Nuns & Priests - Redressing The Balance?

[heywood]

I am going to a funeral soon of a lovely nun friend.
Her long career has taken her through midwifery and social and community care.
One story she told me was of teaching sex education to teenagers 
One boy said that he wished his mum was like Sister - because she was so understanding. 

[River Tyne Lass]

Sorry, to hear about the death of your lovely nun friend heywood.  I hope the funeral goes well and will be a celebration of her life, work and achievements.
Thanks for this story about her, she sounds like she was a well liked and respected teacher.

[heywood]

Thank you.
She has had a long and happy life and I know has brought much love to people in the time I have known her.
She was living out in the community but due to a deterioration in her health moved back to the convent. She was reunited there with three others who she had trained with nearly seventy years ago. It was lovely - she phoned and said they were ‘like girls again’ comparing their various life stories.

I would like to think there are far more good souls amongst the priests and nuns than the ones who have cast a shadow.

[River Tyne Lass]

I think it sounds like your lovely friend was one of the ones who went in for the right reasons.  That is good that she was with her old friends and former trainees towards the end and that felt like getting their youth back being altogether once more.
I couldn't agree more that there are probably many more good ones to the ones 'who cast a shadow' and who have tarnished the reputation of the Church.
I do feel that people are right to come forward and tell about bad things that have happened in the past and that they are very courageous to do so.  It would be wrong to sweep things under the carpet and with all the books, films, documentaries that have come forth, thankfully things have been rightfully exposed. 
However, it is good to remember that we shouldn't tar all with the same brush and there are plenty good ones out there, like your lovely friend.

[eadaoin]

I was very happy at my convent school from age 7 to 17. Most of the nuns were very motherly when we were in the Junior school - no physical punishment.
 Some irritable nuns, including one who could be quite difficult verbally, but by and large, a lovely crowd.
I remained friendly with one until she died. She went off to Kenya and Uganda in her 50s, but always got in touch on her visits home.

[Treetotal]

My Mum was a Roman Catholic and was taught by the nuns in a Catholic School, she told us how very strict the nuns were. One in particular would walk up and down the isles during lessons and if a pupil was caught the talking, she would hit them on the back of the head with what my Mum called, " A wooden battledore" which she kept up the sleeve of her habit.
Carol