How Catholic Nuns Shaped America

I was fortunate enough to go to Catholic grade school. The lessons and expamples that the sisters taught me are a large part of what has shaped me into a productive citizen today. Thank you sisters for your caring and dedication!

I have always been amazed at the blatantly obvious manner in which the catholic church views and treats nuns. In reality they do all of "real" work, laboring tirelessly without any true recognition. I spent my first 8 yrs. in a catholic school and watched them sacrifice everything, living with only the basics, never complaining, and always grateful for the chance to serve God. Across the street, the priests had every comfort imaginable, including someone to cook, wash and clean for them. The hypocrisy was evident even to us 4th graders. The nuns are the real representatives of Christ. Their humility, willingness to sacrifice, and even their accepted subservience to the "men with the collars" was and still is a true spiritual model for all of us. It's about time someone stood up for them.

It is nice to see someone putting efforts into this exhibit. I am very excited the Vatican is finally censuring the convents in America. They need reform so that once again they will start teaching the Catholic faith that once thrived, long ago when the nuns in this country did what they should be doing now... Teaching our children and doing works of mercy in hospitals and charities. The church was beautiful in those days and it needs to go back again. It seems to have lost touch with reality and fell into the spirit of the world, "me, me, me and more me." Our children are being taught by lay people and non-Catholics, they are leaving their parochial school not knowing much at all about their Catholic faith. They are marrying non-Catholics and leaving the faith all-together. They do not treasure their faith. We need some good solid morals in this country. Family is being destroyed, little by little. Destroying the Catholic faith is only one more of the devil's plans to destory family. Don't let him win!!!!

Thank God for those spectacular nuns from the 40's and 50's who served as our teachers, mentors, and mothers in many cases. My mother had tuberculosis and was confined to a sanitariums from 1953 to 1956--only ten years after the World War II. My father had been wounded twice in Belgium fighting the Germans and now his wife was stricken. The Sisters of St. Joseph took in my brother and me and raised us for the next three years. My sister was taken in at St. Vincent's Orphanage during the same time frame before we were all reunited following my mother's recovery. The nuns did a spectacular job filling in for our parents. I was in the Orphanage with 300-500 other boys. I don't know how anyone can criticize the magnificent job these selfless women fulfilled during those years. They all could have stayed home and married or worked for money in other jobs. I love the nuns and am most appreciative for molding my life.

I believe there is a difference between the current doctrinal differences of certain communities of nuns with the Vatican and the past, present and future contributions of these same communities. I sincerely doubt the Vatican is unfamiliar with, or ungrateful for, the great, varied, and ongoing contributions of nuns to the United States. Still, the Vatican does have an obligation to ensure that the Faith is being transmitted correctly by those entrusted to do so, and therefore would be remiss if it did not investigate these issues. As an aside, I always find it interesting when Catholics who love their faith (at least parts of it) but don't agree with it on host of issues (the hard ones) gratuitously toss in mention of the priest sex abuse scandal in any argument they are making, relevant or not. I would go further than prison for the abusers, but as I said, that issue is irrelevant to this one. My wife and children, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends are all products of Catholic education and the selfless giving and tireless efforts of many nuns who deeply and profoundly touched our lives. These same nuns taught me to value truth and faith over political correctness and popularity, substance over form. They taught me that if I know someone is in error in matters of faith, it is my sacred duty to correct them. I guess that is one issue on which the author differs with the Church. Orthodox orders are growing, liberal orders are dying. Coincidence?

I was taught by School Sisters Of Notre Dame (SSND) at St. John Nepomucene in Bridgeport, Connectciut in the 1960s. Additionally, I had an aunt, an SSND, who grew up in that parish but was not stationed there. She was one of the most gentle, kind, and thoughtful people I have ever known in my life. While my teachers may have been demanding, strict, and insistent of high academic performance, I find in retrospect in my early 50's, that's exactly what I need to survive in my everyday job in a Fortune 500 company. They prepared me well. God Bless all of them & I know they are happy in His presence at this life's journey end.

Holy Spirit School, Bronx, NY 1946 Dominican Sisters Blauvelt, NY St. Simon Stock, NY 1950 Carmelite Sisters if not for the good sisters i would have been in jail. tough? sure, but i never saw any brutality or any of the nonsense some folks write about. it may have existed but not in the schools i attended. Nor was there any 'stuff' with the Priests. at the age of 11 or 12 if any Priest crossed the line my friends and i would have told the priest where to go. maybe bronx boys grew up smarter and at an early age...God bless you all, Sisters.

Emac, I can tell the impact that Catholic nuns had in our family. My great-grandfather was a farmer in Frederick County, MD and he sent his daughters to Visitation Academy in Frederick. He was so impressed that he converted from Baptist to Catholic and it still continues in the family. Both daughters later became my Aunt Rachel and Aunt Elinor. Ironically, Rachel was rejected for the convent because of her asthma but lived to be 85 and worked for the federal government for over 40 years. Both excelled in a time when Women's liberation was a far-off idea. One woman said how the public school system was one of the best. However, if i had my choce, I rather pick the graduate of a Catholic school system because they have been better tested. I should know, we had several good ones including my sister and several aunts and uncles. Several American nuns also made sainthood. St. Katherine Drexel who gave away her family fortune to educate African-Americans and Native Americans, St. Rose Philippe Duschene who worked in the western frontier in St. Louis, and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini who ministered to the immigrants in the growing cities. Thanks for the post BobH

Having spent 9 years in the prochial school and 8 of those years was taught by nuns I have only bad memories of those years. Sure we learned to spell,read,write and do arithmatic, but we were also repressed as individuals1 By this I mean we were not allowed to have our own thoughts and feelings expressed at any time. If you didn't understand what was being taught you better not ask for fear of being mocked in front of your peers. And being accused of things you didn't do and getting beat for it still haunts me to this day. I forgive the nuns for what they did to me. You see now that I am older and understand that was the way they were raised and it was normal for them to punish us this way. I must admit, I did hit a nun who hit me first for no reason and she knew she was in trouble if she reported the incident. My mother would have kicked her a__ for hitting me in my mouth and splitting my lip. That nun passed away last year at the ripe old age of 97. Sisters of Mercy may you all rest in peace!

I have to agree with Nancy. I once talked with a friend about his Catholic grade school education. Here was a man, now in his 50's, white and visibly shaking as he talked about how he was physically and psychologically abused by nuns and how the priests encouraged it. I believe that the Catholic church does help thousands every day with their outreach programs, but that it is stained by the harsh treatment that children have endured in Catholic schools.

True some nuns may have been "abusive" but when I was in Catholic School it was a different era and discipline was part of growing up. For all of you who are bashing nuns can you honestly say the current schools putting out products we can be proud of both in respect for others and level of education?

Everyone hates abuse even abuses by ministers, teachers, uncles and Aunts and ministers. If you disagree with the Church, your a "protestant". The teachings are not open for a vote. Join any protestant church and become an elder and you can modify the teaching all you want(vote on it.) The Catholic Church was started by Jesus, it gave us the Bible and led us faithfully for over 2000 years. The priests and nuns that don't abide by the teaching and do evil are being removed(weeds from the wheat, goats from the sheep.) Ditto with the author. Let me guess at what the author doesn't agree with: Contraception, abortion, married priests. Did you know that all churches prior to 1930 taught that contraception broke the covanent between God, man and woman. Sex isn't about having fun, its about babies. "The Two shall become one" statement in the Bible is about marriage and babies, "Two DNA strands become one unique DNA strand at the moment of conception (proven by science). That will answer abortion also. Priests aren't married becuase the Church says so. Again not for you to vote on. However, the Church can change its stance on marriage for priests because its only a law. On Abortion, contraception it will never change because Jesus said" The gates of hell will not prevail against her".

I remember how they shaped ME....i had 8 years of Catholic school and it was hell. These women played favorites, had no problem hitting kids when they got out of hand, and instilled in the girls a deep fear of sex! Can you imagine nuns teaching sex ed? Well it happened to me and boy did it mess me up. I'd never send my kid to be taught by nuns!

elizabeth - Thank you for the history lesson...however...I sincerely doubt the vatican is making inquiries as to the content of the sisters doctrinal teachings 100, 200 or 300 years ago. They are more likely inquiring about the content of what is being taught TODAY!!! Ie: The church's horribly chauvinistic stance on womens disbarrment from the priesthood, the unrealistic view of abstaining from premarital sex (after all; we are controlled by our loins; aren't we?) and other liberation theology claptrap. I am a graduate of a catholic school and have known many former catholic school students who really resented being forced to learn. I am not among them. I place great value on the education I received from Nuns who were not paid. The problems began when the american bishops came home from the second vatican council with their own liberal political agenda. Inch by inch, they dismantled our churches and beautiful catholic faith. Today, you can see the results: pedofile (homosexual) priests, mass apostacy & dwindling congregations. Are you old enough to remember this part of the apostles creed? "...He descended into HELL'. The "Smoke of Satan" was allowed into the church and the results are self-evident.

Actually, you don't sound like you know much about the Catholic Faith. You failed to mention why the Nuns are being investigated. Maybe because they were/are teaching false truths. All you can come up with is "I love my faith", and I hate the Priest abuse. What person doesn't? As for disagreeing with teachings of the Church. That says it all. That would make you a "protestant". I dought you even understand the concepts the Church teaches on. Let me guess what you disagree with, can't be hard to figure out. Contraception, Abortion, Priest not married. Lets take on contraception. Did you know prior to 1930 that all churches forbid contraception. Do you know why? Because the union is a blessing from God that "the two shall become one" statement should mean something. Its not for you to remove God's blessing so you can just have fun. What about the "two shall become one statement" Take two DNA strands mix them up an a one (unique) DNA strand emerges at the moment of conception in the new "single cell" baby (scientifically proven unique human - doesn't match either bio parent.) That answers question (abortion). As for disagreeing with the Church. Its not up for a vote. Its called excommunication when you disagree. If you want to vote on how you would like to interpret the Bible be an elder at any protestant church. You can change the belief system with the change of the tide.

Many who have been victimized by physically or psychologically abusive nuns will not buy into your glorification of them. Agreed, over the years there were many devoted, sincere and selfless nuns who did contribute to make this a better educated country. They excelled in care for the sick and providing a high quality of education. Tragically, there were far too many who were downright mean and cruel to innocent young children who were at their mercy. They should have been weeded out, yet the majority of them weren't. They had a profound, negative effect on their precious charges, turning the young away from the Catholic religion. It's my opinion that your blog is very one-sided and typical of those who have been brain-washed from infancy to accept and idealize the Catholic religious without question.

MacDonald is absolutely right in observing the debt America owes to nuns who helped shape its grandeur today. What she seems to be inferring, though, is that their past accomplishments should release them from their obedience to Church teaching. MacDonald cites St. Elizabeth Seton as a model, which she is. St. Elizabeth was also entirely obedient to the direction of her bishop, John Carroll. All religious take vows of obedience (along with chastity and poverty). Earthly accomplishments do not trump the vows they take. MacDonald also seems to allude that priests have been given to right to flout their vows with her assertion that "it’s an atrocity that Catholic priests have committed outrageous, disgusting criminal acts of sexual abuse against the young... Every last one of them should be put on trial and... thrown in jail." While the Church may not be decimating it priestly ranks fast enough to suit MacDonald, it is certainly not true that the Church has sat on its hands and done nothing. All priests who are alive and have verifiable claims against them have been prosecuted by civil authority. Beyond that, Diocesan payments to victims (and their willing lawyers) is in the millions of dollars. To honor our women religious and their contribution to our country's greatness is exactly the right thing to do. To say that excusing them from living vows they have freely taken (and can renounce) enhances their stature in any way is wrong.

"Nuns have worked heroically, unselfishly, tirelessly, against all odds, to make this great country what it is today." True. Sr. Mary Perpetua, Holy Family School, Parma, Ohio, 1951-52 Sr. Alice Marie, Holy Family School, Parma, Ohio, 1952-53 Sr. Mary Vincent, Holy Family School, Parma, Ohio, 1953-54 Sr. Thomas Aquinas, Incarnate Word Academy, Parma Heights, Ohio, 1954-55 Sr. Bernadette, Incarnate Word Academy, Parma Heights, Ohio, 1955-56 Sr. Angelique, Incarnate Word Academy, Parma Heights, Ohio, 1956-67 Sr. Patricia, Incarnate Word Academy, Parma Heights, Ohio, 1957-58 Sr. Ramona, Holy Trinity School, St. Mathews, Kentucky, 1958-59 Sr. Davidica and all her associates of Sacred Heart High School, Rosevile, Michigan, 1961-63. Thank you, dear Sisters, for leading me in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of every school day. Thank you for your excellent professional teaching that so obviously made it possible for me to graduate from college and attend graduate school. Long before Vatican II, you showed the way to true Christian spirit by never uttering a single word against Protestant or Jew. Thank you for your great personal sacrifices, relatively so seldom seen today. Thank you for all your efforts.

Its important to note that the vatican is not looking to censure the good work that nuns do, but rather, they are responding to reports that the structured life that is set up for nuns, has become less so. The purpose of being in a specific religious order is that the fellowship and structure of the order offers a way for individuals to remove all other distractions and focus their lives on Christ. When that order is diminished, the individual's spiritual life begins to suffer. Far from being unappreciative of the extraordinary work of the American religious, it seems like the Vatican wants to strengthen their religious foundations so that they will be able to continue to do what they do with the right purpose,

Then Nuns at school taught me safety. Safety in an unsafe world, they were always there for me. They taught me resepect, both by instruction and impression (I still have a fear of rulers lol). They taught me to love God and that He loves me. They taught me: respect, honor, honesty, fairness, and self-control. Finally, they taught me that if it is worth doing, then do it with all of your heart. Much of this I learned by watching them as they cared for us. Thank you Sisters!

The Sister taught us to give to the poor - to this day we are still giving - the Indians - {American] the food pantry - the missions - from $1.00 up - in Newburgh Ny they are making a old house into school for Mexican Girls to brake the poverty - the irish Italians - Polish - German - worded hard to make America better - the Sister were strick - we were taught to obey the laws - sturcture etc - we did not run wild in school like today - Thanks to the Sister -

The nuns beat us kids in school, refused our use of bathrooms, humiliated, and abused us with beatings, and told us about phony religious stories about hell and threatened us kids as going to hell. This story and the people who wrote it are glorifying these horribles nuns. Outrageous! Horrific child abuse by these criminals who were still living in the ancients beliefs of the past and middle ages.

Well done Liz! Although I am quickly closing on 64 years of age, I will never forget the values I learned from eight years in St. Agnes elementary school with the Sisters of Notre Dame and eight years of Jesuit education at St. Xavier High School and Xavier University. We cannot forget these wonderful teachers. tom schneider

Catholic nuns shaped America - more like they slapped American children around all the while poisoning their minds will superstition and religion.

Elizabeth, I too recognize the wonderful, selfless and sometimes heroic contribution nuns have made in this country. I was taught for free at a Catholic school by nuns from first to sixth grade. They were all professional and caring to us. Here is the issue, and I believe why the Vatican is doing the inquiry. Since nuns threw away the habits and moved out of convents and into "communities", they have lost the magic. They have focused more inward instead of outward as they did in the past. The results are staggering: No more free Catholic schools and a tremendous decrease in women joining their orders. We have 9 sisters living in community 1/2 mile from our home (Our Lady of Peace Monastery-Columbia, MO). Most of them are old, and few of them can work. They need assistance from our parish and the local Knights of Columbus just to get by financially. I expect this is a trend across the USA that the Vatican will try to confirm. Conversely, those orders who wear the habit appear to be thriving with new vocations. Al Vargesko Columbia, MO