It is only in recent months that I thought of what the priest said to me when I went to my "first confession", a month before receiving my first communion. I had just turned 8 years old and can't even say it here. Had I told my parents, my dad would have gone down and punched that priest in the face. And it would have been deserved. I…
It is only in recent months that I thought of what the priest said to me when I went to my "first confession", a month before receiving my first communion. I had just turned 8 years old and can't even say it here. Had I told my parents, my dad would have gone down and punched that priest in the face. And it would have been deserved. I was left feeling ashamed and only recently thought, wait a minute. That was a form of abuse and sexual innuendo. I'm a grandmother to two darling little boys and it's been inside me all these years.
Joanna, I pray he has been removed from the priesthood. God will hold him accountable. One of my great joys is that Pope Francis is such a good and husky man, and regularly disagrees with these extremist priests in the USA. Peace be yours, my friend.
How awful for you, Joanna. It makes me furious on your behalf. It's only in hindsight that I realize that in my time at Catholic school (Grades 1 through 8) the priests were more interested in the boys than we girls. We girls were more chastised for our "sins" at every confessional.
I think you're right on that, Lynell. I went to Catholic school for three years, grades 7, 8, and 9. I also taught K-8 music in two Catholic schools. I'm an organist but won't work for the Catholic Church anymore. For that matter, I won't work for any church. I saw an emotional and sometimes physical abuse of young boys in the choir where I last worked, many years ago, by a priest. Some of these boys were my private music students and I could just cry watching this. The priest one day told me I was fired when, after screaming at the boys, I asked where he was in the music. He told me he had "had enough!" of me. And I, him. I told him, you don't have to fire me because I just quit. That was it for me and any church!
I came from a large family, and my dad worked for the diocese. One of my brothers was smacked across the head and face with a wooden paddle by a nun after he snickered at her attempt to spank him. I have 3 brothers who were hit on at various Young Life events, and the young priest who served me my first communion was called out in that report many times.
I can’t count how many times I was beaten by either nuns or priests in my first 12 years of school. To their credit the Jesuits did teach me how to think and craft an argument based on truth, not shifting sands but the rock of truth.
It is only in recent months that I thought of what the priest said to me when I went to my "first confession", a month before receiving my first communion. I had just turned 8 years old and can't even say it here. Had I told my parents, my dad would have gone down and punched that priest in the face. And it would have been deserved. I was left feeling ashamed and only recently thought, wait a minute. That was a form of abuse and sexual innuendo. I'm a grandmother to two darling little boys and it's been inside me all these years.
Sending you a great big HUG.
Aren't you sweet. Thank you Jude Ellen. 🌹
Joanna, I pray he has been removed from the priesthood. God will hold him accountable. One of my great joys is that Pope Francis is such a good and husky man, and regularly disagrees with these extremist priests in the USA. Peace be yours, my friend.
Thank you very much, Jen. I think that priest is long gone from this earth.
How awful for you, Joanna. It makes me furious on your behalf. It's only in hindsight that I realize that in my time at Catholic school (Grades 1 through 8) the priests were more interested in the boys than we girls. We girls were more chastised for our "sins" at every confessional.
I think you're right on that, Lynell. I went to Catholic school for three years, grades 7, 8, and 9. I also taught K-8 music in two Catholic schools. I'm an organist but won't work for the Catholic Church anymore. For that matter, I won't work for any church. I saw an emotional and sometimes physical abuse of young boys in the choir where I last worked, many years ago, by a priest. Some of these boys were my private music students and I could just cry watching this. The priest one day told me I was fired when, after screaming at the boys, I asked where he was in the music. He told me he had "had enough!" of me. And I, him. I told him, you don't have to fire me because I just quit. That was it for me and any church!
Thank you for sharing this, Joanna. So sorry for what you had to go through, and what you witnessed firsthand.
I am soooo sorry for what must be a dreadful memory.
Thank you Rowshan. 🌹
I came from a large family, and my dad worked for the diocese. One of my brothers was smacked across the head and face with a wooden paddle by a nun after he snickered at her attempt to spank him. I have 3 brothers who were hit on at various Young Life events, and the young priest who served me my first communion was called out in that report many times.
I can’t count how many times I was beaten by either nuns or priests in my first 12 years of school. To their credit the Jesuits did teach me how to think and craft an argument based on truth, not shifting sands but the rock of truth.
I am very sorry Dick. No child should have to bear this, ever.
How horrific!
Damn. That is just awful.
How dreadful for your family. I am so sorry.
Yikes. That’s terrible.
I'm so sorry for the abuse you have lived with for too many years. Thank you for sharing your truth. Sending healing energy, peace and love 💜