Tuam Mother and Baby Home in Ireland: the Trouble With the Septic Tank Story (Story is a Hoax)

[anon98328916]

Sad but true. So many comments under the article mentioned by the OP are saying that the Catholic church is now “covering up” the original story. There seems to be an awful lot of anti Catholicism in Ireland these days, not only in the media but amongst many Irish people in general.

Yes I’m afraid there are a lot of anti Catholicism in Ireland. The Irish government and especially the media have made sure of that! Don’t get me wrong there are still devout Catholics in Ireland but in my opinion the media etc… Have a lot to answer for

 

[anon98328916]

I’m glad we’re finally getting some news that these horrible stories aren’t as horrible as first thought. I knew there had to be more to the story than what was reported in the main stream media. Now if they would only start reporting on the retractions to this story, that would be wonderful, but you and I know they won’t. Anything that exonerates the Catholic Church never gets reported.

Exactly, the media in Ireland won’t admit this. It’s easy knowing who the media work for.

 

[Starrsmother]

Seems some one always has to throw this up in the face of the Church no matter what the subject. How do you think this makes the good and holy priests feel? The Church is made up of many sinners including us. So we shouldn’t constantly throw stones don’t you think??? Even tho there are many sinners included in the Church, we can trust the Teaching Authority of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church to bring us through every crisis as She has done so in the past. Like Jesus said, ’ Let those without sin, cast the first stone!’ God Bless, Memaw

I fully agree that we should be very careful about casting aspersions against anything to do with the Church. There are plenty of non-Catholics out there gleefully doing just that already. As Catholics, we should defend our beloved church, priests and nuns as much as possible.

However, bad things do sometimes happen within the Church–even by nuns and priests. An example of this is the pedophile priest scandal. A priest abusing a child is always wrong and creates a scandal when and if it’s discovered. However, the REAL scandal that occurred and that all Catholics still are dealing with the reverberations from, was the lying, cover up and transferring of priests to hide what they had done. If the nuns at this convent committed atrocities, it needs to be investigated, admitted to, and apologies and some type of atonement carried out—along with serious changes being put in place to assure that something like this never happens again.

If we just blow the accusation off without at least giving credibility to the fact that an accusation has been made, then we fall into the same trap that church hierarchy did with the pedophile priests scandal! (ie: Deny, deny, deny) I don’t think that is what Jesus expects from His church!

 

[Denise1957]

If we just blow the accusation off without at least giving credibility to the fact that an accusation has been made, then we fall into the same trap that church hierarchy did with the pedophile priests scandal! (ie: Deny, deny, deny) I don’t think that is what Jesus expects from His church!

What are the accusations? And are the accusations based on real evidence?

 

[Denise1957]

I fully agree that we should be very careful about casting aspersions against anything to do with the Church. There are plenty of non-Catholics out there gleefully doing just that already. As Catholics, we should defend our beloved church, priests and nuns as much as possible.

However, bad things do sometimes happen within the Church–even by nuns and priests. An example of this is the pedophile priest scandal. A priest abusing a child is always wrong and creates a scandal when and if it’s discovered. However, the REAL scandal that occurred and that all Catholics still are dealing with the reverberations from, was the lying, cover up and transferring of priests to hide what they had done. If the nuns at this convent committed atrocities, it needs to be investigated, admitted to, and apologies and some type of atonement carried out—along with serious changes being put in place to assure that something like this never happens again.

If we just blow the accusation off without at least giving credibility to the fact that an accusation has been made, then we fall into the same trap that church hierarchy did with the pedophile priests scandal! (ie: Deny, deny, deny) I don’t think that is what Jesus expects from His church!

Starrsmother,

Have you looked into and read ALL of the evidence regarding this story, as many of us here already have? The triumph of the anti-Catholic media is that they cause their readers to assume guilt, and to assume that there’s real evidence, even when there isn’t. Because of previous and very real scandals, if a story has to do with Catholic clergy or religious, guilt is assumed or believed to be likely. Is this what Jesus would want?

 

[Memaw]

I fully agree that we should be very careful about casting aspersions against anything to do with the Church. There are plenty of non-Catholics out there gleefully doing just that already. As Catholics, we should defend our beloved church, priests and nuns as much as possible.

However, bad things do sometimes happen within the Church–even by nuns and priests. An example of this is the pedophile priest scandal. A priest abusing a child is always wrong and creates a scandal when and if it’s discovered. However, the REAL scandal that occurred and that all Catholics still are dealing with the reverberations from, was the lying, cover up and transferring of priests to hide what they had done. If the nuns at this convent committed atrocities, it needs to be investigated, admitted to, and apologies and some type of atonement carried out—along with serious changes being put in place to assure that something like this never happens again.

If we just blow the accusation off without at least giving credibility to the fact that an accusation has been made, then we fall into the same trap that church hierarchy did with the pedophile priests scandal! (ie: Deny, deny, deny) I don’t think that is what Jesus expects from His church!

Every crime against a child is horrible and should come to justice if at all possible. Many of these things happened many years ago when it really wasn’t a crime and the many Bishops depended on the physicists that treated them to say they were cured and also the Sacrament of Confession. While this whole scandal is horrible, and we are doing so much more than any other organization to prevent it. We still get the brunt of the media’s criticism. And many of the accusations were proven to be false!! Has anyone ever sued the Medical profession for what some of the Dr.s have done to kids, or the Teachers Union for what so many teachers have done to abuse children? Or the Marriage Bureau for what some fathers have done? NO, their full attention is on the Catholic Church. And the problem is far worse in those other settings than in the Catholic Church. Among protestant ministers its far worse. And the horrible crime of abortion on our unborn babies. God have Mercy on us all. God Bless, Memaw

 

[tomarin]

Every crime against a child is horrible and should come to justice if at all possible. Many of these things happened many years ago when it really wasn’t a crime and the many Bishops depended on the physicists that treated them to say they were cured and also the Sacrament of Confession. While this whole scandal is horrible, and we are doing so much more than any other organization to prevent it. We still get the brunt of the media’s criticism. And many of the accusations were proven to be false!! Has anyone ever sued the Medical profession for what some of the Dr.s have done to kids, or the Teachers Union for what so many teachers have done to abuse children? Or the Marriage Bureau for what some fathers have done? NO, their full attention is on the Catholic Church. And the problem is far worse in those other settings than in the Catholic Church. Among protestant ministers its far worse. And the horrible crime of abortion on our unborn babies. God have Mercy on us all. God Bless, Memaw

What crime, if any, was committed against the children found in the grave? Their causes of death (tuberculosis, epilepsy, whooping cough, etc.) sound like any number of health risks found in a pre-industrial, dirt-poor society. I noticed that the strange claim that they were never baptised (wha?) has also disappeared now that the hysteria over this story has calmed.

 

[Memaw]

What crime, if any, was committed against the children found in the grave? Their causes of death (tuberculosis, epilepsy, whooping cough, etc.) sound like any number of health risks found in a pre-industrial, dirt-poor society. I noticed that the strange claim that they were never baptised (wha?) has also disappeared now that the hysteria over this story has calmed.

That’s right, no comparison. I was responding to someone who compared it to the sex scandal in the Church. And how do they know they were never Baptized?? Maybe they didn’t keep records then like we do today, especially when they were dying so fast. And I read where they don’t believe it was ever a septic tank. But some will always believe the worst because they want to!! God Bless, Memaw

 

[tomarin]

That’s right, no comparison. I was responding to someone who compared it to the sex scandal in the Church. And how do they know they were never Baptized?? Maybe they didn’t keep records then like we do today, especially when they were dying so fast. And I read where they don’t believe it was ever a septic tank. But some will always believe the worst because they want to!! God Bless, Memaw

Anti-catholicism is alive and well – the “last acceptable prejudice.”

 

[HB11]

:thumbsup:thank you Memaw

Seems some one always has to throw this up in the face of the Church no matter what the subject. How do you think this makes the good and holy priests feel? The Church is made up of many sinners including us. So we shouldn’t constantly throw stones don’t you think??? Even tho there are many sinners included in the Church, we can trust the Teaching Authority of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church to bring us through every crisis as She has done so in the past. Like Jesus said, ’ Let those without sin, cast the first stone!’ God Bless, Memaw

 

[Mark121359]

Well It now appears that the Associated Press has issued an apology for its coverage of the Irish Orphanage story;
patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2014/06/associated-press-apologizes-for-its-coverage-of-the-irish-orphanage-story/

And it burns me to no end that those nuns were treated unmercifully and were practically crucified by so many on here when replying to this thread.;
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=887118

Peace, Mark

 

[anon98328916]

Well It now appears that the Associated Press has issued an apology for its coverage of the Irish Orphanage story;
patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2014/06/associated-press-apologizes-for-its-coverage-of-the-irish-orphanage-story/

And it burns me to no end that those nuns were treated unmercifully and were practically crucified by so many on here when replying to this thread.;
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=887118

Peace, Mark

This is just another example of the mainstream media and their continuous anti-Catholic reporting. God forgive them. The devil is at work here, I have no doubt about that.

 

[Mark121359]

This is just another example of the mainstream media and their continuous anti-Catholic reporting. God forgive them. The devil is at work here, I have no doubt about that.

Therese11, I completely agree with you. But why were so many Catholics so quick to condemn these nuns? Go back and read some of the comments from the original thread on this story. Some of the things that were said about those nuns was downright shameful. So many were so quick to believe a secular source and then sully these nuns relentlessly before the facts were all in.

Peace, Mark

 

[estesbob]

Therese11, I completely agree with you. But why were so many Catholics so quick to condemn these nuns? Go back and read some of the comments from the original thread on this story. Some of the things that were said about those nuns was downright shameful. So many were so quick to believe a secular source and then sully these nuns relentlessly before the facts were all in.

Peace, Mark

It was shameful how many Catholics were quick to slime these Nuns who had dedicated their lives to caring for the needy

 

[anon98328916]

Therese11, I completely agree with you. But why were so many Catholics so quick to condemn these nuns? Go back and read some of the comments from the original thread on this story. Some of the things that were said about those nuns was downright shameful. So many were so quick to believe a secular source and then sully these nuns relentlessly before the facts were all in.

Peace, Mark

Many including some Catholics will jump to attack the church when they see chances like this and for some reason believe everything the media says. In my personal opinion I think as Catholics we shouldn’t be so quick to jump on that anti-Catholic bandwagon. We should defend our church against attacks and just think on how this is all offending Jesus who is also being persecuted.

 

[Memaw]

What crime, if any, was committed against the children found in the grave? Their causes of death (tuberculosis, epilepsy, whooping cough, etc.) sound like any number of health risks found in a pre-industrial, dirt-poor society. I noticed that the strange claim that they were never baptised (wha?) has also disappeared now that the hysteria over this story has calmed.

I wasn’t referring to the Tuam Mother and Baby Home, I was responding to what Starrsmother said. God Bless, memaw

 

[Memaw]

Therese11, I completely agree with you. But why were so many Catholics so quick to condemn these nuns? Go back and read some of the comments from the original thread on this story. Some of the things that were said about those nuns was downright shameful. So many were so quick to believe a secular source and then sully these nuns relentlessly before the facts were all in.

Peace, Mark

AMEN, God Bless, Memaw

 

[Dan999]

AMEN, God Bless, Memaw

We’ve been trained to condemn. That’s why. Our culture teaches us to think the worse of people, particularly religious people.

 

[Memaw]

We’ve been trained to condemn. That’s why. Our culture teaches us to think the worse of people, particularly religious people.

Reading many of the posts on these forums, I tend to agree with you. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Not well educated in our Faith I’m afraid and many think they know more than the Church.God Bless, Memaw

 

[DavidFallon]

The Catholic Church in Ireland is facing enormous criticism because of a purported atrocity–that the bodies of 800 children were “dumped” in a septic tank decades ago at St. Mary’s Catholic home for unwed members. However, the woman historian cited by the media as the source of this information denies she is the source of such a story, and says that she never said children’s bodies were “dumped,” nor that they were put into a septic tank. She explains too that this story contains impossibilities, and insists that any such children buried on the grounds of the Catholic home would have died of natural causes over the years.
www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/tuan-mother-and-baby-home-the-trouble-with-the-septic-tank-story-1.1823393

She has not denied it. Her family have strongly condemned the Article you refer to and have stated that it grossly misrepresents Catherine Corless’ views, and that there are numerous innacuracies in the Article

kettleontherange.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/an-international-publicity-frenzy-and-my-mother/comment-page-1/

I’m not sure why you state the story is a hoax. Incontrovertibly large amounts of children died. She has not retracted her position regarding the sepetic tank either. The best way for us to help the church is to acknowledge the terrible mistakes of the past and make sure they do not happen again