Again, being raised Roman Catholic, I know first hand the tripe that church system (RCC) feeds the people. They instill a lot of fear into them from childhood on up. They teach the people to equate the church with being God. That the Priests have some special channel to God. I've heard since childhood rumors of people in the neighborhood leaving the church. Instead of saying they left the church, they would say that so and so
left God and not the organized church system. Then there are the Catholic "indulgences". You pay a priest to say a Mass for someone who is deceased in the attempt to get them out of purgatory. The rest of us were just told to pray the poor souls out of purgatory. I grew up learning a vast supply of religious and cultural superstition and fear to never utter anything against the church.
This is just my understanding from it all. I've left that system officially 33 years ago and subconsciously (spiritually) 42 years ago, so I may have forgotten much of the specific hypocrisy I've learned about that system.
After living through some of the *fear of hell* that the RCC leadership puts the people through, I can understand Charlotte's fear of reprisal against herself and her family. During the 50s and 60s, people never believed anything negative about the the RCC hierarchy. In fact, right or wrong, they sided with the hierarchy. I've heard it said so many times.."You are not supposed to question leadership" to the point that I become very frustrated. My sister and I are on the outs in our relationship because I question and she doesn't. Yet I did not have the years of indoctrination my sister has had, as well as Charlotte had and lived through. I guess I could describe myself to be too stupid to think about reprisals.
Hey! The thought just came to me that maybe this is the very reason why my sister disowned me.
Now, I've seen the same fear-mongering happen even in the Pentecostal Churches. While the majority of preachers realize that they are mere human beings...of like passion as other men and women, some do not. Some feel that they are above reproach and that the "laity", an unbiblical term no less, should not have anything to say about it. This mindset is a breeding ground for corruption.
Some preachers equate themselves as sitting in the seat of Moses, while they ignore
Matthew 20:25-27.
Not bashing all Pentecostal preachers because I also know that the congregation can be brutal to the ministry.
That being said, Titus2Woman is not disputing the validity of what has happened to thousands of young boys, girls and nuns. Although I have not read the book, (of which I would love to read) I am gathering from the posts here that Charlotte is telling her own story of her own abuse and escape. I understand from what I am reading is merely that T2W is questioning why Charlotte did not talk about any attempt made to have the authorities investigate? That is a reasonable request coming from someone who found kindness from a Catholic woman in her life. Many from the Catholic "laity" have much more kindness in their hearts than the Catholic "clergy" imho.
I have my own questions too just from reading the posts here. The indoctrination I have had was that you sacrificed yourself for the church. That the RCC mindset was the more you suffer in this life, the more "spiritual" you are. That we humans are not better than our suffering Savior. I may be speaking ignorantly here, not having read the book, but could it be that the nuns in that convent felt it was their duty to submit to these men from hades and to suffer accordingly as well as to defend what was being done to them? Perhaps Charlotte felt that none of the nuns (no pun intended) would substantiate her story and even lie in favor of their perpetrators for the sake of "the church"? (Stockholm Syndrome) These are questions I have and more. This story intrigues me.
T2W has every right spiritually and morally to state her opinion and question as to why Charlotte did not push for a proper authority investigation. I perceive that T2W is a woman of integrity, even if it means that her own reputation will get smeared by some defending what she questions. (not saying anyone here will do so, but those out in the world by people who have no belief in our Savior) I perceive that she feels, at least if nobody else believes or agrees with her, God knows her heart and that she feels she has said and done what is
expected of her by God. It's not easy being the lone gunman that blasts away at the solid rock of secrecy or to question the motives of sensational speakers. It makes others exercise their thinking caps. I also have seen that T2W is humble when she is mistaken as all of us sometimes are. Many of us never admit our mistakes, while she does if she realizes she may be mistaken. It is painful to admit our faults, because we all want to be right in our views. We all want to be loved by others.
Tituswoman displays the kind of honesty and humbleness that is honorable, of which I would do well if I learned to try to pattern my actions after these attributes.
Let people state their opinion and let us all examine ourselves over what anybody has to say here. This freedom of opinion is what sets this forum a cut above all other forums.
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