The report out to-day opens up the abuse by the Catholic Church and by Nuns of young girls and woman.
Thousands of women and young girls sent to Catholic-run workhouses where they were subjected to a regime of hard work and prayer.
The Magdalene religious-run institutions started in the late 1700s as places to rehabilitate so-called “fallen” women. It is estimated that around 30,000 women, mainly single mothers and teenage girls, were placed in the laundries to work. There were 10 Magdalene laundries across Ireland and the last one closed its doors in 1996.
Image from Yahoo photos
The church authorities must have known this was happening because priest would be visiting and the nuns would have needed permission from the top to run all the laundries.
It found that more than 2,100 women, more than a quarter of those who were held in the Magdalene laundries for whom records survived, were sent directly by the government. The Irish government has always previously denied direct involvement in the system, which was run by four religious congregations: Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, The Good Shepherds, The Sisters of Mercy and the Religious Sisters of Charity.
Women were forced into Magdalene laundries for crimes as minor as not paying for a train ticket, the report found. The majority of those incarcerated were there for minor offences such as theft and vagrancy. A small number of the women were there for prostitution.
They all worked long hours and never got any pay, then they had to go to pray for hours.
Image from Yahoo photos
The Irish Taoiseach ( Prime Minister ) gave a short apology in Parliament to-day.
The Magdalene Survivors Together group quickly dismissed the prime minister’s apology. “He is the Taoiseach of our country, he is the Taoiseach of the Irish people, and that is not a proper apology,” Maureen Sullivan said.
More than 10,000 women, aged from nine to 89, were sent to eight of the ten laundries from which records were available between 1992 and 1996. Advocacy group Justice for Magdalen’s (JFM) said it was aware of at least 988 women who were buried in laundry plots in cemeteries across Ireland, meaning they stayed in the institutions until death. The inquiry could confirm only 879.
Shame on anyone who abuses, regardless of their proclaimed faith. Find me one that isn’t poorly run, Catholic, Islamic, Protestant, Jewish–all of them have something to shame them.
As for the Laundries, go watch The Magdalene Sisters.
I did see the film Addie it was very good, and i agree with your comment..
It’s a truly horrifying story. But I’m glad that it’s finally getting the coverage. These women need justice. And they need a proper apology. One from both the government and the church. Then an investigation needs to be launched.
There’s an interesting, but heartbreaking, documentary for anyone interested:
There’s also a good Peter Mullan film called The Magdalene Sisters which was inspired by the documentary.
I hope this is not the end of the matter Lance and we await the apology from the church.
Injustices of this sort need to be dealt with thoroughly and with thought. I realise it’s difficult for people who have had the issue thrust upon them long afterwards, but I don’t think a quick apology is sufficient. But it is a start.
The gov; needs to give a proper apology but i have yet to hear one from the Pope or the church.
The Catholic Church per se has so much to answer for. If THEY had to confess every sin they, as a whole have ever commited..they would be in the confessional until Doomsday.
And that old fool in the Vatican turns a blind eye to child abuse so he won’t appologise to these poor women.
Agree totally Jessie, if it was a business they would all be sacked or jailed.
it’s awful, those surviving should be reimbursed for all those years of slave labor.
Thats what is going to happen the claims are going in.
It has cost the church over one billion so far for the priest abuse.
one billion is nothing compared to what all those abused sexual or otherwise went through, but i’m glad there is at least something being done.
Incredibly sad for those poor women! I hope the government comes through with a better apology. As for the church, I wouldn’t hold my breath for that apology.
Breath not being held
@__@
That’s how it was then… today, this stuff won’t escape the media/whistleblowers. * and iphone with camera*
True Ren, its a good job some people will stand up and tell all.
The Magdalene Sisters illustrates the nightmare. The fact that they existed until 1996 is horrific. I think this is an atrocity. The government should have to do more than give a brief apology. It sickens me.
Good post, Harry.
Thank you Lisa, it was very brief and all he said was ” it should never have happened “
I was contemplating the Church’s attitude to such issues as this, and paedophile priests, as I rode the elevator to work last week.
It was just wrong on so many levels…
More seriously, it’s refreshing to find that there are people here in Belfast who think sensibly and are prepared to buck the establishment. If only there were more of us, I’d like to think such atrocities could never happen.
I don’t think it will happen as much since so much has been found out, i have 3 posts about pedophile priests as well.
Thanks for visiting glad to see you here.
Churches…especially the Catholic Church have a lot of sins to answer for.
JO the Catholic Church will never answer for everything that has happened because of all the cover-ups.
The Catholic Church yet again leave me speechless in disgusts. Here’s hoping even evil nuns and priests are banished into hell for their sins!
I agree with your comment, you should read my posts about the priests
I had a look at your blog and will call back.
Dear Harry, you are certainly an advocate after my own heart with this post. Thank you.
As a recovering American-Irish Catholic I have long been appalled by, and have had my sensibilities attacked by the Church. The place my mother who was raised by her very Irish Roman Catholics grandparents thought I would be safe from the worlds harm. She had no idea the parish youth priest was a child predator.
The harm is too great, too widely assaulted for us to keep thinking that it is going away, As long as The Church repeatedly hides and safeguards these men and woman of bankrupt character and morals women and children will never be safe. I also find it very sad that this can cause a persons faith to be completely trashed, especially at a time when it may be all they had to hang on to.
And they call themselves children of God?
To-day young people are not afraid to speak out, not like years ago when the church was held in such high regard.
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