her yet, but I feel like I know her.
 
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Sparky:
This…woman (I’m saying this through my teeth) posted this on Club Mom. Obviously she wants to write a nun-bashing article.

I suggest we all flood her box with great nun stories to show her how biased she really is.

Journalism at its finest. :roll:
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Thank you for giving me the opportunity to sound off. I’m so tired of mean sister stories (and vicious Catholic stories in general). Well, I hope this lady gets enough stories to set her back on her heels. I hope I wasn’t too nasty, but I’m just sick of the tirade against women who have devoted their whole lives to God and their fellow men.

Here’s my submission to the magazine:

Dear Ms Frausch,
I don’t know you or your magazine, but I heard from a Catholic discussion board that you’re soliciting stories of mean sisters. I’m so tired of Catholic bashing. Why don’t you solicit stories of mean public school teachers? I went to Catholic schools for 9 years and public for 3 years out of 12. The only place I was ever physically punished was in public school. It was in 1st or 2nd grade that I got called down for talking to a classmate three times, and after the third time I was taken to the sixth grade classroom (for the shame effect), made to turn my back to the class (girls wore dresses in those days), bend over and then got swatted on my backside a few times.

When my brother Steve was little he got lost once and went to the Church because he felt safe there. The convent was next door, and one of the sisters found him. She took him to the convent, and all the sisters were doting on him and feeding him all kinds of goodies when my mother finally found him. He was having a good time. He never thought the sisters were wicked.

I guess that because you’re all supposed to be so tolerant you have noone to pick on anymore. Well, Catholics are human too and we really don’t appreciate all the negative attention. “If you prick us do we not bleed?” Sure there are sisters who’ve done mean, stupid things. There are plenty of bad people in all walks of life, and it’s a rare person who hasn’t done things he/she is sorry about, or should be sorry about. It’s human nature. This thing about sisters has been done to death, and I ask you please to drop it. There has got to be something else you can talk about.

I recently heard a quote by Thomas Jefferson to the effect that “People who read nothing at all are less ignorant than people who read only newspapers.” I’m sure he would apply that to magazines too, and it would seem that the media hasn’t changed one iota since his day.

May God bless you anyway and change your heart.

Ruth Fitzwater
Lincoln, Nebraska
 
I sent a letter about my experience with horrible public schools and my decision to transfer my kids to Catholic Schools and the good it did my kids.
 
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